Life! Camera Action...

Life! Camera Action... is a family-drama film directed, written, edited, produced by Rohit Gupta, in his feature-length directorial debut.[1][2] Starring Dipti Mehta, Shaheed Woods,[3] Noor Naghmi,[4] Swati Kapila,[5] John Crann,[6] this ninety minutes quasi-autobiographical film follows a girl in pursuit of her dreams of becoming a filmmaker against all odds. The film received several awards and nominations.[7][8][9][10][11] Its theatrical release was limited to film festivals. The film received direct-to-DVD release and subsequently on other video on demand (VOD) platforms.[12][13]

Life! Camera Action...
Movie poster
Directed byRohit Gupta
Produced byRohit Gupta
Written byRohit Gupta
Amanda Sodhi
Starring
Music byManoj Singh
CinematographyRavi Kumar R
Edited byRohit Gupta
Production
company
Dot and Feather Entertainment
Distributed byViva Entertainment, USA
Flipkart (dvd), India
Distrify (online worldwide)
Release date
  • 20 July 2012 (2012-07-20)
United States
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageHindi
Punjabi
English

Life! Camera Action... is of note for its extremely low filming budget ($4000), production value, philosophical inference, and its message widely praised.[14][15] Silicon India listed it as "One of the 10 Outstanding Movies by Indian American Filmmakers".[16] It made its way to the Limca Book of Records, India's equivalent of the Guinness World Records for being the first full-length motion picture "shot by just a two-member crew".[17][18]

Plot

Life! Camera Action... is an inspiring story of Reina, who sets off to pursue a career in filmmaking without the consent of her parents. She is threatened to be disowned if she insists on her choice instead of doing what usually is the norm – become a doctor, engineer or an architect. At the center of this family drama, Reina is faced with a hard decision: She must give up her dreams to keep her parents happy or go against their wishes and follow her own path.

Cast
  • Dipti Mehta as Reina
  • Shaheed Woods as Mike
  • John Crann as Professor Ed
  • Swati Kapila as Simi
  • Suneet Kochar as Actress[19]
  • Chelsi Stahr as producer Teri[20]
  • Subodh Batra as Reina's father
  • Noor Naghmi[21]
  • Prabha Batra as Reina's mother
  • Nina Mehta as Actress[22]
  • Bhavesh Patel as Patel DVD store owner

Production

Development

Life! Camera Action... started as Rohit Gupta's ten-minute short film assignment at the New York Film Academy. Shortly after he dropped out of the academy to make it into a full-length feature film.[23] Amanda Sodhi, the co-writer of the film, in response to an advertisement had originally submitted a fifteen-page short film script titled "The Last Shot" loosely based on her own life.[24] Gupta expanded upon the content, calling the extended version Life! Camera Action... with The Last Shot becoming a part of it.[25]

Filming

The film was shot in guerilla style on Panasonic AG-DVX100 in ten days and roughly edited on Gupta's Mac Book Pro.[26] It was filmed on an initial budget of around $4000 with money raised from his savings that was cleaned up with post-production work costing several thousand dollars before its marketing and release. In an interview Dipti Mehta has said that in an informal meeting before the audition, Gupta thought she was not right for the part, although she was invited at the audition where he failed to recognize her at the first sight. Mehta did get the part and it became her debut film as a lead.[27]

Filming locations

Various locations in New York City, New York Film Academy, Jersey City and Newport Waterfront.

Music

The background score and songs were composed by Manoj Singh.[28] The music was produced in Mumbai, India. The following songs are featured in the film and used as a part of the background score.

Soundtrack

The score for Life! Camera Action... features two original songs.

