Linguistic perspective of visual approach: An interview with A K Bir

Abstract

Cinema and literature are two different forms of narrative text. Many films have been adopted from literature. Though the history of literature is very long-standing and enriched with ingenious use of language, cinema is a very recent art form in comparison to literature, and its artistic method of expression is a manifestation of visual language. The process of crafting visuals for a cinematic representation is called cinematography. Composition, lighting, camera movement etc. are the tools available to cinematographer to create meaningful visuals. However, visual approach is the art, craft, technique and creative process through which a cinematographer uses his tools to translate director’s imagination to a visual form. This paper argues that there exists a resemblance between the linguistic approaches in literature to that of the visual approach in cinema in the context of creating a narrative structure. In order to get a deep insight in this arena, the researcher has interacted with very prestigious and seasoned director-cinematographer Shri. A K Bir. Bir has given a profound perspective to understand visual approach and its components through a framework of language. From this interview, this research study finds that by infusion of a linguistic approach the visuals of a cinema can be presented in an artier, more enriched and thought provoking manner.