New York – Indian American director Vishesh Sharma’s short film “Color of Anger,” which is being showered with awards and praises, is the story of a teenage boy’s natural instinct to revolt and rebel with the deadly combination of his drug addiction and extreme athleticism (Parkour skills), against his domineering, abusive father.
The film was on the official selection list of 12th Annual New York Indian Film Festival; 8th Annual Big Apple Film Festival 2011; Reality Bytes Film Festival – 2012 (Chicago); Literary & Arts Film Festival (NYU).
The Color of Anger was given “Award of Merit 2012 at the Best Shorts Festival (LA) and got two Silver Telly Awards 2012 for Best Short Film and Best Production.
With nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries, the Telly Awards named Vishesh Sharma as a Silver winner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for his piece titled Color of Anger.
“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “Vishesh Sharma’s accomplishment illustrates his creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”
India America Today recently caught up with producer, director, and editor Sharma to look beyond the smiling face and friendly eyes.
Where and when was the idea for Color of Anger born?
The idea was born over a year ago. I was reading an article on domestic violence and that inspired me for the story. I just wanted to see a story from a teenager’s perspective.
What are the challenges you faced in making this dream come true?
There were many challenges:
Money – Short films hardly ever find funding since they don’t sell like features, so that was one
Casting – I had a very hard time finding the mother. I was lucky to have found Wanda.
Editing – Process was very hard. I was too close to the film, so I requested my friend Sujit Agrawal to help. He helped a lot to shape it up. We discussed in length on how we wanted to make the film look and feel and Karsh Kale’s score just added another dimension to the film.
Who all poured cold water on your dreams?
No one. Actually, people were very supportive, from my family to my friends for my 1st short. Every single person from the cast to the crew loved the subject and the approach we had.
Where is your vision headed now?
I am working with my writer Girimohan Coneti on a few scripts. We are planning to go into production by fall, hopefully.
What is your message to aspiring Indian Americans and are you willing to give them a break in your next venture?
I love working with newcomers. I just say one thing – that not every script is made for you. You have to be honest to yourself and choose wisely.
The most important question: Where and from whom did you learn such an excellent command over the language of cinematography?
That credit goes to Scott Cramer, who shot the film with me. I shot some outdoor stuff. He played a big role in helping me shoot this film. He just had an eye for Parkour since he was a skateboarder in his childhood. He is a superb DP to work with. The film, which is now making the rounds of film festivals, will be available end of the year on the web. (IATNS)