KOTTAYAM: Vice President M Hamid Ansari has called up on the new aspirants in the cinema field to be technologically conscious to explore the new frontiers in the sector. He was speaking after inaugurating the K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts at Thekkumthala near here on Monday.
According to him, the new aspirants need to learn not only the basics of the art and craft but also how to adapt with and adopt the latest technology taking into account the evolution of cinema right from the era of silent movies to the present period of digital cinema.
“As an art form, cinema is perhaps most dependent on technology and thus most susceptible to changes from technical innovations. The medium of cinema undergoes a fundamental change whenever there is a new discovery in technology.
Silent movies became talkies; Black and White became colour and celluloid film gave way to digital formats. Technology has transformed every department of cinema. Be it cinematography, audiography, editing or animation. Equipment quickly becomes obsolete,” he said.
He congratulated state government for establishing a national level film and visual arts institute in memory of the former president of India K R Narayanan at a time when there was a felt need to have institutes with international standards to equip our future generation of visual and video artists- not only with the aesthetic creativity and social awareness, but also with the technical and logistical aspects of film and video making.
He added that K R Narayanan’s life illustrated that hard work and talent brings success even in adversity. Hamid Ansari also praised aesthetic sense of Keralites and their passion for cinema.
“The institute could not have asked for a better location. The people of Kerala appreciate good cinema. Hundreds of film appreciation societies function even at the village level here. The annual International Film Festival of Kerala has established itself in the international cinema calendar,” he said.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the government would initiate further steps to make the institute a deemed university.
“Moreover, a project is underway to make the institute a film hub by combining various tourism hot-spots like Munnar, Vagamon, Kuttikkanam and Kumarakom.
Apart from that the government will also explore the possibilities for cultural exchanges with foreign film institutes and universities from this institute,” he said. Kerala Governor Justice P Sathasivam, Ministers Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, P K Abdurrab, MPs Jose K Mani, Anto Antony, MLAs K M Mani, N Jayaraj, institute director G Rajasekharan and registrar Mohan Abraham also spoke.