BENGALURU : As days passed during the lockdown, many filmmakers found themselves struggling to find work. With OTT platforms being the go-to spot for entertainment during the time when outdoor activity was restricted, the audience wondered about how streaming platforms would continue to sustain. But it’s been good news for independent filmmakers who are finding their works being accepted by OTT platforms. Take, for instance, Change of Plans, which started airing on Disney + Hotstar on Friday. “It came as quite a surprise, but I guess platforms are reaching out to independent creators for quality work,” says Bengaluru-based Suvin Valson, the lead actor in the film. The movie, produced by Do Creative Labs, also stars Kaushik Narayan.
A 11-minute production, the film directed by Murtaza Ezzi, was in fact a college project for the latter. “I came across a post from Murtaza on Facebook, and he was upfront that he was a student with no movie experience, but was keen on making this film. With three years of experience, I was initially hesitant but later decided to give it a shot since it required one day of shooting. The shots were pre-planned and well-organised,” says Valson. The film was shot last year, and the post-production work took place during the lockdown, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The relationship drama revolves around a couple that decides to move to a foreign country together. But things go wrong on the day of their departure. The modern-day love story, which targets an urban audience, ends with an unexpected twist. Mostly shot using long takes, the film has tried to bring out different emotions in an authentic manner. “Murtaza was particular that emotional scenes would have to be played out in real, rather than using glycerine.
So I wrote out a back story like we do in theatre to create the character’s life graph and current emotions. The recording was done on the spot because sound is very important in the film. This is to take the audience through the highs and lows of the characters,” says Valson, who has also been involved with distribution for this film.
Though background noise, like traffic and construction sounds, posed difficulties, the team managed it with advance preparation. Currently having written a feature crime thriller, she is awaiting other opportunities to come by. “At this point, not much production can happen. We will probably have to wait for 2021 for that,” she says.