| MUMBAI:
As part of its localisation exercise, English movie channel Pix is doing a film-based
reality show Gateway with noted film producer Ashok Amritraj. The
prize for the winner: to direct a Hollywood film produced by Amritraj's firm Hyde
Park Entertainment. Just
last month, the channel from the Sony stable had announced the Pix Shotr Film
Festival which gives every aspiring filmmaker a chance to participate. Pix has
received 900 submissions and the channel will air these films sometime in September.
The
show starts on 1 August with a call for entries of two to four minute films to
be submitted on DVD or VCD from across the country. Aspiring filmmakers can send
in short films. 50 finalists will be selected and interviewed. This will be narrowed
down to 18 contestants who will be brought to Mumbai to compete in the show Gateway.
Amritraj
will serve as a mentor ala Donald Trump in The Apprentice. The winner will have
an eight-week internship with Amritraj and his firm. Through the internship the
filmmaker will learn about the art and the business of filmmaking in Hollywood.
Then the filmmaker will get the second part of the pay off which is directing
a film. Speaking
to Indiantelevision.com, Amritraj says that Gateway was inspired by his goal to
make the path between India and Hollywood easier for talented filmmakers. "I
approached Pix a year ago with the notion of the show and since then we have refined
the format. Our aim is that this show should grab the attention of all filmmakers
in the country. This year I am celebrating 25 years of making films and it felt
like the right time to come back to India and look for talent. Filmmaking is very
democratized today. People can make films on their mobile, laptop." Pix
business head Sunder Aaron says, " Great filmmakers make for great storytellers.
With Ashok Amritraj's help and guidance we will be finding that great hidden talent
in India. Ultimately one gem of a storyteller will get the opportunity of a lifetime." Each
episode of the show will be designed to demystify the craft of movie making. There
will be 13 episodes in all. In the US Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg did a
movie based reality show On The Lot which unfortunately got a lukewarm
response on Fox. It remains to be seen how this show fares. Also
Read: Pix
unveils short film festival initiative | 
