By Natalia Ningthoujam
New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) Producer Kristina Reed, who backed Oscar-winning short films “Paperman” and “Feast”, says stories that deal with human emotions fascinate her and she feels that at the core, it’s something that everyone can relate to.
Going by her winning streak at the Oscars, it seems like she mostly manages to find the perfect script.
“I am interested in stories that deal with very classic emotions and feelings that anyone can relate to,” Reed told IANS in a telephonic interview during her visit to India.
Sharing examples of stories of her Oscar-winning movies, she said: “In ‘Paperman’, the feeling of maybe having not been able to connect with your soulmate; in ‘Feast’, the importance of relationships with pets, then in ‘Big Hero 6’, the feeling of wanting to be part of something bigger than yourself like Tadashi’s invention of Baymax and also Hiro’s desire to become a crime fighter.”
“I am fascinated by stories that deal with human emotions, and really at the core, it’s something that all of us can relate to,” she added.
Now, she wants Indian short film makers to have a chance at the Oscars.
“It’s my first time here. When I think about the cinematic history and art history of India, I am eager to see more young Indian filmmakers get their work shown and see what stories come from here.
“Part of the reason why I have come here is because I am also a member of the short films branch of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We are eager to establish a pipeline for short films to come out of India and compete on the world of stage for an Oscar. So that’s mostly my interest… enabling young Indian filmakers to tell a story and have their stories go further abroad,” she shared.
Reed was also here for the launch of ShortsTV, which is in partnership with Tata Sky. The channel is dedicated to short movies.
“When it comes to the channels, I know that I am watching the strongest films picked out for me. I love the idea of not having to go and search for them online,” she said.
Reed had started her journey in animation with Rhythm & Hues Studios in 1992. She has also worked with DreamWorks Animation and Walt Disney Animation Studios. What does she like about animation?
“The most joyous part is collaborating with others. I love the artistry and technology,” she said.
As for short films, she loves its economy.
“You have to make very smart choices about what moves the story and what doesn’t. I honestly get a little bit bored with the comfort that feature films have. They have a lot of screen time and waste your time too,” she said with a laugh.
“Sometimes, after watching a feature film, I ask ‘what was the point of that? Why did they feel the need to put that in a movie?’ What I love about a great short film is that it’s tight and everything is quite efficient. You can look at a short film and say ‘There is a reason why the filmmaker is showing this to us. This is an important element of where we are going to go on this journey’.”
(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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