No.TitleWriter(s)Artist(s)Length
1."Hain Yeh Kaisa Safar (What kind of Journey is this)[29]" (Theme Song)Amanda SodhiMS3:03
2."Chalte Jaana Hain (Have to keep Walking)[30]"Rohit GuptaKK4:51

Release
Actress Dipti Mehta at the World Premiere in New York

Life! Camera Action... opened in numerous international film festivals beginning with its world premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival.[31] Thereafter the film went on to receive numerous accolades around the world before it received a limited DVD distribution deal on 29 October 2012 by New Jersey-based ViVa Entertainment for the Asian Indian market spanning the North American continent.[32] It was initially released via Facebook on 20 July 2012 by Boston-based idistribute Inc., a new media distribution company.[33] On 29 November 2012, the film received another retail DVD distribution platform via Florida-based Dynasty Records through Trans World Entertainment Corporation's national mall-based stores under the brand name FYE (For Your Entertainment), Suncoast and Wherehouse.com.[34] Flipkart, India's largest e-commerce consumer company released the film on 17 February 2013.[35] On International Women's Day, 8 March 2013 the film was released worldwide through Distrify, a UK-based VOD movie distribution company for online streaming and movie download in any global currency.[36][37] The film was released to other VOD service such as the Amazon Video, BoxTV.[38]

Reception
Wins Best Feature Film at the Official World Peace Film Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia
it's not just good filmmaking, it's real intelligent filmmaking.

—The Times of India[39]

Life! Camera Action... received critical acclaim. It was invited at various international film festivals including the New York Indian Film Festival; Williamsburg International Film Festival (WILLiFest) in New York;[40] Mississippi International Film Festival, USA;[41] Cabo Verde International Film Festival (CVIFF), Africa;[42] International Film Festival Antigua & Barbuda;[43] Official World Peace Film Festival, Indonesia;[44] Golden Door Film Festival in USA;[45] Ionian International Film Festival in Greece;[46] Indian International Film Festival of Tampa Bay; Carmarthen Bay International Film Festival in United Kingdom;[47] Treasure Coast International Film Festival, USA;[48] The Social Uprising Resistance and Grass Root Encouragement International Film Festival,in the United States;[49]NFDC Film Bazaar in Goa; Beloit International Film Festival;[50][51] Filums (LUMS International Film Festival), Pakistan;[52] Boston's Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) South Asian Film Series, USA;[53] Heart of England International Film Festival; Dhaka International Film Festival (Cinema of the World section), Bangladesh;[54] Legacy Media Institute International Film Festival, Virginia;[55] Delhi International Film Festival, India;[56] International Youth Film Festival in the UK; Silent River Film Festival, USA;[57] and others.

Awards and nominations

The film received various accolades including some of the highest honors at its festival run, with the nominations categories mainly ranging from recognition of the film itself (Best Film) to its direction, Film editing, music, screenwriting to the cast's acting performance, mainly Dipti Mehta (Best Actress), Swati Kapila (Best Supporting Actress),[58] Noor Naghmi (Best Supporting Actor)[59] and Shaheed Woods (Best Actor).

