SIMC Blog

The Corporate Interface Team – Audio-Visual (CIT-AV) of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication recently hosted an exciting workshop with filmmaker Archana Phadke, known for her critically acclaimed documentary "About Love". Phadke shared her valuable insights into storytelling, emphasizing the importance of patience and flexibility in capturing real-life moments. She also highlighted how accessible filmmaking has become with smartphones, encouraging everyone to use the creative tools at their disposal.

Want to know more about this insightful session? Check out the full article and learn from Phadke’s journey.

The Corporate Interface Team – Audio-Visual (CIT-AV) of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC) recently organized an insightful documentary filmmaking workshop by the acclaimed filmmaker Archana Phadke. Known for her distinct storytelling style, Phadke is the director of the critically acclaimed documentary “About Love” and the short film “Mirage”, shot entirely on an iPhone.

The workshop started with a screening of her documentary, “About Love”, which captivated the audience by Phadke’s ability to tell personal, emotionally engaging stories. Phadke delved into the core qualities every documentary filmmaker must possess: patience and discipline. She emphasized that capturing life as it unfolds takes time and dedication, often requiring hours of footage to find the right moments. This patience, according to Phadke, is crucial in allowing characters to reveal their true selves, a process that cannot be rushed.

Phadke also touched upon the dynamic nature of characters and narratives in documentaries. Characters often start with one objective, only to discover new purposes as the story progresses. She encouraged filmmakers to remain flexible, allowing their films to evolve organically as the characters do. This fluidity, she explained, adds layers of authenticity and depth to the story, which is the hallmark of powerful documentary filmmaking.

The discussion around accessibility in filmmaking, particularly with the rise of smartphone devices took place. Phadke's short film “Mirage” follows a day in the life of Ali, a 13-year-old boy who finds solace in the digital world to escape from the monotony of his daily life. It showcased the potential of smartphones in storytelling. ”Filmmaking is now more accessible than ever," she claimed, inspiring students to explore unconventional tools for their creative projects.

A few other takeaways that stayed with the students after the session were that we don’t always require expensive and multiple equipment to make a powerful film. There are no such rules in filmmaking nowadays with the advent of new technologies available to a wide population.

A good film will always require a lot of patience, passion and commitment. Creative vision could turn ordinary stories into an enriching experience for the viewers.

The session wrapped up with a heartfelt message from Mithunchandra Chaudhari, the HOD of Audio-Visual, who described Phadke's documentary “About Love” as "timeless," commending its raw and honest portrayal of relationships. Held at SO4 and the Multi-cam studio, the event ended up being a source of creative inspiration for the students in SIMC. It was a remarkable experience for the students, leaving them with invaluable insights into the world of documentary filmmaking, and a deeper appreciation for the art of capturing real-life stories.