TALES & FABLES from India & Japan: Animation, Film & Photography is an exhibition of selected works by 18 emerging & mid-career Indian & Japanese artists working in media arts, and is intended to function as an anthology of tales and contemporary approaches in storytelling from the two countries. Opening at Design Gallery NID Ahmedabad on September 4, 2015. Note : The images and videos used in the teaser are from photographs, animations and films by artists from Japan and India who are part of the exhibition.

Sanna Lofgren a student (teacher programme) from Sweden, spent a couple of months at NID, Ahmedabad - Film & Video Communication recently, as part of an educational exchange programme. She made "Western Chai" for us. Concept, Camera & Edit: Prahlad Gopakumar Guidance: Arun Gupta Sound: Dhruv Satija Location Courtesy: Shrinkhala Aren

Xenia Gauss and Santa Dimante, Fashion Communication students from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, spent a couple of months at NID Film & Video recently, as part of an educational exchange programme. The highlight of their stay in NID were the individual Public Service Advertisements they made on the broad issue of Gender. Being a masala-mix of ethnicities themselves (Russian, Latvian, Uzbek, German, etc), they took naturally to the spicy Indian food; and to India itself, despite the clichés. Concept, Camera & Edit: Prahlad Gopakumar Guidance: Arun Gupta Sound: Archana Chandrashekar

Master Craftman : Shri Karikakam Thrivikraman B. Special Thanks : Smt. Ajitha T. Concept, Research & Producer : Rajshree Rajmohan Direction, Camera, Sound & Edit : Prahlad Gopakumar Music : Duryodanavadhom by Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair References : Kathakali Costume Study and Analysis by Chaithra K. V. Thanks : Sajiv Gopakumar, Sunitha Menon, George Chittoor Kathakali is the greatest treasure of the Keralites", emphasized Mahakavi Vallathol Narayana Menon. In 1930, along with Manakkulam Mukunda Raja, he spearheaded the formation of Kerala Kalamandalam along the banks of the river Nila, in the Cheruthuruthy village of Thrissur district. Thus opening up an exclusive, elite art form to all, irrespective of class and creed. It aided the region, in its nationalist commitment and also played an important role is establishing a cultural identity. But our past need not confirm to a single static culture, but must be seen as a composite of multiple cultures that is constantly evolving. And tucked away in the inner fabric of Chakkai, Trivandrum is a modest studio called Bhaskara Arts of Sri. Thrivikraman. B; a master craftsman and Kathakali Chutti artist. A recipient of the State award for his lifelike wooden Kathakali figurines. As an accomplished Kathakali makeup artist and a trained sculptor, he has initiated the craft of creating wooden Kathakali sculptures in different sizes. Each of his wooden sculpture is an exact replica of the original Kathakali characters. All the expressions, mudras, weapons and jewelry are carved out of Kumbil wood ( Gmelina arborea) and painted. The Kathakali costumes are stitched by his wife, Ajitha. His daughters are also Kathakali artists. Cultures are usually dependent on the family, community and education received by the individual. Sri. Thrivikraman's initiation, inspiration and work comes from his father, Kathakali artist Sri Bhaskara. Shastrikal. This is a family steeped into the culture of Kathakali and has evolved an innovative craft of creating wooden figurines in a region where such a culture is not prevalent. Here a cultural dance form with all its nuances, finds expression as a cultural artifact from Kerala. These miniature Kathakali sculptures are now exhibited in museums, souvenir shops and homes as a metaphor of the classical dance itself. Despite the lack of patronage and irrespective of their context; they mutely represent, an alternate emerging culture. Perhaps this is how all cultural traditions have evolved. A short film, 'Kathakali veedu' - documenting the process is also a glimpse into the life and dreams of a master craftsman. It is an attempt to understand a young art form from the fringes; of making Kathakali sculptures in a context where doll making is nonexistent and patronage is obsolete.

Producer & Research : Ar. Thomas Oommen Direction, Camera, Edit : Ar. Prahlad Gopakumar The history of Indian modern architecture as conventionally told, is primarily associated with Western ‘Masters’, Indian ‘disciples’ and their associates who worked in certain urban centers in the North and West of India. This has meant that the story of Indian modernism is mostly told from the perspective of the Delhi – Chandigarh – Mumbai -Ahmedabad architectural circuit. This has lead to two dominant ways of understanding Indian modern architecture. In the first ‘diffusion’ model, modernity and modernism emanates from these cities and then ‘trickles down’ to the rest of the country. In the second model, the discourse of architecture ‘centers’ around these places and other geographies and locations are consigned to categories such as “alternate” or “regional”. This way of understanding history has resulted in the strange reluctance of architects in locations like Kerala, to accept their own histories of modernity and modernism as relevant and worthy of close study. What then are the histories of modern architecture in Kerala? This feature length documentary attempts to trace one account of this history through the narrative thread of the life and work of Prof. Oommen T. Prof Oommen is a graduate of the first batch of architecture in Kerala (1963-69), the first full time head of the Department of Architecture, College of Engineering Trivandrum (1979 -91) and a 1994 recipient of the IIA Madhav Achwal National Gold Medal for excellence in architectural education. He currently enjoys a retired life in Trivandrum.

