Workshop for 50 budding filmmakers organised

Tirupati: “A film maker is a story teller, you tell a story that is close to your heart. Tell people stories about environment, about wildlife and the fact that we are all connected in the circle of life,” said Aarati Shrivastava, national award-winning environment filmmaker.  

Training 50 budding filmmakers in a workshop on eco film making held at Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) here on Thursday, she said that music has to be especially powerful for an environment film to make an emotional connect with the audience. 

A selected group of school and varsity students, teachers as well as members of the general public were trained in the basics of film making, from conception of an idea to editing the final footage. They were encouraged to choose subjects of interest to them and were guided on turning their ideas into short films.

A painting competition on environmental issues was also conducted for school students on the side-lines of the film festival. Over 800 school children from government schools in Tirupati have participated in the film festival and more than 25 films were screened in the two-day Environment Film Festival held at SPMVV concluded on a grand note. 

Noted environmentalist from Tirupati BV Ramana spoke to the participants on the techniques of environmental filmmaking. Speaking at the valedictory session, he stressed upon the need to create more awareness about environment through films and said that children had great ideas about environment filmmaking and they should use their mobiles to make simple films to spread awareness.

The in-charge Vice-Chancellor of SPMVV Prof V Uma said that the varsity will take the initiative forward for screening films to school children in rural areas on environment and energy issues. Students from Government High School, Rajampet won cash prizes for best short films submitted to the film festival.  

Prof Neelima BN, Coordinator of film festival, Prof C Vani, head, Department of Communication and Journalism, SPMVV and District Science Coordinator P Neelakantam, APNGC representatives participated in the concluding session.