Bhutan Backstage
What is Bhutan backstage? It began as a name for a simple blog which would ponder over art, creativity and life in Bhutan. But once the video production company came up, and the design and artwork, and then there were the cakes, it couldn’t be just a blog, it had to be a larger site which allowed major spillover.
Now, it resembles more of a creative media collective, but it can also serve as an online magazine or a range of portfolios. So it’s easier to say—Bhutan backstage is a site celebrating, recording, channeling and exhibiting creative energy in Bhutan. It’s a site for all that which is not in the foreground. Creativity is often relegated to the background, to the back pages, to the backstage.
The backstage is where all the energy, vision, and initial strokes originate. And often times the backstage is a mess, a chaos. Here’s where all the wires, sketches, cables, rough cuts, ideas, hardrives, and paintbrushes lie. Where the crew and cast practice, dream and sleep. So like the beautiful mess of a backstage, this site, is a bit messy, confused, chaotic, (not in design) but in content, no rules and limitations apply, categories and designations are blurred, and hence, we know no way to label this site, except to say—it’s a force to be explored.
Welcome backstage.
Happenings
March 2012
a proud moment for Dakinny Productions: “An Original Photocopy of Happiness” wins “Special Mention Award” at the Hong Kong Incubator for Film and Visual Media (IFVA).
http://m.ifva.com/2011/en/awards/the17th/award_list.php
January 2012
the short film ”An Original Photocopy of Happiness” has been shortlisted in the “Asian Force Category” in Hong Kong Independent Short film and Video Awards (IFVA), and will be screened in competition in March 2012. Thank you IFVA!
Fall 2011
FILM
We are happy and proud to say that Dechen Roder’s short film “an Original Photocopy of Happiness” has been selected for the official competition at the Brussels International Independent Film festival. http://www.centremultimedia.org/le-festival-2011/competition-internationale
Beskop Tshechu film festival is happening! 21-23 october. photo below: HAPPY VALLEY Theater group helps make it happen and spread the word!
Winter 2010
FILM
This winter ushered in a few great leaps and opportunities for some of us here under Bhutan backstage:
We are very proud to announce that Pema Tshering’s short film “Sound of Time” has been selected for the competitive short film category in the Alpavirama South Asian Short and Documentary Film Festival 2011. For more details: http://www.nid.edu/alpavirama/competition.html
In November this year, Dechen Roder was also invited as a filmmaker to participate in the DOX:LAB, a unique and inspiring documentary program under one of the world’s biggest documentary film festivals– CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, Denmark. Provided with a modest budget, she and a Danish filmmaker, Caroline Sascha Cogez, will later co-direct a documentary in Bhutan in the fall of 2011.
September 18, 2010
FILM
The first independent film festival, featuring short films by Bhutanese filmmakers was held on September 18, 2010. Organized by independent filmmakers and VAST Bhutan, the film festival was organized to promote filmmaking as a tool of expression, social responsibility and art. As it was the first time a festival like this was held in Bhutan, there was no selection or competition, just sharing of work.
We are happy and proud to have organized such an event, and hope to continue it in the future.
 |
 |
FILM FESTIVAL
 |
 |
 |
Beskop Tshechu 2011 is the first documentary and short film festival in Bhutan dedicated to promoting and encouraging creative filmmaking. The festival is a non-profit event, and relies heavily on volunteerism, passion and contributions/ donations. All screenings and events are free and open to the public. This year 2011, it took place on October 21-23, Thimphu and was in celebration of the historic Royal Wedding in Bhutan.
There could be no better time to launch the first documentary and short film festival in Bhutan than in celebration of the Royal Wedding. Our fifth King, His Majesty, has always shown committed support and interest in our growing film and arts industry. This is why we believe this film festival is a fitting platform to join the nation in celebrating the Royal Wedding.
VISION
Considering we only opened our doors to TV and internet in 1999, filmmaking in Bhutan has grown at an impressive speed. Cinema halls in the capital are reserved till the next year for feature film screenings, and villages and towns outside Thimphu wait excitedly for feature films to do their rounds around the country.
However, for some filmmakers or aspiring filmmakers, there is little, if no platform to screen work, which does not fit in the category of “feature film” or “TV program” (for our single broadcast station.) Because of this lack of platform, there is also a dearth of short film and documentary productions in Bhutan. And the common Bhutanese audience would not even know what these genres are.
