𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐤

Thinley Wangchuk, Assistant Creative Director at Samuh OTT, is a visionary filmmaker celebrated for his mastery in crafting compelling short films. His standout work, “The Call,” unveiled at The Beskop Tshechu Film Festival 2024, earned him the prestigious Silver Khadhar award, showcasing his adeptness in storytelling and visual finesse.

With an unwavering passion for evoking emotions and provoking thoughts through his narratives, Thinley continues to push the boundaries of cinema. Currently engaged in creating more captivating short films, he remains a beacon of inspiration, proving that true artistry transcends boundaries and leaves an indelible mark on audiences worldwide.

Q. What are you doing these days?
A. Nothing much, just office stuff. I am having some story which I didn’t work right now but I am planning to work on it soon.

Q. As a film maker, what inspired you to pursue a career in filmmaking?
A. I don’t have any inspiration or like motivation to take film making as career but it’s just that I got scholarship and wanted to take this fancy name called “cinematography”. I just wanted to explore and basically I took mass communication as my course and I got introduced into film making and comparing to all this mass communication, Journalism, PR, and advertising. I found film making quite interesting and fun. That’s why I took path into film making. Then I came back to Bhutan and I also worked with the relevant agency. That’s how I came into film making career.

Q. Can you share the creative process behind bringing “The Call” from concept to screen?
A. “The Call” wasn’t initially planned for Beskop Tshechu Film Festival. I switched to this story due to its relevance to current social issues and its straightforward narrative, making it easier to direct within a tight timeframe. Collaborating with friends, we brought the concept to life in just three nights and one day, with extensive post-production work.

Q. Winning a silver khadhar in such platform is a remarkable achievement. How does this recognition impact future projects?
A. I was honored to receive this award. My film is not yet there and I won’t say it’s good but they recognized somethingin terms of storytelling, bringing out social issues. So, I am very happy and in some ways it kind of gives pressure and influencesus to make good films in future. Both my short films won the award from Beskop. And it somehow worries me that next time when I make film i need to be better and bring in improvements and it’s like putting you into pressure and I think it will impact future projects.

Q. “The Call” explores profound themes. What messages did you aim to convey to the audience?
A. Nothing as such but just trying to tell story in a straightforward about what’s happening in the country. As a young professional and young graduate working in private sector, it’s my first job and then I see lot of people going through pressure like Australian drive. So, people are just literally studying and graduating just to go to Australia not because they wanted to go sometimes it’s like fashion or trend. People just wanted to know this has become trend and they wanted to leave doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go to study, it has become fashion. If you don’t follow that you feel like left out. It’s mostly among youths. The story is based on my own experience and pressure and now I think I am like okay but still you feel pressure. So, that’s the story many young people faces. And I was just telling story through my experiences and perspectives from people. So, I was just putting in simple narrative.

Q. What are the challenges or obstacles you faced while filming? How did you overcome them?
A. There are lots of issues since you are working independently and working without budget. It’s like you have to go after people, you beg them to do for you, and this and that. But at the end of the day, I was happy because I did it with few friends and they are so cooperative. My friendshelped me even though they don’t get anything but they totally believed in me and my story and decided to work with me. Moreover, because of that, I think it worked out. I had issues in terms of technicalities, even in the post (title) I wasn’t getting what I was expecting. I did it and I am happy. It’s like team film not actually mine but I am just leading them.

Q. Were there any memorable moments on the set?
A. Nothing memorable as such because we did a lot of shoot in the night after 6 or 7PM when the lights are gone. It was quite fun because the same age people trying to create something together. We had same goals and had great time at set depsite hardhsips.

Q. How did you approach casting to bring out the character, through their qualities?
A. Usually when I write, I think of character but this time I wasn’t thinking about the character. I had few girls who would do justice to the character but it was difficult to get them because most of them actually left and some were planning to go. It was challenging for me to get the right person and finally I got one and her name is Tshering Pelmo. She used to live here in Thimphu but that time she left Thimphu because she was also planning to go abroad in like few weeks. So, I had to call her all the way from Punakha to shoot my film and she was happy to take part. She did it like 3- 4 days shoot and she also came to do dubbing later on where there was issue with sound. I was so happy to have her and her contribution was so great. Usually she sleeps early but during shoot she had to stay late night and had difficult for her. She really did justice to the character.

Q. Looking ahead, are there any plans or projects in the future?
A. I might do some more short films but not like big budget films. I have one project which has been lying in writing for almost 1-2 years and need to do a lot of things with it. So, I might direct that one but not immediately.

Q. Can you briefly introduce “The Call” for our readers?
A. “The Call” is about a young woman who has to decide to take a call whether to stay back and look after her family or just decide to go to Australia and pursue her dreams and be happy. So, basically it’s a tough decision that she faces in between family, love interest and her dreams and aspirations.

Message:

To all the young people aspiring to enter the creative industry as actors, directors, or writers, I want to emphasize the importance of hard work. It’s often said, but truly, working hard is the key to success. While it may seem like common knowledge, many of us may not fully commit to it. From my own experience, I can attest that hard work pays off in long run. So, if you are passionate about filmmaking or any other profession in this field, remember that dedication and perseverance will be your greatest assets.