Animation – serious, not just funny

Some of the most memorable and highest box-office grossers in the history of visual entertainment have been animated productions. Between the inaugural black and white Humorous Phases of Funny Faces by newspaper cartoonist J. Stuart Blackton in 1906 and the hi-tech, high-explosive world of Transformers today, animated films have grown from mere slapstick entertainment for children to a global multi-billion dollar industry.

It is said that more than three-fifths of the world’s population has seen one or more of the ten best animated movies ever. These include the Batman, The Incredibles, Song of the South, Transformers, The Lion King, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cars, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Watership Down and Pom Poko.

Who can forget Walt Disney’s boisterous adaptation of Kipling’s The Jungle Book, or the epic-like travails of The Lion King, or the future-retro humanistic. The Incredibles? Or the many mega-budget production houses who churn millions out of such movies? Today, cartoons aren’t just funny, they’re serious business.

This may hold true for the animation business in Bhutan as well; on a much reduced scale, of course. After all, it was not until 2005 that the two existing animation companies were established.

They are KLK anImagine owned by Kinga Sithup, and Druk Vision Studio owned by Pem Tshering. Nerve-wracking as their initial months may have been, today, after more than two years of low-profile operation and experiential wisdom, both see testing challenges ahead.

One of the challenges they already face is the ignorance of people and lack of time because people do not realize that animationm is very time-consuming and needs intense concentration, which may affect the quality of the final product. Unlike conventional motion pictures, it takes more than a re-take to alter a single word.

Kinga, who started animation as a hobby with just one computer along with two friends renting a small room in the attic of one of his friend’s sister, said, “I picked up the taste for animation while watching cartoons and special effects; I was fascinated, or say, inspired by them.”

Pem Tshering is an architect by qualification but he opted to enter the profession of animation,a profession he described as one that “takes constant enthusiasm, determination and the will to never falter.”

The first animation KLK did was for the Health Ministry. It was a two-minute animation for a campaign on rubella in 2006 that took two weeks to complete. The longest one he did was a seven-minute HIV programme that aired on HIV day, 1 December, 2007. Druk Vision Studio did Bhutan’s longest animation for the National Environment Commission, a 10-minute piece on Ozone programme and, as Pem Tshering claims, it took six months to complete with help from friends.

Although Pem Tshering took out Bhutan’s first animated film in 2001, people barely remember it.

KLK’s animation programme on Rubella campaign was the first two-dimensional (2D) animation flick while the first to be produced with a 3D-effect was Pem Tshering’s well known Wai Penjore on AIDS, which took about three months to complete.

There are three types of animation: computer generated image (CGI), traditional animation and the 3D. While KLK usually sticks to 2D, in which pictures are laboriously sketched, Druk Vision uses 3D, where pictures are created in a computer.

Kinga hopes that if things improve in the future, he would love to produce an animated epic, be it of Ashi Nangsa or Drimed Kuenden, to entertain the young and the old.

Pem Tshering, on the other hand, wants to form a group of professionals involved in animation and then come out with a full feature film.

Animation is difficult work because a two-minute film typically takes three people with nine to 10- hour workdays about two weeks to complete. There are many procedures to be followed like script writing (if it is not provided by the client), story boarding or planning of movements and placement of characters and the background. Then comes sketching of characters and backgrounds, scanning, outlining, texturing (applying colours), arranging characters and background scenes and, finally, lip synchronizing and editing.

The development of movements is one of the most challenging tasks because of the standard frames of 25-30. What that means is that each second of animation, whether it involves the mere movement of a single hand or a simultaneous movement of a character’s entire body, requires the drawing of between 25-30 separate frames.

In Bhutan, though, it has become common practice to split 10 pictures into 25 frames or make do with 24 pictures per second.

But the most difficult part of animation lies in recording the voice for characters. This is because, firstly, Bhutan has no trained voice animators. Secondly, as only voice is used with minimal ‘acting’ or body language, it becomes difficult for directors to depict the exact feel, emotion, and mood of characters.

So far, Druk Vision Studio has produced some seven animation films and KLK has done almost 20. The messages they all carried were similar, awareness on different social, economical and political issues. Druk Vision’s most recent production, Ap Naka, which centred on earthquakes, was funded by the UNDP. KLK’s latest job was for the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) conveying the message that every vote counts.

