the Experience

After watching the telecast of my episode, I was still a bit stunned. With the boys screaming "MUMMY!" each time I appeared on screen, it was quite difficult for me to concentrate throughout the half hour. So while they slept, I caught the repeat telecast.

Ok great, I sounded like Donald Duck, danced like Elaine from Seinfeld, the doublechin made it's appearance a few times, they used the shot of my squinting eye looking through the lens like a billion times and arrgh! they didn't show my favourite shot of Shreya. BUT other than all that, I thought the documentary was so well shot (that's you Mike and Malar!), well directed (that's you Raja!), well written (that's you Jaclyn!), sound was great (that's you Godly!) and well produced (that's you Azira, Manoj, April & Oman!). I was plesantly surprised at how it all turned out but was missing some parts which I felt could have been included in the documentary but I guess it's hard to fit so much into 30mins.

I've received many messages from friends and strangers after the telecast and they were all very encouraging and heartfelt. Thank you all :) I will share a few of them in the comments of this post later. There was also one that mocked me. I wasn't saddened by that, as I was proud of what I have achieved and done in India for this documentary and will not be put down by people who don't know better what I went through during the filming process.

We did not stay in a posh hotel, we were in a modest inn in the outskirts of town. We shot in very hot conditions for long hours and most of what I said were unrehearsed. I have always been behind the camera and being infront of it was a new experience and I was very uncomfortable. Yes, I studied film & TV production, I should be better at this right? No, I was terrible! But I did my best and was glad the crew could put up with me. After this experience infront of the camera, I have a newfound respect for actors!

Funny NG moment 1:
It was the scene where I was supposed to be looking for the NGO's office and the director told me to walk along the streets looking lost and confused and then after a few meters, to flag down the auto (tuk tuk). I did as I was told but obviously not good enough because after a few steps came the dreaded "CUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Raja came up to me and said,"Maryann, I asked you to look lost and confused but there you were looking like you are the Queen of Mumbai!" haaaaaaaaaaa :p

Funny NG moment 2:
During one interview, I was supposed to talk about why I was using the fabric for the shoot. Raja said I should, as I talked, slowly bring up the fabric to screen level. Ok sounded simple enough. But I don't know what got over me, as I was about to bring up the cloth, I said,"Let me show you." "CUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Hey, this is not a cooking show alright!?!" Raja yelled. bwahahahahahahah! I think I couldn't stop laughing for a minute :p

So all you actors out there, I RESPECT you!

The entire experience was enriching, eye-opening and great for my photography but one which I will not repeat because it was too heartwrenching and I missed my boys terribly. I was glad I did it and blessed to have met the people I did. Shreya, Nisha, Gauri and the others, you are all beautiful individuals inside and out and I wish you nothing but happiness no matter what gender you are. You are humans. We are all humans.