NYFA Cinematography Alum Srivathsan Selvarajan on shooting his first feature film "Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali"

NYFA Alum Srivathsan Selvarajan graduated in August 2021 from the MFA Cinematography program. Since then Srivathsan has worked a Director of Photography on multiple projects, and most recently shot his first feature film "Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali" that's currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Srivathsan spoke to us about his career and his experience shooting his first feature as a Cinematographer.

NYFA Alumni Network: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from, and what brought you to New York Film Academy?

S.S: First of all, thank you for this interview. I am an engineer with an MBA who transitioned from a corporate career spanning over eight years to pursuing my passion as a full-time cinematographer. I hail from Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India, and during my corporate and cinematography journey, I’ve had the opportunity to work across Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and New York.

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) is globally renowned for its technical excellence in cinematography. When I decided to build a strong portfolio within a year, NYFA stood out as the ideal choice for me. It was a stepping stone that helped me transition seamlessly into the creative world of visual storytelling.

NYFA Alumni Network: What projects have you worked on since graduating? Have you won any awards or been showcased in any festivals or competitions?

S.S: I have been the Director of Photography (DP) on over 12+ narrative projects, including short films, music videos, and commercials. Recently, I completed my debut Indian (Kannada) feature film in Bangalore, India. 

In 2023, I was honored to be selected for the prestigious Academy Gold Rising Program. Additionally, I was also selected as the DP for Estelle, a project produced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This project was screened at the Linwood Theatre in Los Angeles in November 2023, marking another proud milestone in my career.

NYFA Alumni Network: You just shot your first feature. Tell us more about the film "Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali" & how you got involved in the project?

S.S: "Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali" is a Kannada-language feature film directed by Chandrajith Beliappa and produced by Rakshit Shetty, the actor-director and founder of Paramvah Studios, a renowned production house in India. The film had its worldwide theatrical release on September 5, 2024, and achieved blockbuster status with a successful 50+ day domestic run.

Pooja Sudhir, a writer-director and NYFA filmmaking alum from my 2018 NYC batch, currently works with Paramvah Studios. Pooja shared my reel with Chandrajith, who was looking for a DP for their project. That’s how we connected, and from the very beginning, we hit it off seamlessly. Chandrajith's ability to articulate his creative goals allowed the cinematography team to build and expand upon his vision, ensuring that every visual aspect aligned with his intentions. 

NYFA Alumni Network: What influenced your choice of camera and lighting?

S.S: The project featured two distinct visual styles and three mini segments, each set-in different time periods. To align with the story's demands, each segment was crafted to look and feel unique. This required careful planning and execution in terms of camera selection, lighting design, lensing, aspect ratios, color grading, filtration and even the style of camera movement—all distinctly tailored to fit the story and its symbolism.

Cameras used: ARRI Alexa LF/Mini LF; ARRI Alexa Mini; ARRI Alexa SXT; Sony Venice 2.0

Lenses used: ARRI Master Primes; ARRI Signature Primes; Atlas Anamorphics; ARRI Alura 45-250mm Zoom

NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

S.S: Pre-production was critical for this project. Having clarity on what we were about to shoot and planning the lighting design made a significant difference. Every aspect was communicated clearly to the cinematography team, ensuring they were well-prepared to tackle the challenges. My experience with tight schedules during my NYFA days also proved invaluable in managing this project effectively.

During my Masters, we had an entire semester dedicated to prepping for our thesis projects, and I owe a lot of my approach to Mike Williamson’s (Associate Chair of Cinematography Department) guidance. That intensive preparation experience was tremendously helpful in shaping the workflow for this feature film.

Also learning many invaluable cinematography techniques and insights from renowned professionals like Jacek Laskus ASC PSC, Salvatore Interlandi, Pascal Lebegue AFC, Till Neumann, and Piero Basso AIC helped tremendously.

NYFA Alumni Network: What is your favorite thing about working as a Cinematographer?

S.S: Translating words into visual imagery is one of my absolute favorite aspects of cinematography. It’s not just about capturing a scene but bringing ideas to life in a way that resonates with the audience while letting me express myself as an artist.

Tackling challenges daily while being solution-driven is essential in this field. Balancing creative decisions with practical/technical constraints, including budgetary considerations, requires a deep sense of responsibility and adaptability. This ability to innovate within limitations is something I value profoundly as both an individual and a cinematographer.

NYFA Alumni Network: Where can people watch the film?

S.S: After its successful theatrical run, Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali is now available for streaming worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.

NYFA congratulates Srivathsan on his success!