The Beskop Tshechu committee members found this dearth alarming and foreboding for our booming film industry, as short films and documentaries offer an important platform for filmmakers to explore their talent, vision and voice. Further, short film and documentary are unique genres by themselves, allowing filmmakers to approach storytelling, personal expression, art and analysis with more alternative and experimental methods. And finally because short films or documentaries rarely promise financial returns, the commercial angle is automatically reduced, and the work is more sincerely from the maker’s heart. But because of the lack of financial returns, filmmaking and art, like all over the world, needs external recognition and support in order to grow and flourish. And all the more in Bhutan, where till date, there is no regularized form of support for creative filmmaking. No film festivals. No grants or recognition. No outlet to even share work.
Beskop Tshechu was borne out of this immediate need to promote creative filmmaking in Bhutan and to help cultivate a new future for Bhutanese filmmakers.
Our main vision:
1) To provide a platform for filmmakers to share their artistic endeavors
2) To encourage and promote non-commercial filmmakers through awards, opportunities, recognition and networking.
3) Create a common ground and forum for like-minded producers and filmmakers to meet, discuss and learn from each other
4) Nurture a new viewing culture in Bhutan: nurture a new understanding, interest and appreciation for non-commercial and meaningful films and stories.
5) Encourage filmmakers to use video as a medium to express themselves and explore and analyze issues in the community and country they are concerned about
the ENERGY BEHIND THE FESTIVAL:
Beskop Tshechu committee is a group of voluntary filmmakers and artists who are dedicated to promoting creative filmmaking in Bhutan through the first film festival in the country. While we all work as filmmakers or artists, organizing and contributing to Beskop Tshechu is a fully voluntary effort.
FOUNDERS:
Dechen Roder– filmmaker, head of Dakinny Productions
Pema Tshering— artist (VAST) and filmmaker
ORGANIZING MEMBERS
Chandra Rai, Filmmaker and head of Rabbit in the Twilight Productions
Pelden Dorji, Filmmaker
Tshering Dorji, Filmmaker and head of Happy Valley Youth Theater Group
Dhondup Roder, Freelance Graphic Designer
Sonam Chophel, Artist VAST
Yannick Joris,Photographer VAST
PARTNERS and SPONSORS
Ministry of Information and Communications
Royal Office of Media
VAST-Bhutan
Happy Valley Youth Theater Group
Dakinny Productions
Rabbit in the Twilight Productions
Radio Valley
Art of the Week
” Monks in red ”
Pema Tshering
“feel the warmth in Wangdiphodrang”
Pema Tshering
“Capturing the movement of the air and the sun”
Pema Tshering
People Backstage
| DECHEN RODER
Documentary Producer,Video Editor,Scriptwtiter and Director |
PEMA TSHERING
Artist,Graphic and Web Designer
|
TASHI GYELTSHEN
Scriptwriter/Flim Director/Producer |
KARMA WANGCHUK
Artist, Film Maker and Directer |
|||||||||||||
Dakinny Productions
Founded by filmmaker Dechen Roder, dakinny productions is a video production company, producing a range of work, from documentaries, to music videos, advertisements, instructional films, public service annoucements and more. It aims to produce innovative, fresh work with a social face.
As much as possible, dakinny productions focuses its video work on social and youth issues in Bhutan. It strives to make video/film a powerful medium in representing, giving voice to, and documenting meaningful issues and stories in Bhutan.
Most recently dakinny productions has produced the short film “an Original Photocopy of Happiness” shortlisted for the official competition in the Brussels International Independent Film festival 2011.
Services
Dakinny productions provides all production services—
Documentary Production
Advertisements
Music Videos
Public Service Annoucements
Video Editing and Post-Production
Production Training/Workshops
Illustrations
Logo design
Website design
Past Projects
Dakinny Productions has worked on a number of documentaries, which were all aired on Bhutan Broadcasting Services (BBS), and all focused on social issues here in Bhutan. Most recently, Dakinny Productions, in collaboration with Valley Records produced the music video for “Meto Sakha” by local rock musician– Pelden D.
