Desert Narratives: Travel Filmmaking in Pushkar

MANTHAN SHAH

Manthan Shah is a travel filmmaker, photographer, and content creator known for his cinematic storytelling and innovative visual style. Over the past six years, he has collaborated with leading brands, creating campaigns that merge creativity with strong brand narratives. His work spans Instagram and YouTube, blending travel films with brand-driven projects. Recognized for his versatility, Manthan has also judged photography and filmmaking contests at premier colleges in Mumbai, inspiring young creators through his craft.

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ITINERARY

Capturing Culture: A Hands-on Travel Filmmaking Workshop

OCT 31, 2025 | FRIDAY

Day 1: Knowledge & Foundation

Session 1: The Language of Cinematic Travel Filmmaking

  • The Importance of Establishing Shots – how they set tone, context, and atmosphere.
  • Framing in Any Surrounding – mastering composition even in crowded, chaotic travel/ festival environments.
  • How to Shoot Anything Cinematic – transforming mundane daily visuals into powerful cinematic moments through lensing, movement, and light.

Session 2: Shooting with Intention

  • Why Multiple Angles Matter – building dynamic coverage and ensuring flexibility in editing.
  • Spotting the Right Moments–how to anticipate and decide what is worth capturing in real time.
  • Practical examples from Pushkar and similar festival shoots.

Session 3: Tools & Techniques

  • Essential Gear for Travel/ Festivals – traveling light while staying versatile.
  • The Power of Monitors (Hollyland Focus)
  • Framing precision and focus reliability in unpredictable conditions.
  • Monitoring LUTs for instant cinematic previews.
  • Real-time collaboration: enabling directors, crew, or even locals to view and connect with the process.

Evening Golden Hour Practical (Short Session)

  • Guided field practice in Pushkar during sunset.
  • Exercise: capture one ordinary moment cinematically using framing and composition principles.
  • Hands-on demonstration of the monitor workflow in the field.

NOV 01, 2025 | SATURDAY

Day 2 – Practical Application, Review, and Storytelling

Early Morning Golden Hour Practical (Main Field Shoot)

A. Capturing Pushkar at sunrise: temples, ghats, people, animals, rituals.
Exercises:
Shooting strong, establishing shots. 
Portraits and people in motion. 
Coverage through multiple angles.
B. Reading the scene to anticipate cinematic moments.
C. Monitor integration for framing accuracy and exposure monitoring.

Midday / Afternoon Review & Knowledge Session

  • Footage Review & Feedback – group screening of morning work, with detailed critique on storytelling, composition, and technical execution.
  • Generating Short Stories Within a Video, creating micro-narratives from festival life.
  • Connecting the Dots: How to Build a Story After the Shoot
  • Organizing and sequencing footage into a narrative arc.
  • Turning random shots into cohesive cinematic stories.
  • The Role of Sound in Storytelling
  • Why SFX enhances immersion and authenticity.
  • How poor music choices can weaken the entire film.
  • Selecting soundtracks that complement the story and visuals.

Evening Golden Hour Practical (Final Shoot)

  • Assignment: create a mini-sequence (not just isolated shots) that reflects Pushkar’s essence. 
  • Participants apply the day’s learning to capture a visual story with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Hands-on use of monitors to refine framing and preview cinematic look.

NOV 02, 2025 | SUNDAY

Day 3 – Wrap-Up & Closing Discussion

  • Recap of the 3-day journey: from theory to cinematic practice.
  • Key takeaways on festival cinematography and storytelling.
  • Open Q&A and final feedback session.

Structure Benefits:

  • Day 1 builds cinematic awareness, theory, and introduces tools.
  • Day 2 focuses on practice, real-time feedback, and storytelling.
  • The monitor session has both a dedicated knowledge slot and live integration.
  • Participants end with a mini-story project, not just random festival shots. 

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