In Conversation: Vetrivel Mahendran!

Cinematographer Vetrivel Mahendran has done a lot of films in a quick span of time, currently serving as a excecutive committee member for SICA.

Vetri  recent conversation shares his film journey with SICA.

* Your very recent work as DOP with webseries getting wide attention.

It is a zee5 original Sengalam directed by Ace film maker SR Prabakar sir, with a impressive cast it got instant success as soon it was released through OTT.

* What is difference picturizing a web Series.

A lot of technical consideration has to be taken carefully especially shooting originals as every platform has their own choice of particular camera and delivery formats

Otherwise as a narrative point of view it as similar as we shoot a feature film.

* Which Camera did you shoot for Sengalam

I choose RED helium 8k camera which was Zee5 approved camera along with Signature primes.

We shot the series for 75 days.

* Tell me how to do you ventured into film industry

My uncle was a sound engineer who was working along with Music Director Deva sir..I too was interested into film making, after I had completed by B.com I tried to get into cinematography education at Adyar film institute…but I got admission only for editing.

Then after my film education I got opportunity to work as assistant cameraman to Mahesh Muthuswami sir.

*How was your experience working with Mahesh

I assisted him for 5 films,each project was great learning experience for me.

Mahesh sir has strong technical background very knowledgeable..so it was like studying in a film institute for me and I observed many aspects of film making.. especially the way the screenplay has to be treated with visuals without complicating it.

* About your first film as Cinematographer.

It was like a dream debut with a Visionary Director Prabhu Salomon sir.

Film title was Kayal. This film was like a travelogue a kind of attempt new to Tamil Cinema.

I traveled to very remote locations of our country that includes Chirapungi,Ladak, Meghalaya and Rajasthan.

With grand panoramic shots I tried very extreme closeups that got wide attention.

* Your next film Thodari is also a film had a travelogue kind of treatment.

Yes to some extent…but thodari is much more complicated as we have to shoot entire film in a travelling train.

I had to shoot live train sequences and also with Blue matte.

* Vetri can you describe about your lighting plan you had done for Thodari

Thodari shot with Arri Alexa and I have to lit up to nearly 500 feet Blue screen..I have to use nearly 40 to 120 space light hung from the top of the floor.

For climax sequences I used 50 numbers of 4k par HMI lights.

For the lighting idea was to imitate sky as a major source of light.

* Tell me your experience of shooting Vichitran.

Vichitran was challenging project as it was already made in Malayalam and won national award,for Tamil version same Director was retained and I have been chosen as DOP.

Though Malayalam version was a hit I wanted  to treat visually different also maintain the emotional flavour.

Main thing was it was shot at a hill station still I kept visually represent  dry period of time.

Malayalam had mis en scene style shots .here at Tamil we composed it into several shot breakdowns.

What is your next project

My next is Yaadhum ore Yaavurum kelir Directed by Venkatakrishna Roghanth starring Vijay Sethupathi.

This film I tried visually by creating Shallow depth of field even by using wide lens thorough out the film.

Who is your inspiration

I watch many foreign language films learn different flavours of images…but my mind always get excited watching visuals of Pc Sreeram sir , Santosh Sivan Sir and Jeeva sir.

SICA wishes Vetrivel Mahendran a successful journey in filmmaking.

Article by

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer