Today we’d like to introduce you to Vineesha Arora Sarin.
Hi Vineesha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always been a believer of the Universe’s guidance. I came into films by happenstance.
I started off as an actor in Mumbai, India, and worked there for many years under my production banner before moving out to Los Angeles. I was raised in NY and have always dreamed of making movies in Hollywood. Very early on in my film career, I made a transition from being in front of the camera to behind it, as I had much more of my own interests to explore in film, particularly one of directing. I began directing short films on my phone during the pandemic, and, lucky for me, they won many awards at film festivals worldwide. I also had a cell phone cinema group that was supporting my phone films – a market I really wasn’t aware existed. This gave me the impetus to direct a full-length feature on my phone as well. But again, I didn’t plan on going that route. All I knew was that because I didn’t need any one else as crew while filming, I could churn out films faster and practice the art of filmmaking. It certainly felt empowering to be able to carry out these films on my own, that too, on a phone.
What started off as a family road trip during the lockdowns of the summer of 2020 became the biggest turning point in my life. It is where I took to my instincts (yet again) and starting making a feature film on the go! I had an actor-husband, Amit Sarin, beside me and a phone in my pocket. What else did I really need? Without a doubt, I began filming and started shooting him randomly, with a very sketchy idea for a story. I didn’t have a script as I wasn’t prepared to make a film on our family vacation! But I believed in this idea that was brewing in my head and was convinced that I had to make it. So we both agreed to just follow the process. What did I have to lose?
It was around this time when a colleague of Amit’s, a rising star-actor in India, committed suicide. And the news went national for months on after. But because of our close proximity to him, I think his death hit me hard. I began to wonder on this concept of suicide. Why people do it, and what they leave behind, the social stigma behind it, etc. And so after filming for a few days on the road, I recall waking up in Colorado and dreaming of the story I wanted to tell. I wake up Amit and excitedly tell him, “I know what the story is, I know what I want to say!” I told him the one-liner: A distraught man sets out on a broken road to kill himself, but instead, after spending enough time in Nature he begins to heal and transform. He said “Ok, I like it.”
And that was it! I based all of my scenes around this one powerful thought and as I was witness to the glory of the outdoors during the trip, I mirrored those same feelings onto Johnny, my protagonist, and together, we discovered the spiritual journey of this character. Then, as the story kept brewing in my head, I realized I needed a couple more characters, a couple of other locations, etc. and that’s when I put my son, Aveer, in the film as well and we just made it happen!
It was very exhilarating to go into a very structured and technical art form like filmmaking and approach it as an artist does a blank canvas. It was almost like a painting. Best part is, I was so convinced. Never a doubt in my mind about what I was filming. I think this belief just overtook me completely, and I was enjoying this beautiful ride…
…Til I hit the edit table! It was no mean feat to put together hundreds and hundreds of random clips and I knew I needed a an editor who was also a storyteller. After weeks of search, finally, a good friend of mine recommended me someone that fit the bill, and that’s when I got my editor and post producer on board – Tigran Mutafyan. We patiently sat together for a couple months playing with the visuals until the point finally came – to write the script! The process was much smoother after the fact, of course. But I did coin a term for this type of process – I call it “reverse filmmaking” – wherein the film is shot before writing the script!
Of course, this brought on a whole other set of challenges. They say a film is made on the edit table. Well, they were certainly right!
