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ISC participates in the 1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers in Huelva, Spain - 2004

Indian Society of Cinematographers President Ramachandra Babu, ISC and General Secretary Sunny Joseph, ISC attended the 1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers held at Huelva, Spain 12 – 14 November, 2004. Being the Associate Members of IMAGO ( European Federation of Cinematographer Societies ) Indian Society of Cinematographers along with 27 other National Societies also took part in the General Body Meeting of IMAGO held on 12 November, 2004 at AC Hotel, Huelva.

This being the First Cinematographers Congress it was a great opportunity to meet Cinematographers from various nations and interact with them. We were able to establish friendly relationship with office bearers of many National Societies who evinced much interest in the Indian scenario, as India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. Many of them showed keen interest in coming to India and collaborate with us.

This Congress was of much importance to ISC as we had earlier conducted The ISC-KODAK National Seminar on the theme of "Cinematographer as a co-author of Cinema" at Thiruvananthapuram, KERALA, on 16th December 2003, as part of the International Film festival of Kerala, 2003. Many cinematographers, film makers, film students and film lovers enthusiastically participated in the event. The whole session was vibrant with passionate discussions. Eminent Film Directors Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Krzysztof Zanussi, Sethumadhavan, and Cinematographers Piotr Jaxa, P.C. Sreeram, ISC and Anil Mehta, ISC participated in the discussions. Shankar Dutta of Kodak moderated the discussions.

Also the ISC was in the forefront in supporting the statement by Conrad Hall, ASC on Humane working conditions in the Film Industry. In this Congress also there was much discussion about this and ISC representatives were part of a committee for finding ways and means to eradicate this practice which compromises our creative ability as well as the health and well being of every member of the crew. 

At the conclusion of the Congress a Declaration was made which is given below:

1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers in Huelva, Spain - 2004



Declaration

In November 1999, during the Camerimage Film Festival celebrated in Torún (Poland), Cinematographers from 22 National Associations publicly claimed through the "Torún Declaration", the recognition of their status as co-authors of cinematographic and audiovisual works. This has been another step in the international process of consciousness in relation to the creative work of cinematographers.
At the 1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers in Huelva, November 2004, representatives of 28 National Societies have reached the following conclusion:

  • Cinematographic and audiovisual works are recognized worldwide as work of artistic creation and therefore are protected by intellectual property laws according to the applicable international legislation. 

  • The cinematographic and audiovisual work is the result of the contribution of several creators. 

  • The artistic contribution of the cinematographer in the creation of moving pictures is always essential for the result of the cinematographic and/or audiovisual work. 

  • The cinematographer is always author of cinematography and in every case co-author of the cinematographic and audiovisual works. 

  • The cinematographers gathered in the 1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers in Huelva, claim the specific recognition of our status as full co-authors of cinematographic and audiovisual works, and we require from the public authorities to provide for all necessary means to guarantee our protection and effective participation in any and all benefits generated by these works. 

All the associations represented in this Congress agree to take all necessary actions, both national and internationally, through IMAGO (European Federation of Cinematographers), in order to obtain the universal recognition of cinematographers as co-authors of cinematographic and audiovisual works.

 

Cinema is moving pictures. Without pictures there is no cinema.
Huelva, 14th November, 2004

IMAGO General Body Meeting

IMAGO Members at the General Body Meeting, Huelva 

1st International Congress on Authorship Rights of Cinematographers in Huelva

Seated (L to R ) Porfirio Enriquez ( Director Of Huelva Cinema Festival ) Tomas Pladvall ( AEC President) , Tony Costa AIP( IMAGO Vice President ), Andreas Fisher-Hansen DFF ( IMAGO President) and Paul Rene Roestad ( IMAGO General Secretary )

Porfirio Enriquez, Director - Festival de Cine Iberoamericano , Huelva receiving a Memento

Ramachandra Babu, ISC, Tony Costa AIP( IMAGO Vice President ) Sunny Joseph, ISC

Committee discussion on Working Conditions


Peter Dubovits,HSC, Fritz Maeder,SCS, Gerad Kaczek , Kurt Brazda ,AAC, Ramachandra Babu,ISC

Roberto Girometti, AIC ( President, Italy ) and Ramachandra Babu ISC

Sunny Joseph, ISC and Fritz Maeder, SCS

The delegates of the European National Associations at the Huelva Congress (Casa Colón)

 


 

 
 

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Kerala State Film Development Corporation in association with Indian Society of Cinematographers and Fuji Films organized a 3 day film festival dedicated to the celebration of Cinematography. It was the first time such a film festival being organized anywhere in India. The festival was held during 3rd to 5th June 2004 at the Kalabhavan Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram. The festival was flagged off by the inaugural film 'AKALE' brilliantly photographed by S Kumar ISC and directed by Shyamaprasad. The following films were featured in this edition of the festival.