The special effects in the movies are gaining popularity and the first was done for Sumchu Mami a feature film yet to be released. Namgey Retty is the first person who brought special effects into the limelight, his work being recognized in Chorten Kora.

The special effects in Chorten Kora took 26 days to complete because, in the absence of large studios where shooting can be done 24×7, the movie makers had to depend on natural sunlight.

Hollywood movies have moved Namgey but he was more inspired by The Lord of the Rings, in which, he believes, the effects are amazing. In Bhutan too, there are noticeable special effects in movies such as Sangwai Charo, Tago, The Golden Cup, Lengo (Part II), and Tharchen. All movies are said to use special effects in varying degrees.

So, how does animation differ from special effects? Animation involves putting life into artificially drawn characters and making them appear alive whereas, in special effects, works are basically done practically and there is always the tendency to make it look more real and blended with the concept of the story.

Animations include cartoon TV series and films such as Tom and Jerry, Popeye, and Johnny Bravo. Eleven-year-old Pema Yedzin Dorji, a regular viewer of the bi-lingual Cartoon Network channel, wishes to see such cartoon shows dubbed in Dzongkha.

Both the Kinga and Pem Tshering love to watch animated movies. Kinga Sithup’s favourite is Spirit (about a horse), and Pem Tshering’s favourite is Shrek – Part I.

The best part of being in the animation field, as Pem Tshering explained, is that it is an interesting and effective media through which one can express ideas limitlessly.

“We decide everything starting from the gender of a character to the number of trees in the background and the colours used,” he said. “It is very challenging when you consider that you must convey your message with limited dialogue and action.”

Kinga maintains that although the principles used in conventional film and animation were nearly the same, there was a distinct advantage to working without actors – changes in the script hurt no one.

Both Kinga and Pem estimate that at least a decade will pass before Bhutan produces a full-length animated feature film. Perhaps they underestimate the confidence of their juniors and the pace of technological development especially in the field of entertainment.

“Some years ago, one of the ex-lyonpos told us that he would give importance to animation but, it turns out, that was just meaningless banter,” the owner of one of the companies told Observer. “And the unemployment problem gets worse by the day; so I have decided to create employment for 20-50 people within the next five years although at present I have only five employees,” he added.

The world’s earliest sample of animation was found in Iran’s Burnt city where an animated illustration was found in a 5000-year-old earthen goblet. The artist had portrayed a goat that jumped towards a tree and then ate its leaves.

Today, the bulk of animation drawing is usually produced using computers, thus giving the artist new tools not available in traditional hand-drawn animation.

Animated cartoons created using the software programme, Adobe Flash, are sometimes called webtoons. However, there are many types of animation that cannot be called cartoons.

A Bhutanese film director, Kinley Tshering, who has been in the film industry for eight years, believes that Bhutanese people generally know little about visual effects and so think every little trick is neat but, in reality, the industry here is immature – not to say that he does not appreciate the efforts of Bhutanese animators. In fact, he believes that animation, as a film form in Bhutan, is a novelty that attracts attention and so is an effective medium for conveying useful information.

The ECB, which commends animated films as being “programmed better and able to convey messages better,” has made use of animation to educate people on using voting machines and to reinforce the message that every vote counts.

The ECB has more plans for animators to exploit in the future; and, already, the two animation companies have noticed competition in the form of freelancing individuals sprouting up here and there. An IT graduate of 2005 told Observer, “I can do finer animation on my desktop than the existing professional firms but, as I am already employed, I have postponed plans to make my mark in this field.”
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Looks like the animation business is set for bigger things.

The Comedians of Bhutanese Cinema

Knowing Phurpa Thinley better

If humor could be found in an inexhaustible package, it should be him. He is funny and witty. The moment he opens his mouth, everybody breaks into a laughter.

Born in Talo in Punakha, Phurpa Thinley, 42, is the most popular comedian in the country. He has been in the film industry for almost two decades.

He was a monk till the age of 22 before joining the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA). His acting career took off when he was in RAPA where he stayed for 10 years.

His typical Bhutanese jokes were appreciated by many people in RAPA and he was made the atsara there.

While still in RAPA, he along with Gyem Tshering, another Bhutanese comedian who was also in RAPA, started a company called Comedy Musical Live Show. The company produces music albums and films.

Phurpa Thinley has a huge fan following. When he is in town, people stop to have a look at him. “There are times when people ask me to crack jokes on the street, and if I am not in a hurry, I do that,” he said. He also gets calls from his fans asking him to tell a joke over the phone.

