| ‘Bavathra
new experience for TV viewers’- Sunil
‘Bavathra’ directed by Sunil Ratnayake is the newest
teledrama ready hit the mini screen. This sure is going to provide
a novel experience to the Lankan viewers.
Completely
different from today’s hackneyed themes about the middle class
family affairs this miniplay is an experiment dealing with a story
about an extra terrestrial world and aliens. The other specialty
of this teledrama is that it was the first teledrama done using
mainly computer effects. And this complicated operation had taken
extra manpower and finances.
The
man behind this novel project is Sunil Ratnayake, who has earned
a reputation for presenting a number of memorable teledramas to
TV viewers. Mr. Ratnayake joined for a chat with TV Times.
How
did you first get this idea?
The original idea of doing a direction using computer effects came
ten years ago. That was when I went to ‘Silicon Valley’
in San Francisco. This was popular spot that undertook work on major
computer special effects. I went there to buy a special effect machine.
In one of the studios there I saw a sample of a Dinosaur which had
been made using computer graphics and which was to be used for Steven
Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park.
What
was the start?
I first started doing commercials using computer effects. This first
advertisement I did was for Vanik Bank about bill discounting and
this was titled ‘Vanik road role’. This was in 1986
and I got the Slim Gold award that year. This encouraged me to do
more and more advertisements.
Then to start the next step I needed a group of young and talented
people. I started ‘Teleview Technology Academy’ to train
others on computer graphics for three years.
How
did you make the aliens?
This was really a strenuous job as we created an original alien
which was different to aliens we have seen in other films. We made
the alien mechanically and technologically using computers. It took
three and half months to do the modelling, texture and develop its
movement. And this drama cost extra one million than a normal teledrama.
Do
you think this would be a success among Sri Lankan TV audience?
It is a fact that the direction on sci-fi had proved a failure in
third world countries. This was due to the lack of interest and
familiarity quite unlike the audience in developed countries. I
knew this was going to be a real risk but I believe that stories
based on sci-fi had to be brought to our audience.
Handing
an unusual theme, what did you do to attract the local audience?
I used a special strategy by introducing the godly elements and
beliefs that are popular among our villagers to this story about
extra terrestrial beings. I also introduced traditions and daily
happenings in a rural village.
According
to you what is the biggest obstacle faced by the teledrama industry?
The biggest problem I think is the lack of creativity in our teledrama
and having no standard. There are 1000 to 2000 teledramas that are
awaiting to be released. This is also a national waste of funds
as nearly two million rupees had been spent on each teledrama.This
is a loss to the industry as well as to the country.
What
are your future plans?
I have a plan to do a teleseries just like the X-files and also
a story series based on ‘Pansiya Panas Jathaka’.
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