Actor Noor Naghmi wins Best Supporting Actor in Washington D.C.
Actor Shaheed Woods and Actress Dipti Mehta at the New Jersey Premiere
Awards and nominations for Life! Camera Action...
Festival/Award Location Category Recipients and nominees Outcome
Accolade Film Awards[60]  USA Award of Excellence – Best Feature Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Award of Merit for Direction Rohit Gupta Won
Award of Merit for Cinematography Ravi Kumar R. Won
Award of Merit for Dramatic Impact Life! Camera Action... Won
Action On Film International Film Festival[61]  USA Best Composition Manoj Singh Nominated
Best Art Direction Ravi Kumar R. Nominated
California Film Awards[62]  USA Orson Welles Award for Best Narrative Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Canada International Film Festival[63]  Canada Royal Reel Award for Best Feature Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Carmarthen Bay Film Festival[64] UK Best Feature Film Life! Camera Action... Nominated
Golden Door Film Festival[65]  USA Best Feature Film Life! Camera Action... Nominated
Best Director Rohit Gupta Nominated
Best Male Lead Shaheed Woods Nominated
Best Female Lead Dipti Mehta Nominated
28th Goldie Film Awards[66]  USA Best feature film Life! Camera Action... Won
Best Director Rohit Gupta Won
Best Actress Dipti Mehta Won
Best Supporting Actor Shaheed Woods Won
Best Cinematography Ravi Kumar R. Won
Best Song Chalte Jaana Hain KK (Singer), Manoj Singh Won
Best Screenplay Rohit Gupta, Amanda Sodhi Won
Best Editing Rohit Gupta Won
Indie Fest[67]  USA Award of Merit – Feature film Life! Camera Action... Won
International World Peace Film Festival[68]  Indonesia Best Newcomer film Life! Camera Action... Won
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema[69]  UK Best Film of the Festival Life! Camera Action... Nominated
Best Director Rohit Gupta Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Swati Kapila Nominated
Los Angeles Movie Awards[70]  USA Award of Excellence for Best Experimental Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Nevada International Film Festival[71]  USA Platinum Reel Award for Best Narrative Feature Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Oregon Film Awards[72]  USA Grand Jury Choice Award for Best Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Prestige Film Awards[73]  USA Gold Award – Originality & Creativity Life! Camera Action... Won
Gold Award – Leading Actress Dipti Mehta Won
Silver Award – Dramatic Impact Life! Camera Action... Won
Silent River Film Festival[74]  USA River Pursuit Award for Best Film Life! Camera Action... Won
Best Actress Dipti Mehta Nominated
River Amulet Award for Best Director Rohit Gupta Won
Sunset International Film Festival[75][76]  USA Best Female Actor Dipti Mehta Won
The World Independent Film Festival (TWIFF)[77]  USA Best Inspirational Family Drama Life! Camera Action... Won
Toronto Independent Film & Video Awards[78]  Canada Best Experimental Film Life! Camera Action... Nominated
World Music & Independent Film Festival[79]  USA Best Drama Life! Camera Action... Nominated
Best Director Rohit Gupta Nominated
Best Actress Dipti Mehta Nominated
Best Original Music Manoj Singh Won
Best Screenplay Rohit Gupta, Amanda Sodhi Nominated
Best Actor in Supporting Role Noor Naghmi Won
Best Actress in Supporting Role Swati Kapila Nominated
Yosemite International Film Awards[80]  USA Grand Jury Choice Award for Best Film Life! Camera Action... Won

Selected Official selections and screenings
Festival/EventLocationCountry
New York Indian Film FestivalNew York, New York USA
Williamsburg International Film FestivalBrooklyn, New York USA
Toronto International Film AwardsToronto Canada
Golden Door International Film FestivalJersey City USA
India International Film Festival of Tampa BayFlorida USA
Carmarthen Bay International Film FestivalWales UK
Ioninan International Film FestivalLefkas Greece
Treasure Coast International Film FestivalFlorida USA
World Peace International Film FestivalJakarta Indonesia
Social Uprising Resistance and Grass Root Encouragement IFFAustin, Texas USA
NFDC Film BazaarGoa India
Boston's Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)Boston USA
Heart of England International Film FestivalCoventry UK
Dhaka International Film FestivalDhaka Bangladesh
Legacy Media Institute International Film FestivalVirginia USA
Delhi International Film FestivalDelhi India
International Youth Film FestivalLondon UK
Silent River Film FestivalCalifornia USA
Action on Film International Film FestivalCalifornia USA
International Film Festival Antigua & BarbudaAntigua & Barbuda West Indies
Nevada International Film FestivalLas Vegas USA
Love Unlimited Film Festival and Art ExhibitionTexas USA
Filums (LUMS International Film Festival)Lahore Pakistan
Love Unlimited Film Festival and Art ExhibitionCalifornia USA
Sunset International Film FestivalLos Angeles USA
The World Independent Film FestivalSan Jose USA
Cabo Verde International Film FestivalSal Island Cape Verde
World Music & Independent Film FestivalD.C. USA
International Filmmaker Festival of World CinemaLondon UK
Barossa International Film FestivalTanunda Australia
Bayou City Inspirational Film FestivalTexas USA
International Film Festival for Peace, Inspiration and EqualityJakarta Indonesia
Yosemite International Film FestivalYosemite USA
Indie FestSan Diego USA

Limca Book of records
Record Honoring body
Film Life! Camera Action... was shot by just a two-member crew consisting of director/producer Rohit Gupta & Ravi Kumar R.[81] Limca Book of Records

See also

References
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