'KAHINI' - cin: Sunny Joseph ISC, dir: Malay Battacharya
'1:1.66 AN ODE TO LOST LOVE' - cin: & dir: Madhu Ambat ISC
THE BYPASS' - cin: Rajeev Ravi, dir: Amit Kumar
'KANNATHIL MUTHAMITTAN' - cin: Ravi K Chandran ISC, dir: Mani Ratnam
'CHIDAMBARAM' - cin: Shaji N Karun ISC, dir: Aravindan
'AMMA ARIYAN' - cin Venu ISC, dir: John Abraham
'MEENAKSHI' - cin: Santhosh Sivan ISC, dir: MF Hussain
'ORU VADAKKAN VEERA GATHA' - cin: Ramachandra Babu ISC, dir: Hariharan
'DANY' - cin: KG Jayan ISC, dir: TV Chandran
'VAANAM VASAPPADUM' - cin: & dir: PC Sreeram

It was very heartening to note that a very large crowd of enthusiastic viewers were present for all the film screenings. More than 25 cinematographers from Kerala also participated in the festival, including, Madhu Ambat, PC Sreeram, Ramachandra Babu, Vipin Mohan, S Kumar, Saloo George, Sunny Joseph, P Sukumar, MD Sukumaran, Pratapan, Radhakrishnan, Venugopal, Sanjeev Shankar, Rasheed Moopan, TG Sreekumar, Utpal V Nair, Jain Joseph, Anil Nair, Udayan Ambadi, Jain Joseph, Sabu James, Sajan Varghese and Siddharthan. 

CHEMISTRY OF CINEMATOGRAPHY - THE LABORATORY PRACTICES

Along with the 'Festival of Light and Shadow', Indian Society of Cinematographers in association with Fuji Films and KSFDC organized a workshop on Laboratory Practices at the Preview Theatre of Chitranjali Studios, Thiruvallom.

The Key Note address was delivered by Mr. Shivraman, Lab Chief, Prasad Film Laboratories, Chennai on the various parameters of film processing. Mr. Maheswaran, Fuji Films Chennai also presented the new Fuji Film negatives with the screening of demo films. On the second day Mr. Sudheer, Lab Chief of Chitranjali Studios presented the facilities available with Chitranjali Lab and later screened a show reel of films processed at Chitranjali Lab.

Mr. Madhu Ambat and Mr. Ramachandra Babu conducted lighting workshops to test the Fuji Negative's exposure latitude and Mr. PC Sreeram with his practicals explained on the problems involved in deciding on a composition and exposure for a frame. The negatives were processed and printed on the same day. The rushes were screened at the Kalabhavan Theatre on the morning of the final day of the festival and the results were openly discussed to the benefit of all.

Apart from the ISC members, 75 students also participated in the workshop sessions. It was a rewarding experience for all.

The ISC-KODAK National Seminar on the theme of "Cinematographer as a co-author of Cinema"
was held successfully on 16th December 2003, as part of the International Film festival of Kerala, 2003. Many cinematographers, film makers, film students and film lovers enthusiastically participated in the event. The whole session was vibrant with passionate discussions. During this event ISC also conferred the 'Honorary Membership' of ISC to three Masters of Indian Cinematography - Shri. A Vincent, Shri. V.K. Murthy and Shri. K.K. Mahajan. It was a great moment to see all these doyens together on the stage. Mr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mr. Zanussi, Mr. Piotr Jaxa, Mr. Sethumadhavan, Mr. P.C. Sreeram, and Mr. Anil Mehta participated in the discussions. Mr. Shankar Dutta of Kodak, moderated the discussions with fine articulation.

Mr. Piotr Jaxa also gifted a portrait of Late Shri. Subrata Mitra to Mr. Ramachandra Babu, President, ISC. Mr. Piotr Jaxa's portrait exhibition of 'Cinematographers' was a major event of the
IFFK, 2003. During his stay in India, he has also photographed 14 cinematographers from India for his collection - VK Murthy, A Vincent, KK Mahajan, Ashok Mehta, Govind Nihalani, Vinod Pradhan, Navaroze Contractor, Rajen Khothari, Venu, Anil Mehta, Santhosh Sivan, Sunny Joseph, Rafey Mahamood and M Shanthi.

Mr. T.K. Rajeevkumar, Chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, during the event announced that from next year onwards, there will be a 'CINEMATOGRAPHY DAY' for cinematography, during the IFFK and an award for Best Cinematography work.

Friends, this is a step forward and ISC is already having a plan to have a touring cinematography festival soon, highlighting the best of Indian Cinematography, which will be held in Trivandrum,
Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi... and this idea comes from Shri. Ashok Kumar ISC.