Nirmal Gupta - Session 01

AR-020-6-1

(00:00 – 00:29) Brief start to the interview.

(00:30 – 06:38) Reflects on 47 years in the media. Started at Doordarshan (Vigyan Bhawan), worked on programs for Bihar, MP, and Rajasthan. Telecasts centralized in Ahmedabad. Joined CENDIT in 1978 via a producer. Early work included CCTV at Maurya Hotel and classical music/dance shows. Also did a serial and health project.

(06:39 – 12:35) Discusses analog equipment: early B&W recordings, 3-tube color cameras requiring manual alignment. Compared 2-inch VTR at Doordarshan with CENDIT’s ½-inch tapes. Recalled hardships of carrying bulky gear uphill during shoots.

(12:36 – 15:45) Shared health awareness project photos - nurses, doctors, literacy, and adult education efforts through video documentation.

(15:46 – 20:32) Left CENDIT in 1984 to pursue projects like a Ganga documentary. Traveled from Badrinath to Gangasagar using carts and boats. Did camera work solo. Described difficulty in both shooting and editing then; but still proud of the films made.

(20:33 – 22:17) Compared analog and digital. Says digital is clearer, sharper, more convenient. Does not believe analog was “better”; manual control was tough, while today’s cameras are small and powerful.

(22:18 – 24:59) Describes a live studio recording setup. Public interaction, reality-style shows. Monitor received live feed from the control room; the director used a mixer. Teamwork in the studio highlighted.

(25:00 – 28:38) Reflects on a 47-year journey. Worked with Discovery Channel, in various countries and for many production houses. Identified primarily as a cameraman, though directed some projects.

(28:39 – 33:01) Recall the early days of freelancing in India (1980s) when only a few did this work. Entry into the media was harder then. Today, digital has made it much easier to produce content, though earlier films required deep research and formal approvals (e.g., from health ministries). Now, the work is faster and access is easier, for better or worse.

5 April 2025

Oral histories of technical personnel in Broadcast and Community Video

Nirmal Gupta