Filmmaking made easy

Is filmmaking that easy ? Every now and then I ask this question to myself. I ask this when 2o -something assistant directors turn directors, i ask this question when writers, film critics, songwriters, music directors, cameramen, actors, choreographers, editors morph into directors, i quiz myself when fashion designers get bitten by the filmmaking bug.
Since the last five years i have read threats from established Btown dresssmiths about their intentions to turn filmmakers. First it Manish Malhotra who was all set some years ago to wield the director's megaphone. Then apna Vikram Phadnis bared his heart desire. His muse was supposed to be Tabu. But both these designers' celluloid designs have yet to see the light of the
day.Bad for them. And now we have Sabyasachi Mukherjee rocking and knocking media space with his directorial ambitions. The script is ready, he says. And he has his eyes set on good friend Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan for the roles. But in the same breath he adds that he is too tied up now with his fashion assignments and the film launch may take some time. I will wait for his show, as i have waited for his comrades'.
Bollywood fashion smiths are not alone when it comes to change professional gears. Few years ago internationally known fashion designer Tom Ford did make his first movie `A Single Man ` based on the story by Chritopher Isherwood, starring Colin Firth.
But Indian designers are yet to go beyond their solemn promises.
So what makes a designer among other people to turn director. For one it is the proximity with the filmmaking trade which imbues them with unbounded confidence. The fact is that a well written script can see a film quite easily through. With a team of professional associates and assitants, the nitty gritty of the shooting script can be clearly etched out. Once the dialogues, shot divisions, camera angles, editing patterns etc are worked out on paper, its easy work for the director.
Secondly, the proximity of aspiring director with actors makes it easy for him to sign them for his project. And that makes a producer but happy to back the project. This plus the brand name of the person in question form a part of the package that bundles well. Filmmaking is all creativity till the writing stage, after that it is pure people/ego management. Being in the professional orbit of filmamking makes the job jump easy. Perhaps as easy as a caterer turning into a restauranteur, or a doctor opening up a nursing home.
So rest assured, a professional degree in filmaking is the least thing required for making a film.Rightly it has been said that filmmaking is team work. More so in such cases.