IIFTC witnessed the renowned film director R Balki sharing invaluable insights on the art of filmmaking and its close association with the right locations.

The filmmaker emphasised the significance of ideal locations, and the need for film commissions to prioritise the essence of a place over economic incentives.

During the panel discussion of the three-day mega film tourism event, Balki made a compelling case for a more holistic approach to choosing filming locations.?

He said: "Incentives are secondary; the primary concern is the right location. Film commissions should stop offering incentives as a way to market to filmmakers. Instead, they should focus on preserving the authentic character of the location. Rather than only economics, one should look at locations holistically."

With a passion for authentic storytelling, he shared his dream of shooting in an old-school theme park.

"It's my dream to shoot in an old-world theme park with those rickety roller coasters, I am planning a film that will be 60 per cent based in the theme park,” said the ‘Cheeni Kum’ director.

Balki further stressed the importance of catering to the needs of film crews, including their food preferences. "Film commissions can also be sensitive about the food patterns of the crew," he stated, acknowledging that such attention to detail contributes to a smoother and more productive filming process.

The director pointed out that Indian filmmakers lead the way in shooting films internationally and highlighted the importance of convenience, such as direct flight connections when choosing a location.?

The ‘Pad Man’ director also expressed his appreciation for the local support provided by crew members and equipment suppliers, stating, "We love local support in terms of crew and equipment. As filmmakers, we always do a location recce before filming - even then we have always experienced that - the local crew knows the places better than us. Hence, we always try to shoot with the locals.”

The participating countries in IIFTC include -- Azerbaijan, South Africa, the US, Spain, Lithuania, Kenya, Canada, France, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Serbia, the UK, Australia, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Netherlands, and Ukraine, among others.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Balki’s sports drama ‘Ghoomer’ was recently released. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher, Shabana Azmi and Angad Bedi.