The latest edition of the country’s biggest event for Screenwriters – The ISC (Indian Screenwriters Conference) was a three-day affair, held in Mumbai.
The 6th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference was conducted by the Screenwriters Association(SWA) on the 10th, 11th, & 12th of November 2022, at the St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra (West), Mumbai. The three-day-long conference witnessed a number of panel discussions that covered a gamut of topics concerning films, OTT platforms, and television.
ADVERTISEMENT
The theme of the conference was, “WHO AM I? Is our unique storytelling a boon or a bane?” Writing, just like any other art form, is subjective.Are the writers supposed to always adhere to the set pattern and deadlines, not having much scope for expression, and hum along a tried and tested methodology; or should they be striving to become ‘creators’, where the inspiration is just the subconscious and the world around?
The Chief Guest for the conference was Mr. Mani Ratnam, the ace director who crossed over from the South and gave Hindi cinema blockbusters like Roja, Bombay, and Dil Se! The first day of the conference shed light on the various dilemmas and roadblocks that a writer (film/TV/OTT) faces in their journey. Eminent writers/directors like Atika Chohan (known for Chhapaak(2020), Margarita with a Straw(2014)), Soumen Mishra (Head of Creative Development, Dharma Productions), graced the panel on the first day.
On the second day of the event, ISC introduced Master Classes for the very first time, held individually for films, TV, and OTT platforms. Sriram Raghavan, the Master of Thrill in Hindi Cinema, was at his passionate best while sharing the insights on the process of creating mind-bending stories. The Master Class on Web Series had the ace creator duo Raj & D.K. (The Family Man) at the helm. The final day of the conference reflected on the changing narrative structures for Indian stories and lyrics, across the mediums of TV, cinema, and OTT platforms. Prakash Jha, Alankrita Srivastava, and Karan Malhotra, Kausar Munir to name a few, graced the panels on the final day.
The ISC also incorporated an interesting topic - “What’s this fuss about Pan India?” Representations from other film industries and their respective insights made for an interesting panel discussion. Shyam Pushkaran, Pushkar - Gayathri, Abhijeet Deshpande interacted with senior writer Anjum Rajabali.
Mr. Robin Bhatt, President, Screenwriters Association, had a few words of gratitude for everyone who took time out for this one-of-a-kind conference of creators.
“Indian Screenwriters Conference is the biggest conference in India for screenwriters. SWA has always been at the forefront in terms of not only working for the rights of the screenwriters but also in imparting learning to its members.The introduction of master classes in the latest edition of ISC was yet another effort to achieve the same keeping in mind the growing needs.”
“The theme for this year’s ISC was ‘WHO AM I?’ The sessions were designed in a way that the discussions should revolve not just around the struggles of writers in the industry but around the struggles within them to find their own unique voice while working and adjusting to the changing industry demands.” said Zaman Habib, General Secretary, SWA.
ISC also recognized the contribution of Sachin Bhaumick and Majrooh Sultanpuri to the Indian Film Industry, by presenting ISC Awards to them which were collected by their family members.
The conference,provided an excellent space for artists of varied backgrounds to engage in a beautiful exchange of knowledge and experiences.
For further information, kindly visit: https://swaindia.org/
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
