Foreigners working on Nepali films are a rarity. But breaking that trend, jose herum an American cinematographer (DOP) has worked on not one, but two Nepali feature films thus far.
He started his career in 2014, making documentaries and short films, simultaneously working as a freelance cinematographer. As a cinematographer, he has worked on two Nepali films: Gau Aaeko Bato and Fulbari.
Recently, Herum was in Nepal for the premiere of Fulbari. On the occasion, Onlinekhabar talked to Herum about Nepali films, her experience working on Nepali films, and what Nepali films need to do to reach the international stage.
Extracts:
How did you get involved with this project?
I was contracted to shoot a different Nepali movie in January 2022. That movie is called Gaun Aaeko Bato, directed by Nabin Subba and starring Dayahang Rai. I shot for two months in Bhojpur. After that movie, I went home. A couple of months later, Dayahang and Pahupati Rai recommended Ram Babu Gurung to me. We work on the details; then I became part of Fulbari.
How was your experience filming these Nepali movies?
They were very different experiences. Gaun Aaeko Bato was shot in a very rural part of Bhojpur; we lived in a small town. We were photographing traditions and rituals of the Rai community, which was very immersive. Compared to that, Ram Babu’s Fulbari was shot in Kathmandu and Ilam.
I think the atmosphere was different because the stories we were trying to tell were different. I would say that Gaun Aaeko Bato is more about industrialization and not as big of a family drama as Fulbari is. But both were really great experiences. I enjoyed and loved working with the Nepali crew and actors.
Did you see Fulbari? What did you think of the final product?
I saw the movie during the premiere; I loved how it came together. It is a beautiful story. I think the first half is a comedy and the second half is a tragedy. Most movies have one or the other, but having both is sure to be a great experience for the audience. I personally liked it a lot.
Many say that the cinematography in the film is great, especially the lighting. It seems that you have used natural light during the shoots. Did you have a concept of how you were going to shoot it beforehand?
I’m glad people liked it. But the funny thing is that Fulbari is not done with a lot of natural light. And people liking it is the best compliment I could get because it means my enlightenment is hidden. But it actually had about the same amount of lighting or even more than many other Nepali movies, maybe not more, but probably similar. I had two 4K and two 1.8K. I used a ton of light, but for people to say it looks natural, then I guess I did my job.
The concept was simple, with a smooth move and a rolling motion. I wanted to make sure that when the actors moved, the camera would also move, and if the actor was stationary, the camera would also be stationary. You can see this throughout the movie. I also wanted the film to be bright and colorful in a good way. Not just a lot of sun or whatever, but just the palate… I wanted it to create a happy atmosphere, especially at the beginning of the movie and then as we got into the darker parts of the movie, there was more involvement of shade. areas and other things.
The other thing is we brought these lenses from India and they were Cooke S5i lenses. Someone told me that no Nepali film was shot with a kitchen Lens, which can go to a very shallow depth of field with an f-stop of 1.4. No other Nepali film has been shot with such a low f-stop, I’m told. So I used it a lot for the look too. You can see how I have used the lenses to make the background blurry. It was a concept that I wanted to showcase and show the audience something different.
How was your experience working with Ram Babu Gurung?
Yes, there was a fair amount of collaboration with him. I felt that Rama Babu heard my ideas and liked them. And there were other times when he had an idea and wanted a shot and I shot it. It was a good collaboration and a great experience. We read the script together and discussed certain scenes. Even in pre-production, we had a lot of discussions.
In your perception, is the camera an actor?
Oh yes, it could be. But I feel that this is not the case in Fulbari, since he plays the role of the observer. But definitely, I think as a cinematographer, I’m usually the closest to the actors with the camera in hand or on a tripod. I feel like a cinematographer should have a good relationship with the actors and be able to talk to them. You already know how they are placed in the frame and the marks that they must hit, you already know how to hit. So yeah, I feel like, in that sense, the camera is a big part of acting. So, in a metaphorical sense, I think the camera could be an actor.
Movie critics often say that there is a difference between a cinematographer and a cinematographer. Between these two, who are you?
I don’t think there is a difference. I think maybe you could say that a cinematographer is more into the visual side. So it’s less about managing and working with the team and the budget. But I think they are interchangeable. They are just another name. I don’t think there is a difference in either one. My name is a cinematographer, but I think cinematographers are the same thing.
What is your advice for young cinematographers working on Nepali films?
I would tell them to go shoot short films with their friends. Find some friends, make short films and make better ones every year. That is what I did. One day someone will see your work, but you have to put it where people can see it. It doesn’t have to be the whole movie too. You can be shot from movies, which can be seen by people who watch you grow as a cinematographer, and eventually get producer or director jobs. But you have to start by building a real one and shoot as much as possible even if you don’t have money for it.
What was the difference you observed when shooting American and Nepali movies?
I feel like Nepali movies are extremely bright and have a lot of depth of field so you can see everything in the background as well. I’m only talking about the cinematography side of things because I’m not going to talk about the acting or the story. Besides that, I think the Nepali movies followed what India did and they have a lot of songs and dances in the movies.
In the US, we don’t have musicals, and only a few are made occasionally. Basically in Nepal every movie is a musical because it has music. So that’s a big difference.
On the cinematography side, movies are darker when it comes to lighting. There’s not a lot of far-key lighting, which means the light is a bit behind your subject and you’re casting a lot of shadow on your subject’s face. I find that it is more frontally lit.
I have seen a lot of gimble work in Nepali movies whereas in the US they use more dollies and cranes. Cranes and dollies were used here as well, but nowadays it’s mostly about gimble.
What should Nepali films do to reach the international stage?
I think the movie we shot, Gaun Aaeko Bato, plans to go to Cannes and bigger festivals. There have also been movies already. I saw Deepak Rauniyar’s White Sun; that was a great movie. So there are some Nepali movies that I would say are at the level to go to the international market.
But I can’t say what it takes to get to the international stage. I would say be yourself and make movies that you know and highlight Nepali culture. Don’t try to be Bollywood. Have your own style. The United States has its own style just like France, Japan and South Korea. Look what Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite did, winning five Academy Awards. Staying true to your craft will get you there.
Are you planning to work on more Nepali films?
I hope so. I’ve been talking to different directors. I’ve talked to probably four or five directors. I want to work on a project with Safal KC in 2024 after I shoot the next one. I mean I’m talking to Ram Babu about his next movie. You know, right now, nothing’s in the books, but the talks are happening and I hope to film more here. I love it in Nepal.
