Righto. As some of you know, I moved to Bristol, UK early this year to work on film and TV and help promote archaeology. The UK economy apparently is still in recession, and some of the shows that were to be commissioned (and two of which I was supposed to work on) haven't gotten their sign on the dotted line, so I've been jobbing on promos and music video shoots and VERY indie documentaries.
I have also been meeting a few production houses/commissioners who tell me that some of my ideas have potential, and therefore I should produce a taster tape. India/Raj is still flavour of the month on UK TV, and my ideas are all on some level about India. So putting equations A and B together, C landed in Madras a few weeks ago. So here's request #1: I need collaborators. I would like to meet and talk to people in Madras, Bangalore, Bombay and other places who can work with me and help me produce my tasters. Silklisters and friends who have access to video cameras - HD or otherwise - and other film gear. Can you email me offlist please? We can then discuss what is in it for you (definite potential in the long term). Request #2: Contacts and introductions to powers that be. One idea that I have been exploring for a long time now, and for which I believe the time is right, is a volunteer-driven public archaeology project in India. Something along the lines of the Thames Discovery Project/FROG (link: http://www.thamesdiscovery.org/about/) for Indian cities. In particular, I am looking to explore the Cooum and Adyar rivers of Madras in the light of a recent discovery of the world's second oldest stone tool on the Kortalayar river bed some 60 odd kms outside the city. The Kortalayar river and Cooum have the same source. Even discounting that, Indian rivers are pretty strong archaeological sites, and it will be a shame not to explore that angle. Now, I know enough of ASI and other similar state bodies to know that such a thing is impossible if you are a nobody (such as I am) and VERY difficult if you're somebody big. Last year, I tried to talk to a few people high up in the ASI Chennai circle about doing a workshop for volunteers/amateurs on the kinds of archaeology in India. No go. So, I'd be very, very grateful to anybody who can put me in touch with and speak highly of me to anybody who can take any kind of decision in the ASI. The ASI has a monopoly on permits when it comes to digging in this country, and one can only apply for said permissions once a year. The deadline is June, which we're well past. On the other hand, an ASI endorsed programme that looks at training amateurs and volunteers could bend rules slightly or be given a special permit as we won't be digging (extensively, in any case) and we won't be taking things out of the ground except for educational purposes. Finally, I would love to talk to people about my own brilliance and the sorry state of affairs when it comes to archaeology and heritage in India. So that's request #3. Udhay's called for a ChennaiMadras silkmeet next weekend. If I am still here then, and you are, let's meet. C -- http://about.me/chandrachoodan +447594553053
