The film crew searched for about a year before finally finding the Cecil Hotel. The
crew knew they needed a large space, with high ceilings and an open format, to
not only accommodate all the dollies and lights needed for shooting the scenes,
but also to give a sense of grittiness, darkness and beautiful decay that would
come to characterize Anarosas apartment. After approaching the City of Calgary
for suggestions, and explaining the films central theme of drug addictions, the
crew started their work, transforming the historic and infamous Cecil Hotel into the
films set. With permits coming in just a week before the film was scheduled to
start shooting, the construction crew worked around the clock for three days
constructing what would become Anarosas apartment. The apartment and the
Cecil Hotel would soon become the films fifth character, a space that shifts and
transforms with the characters as they navigate the murky waters of addiction.
When you look at all of the locations mentioned above, or for that matter Calgary
as a whole, any filmmaker would first think of making a romantic film. The
locations are clean and beautiful with lots of vibrant colours. Therefore, it was a
challenging, yet enriching, experience to break our preconceived notions and
create something that is absolutely different, not just for us as a film crew, but
also for the viewers who have a chance to see one of the worlds most beautiful
cities in a different light that is charming in its own way. We have to mention that
the people of Calgary and the City Administration were extremely supportive
during the filming process.
Drawing from his past experience at the Asian Academy of Film & Television, in
Noida, India, his short film debut, Prashan Chinn, screened at the 62nd Cannes
Festival, and his experience working with Shunya-sa, a feature film about former
Indian film celebrities living in poverty in the slums, director Shailender Vyas is
keenly aware of the social issues that permeate our culture. Vyas is a strong
believer in the power of visual media and the infinite potential of positive
storytelling: in his eyes, film as a medium has a unique ability to deal with difficult
social issues and induce the change that is so dearly needed. In Three Colours + A Canvas, he seeks to bring issues of drug use, addiction and
education to the forefront, highlighting the need to instill positive core values in
young adults so they have access to resources they require in times of need. The
four characters in the film often feel trapped in their circumstances, with no one to
turn to but themselves, which accelerates and complicates their journey
Filmmaking is a process that is ever-evolving, where one continues to learn from
every piece of work they do. The entire experience of Three Colours + A Canvas
has been a huge learning experience for Vyas and he believes that you dont need
any advice before you begin to learn something new, only the will and the
open-mindedness to continue to learn. Vyas will always continue to use his
learning in future projects and grow with them.
Vyas and Anand are accustomed to working in the Indian film industry. In
particular, their joined experiences collide in Three Colours + A Canvas to form a
rich tapestry of characters, motives and emotions, highlighted by beautiful
cinematography and dark storytelling. Director Vyas is used to thinking and writing
in Hindi for Indian audiences, so Three Colours + A Canvas presented a challenge
to his usual way of working. He trusted his abilities and creative instincts, though,
and put together a script that resonates across both cultures.
The lives of the four main characters revolve around seemingly innocent hobbies:
wanting to party, have a good time and experiment with youthful freedom. What
starts off as a bonding experience between two strangers Anarosa and Cassidy
meeting for the first time and sharing a couple of joints soon becomes the main
3 Colours + A Canvas 2connection between the four protagonists. As a central theme to the film, drug use
and the possibility of addiction is a reality that Three Colours + A Canvas confronts
head-on in an attempt to deal with the issues, stigmas and consequences that
surround drug culture. The film showcases drug addictions in a non-judgmental
and non-patronizing way.
Lighting and shadows are there to create the third dimension to a two dimensional
image. That third dimension is decided by the story that is being told and how it
has been visualized by the writer/director. In this story, the characters go through
a contrast according to the situations they are facing at the time, reflected in the
costumes, locations, colours, music, lighting and shadows
Both the director and the producer felt that there is a need to tell the substance
abuse story in a way that does not preach the idea of prohibition, but instead
showcases the issues surrounding addiction in a way that the viewers of the film
could learn from others experiences. The characters are fictional and their lives
tell the story of some of the consequences that might result from addiction issues.
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