City film maker Raj Sampad has carved a niche for himself in the world of documentaries. He has added another feather to his cap of glory by bagging a national-level award for his documentary ‘Man of God,’ recently. His film was among top five films out of 2,500. The 24-year-old filmmaker was the only person from Orissa to be in the top five. His film has received appreciations at a fest held in Siberia. Orissa POST interacted with the young filmmaker. Here the Excerpts:
Tell us about your film ‘Man of God.’
It is a three-minute long film. It is about a man near Bhubaneswar railway station. He gathers food that is thrown away by the travelers and feeds street dogs. He eats later, only if anything is left for him.
How did you take up filmmaking as a profession?
Well, I used to shoot films with my friends—just like that! However, later this enthusiasm for filming increased and I took it more seriously. This apart, my Bada Bapa (elder brother of my father) Nirad Mohapatra is a renowned filmmaker and his Oriya film ‘Maya Miriga’ was screened at an international film festival in France. So, his work also inspired me.
What kind of films do you want to make?
Earlier, I used to make short films. Now, I have a developed an interest towards documentaries on real life stories. I decided to make films on the unsung heroes in our society.
You have a unique style of filmmaking. We heard about it. What’s that?
Well, I don’t shoot my films using super expensive and advanced cameras.
I simply use a DSLR camera and a tripod. That’s it.
You don’t have a crew. You are a single man army with a DSLR. How challenging is it?
I am an independent film maker. I have to shoot and create everything alone. I don’t have any external financial support, so I can’t even hire team members. This is the only challenge I face. However, my family supports me a lot. And, where there’s a will, there’s always a way—That’s the success mantra!
Have you received any formal training?
No. Once, my father gifted me a DSLR camera. I knew nothing about the camera. However, I started experimenting with it. Eventually, I became a filmmaker.
What is your next project?
Well, I have nothing to shoot now. But, I am looking for the best subject that I can shoot on for the people. I am travelling several places across Orissa in search of my next subject.