The comedian is also a singer. He has sung in 16 albums. Some of his songs that are meant to be humorous contain refreshingly funny lyrics. One of them is his version of a popular boedra, ‘Lungpa chhung chhung’. He has produced several joke albums, which have been hugely successful among people of all walks of life. Phurpa believes that he is a better co remedian than a singer.

Until now, he has acted in 35 films. He has recently signed for a film in which Kelly Dorji will be acting.

He claims that most of the jokes in his films are made by himself. “The director just explains the theme of the story, and I add the dialogue,” he said. Phurpa Thinley also helps new comers with their dialogue and dzongkha language.

He got two awards for best comedy. He says that jokes should be funny as well as meaningful.

According to him, acting over the years has become competitive and the quality of movies has improved but he does not see much competition for the role of a comedian.

When talent meets opportunity

He can sing in six different Bhutanese singers’ voices, both male and female. He can speak in almost all the local dialects of Bhutan. He can make sounds of a flute without using one.

Commonly known as Jalap Lakey he is an entertainer, actor and a singer.

He was six when he could imitate the sounds of chirping birds, ape barking dogs and meow like cats. He was very interested in singing that he would record his own voice in a tape recorder and listen to it over and over again. Today the 27-year-old is not only a stand up comedian and mimics voices of people but also a singer.

He made his first public singing debut in 2004. He took part in a singing competition held at Mila and won the first prize out of around 80 contestants. He sang a song in both male and female voice.

His rendezvous with the camera happened in 2005 when he shot for an MTV and instantly fell in love with it. His romance with the lenses blossomed three years later when he got his first acting break in 2008. Within a span of less than a year he has five films under his belt.

In most films, his roles are entertaining. It is filled with laughter and mirth but he has acted in a more serious role in a recent film. He likes being a comedian and making people laugh but at the same time wanted to act in more serious roles to give people variety.

In most of his movies he acts as lhotshampa gup, Sharchop gup, Parop gup and old men. He talks in a different accent dzongkha, one must see his truly remarkable performance.

In his earlier days he served in the armed force for four years and resigned in 2004 under medical grounds. He is satisfied that he was able to do something for the country when the country was in need. Before joining the armed force he was a monk for five years. He did his primary schooling in Wangdue.

Originally from Wangdue, Lakey was always interested in entertaining people and even when he was in the army he would always take active part in the programmes. He always dreamt of becoming a performer and an entertainer.

His father has a sweet voice and of his 10 siblings two others also have melodious voice. One participated in the Bhutanese star while the other is too shy to sing on stage.

He has released two music albums but has never tried playback singing though he is thinking of doing it.

He has his own set of fans calling him up and appreciating his singing and acting. One of his fans is his mother who calls him up and asks him to sing on the phone.

Off the sets he is a completely different man. No jokes and pranks like on stage or on screen. Although Lakey has talent to ape noise of animals and birds he has never got a role where he could use these talents. He just hopes that it would get some day.

The Cup (Phörpa)

The World Cup and Tibetan Monks are not the two topics most likely to pack Americans into cinemas. A combination of the two may actually frighten away some viewers. But first-time director Khyentse Norbu's film about these two topics, The Cup, deserves an audience, perhaps particularly an U.S. audience, in part because it imagines and indeed, promotes, a sense of global community (no snickering please). The film also reveals — at least it feels like a revelation — that the monks are very similar to people who regularly go to movies.

Reportedly, this is the first film from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and the first film in the Tibetan language, and anyone who sees it will likely look forward to the next film from Bhutan or in the Tibetan language fortunate enough to get world wide distribution. The story, which is based on fact, begins in 1998 as two boys, Palden (Kunzang Nyima) and his nephew Nyima (Pema Tshundup), arrive at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India. The older boy shares a room with the mildly rebellious Orgyen (Jamyang Lodro, playing himself). Orgyen is obsessed with football (called "soccer" in the U.S.) and is in the habit of sneaking out at night to watch the World Cup matches at a tavern. One night, he, Palden, and two others are caught coming home from the tavern by Geko (Orgyen Tobgyal), who actively oversees the monastery under the Abbot. The Abbot (Lama Chonjor) decides not to punish them, however, after being reassured that there is no sex in this event in which "two civilized nations fight over a ball."