“Class by Candlelight,” the first documentary, made in 2004, documented students and farmers in a Non-Formal Education class in rural Bhutan. Since then Dakinny Productions has been involved in producing audio visual works for not only governmental and international agencies but also for private and corporate sectors.
| DOCUMENTARY “Bhutan: The Journey Within” the first travel show from Bhutan made by Bhutanese, sponsored by Namkha Journeys, Bhutan. |
ADVERTISMENT Pelden Group of Companies, 2009 Directed by Tashi Gyeltshen,Edited by Dechen Roder Art by Pema Tshering |
Meto Sakha MUSIC VIDEO (Musician- Pelden D) 2012
A Story of Hope (Bhutan Foundation produced, 3 minutes, 2011)
An Original Photocopy of Happiness (short film, 23 minutes, 2011)
The Independent Voice, (10 minutes, 2011) promo documentary for Bhutan Observer newspaper
ARTicle 13: Commemorating the Rights of the Child in Bhutan through Art, (documentary, 20 minutes, 2010). funded by UNICEF and VAST
READ in Bhutan, (10 minutes, 2010) commissioned documentary on the work of NGO READ-Bhutan
The Journey Within (travel documentary, 25 minutes, 2009)
Golden Youth Video Spots 2008 for UNICEF-Bhutan and Youth Development Fund
Post-Production for narrative short films “wake up jigs” and girl with a red sky” (funded by UNICEF and Youth Development Fund)
Young People on Wheels (documentary, 36 min, 2006). Finalist in the UNICEF Child Rights Awards 2006
Boy of Good Waste (documentary, 30 min, 2005). Funded by SNV-Bhutan
Instructional Video for WHO, 2006, Ministry of Health and UNICEF
Music Video for Nguldrup Dorji (YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGfFnsq1aZ8)
Class by Candlelight (documentary, 28 minutes, 2004)
Ongoing Projects
February 2012
Pre-production for the short film “Heart in the Mandala” is underway. Casting, casting, casting, rehearsing etc.
October 2011
Finished the script for short film “Heart in the Mandala” to be shot early next year. Some of the rewards offered to those who help through kickstarter:
September 2011
Dakinny Productions is one of the main organizers/partners in the coming “Beskop Tshechu” the first short film and documentary festival in Bhutan, slated to happen in October, in celebration of the Royal Wedding.
June 2011
Finished editing the short film “an Original Photocopy of Happiness”
January 2011
Dechen Roder and Dakinny Productions produced a documentary promo/creative video for the newspaper Bhutan Observer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoKhawKga7E
October 2010
Dakinny Productions has been documenting the work and activities of Happy Valley, a youth theater cooperative in Thimphu. Happy Valley members invited a prestigious actor, theater director, and writer from Austria, Volker Schmidt, to work with them and train them for 2 weeks. The result of the workshop was a play based on the classic Bhutanese story “Gasa Lama Singye,” adapted for stage with a contemporary twist. It was a completely no-budget production, but a beautiful, historical show of hard work, passion, talent, and good will. Dakinny Productions hopes to produce a short documentary on this collaboration and the making of the first no-budget theater production in Bhutan. Post-production is in process.
March 2010
Production of short documentary on READ-Bhutan’s ongoing work in the country. READ Bhutan has a unique development model- to help build and stock libraries in different communities, and also provide seed money to start a viable business in the same community, to fund the library. The best part of READ’s projects– they don’t go deciding where and how to build libraries. They only initiate projects after the community responds, acts, writes up the proposal for the library and business, and demonstrates how they will uphold the project themselves. Dakinny productions hopes to exhibit READ’s development work in Bhutan for what it is– a strong community initiative and engagement, and most importantly– a way to facilitate a stronger reading culture in Bhutan. As someone in an interview for the documentary said : reading is power, reading is freedom.
Documentary should be ready and uploaded on youtube by mid-April.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 15, 2009
Production of documentary covering the 5 day art festival for children in the clocktower (produced by VAST). Festival was funded by UNICEF-Bhutan to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Bhutan. Documentary will hopefully air on BBS, and will highlight the need for children in Bhutan to be given more opportunities to be expressive and creative.
__________________________________
October 2009
Post-Production of a Wish Seen Through, short documentary covering Voluntary Artist Studio Thimphu (VAST) make-a-wish project, bridging the generation gap and combining art and activism.
A Wish Seen Through
When asked what their wish was, senior citizens in a village in Bhutan replied that they wished they could go on a pilgrimage to central Bhutan. Voluntary Artists Studio Thimphu (VAST) decided to fulfill this wish. 8 young volunteer artists took 27 elderly men on a road trip to Bumthang. Camping, interacting, and visiting holy sites along the way, for these senior citizens it was the trip of their dreams.
For more information: www.vast-bhutan.org
contact
Dakinny Productions
P.O BOX 1492
Thimphu, Bhutan
E-mail: dakinny@yahoo.com