Tsering Choden won the first Democracy Video Challenge organized by the US State Department from South & Central Asia, and is now directing Nepali TV Blog, which airs on Avenues TV every Saturday at 8:30 pm and again Sunday at 9:30 pm.[break]
Republica caught up with Choden and asked how her filmmaking journey started.
You were with the radio. What made you change tracks and get involved in filmmaking?
It was definitely a shift in gear but not a recently adopted interest. Since my college days, I’ve had the desire to learn the art of filmmaking. It didn’t happen then for various reasons; I stepped up and made it happen now.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Life is an inspiration. What I experience, feel, absorb, listen, touch, see, I guess all of that makes up various aspects for that inspiration. I’m probably not the first person to say this but it’s true.
Please share your experience while shooting Nepali TV Blog.
Shooting for Nepali TV Blog wasn’t easy. The Terai sun is harsh and I’m certainly not used to it, and we traveled during peak summer. Just thinking straight was a challenge, so when I look back and see the footage, I’m surprised we have some decent ones. Of course, we could’ve done better.
That aside, it was an eye opener for me. The Nepal beyond Kathmandu has waited too long to connect with us. And I hope as “director,” I’ve managed to capture some of those experiences. So if you can spare 30 minutes of your time, do watch the series and share those experiences along with me.
How has the response been so far for the Blog?
We aren’t makers of “Loot.” So as much as I would like to say that the response has been overwhelming, we haven’t reached anywhere close. Hats off to the team behind “Loot” for shaking up the Nepali film industry and giving the rest of us confidence, that if you will it, it’s possible. But coming back to “Nepali – A TV Blog,” the response is trickling in.
The ones that are important to me are that it’s timely; this is something different; and Nepali television needs something like this; and they like the style of editing.
What are some of your future projects you’re going to work on?
Future projects? Working on this series has drained me, so if there’s something I’m working on, then it’s to take a break and travel to Ladakh. It’s time to draw inspiration again. Can’t wait!
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