After giving the matter some thought, Orgyen figures that Geko objects to their sneaking out at night, so he convinces Geko to let them rent a tv to watch the final match. And so it happens that everyone at the monastery is watching as France, a nation Orgyen says has always supported Tibet, wins the World Cup.

The plot is simple enough, and the film is beautifully photographed. Other than the usual barriers that international films face in the U.S., why is this film likely to be a tough sell for Fine Line? Football is one reason. Though the World Cup is truly a world-wide phenomenon, and The Cup shows that even Tibetan monks are transfixed by it, the fact is that people in the States remain largely uninterested in the sport. The Women's World Cup last year was exciting, particularly because the U.S. team won, but the U.S. men's team has fallen well short of such achievement. So, despite enthusiastic teams and intense media pressure (especially when networks have invested in televising matches), the sport remains something U.S. children play through junior high school and then abandon like yesterday's Ricky Martin cd.

Another reason the film might not find the audience it should is that U.S. viewers don't exactly clamor for movies about Tibet. Many artists — Richard Gere, for one notable example — have donated time and money to raising public awareness of Tibet's occupation by Chinese forces, the Dalai Lama's exile, and the exile of many monks, in India and elsewhere, all hoping that the Dali Lama's passive resistance will eventually effect change. And for many young people, "Tibet" means two words: Beastie Boys. This band in particular has worked for the cause over the last few years, by organizing massive benefit concerts (aptly named "Free Tibet"). Still, the U.S. government seems to regard all these protests and discussions as if they are yesterday's Ricky Martin CD.

Though Norbu's film focuses on the monks' community as it contrasts and compares with the World Cup as global "event," it also includes a few moments of critique. For one thing, the monks' privation is a direct result of the actions of the Chinese. They remark on the "rotten" Chinese rice they eat, and the Abbot keeps his things packed, hoping for the opportunity to return to Tibet. And then the film closes with a series of titles which give updates on the characters, including one which reveals that Orygen dreams of a Tibetan World Cup Team. The final title, however, says that the "Chinese are still serving rice in Tibet," reminding the audience that, for all the uplift in the film, problems remain in the real world.

Such critique, however, never overshadows the film's celebration of the monks' spiritual freedom and joys in life. Because he is a Tibetan Buddhist monk himself, Norbu doesn't observe them from a distance. Viewers come away with a sense of the daily life of young monks, as we see the boys at prayers and studying in their rooms at night. The young monks pass notes back and forth during prayers like boys at summer camp and play "kick the can" while brushing their teeth. Viewers can take pleasure in seeing the inside of a monastery and in the beautiful Indian countryside, but Norbu does not permit us to coast along like tourists. The tone of the film is too warm and the events are presented too matter-of-factly for most viewers to remain uninvolved with the characters.

This sense of identification also enacts and underscores the film's "message," that everyone needs a sense of community, that everyone should take care of others. At first, Orgyen thinks only of himself as he rounds up money to rent the television and satellite dish. He even has Palden convince Nyima to give up a watch from his mother to aid the effort. Later, as the game progresses, Orgyen looks from the television screen to Nyima's increasingly unhappy face and realizes his error. Later, as Orgyen gathers up his possessions, including a gift from his own mother, Geko enters, knows what is occurring, and says that he and the Abbot will pay the amount necessary to return the watch to Nyima. He also says he's pleased that Orgyen is thinking of others rather than only about himself. The film does not dwell on Orgyen's education but makes its importance quite clear, as Geko says his student will be a good monk and the film cuts between the two warmly smiling faces.

His transformation is performed effectively by the young and engaging Jamyang Lodro. Like the rest of the cast, he is not an actor, but a student who lives in the Chokling Monastery. The nonprofessional actors lend authenticity to the scenes in the monastery and only occasionally does the viewer sense that anyone is trying to "act." The Cup's very structure seems to follow their lead: when the boys begin collecting money to rent the television, their energy is mirrored in the film's increased pace. While the film doesn't provide "leads" in the usual Hollywood sense, the ensemble delivers subtle performances, the uncluttered framings are artful, and the humor is endearing, more likely to solicit slight smiles than laughter.

The Cup uses the World Cup as a symbol for the potential unity of people from different countries or backgrounds. The event is one thing that the majority of the world can agree to watch together, even though the event itself is competitive. The film made me ponder all of this and more. I left the theater thinking that U.S. lack of interest in the sport suggests that the nation remains too insular, too aloof, too self-absorbed. This film might focus viewers' attention — however briefly — on the need for a greater sense of global community.

