Film factory- moving images

Site location: Ramanathapuram Gramam

Akshay S S10: A

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 1

Film factory- a corpus of moving images

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/763641680543572503/[1]
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/853009985650264312/[2]
Project location: Ramanathapuram Gramam
Site area: 16.45acres.
MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 2
 Introduction

The main portion of the work is to conceive a film city

in Kerala which facilitates every process of film
making. One of key factors in filming is the setting of
backdrop for the movie; this decides the shooting spots
and subsequent production spaces. So the canvas upon
which the design should exist should be of a condition
where different outdoor scenarios could be custom
made.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 3

 Relevance of the project

The following factors have contributed towards the idea of

implementing a film city in Kerala.
• Rising recognition for South Indian movies especially
Malayalam.
• The limitation of conventional outdoor shooting and
processing during the forthcoming times of the pandemic.
• CGI induced film processing.
• Every need of film making – satisfied by a single cognitive
body.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 4

 Relevance of the site
The Prelude
• It was by mid 1980s, Malayalam cinema almost said its goodbye to Madras and fully got
based in Kerala. Saying so, in 1970s and early 80s, a number of Malayalam films were shot in
Kerala, but mostly limited to the indoors of studios like Udaya (Alleppey) or Merryland
(Trivandrum). Even so, majority of actors/actress lived in Madras, so as technicians. So even
if a good percentage is shot in Kerala studios, much of its work (Pre-Production and Post
Production) happened in Madras.

• By 1980s, a new wave started in Malayalam. A bunch of new directors came in this period
and color movies became popular, which exposed the unnatural studio settings, which no
more conceivable to the audience as reality, forcing Malayalam Cinema actually to move
outdoors. When it came outdoors, it had a problem. Chennai city never looked like Kerala in
any manner nor any Tamil villages in its vicinity.

• And MT Vasudevan’s stories got adapted more into movies in this period. Majority of his
scripts and themes he used in his novels and scripts revolved around Valluvandan life.

• And it was this actually brought Palakkad into key lime light as it has a surroundings that
exactly match to much of MT Novel/script’s geo-social settings.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 5

 Relevance of the site
Accessibility
• The town is located within the major rail line that connects Kerala to rest of India. This
means, a person from Madras needs less than 10 Hours to reach Palakkad and in those days,
train was the most common means of travel.
• Many directors or technicians from Madras, simply boarded the famous Madras Mail train in
evening and reach Palakkad in early morning and be part of the shooting from immediately,
without loss of any productive hours. Coimbatore is closer by that can be reached by 2 hour
car journey. So as both Ernakulam and Kozhikode in less than 3 hours and Thrissur in less
than a hour.

The decline
• Saying so, today Ottappalam is no more the Mollywood capital after a paradigm shift
happened in Mollywood post 2000s. Today Malayalam cinema is heavily urban centric in
nature. The rise of new alternative locations, particularly Thodupuzha in Idukki has seriously
diminished Ottappalam’s status in a big way.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 6

Commercial hits shot at Palakkad(1990-2020)
Malayalam movies
1. Thoovanathumbikal (1987)
2. Kamaladalam (1992)
3. Valsalyam, Devasuram (1993)
4. Aaram thampuran, Iruvar, Thooval kottaram (1997)
5. Veendum chila veetukaryangal, Akashaganga (1999)
6. Arayannangalude veedu, Narasimham, Vallyettan, Ravanaprabhu (2000)
7. Naran, Chandrolsavam, Vadakkumnathan (2005)
8. Madambi, Hallo, Mulla (2008)
9. Drona (2010)
10. Ennu ninte moideen, Su su sudhi valmeekam (2015)
11. Odiyan (2018)
12. Ayyapanum Koshiyum, Sufiyum Sujathayum (2020)
13. *Aarattu (2021) not released yet
Non Malayalam movies
1. Muthu, Iruvar (1997)
2. Kannathil muthamittal (2002)
3. Saami (2003)
4. Autograph (2004)
5. Guru (2007)
6. Jodha Akbar (2008)
7. Varadu (2010)
8. Kangal irandhal (2013)
9. Thambi (2019)
MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 7
Site details-
Ramanathapura
m Gramam
The site lies within the
mixed use area that
comprises commercial
and industrial zone as
per the approved
master plan of
Palakkad town. The
region has access to
nearby main cities and
to metropolitan,
Chennai.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 8

Proposed land use map (near site)

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 9

Location map

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 10

 Location map

Site area: 16.45acres

Site ownership: Government property.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 11

• Approximate built area
6.58 acres (40 %of total area)
26000sqm
Approximate unbuilt area
9.87 acres (60 %of total area)
40,000 sqm
Maximum FAR: 1.5-2.5
Stages/ Film sets
• Large stages 334 x 136 x 40.5 ft
• Medium stages 105 x 90 x 30 ft
• Small stages 54 x 49 x 23 ft
Accomodation & recreation
Preview theatres
Post production studios
MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS
• General office 1000
• lab in charge: b/w & color -300
• Office rooms -1600
• Grading room -950
• Processing lab (b/w + color) 5000
• Analyzer room -500
• Printing room -1500
• Raw film store -900
• Photograhic -1500
• Quality control office- 200
• Sensitometer and densitometer 200
• Film dispatch release 300
• Store 200
12
 Special topic

Use of the concept of imageability theory as the core

design element throughout the design of the campus,
creating its identity as a landmark and eventually an
urban plugin for the Palakkad town.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 13

 Methodology
Primary data collection Secondary data collection
• Indian cinema achievements and • Study of film cities and film studio work
contribution to economy. culture and functional spaces.
• Developmental agendas of • Possibility of developing a tourist spot on
Ramanathapuram Gramam and Palakkad film city.
town
• Road access points, air travel facilities.
• Occupational relevance.
Special topic and its application
• Use of concept of imageability in site
zoning as well as building zoning.
• Fragmented planning that’s connected by
common design elements like scale,
proportion, façade detailings, signages.
• Internal paths, nodes and landmarks are to
be designed.

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 14

 Case studies
Live case studies Litrature case studies
• Ramoji Rao film city • Bhopal film city
• Mumbai Film city • International film festival
complex, Goa

MCAP THESIS 2021- SYNOPSIS 15