Low Budget Filmmaking and Achieving Quality Results in Yathisai VFX, Animation, Post Production & Film Editing – Insights from Director Ravikumar Ananthraj’s Interview on “Yathisai”
Yathisai, a periodical film that focuses on producing high-quality visuals on a low budget. This is a series of interviews with industry experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of making low-budget films. In a recent interview, Director Ravikumar Ananthraj shared his insights on how to achieve quality results in VFX, animation, post-production, film editing, and video editing with limited resources.
Ravikumar Ananthraj is an accomplished VFX head with over a decade years of experience in the industry. He has worked on various blockbuster movies. During the interview, he discussed the importance of planning and execution, creativity, and the right tools to achieve great results.
Ravikumar Ananthraj on how he started Yathisai VFX
“The producer of this project, K. J. Ganeshan, is the main reason behind this effort. He is a person with a clear understanding of cinema. When he decided to make this project, he chose me and instructed me on how to proceed. With over 20 years of experience in this field, he knew what he was doing, and I trusted him completely.
We began this journey from there. We did not lock the script in any creative area, regardless of the film’s genre. If we did the pre-production work with clarity, we could reduce the VFX cost. We spent about 40-50 days on the pre-production work for this film, making it as detailed as possible. We had a clear idea of which scenes would require CG, so we had already completed the storyboard, heavy storyboard, and the color tone of the film.
After that, we moved on to the basics of animation and did the whole movie in detail. Then we split the film into action scenes and regular scenes, and went on to shoot them.”
He also stated about how he handled budget for Yathisai VFX
“In big movies, all lenses are used for shooting at all times. Whether they are used or not, money is spent on them. But we don’t do it that way. We plan ahead and shoot the TV version first. Today, we only rent the lenses we need for the shoot. Note that in forest areas like Theni and Kambam, permission is granted for film crews to enter and shoot. Some people stay outside while others carry walkie-talkies to exchange information.
We finalize in the daily sheet that we will finish this scene with this camera in this many hours. Everyone in that sheet belongs to the film crew. Once shooting is finished on walkie-talkies, the information comes and the lenses and cameras with increased prices are ordered. This has reduced most of the expenses.”
The 7th century saw the Pandya dynasty and a coalition army fight for supremacy in a small town, which became the inspiration for the film Yathisai. Yathisai was well received by critics and audiences alike, and it showcased how a low-budget film can deliver excellent results in terms of storytelling, music, and VFX.
According to Ravikumar Ananthraj, the key to achieving quality results in VFX, animation, post-production, film editing, and video editing is to plan meticulously and execute it with precision. He suggested that a well-thought-out plan with a clear vision is essential to ensure that every penny spent goes towards achieving the desired outcome.
The director also stressed the importance of creativity in low-budget filmmaking. He said that creativity plays a significant role in making a low-budget film stand out. To illustrate his point, he cited the example of Yathisai, which had limited resources but stood out due to its unique storytelling, creative music, and VFX.
The right tools are another crucial factor in achieving quality results in VFX, animation, post-production, film editing, and video editing. Ravikumar Ananthraj said that technology has evolved significantly over the years, making it possible to achieve high-quality results with affordable tools. He mentioned that there are many open-source tools available that can help filmmakers achieve excellent results without spending a lot of money.