Because the film was shot on real locations, with no fancy equipment (remember this was on my phone) or even a good mic, I had to take on another challenge of dubbing the entire film! I still recall my 7-year old son sitting on the lap of his dad and recreating those scenes and moments in a studio.. Only this time, I had a script, so it didn’t take very long to complete the process. My favorite part of filmmaking is making the music. During the shooting, I always knew what an integral part the sound would play in this film, Between Mountains. I took to the internet and found some amazing independent musicians and decided to approach one – Scott Turek – a.k.a. Jericho! He had the perfect voice to depict Johnny’s character. After just one phone call Scott was on board, and I was elated that I could begin the musical journey of the film now. And then Tigran introduced me to this other rare talent and an award-winning Armenian composer, Aram Avagyan. He worked relentlessly, day and night, to help meet my deadlines, along with Tigran. We sat together for two weeks and made some brilliant music. Even with the language barrier at times, he was able to connect to the emotions of the characters. There’s another integral person who I must mention here – Lana Inderman – the female lead in the film, and also a close friend. As I started building Johnny’s family, I realized I needed a wife for him to pivot the plot, so to speak. Because of the surging pandemic back then, everyone had formed their own “covid bubbles” where certain folks met a limited number of certain other folks, just to keep some sanity going, especially if one had young kids. Due to these limitations, I began using some of our friends to be part of the project. Lana was one and another was Daniel Wincentsen, who’s actually a very talented editor-friend of the family. Both Lana and Daniel were super cool as actors and brought great value to the project. And that is why the journey of filmmaking is so important. I was fortunate to have a handful of great talents around me who readily agreed to be part of this mad, mad process. My super-talented cast and crew showed full support and faith in my process, and for that I’m eternally grateful to each of them.
I had a cellphone cinema group supporting me in the background the entire time, and for them I’m grateful too. In fact, they awarded our film at their cellphone awards last year in Cannes 2021. The group includes the founding father of cellphone cinema, Karl Bardosh, among several other prominent dignitaries around the world that are promoting this type of cinema. The group is led by Queen Angelique Monet, and she was the one that had informed me that I was the first female filmmaker to shoot an entire feature film on a phone. I was ecstatic to learn that! That unknowingly I was paving the way for many future female filmmakers struggling to make their first feature film. And now with the help of their phone, they could!
So, to all those who are waiting for the right moment to begin, I just want to say there’s no such thing. Luck is nothing but opportunity plus preparedness. Seize the opportunity, turn your luck to favor yourself by helping yourself and by being focused and prepared for whatever comes your way. If you have those things, you can move mountains.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to filmmaking is never smooth, but it sure is very gratifying if you keep moving, keep creating and challenging yourself with every project. That’s the name of the game – don’t stop creating no matter what. Turn the tide to your favor, come what may, and stay humble, stay focused.
Another struggle is always staying motivated. There’s no financial gains in your early filmmaking days, so it gets hard to keep the focus. It also prolongs the process of success, apart from the hierarchy one must climb to even get to a point of attempting to make your own film. I’m not sure what keeps me glued. I’m just so eager to tell my stories, I think that fuels me from within.
I don’t come from a filmmaking background so I didn’t have any pre-existing relationships in the business. I had to start from scratch. Just coming up with ways, ideas, putting them on paper, even making the smallest film on my phone, I did whatever I had to and continue doing so. Success is such a relative term. I just hope and pray to be on set most days of my life. It’s my happy place.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a filmmaker, a writer, producer, director, executive producer. I wear many hats. Hence my production company is Lady With a Hat Productions. But the one I wear most proudly is that of director. There aren’t many female filmmakers out there making full-length features on their phones, and I’m happy to be part of this niche. As I said, I never knew I was the first female filmmaker to ever complete a full-length feature on a phone. Whatever is happening now in my life wasn’t part of my plan. Coming to Hollywood to make movies, yes, but not in the way that I began. But that’s ok. I’m not worried. Sometimes plans don’t go according to our will, and that is when you have to be adaptive and flexible to the happenings of the Universe and God’s will. I surrender to that and I try to make the best of what I’m given.
What were you like growing up?
I was an introvert, a nerd in school. Then in high school, I started really coming into my own and got super comfortable with myself. I changed. I became more outgoing, social and wanted to travel, see the world. I also discovered spirituality very early on and became inclined to self-exploration and self-realization.
I like all things creative. I’m an artist. I love all aspects of art – whether it be film, costume design, interior design, making music, etc. I think a true artist is limitless. Somewhere that’s what I hope to achieve. To find a connect to my inner self through this beautiful medium of film.
Contact Info:
- Email: vineesha@mac.com, vineesha@ladywithahat.com
- Website: https://ladywithahat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vineesha/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vineesha.arorasarin
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/VineeshaAS
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk7Lxti6BRRmbFSMrbgSykg
- Other: https://imdb.me/vineesha
Image Credits:
Frank Cuentas & Ron Knerem (for the premiere pictures only)
