Where is Amma
Format: Mini Film
Credits: Writer-Director, Co-Producer, Voice-Over Artist, Actor
About the Project
Where is Amma is a short ad film (uncommissioned) for Kellogg's.
As most of Kellogg's messaging is around mother-child relationships, breakfast table conversations, dreams and homely feelings, I decided to write a short paragraph banking on it, but through a more emotionally heavy, bitter-sweet route.
In this mini-film, instead of a toddler or tween, the protagonist is a homesick adult. We see how Kellogg's Chocos are an integral part of their nostalgia and memories with their mother.
Collaborators:
Saran Earthedathu - DOP, Editor.
Jashan Sehmi - Producer, Art Director.
Film
The Making
This mini film was shot in 2 days in 2 indoor and one outdoor location across Pune. Most of the pre-production was done online, as the three collaborators of this project (Me, Saran and Jashan) were in 3 extreme corners of the country.
Fun Trivia:
I was not the initial casting choice for the lead role. I wanted to stay behind the camera for this project. However, the actress we originally casted ended up testing positive for COVID-19 and had to back out 2 days before our schedule. Hence, I had to fill in, since we could not cast anyone with that speed. (Luckily, nobody else tested positive, and we shot safely.)
The opening sequence required the protagonist to drive a car. I can't drive. So, Saran came up with this brilliant idea to safely shoot this sequence by shooting the close ups of my hand in a parked car and shooting the rest of the driving sequence by seating me in the passengers' seat. Our Line Producer, Ankit, drove the car while I would see his hand movements through my peripheral vision and mirror it. We mirrored the footage in post.
