From Cuts' to Takes'

It is in the role of a cinematographer that Aloysius Vincent alias A. Vincent started his career; he later shifted focus to direction and came up with evergreen films like Murappennu and Bhargavi Nilayam. When it comes to director J. Sasikumar, who holds the world record for directing most number of films, as an actor. He had started his career as an actor.

So, role transition is not  new for M’town as the 77-year-long Malayalam cinema history has witnessed many such transitions. Though we have seen the transition of actors, writers and cinematographers into directors, there are a few technicians who havechosen to leave their editing suites to wield the megaphones. After Cocktail director Arun Kumar Aravind and Nellika-fame Bijith Bala, more editors are coming to helm films; the latest in the list are Don Max and Mahesh Narayanan.

Mahesh with Mili team

One of the oft heard dialogues in conversations among directors and technicians during production is that ‘error can be rectified during editing. Our editor can easily tweak it’. In fact, a major share of the movies, especially commercial films, are being tweaked at the editing suite.        

So, what would be the preference of an editor-turned-director when he dons the director’s hat? Don Max, who is debuting with 10 Kalpanakal which has Anoop Menon and Meera Jasmine in the lead, says, “Even before starting the production, we sat down for a detailed pre-production. I approached the script as both an editor and  director during that stage itself and it helped me decide the length of each shot.”

He adds, “Though we are prepared, many shots will change after improvisations and creative discussions. But all I can say is that these will help the director come up with a better output.”

Are his editing experiences enough for him to direct a film all by himself? “I started off as an editor with Shaji Kailas’s The Tiger. Before that, I was working with a channel. So it has been around 15 years since I have been an editor; I have been studying frames and films through the footages I went through. Later, I got chance to interact with directors on the locations as a spot editor. I could witness how a director sets frames, how he gives instructions and all, but not in the role of his assistant,” says Don, who is coming up with a crime-thriller drama. Also an editor of his debut movie, he considers Shaji Kailas as his mentor in direction.

As for Mahesh Narayanan, he decided to direct the yet-to-be-titled Kunchacko Boban-Parvathy-starrer after trying his hand in screenwriting through Rajesh Pillai’s Mili. The editor behind path-breaking movies such as Traffic, Beautiful, Ennu Ninte Moideen and Kamal Hassan’s Viswaroopam was initially planning to make his directorial debut with Fahadh Faasil-starrer Virgin. It was all of a sudden he decided to go with the project produced by Rajesh Pillai Films.

“I have not dropped that project and after this one, I will take over that. This one is being produced by Rajesh Pillai Films in association with Anto Joseph. In fact, this subject was discussed with Rajeshettan, who was planning to direct it, but it didn’t happen. After he passed away, his family and we friends decided to do films under his banner. The first two films we zeroed in on were the movies which were supposed to be directed by Rajeshettan. Later, I agreed to direct this film and write the screenplay,” says Mahesh.