In the world of cinema, art directors play a pivotal role in bringing films to life. Shashidhar Adapa, a seasoned art director, emphasized the unpredictable nature of his profession, stating, “Art direction has no ready-made formula; one has to keep improvising.” Adapa recounted an incident during the shooting of Mani Ratnam’s ‘Kadal’ where a last-minute change was required. Initially, he had designed the interiors of a church set with a dark green tone. However, upon the cinematographer’s feedback that the color was bouncing off too much light, Adapa and his team had to quickly repaint the set in a lighter shade of grey. He highlighted the importance of flexibility in his role, which extends beyond creative design to include budgeting, managing labor force, and time management.
Shivakumar, a renowned filmmaker behind hits like ‘KGF’, ‘Salaar’, and ‘Vikrant Rona’, shared his perspective on the integration of AI in cinema. He acknowledged using AI for basic image mapping but stressed its limitations, saying, “AI is just a tool; you cannot expect it to replicate human depth.” According to Shivakumar, while AI can assist in creating preliminary designs, it lacks the cultural and human nuances that are essential for filmmaking. He compared AI to photoshop, emphasizing that it remains a supplementary tool and cannot replace the human touch in the creative process.
Arun Sagar, who embarked on his career as an art director with V Ravichandran’s ‘Bhoomigeetha’, emphasized the need for art directors to draw inspiration from their surroundings. Sagar said, “As an art director, you have to seek inspiration from everything around you.” He shared an anecdote where his quick thinking and resourcefulness earned him appreciation from legendary actor Dr. Rajkumar. Recalling an instance where a birthday cake was needed for a film scene, Sagar ingeniously used rice and milk to create a cake, demonstrating the improvisational skills required in his profession.