The film's closing voice-over from the Abbot says that we all need to think of others, to "love others as I love myself." This clearly expresses the film's primary theme, as it applies not only to Tibetan monks or those who similarly pursue an ascetic life. After watching these boys obsess about football and play kick the can, we might envision them listening to the Beastie Boys too, independent of the fact that the band works to bring attention to them; they are novice monks, but they are still boys. The thought of Tibetan monks trying to count the samples on Hello Nasty! is great fun to imagine, and comforting to this viewer.

The making of Sem Gawai Tasha

The director shouts, “Lights, camera, action,” and the actors start smiling and dancing. On screen, it might look like a normal scene but it’s actually a cold winter’s night with sub zero temperatures and the actors are dressed in gho and kira even as, around them, spectators shiver in woolen jackets and boots.

This is just one of the scenes at the making of Sem Gawai Tasha, a new film from NT sound and vision, which is a high budget film with heavy casting. The film is the Bhutanese debut of Kalden Sonam Dorji better known as Kelly Dorji, who is well known in the Indian glamour industry. Miss Bhutan Tshokye Tshomo Karchung also makes her debut. Popular actors Karma Chechong and Shelkar Choden are also in the film.

Even before its release, the making of Sem Gawai Tasha appears to have caught the attention of Bhutanese film lovers.

Freezing weather has not detered fans who flocked to shooting locales, eager to catch a sight of the lead actors.

“I came to watch the shooting with my friends because Kelly Dorji is acting,” says 21-year-old Dechen, watching from the sidelines.

Kelly Dorji has been a model, choreographer as well as an actor and gained considerable recognition in the South Indian film industry after his role in Don No 1. But he has never been involved in the Bhutanese movie industry. Dressing in a gho and acting with Bhutanese co-actors is a first for him, says Kelly, who is also choreographing the action sequences in the film.

When asked why he decided to act in a Bhutanese film, he replied, “I was looking for an opportunity to contribute to the Bhutanese film industry. It feels superb to be speaking Dzongkha and acting opposite Bhutanese,”

Asked if he has plans to continue acting in Bhutanese films, he said, “I certainly hope so. I pray that I get more opportunities to work in Dzongkha films. I am certainly open to discussing more projects.”

This might be Tshokye Tshomo’s first film appearance but she is at ease, having faced the camera during a modelling stint. “The director, environment and people are good. It’s more like a family. I don’t feel like I am working at all because off-set everyone’s relaxing and on-set everyone’s working so hard. It’s a big learning experience. Since it’s my first movie I will always remember the movie and the people I work with,” she said. She plans to stay in the movie industry if she gets more offers.

Fans of Shelkar Choden will be pleased to hear that she plans to continue her career as an actor for another five or six years. This being her second movie, she is at ease with the camera and the audience. She dances gracefully, ignoring the cold. “This is my first time shooting in winter and I find it tough, especially working late nights in the cold. But everyone’s easygoing and friendly and it’s an honour to work with Kelly and Tshokye” she said.

The presence of popular comedians, Phub Thinley and Gyem Dorji, assures audiences of laughs. It is not surprising that they are as funny in real life too. At the sets as in their films, they provide comic relief. They are often seen talking as crew members around them double up in laughter. The cast and crew eat their lunch together, crammed in a small room. But no one seems to be complaining. You see people smiling, laughing and talking in between eating. A cast member is holding his script and going through it with the scriptwriter.

The crew recounts an incident while shooting in Shengana, where Phub Thinley was actually followed by a group of small kids who were his fans. They would trail him around, thrilled to see him in person.

The crew comprises 29 people. They are an important part of the whole film making process. looking at the cast and crew joking and laughing while working, it’s no wonder most of them say it does not feel like they are working. But work, they do. Take after take, when the cameras are rolling, their dedication is apparent. They make the compicated process of film shooting look easier than it really is.

Two camera units and two directors of photography were employed in making the movie. The producer, Namgay Tshering, said new filmmaking techniques were used in this movie.

Tshering Penjore (Paco), who is also a documentary filmmaker, wrote the script for this movie. According to him, the movie reflects family issues, youth concerns and human trafficking while offering bits of romance and comedy.

The film was shot in Paro, Shengana and Thimphu. With an impressive cast lined up and a talented team, the movie promises a lot.