Finished Shooting

We have left Dharamsala and therefore shooting is completed. There are definitely other things I wish I could have filmed, mostly B-roll type footage and a few more interviews with people other than my central characters. However, given infinite time I would probably never feel finished or completely satisfied with my footage. Such is the case with documentary filmmaking; there’s always something more you wish you had.

On the other hand, if there’s no schedule and no limit, you’ll never finish your film. And in reality, I have been very fortunate, even very blessed for what I have been able to get. When I first started this project I thought three months time should be plenty to get a story with a beginning middle and end. But pretty soon I realized that real-life stories can take a long time to play out. As the end of our stay got closer and closer I was really starting to worry whether I’d have any type of ending to my story, or at least some kind of accomplishment or something that would work as and ending.

Then just a few days before our last, everything started to come together. The perfect endings were popping up right in front of me and I was able to be there for them. It required a lot of my time and a lot of schedule rearranging and last minute appointments. In a few moments, I am embarrassed to say, I even got impatient that I couldn’t be spending my last days relaxing a little more. But then I realized I was getting an ending to my story. The thing I had been stressed and worried about for the first two months and three weeks I was there. So in the end I was very grateful for the opportunities I and my story were given.

Now comes the even harder part: editing. And before I can edit I need to go through and transcribe everything I’ve shot; all my footage, all my interviews. Then I’ll have to pick the best parts and piece them all together. Luckily I have my script, which will be an excellent guide, but the script is so simple as it is right now. Things will get so much more detailed now that I have my footage.

I have scheduled to finish my film by the end of this year. That seems like plenty of time, but it’s going to be a tight schedule with school and work at the same time. But I am dedicated and know I can do it, so I will do it.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported this project. It’s looking great so far. So keep on keeping your hopes up and I’ll keep on keeping you updated with how the film is going. Stay excited and keep spreading the word (through word of mouth or sharing links to the blog).

Thanks guys!