Album : Oru Nal Song : 'Mizikal' - The gullies swallow her eyes. He wants those eyes. Singers : Uma A V, Benny Dayal Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Note 'o' Chord Lyrics : Note 'o' Chord Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Meghna Jog, Sidharth Mixing : James Asst. Director : Ujjwal U Production Design : Jinal P

Album : Oru Nal Song : 'Mazanilavil' - Why is Facebook so blue ? Singers: T Sreeram Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Scaria Njavally Lyrics : Chunakkara Ramankutty Video - Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Soumya S, Parthan Mohan, Scaria Njavally, Vijay Mixing : SS Krishnan Asst. Director : Jinoj M

An observational documentary on Manek Chowk : A traditional urban square in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

Alpavirama 2014: South Asian Short & Documentary Film Festival (Sept 18-21), to be organised by the Dept. of Film & Video Communication at the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, India is almost here. Here is the first video welcome - thought, shot and edited by the multi-talented Prahlad Gopakumar. And yes, he has composed the music as well.

Bogdan Stamatin, originally from Romania, but currently studying for his Masters in Production Design at Danmarks Designskole (Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design, Copenhagen) recently spent a semester as an exchange student at the Dept. of Film & Video Communication, NID. Just before leaving the country, he talks about his very own ''Incredible India" moments, including the times when he came face to face with his quirky 45 seconds Public Service Advt on the subject of Noise Pollution.

What's in the Bottle ? Direction | Camera | Edit : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Jinoj Mathidharan, Scaria Njavalli Voice Over : Jinoj Mathidharan Special Thanks : Ananth S Ambattu

Album : Oru Nal Song : 'Oru Naal' - The book of Hibiscus. Singers: Swetha Mohan, Srinivas Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Afzal Yusuff Lyrics : Rafiq Ahmed Video - Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Shalu Menon, Sajan Soorya Asst. Director : Jinoj M Painting (Book Cover) Artist : K P Muraleedharan

Alpavirama South Asian Short & Documentary Film Festival (Sept 18-21, 2014), organised by the Dept. of Film & Video Communication at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India was recently here. One of the mini highlights of Alpavirama 2014 were the Promos/Signatures. Here is third such - thought, shot, edited and given music by Prahlad Gopakumar.

Album : Oru Naal Song : 'Mukilin' - She is trapped on the bridge between night and day. Singers: Ranjith Jayaraman, Sangeetha Sreekanth Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Bijibal M Lyrics : Sunilraj Satya Video - Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Elizabeth, Ujjwal U Guitars/Bass : Mithun R Asst. Director : Ahsam K R, Manuprasad M

Directed by Prahlad Gopakumar | HD

Alpavirama South Asian Short & Documentary Film Festival (Sept 18-21, 2014), organised by the Dept. of Film & Video Communication at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India was recently here. One of the mini highlights of Alpavirama 2014 were the Promos/Signatures. Here is the fourth (and last) such - thought, shot, edited and given music by Prahlad Gopakumar.

Directed by Prahlad Gopakumar | HD

Directed by Prahlad Gopakumar

Devotional Music Video : KADALIVANAM UNDO Director : Ushanth Thavath Script, Producer : Sathyan Kavil Cast : Shobha Mohan , Saraswathy Narayan, Sariga Babu, Arjun, Vidhu Prathap Cinematography , Edit : Prahlad Gopakumar

Sometimes Jil gets excited!

Song : 'Tic Tock' - The Mouseman. Album : Oru Nal. Singers: Jassie Gift, Renjini Haridas Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Manu Ramesh Lyrics : S. Rameshan Nair Video - Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Vivek Chacko Asst. Director : Scaria Njyavalli

Album : Oru Nal Song : 'Vegam' - When day and night entangles.The city goes mad. Singers : Sankaran Namboodiri Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Afzal Yusuff Lyrics : Rafiq Ahmed Video - Direction/Cinematography/Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Roshini P, Jinoj M Asst. Director : Ahsam K R Art Direction : Jinoj M

Song : 'Azakinumoru' - A silent conversation is always noisy. Singers: Joltsna, Vidhu Prathap Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Manu Ramesh Lyrics : S. Rameshan Nair Video - Direction/Cinematography/ Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Rose P, Afzal Asst. Director : Jinoj M, Arun Jacob

Song : 'Marakkam' - The flight of the winged girl. Singers: Vidhu Prathap Producer : Black Stone Pictures Music Director : Vidhu Prathap Lyrics : Late. Girish Puthencheri Video - Direction/Cinematography/ Editing : Prahlad Gopakumar Cast : Anisha T, Dwarka Nath Programming : Yakzon