An Interview with Raviteja Girijala
Written on August 31st , 2020 by {"login"=>"jcbitshyd", "email"=>"journal@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in", "display_name"=>"Journal Club, BPHC", "first_name"=>"", "last_name"=>""}Mr. Raviteja Girijala, a graduate from BPHC, is a prominent editor of the Telugu Film industry. He has edited eight films in a short period of five years, of which one, 'Pellichoopulu', was honored with a national award. His exceptional craft and his humility have led his films and his work to critically acclaim. We spoke to him about his journey from editing films in the VFx room on campus towards making it into the Telugu Film Industry
Q1. How do you feel reminiscing your memories about BITS Hyderabad?
College life used to be fun. I was determined to get into cinema from my very first year, and I had a small group of like-minded people with whom I watched movies every day, made short films, and discussed them. Most of my college life is filled with memories of watching movies, shooting, and editing.
Q2. Going to a film school right after graduation and choosing a path where success hangs in the balance is not something everyone does. What were the events that led you to do this, and how did your family react to it?
As I said, I spent most of my engineering life watching movies, learning about the art of cinema, and trying my hand at various aspects of it by making short films. At the end of my fourth year, I attended a technical interview with some uncertainty about my career in my mind. To the interviewer's question, "Why are you here?" I did not have an answer! I did not attend any more interviews after that and instead started looking for good film schools. It was only after I got into LV Prasad Film School that I told my parents about my decision to take working on films as my profession. They knew about my interest in filmmaking as I had a camera and had made short films, but the thought that I would ditch my degree altogether and do something completely different made them quite skeptical. They agreed to it soon, probably because they understood that I would continue to pursue my passion no matter what. I was very clear about what I wanted to do.
Q3. How and where exactly did you kick-start your journey as an editor?
While I was looking for an opportunity in the television and film industry, my batchmates happened to show my diploma film (the final movie a student makes in a film school before they get their degree) to some people. Tharun Bhascker was one of them. Tharun was making 'Pellichoopulu' under a very small budget, and so they weren't playing by any rules and were looking for new editors instead of the more established ones. When he asked for feedback from me about the already edited pieces, I told him that I liked the movie, but the editing should have been on different lines. I took a couple of sequences, re-edited them, and Tharun immediately knew that my editing style would work for 'Pellichoopulu'. That is how it started.
Q4. Was there a thriving cinema culture on campus back then that made you want to pursue this unconventional field all the more? Did the Dept. of Visual Effects, VFx Club, Movie Club, or the like exist back then?
We had the VFx club. I used to edit all my short films in the VFx room on the VFx PC, which had come back then. That's where I learnt most of my editing. Sometimes, I used to edit my 20-30 minute short films for about 2-3 months! The campus had enough resources for me to work on and gain technical expertise. I can say that the time I spent in BITS played a substantial role in my career as a film editor.
Q5. Hollywood has it's a fair share of female editors like Thelma Schoomaker and Sally Menke. That doesn't seem to be the case in the Indian film industry. What advice would you give to a girl who's aspiring to be an editor?
There aren't any obstacles for a woman to become an editor at this point in time. Earlier it used to be a problem when editing was not done digitally. I am relevant in this industry only because of the shift to digital technology and the demand for people proficient in it. Back then, an outsider who wanted to become an editor should have worked as an assistant editor to an established editor for years and built a network of contacts. Then one of the assistant directors you got in touch with should go on to make his first film and should remember to give you a chance. The possibility of getting an opportunity through this network is quite low. Today, movies are like startups; many of them are being filmed at budgets of Rs. 2-3 Crores. A bunch of young creative people can always get together and start making a film.
Q6. You were already the editor for 3 super hit feature films in less than 5 years after your graduation. Seven of your films have been released with a few more in the pipeline. It looks like a fairy tale for any aspiring filmmaker/editor. Was it as rosy as it looks on paper?
I was at the right place at the right time when Tharun was making his first film, and one of my friends helped set up a meeting with him. People might think that one successful project, like the National award-winning film 'Pellichoopulu', will put everything in place for me, but that does not happen. I did not get any offers after that for almost one and a half years. My 2nd film, C/O Kancharapalem, had a completely different crew initially, but the director wasn't in sync with his editor and decided to reach out to me. I got opportunities only from the new filmmakers because the established directors already have an established framework. Also, editing is a very time-intensive job, and you will have to sit with the director and work closely with him to construct the film. Earlier, the films were more hero-oriented and did not give much work to the other technicians. But now the films are story-based, and every technician has his/her role.
It is all about the experience you gain in every film, the pattern you recognize in every movie, and the hard work you put into it. Also, the filmmakers I worked with were very determined and had absolutely no ego. This whole package of fortunate elements aided my journey.
Q7. What expertise did the film school add other than your learnings from short films and books?
I had a decent idea about editing because of the books I read from and had experience in short films even before I went to film school. I used a handy cam to shoot films in and around campus with my other BITSian friends.
In film school, we were taught about the software for less than an hour! We devoted the rest of our time to work with the stories. We were given horrible, random footage shot by students in the direction department, and it was entirely our responsibility to make sense out of it and edit it into something cohesive. We were trained to focus on building up a story rather than worrying about the disorganized footage. The editing of an already existing script does not look into this aspect. I would say, apart from learning to edit in a very structured manner instead of just using instinct, it also brought out the storyteller in me.
Q8. If not a film editor, what do you think you would have been?
I would have probably been a filmmaker. I can't see myself doing anything other than films. I was so captivated by the industry that I had decided about it even before I took up engineering, which is not something people usually do. Most of my college memories also have to do with cinema, so I probably would have ended up doing something related to film-making. I just can't imagine myself doing anything else.
Q9. If you were really keen on being a part of the film industry, you could have chosen to write, direct, or act. Why exactly did you decide to get into editing?
I used to write, direct, shoot, and edit my short films in college, so I knew I had to choose something and start somewhere. My film school had direction and cinematography courses as well. While both of them were 2-year courses, editing, and sound design was just a one year course. I knew that convincing my parents for 2 years would be very strenuous, so I thought of just going with editing. Moreover, I felt I had an eye for editing; I could tell apart a good edit from a bad edit; I knew the nuances of editing better. I wanted to finish this to see how it went. Thankfully, everything worked out fine.
Q10. Could you tell us about your CG, attendance, and your life at BITS?
Given that I had a very restrictive education till grade 12, I was very clear about not attending the classes when I learnt about the zero attendance policy in BITS. I had a laptop in my very first year and used to watch three movies a day back-to-back. I was completely apathetic about my CG or attendance. While most of my friends were picking up electives and planning for their future, I took up courses like Creative Writing and Philosophy. I just managed to graduate. I didn't even check my last CG card; it was probably around 5.9. In my 4th year, instead of going to PS, I opted for a thesis so that I could stay on campus and keep working on my short films.
Q11. Was there any filmmaker who drew you towards cinema and made you want to pursue it as a profession?
I can't choose just one. But I admire David Fincher and Martin Scorsese. They have very distinct editing patterns; not all filmmakers utilize all disciplines to the maximum possible extent. These two filmmakers use editing as a medium extensively.
Q12. What is one thing that you miss about campus?
I used to be really stupid back then! BITS gave me the freedom to do whatever I wanted and let me pursue my dreams. I probably wouldn't do anything like that now. That stupidity is what I'm missing now. BITS gives you the feeling that you can do anything! But, If I hadn't achieved anything, I would have been a good example of how to not graduate from BITS!