SHR6E032F~001 MIS23084535

Introduction and Proposed Project

South Asian culture is a part of me. It is something I have been attempting to incorporate into my artistic persona and music for years. I grew up in a city that embraces said culture, and I have come across such incredible people in Leeds Conservatoire who also embrace my heritage. With this in mind, I knew instantly my project also had to highlight this side of my being.

Goals

After deliberation over what the documentary will explore, our objective is

‘To demonstrate the union between Western and Indian beliefs. Those beliefs, being the desire for community, passion and emotional connection, spirituality and balance.’

“Many ideas, theories and doctrines both in Indian darśanas and Western philosophical systems are based on mere beliefs or are conclusions, logically deduced from mere beliefs.” – Unity in Diversity: Indian and Western Philosophical Traditions by Fernando Tola and Carmen Dragonetti (2005 / 2006)

The through line of the documentary moves between the journeys of multiple young people of South Asian heritage growing up in England, each at a different stage of navigating the search for their own narrative. Their stories are expressed through art, music and dance, highlighting how creative expression becomes a powerful way for many to find themselves.

Personnel – Direct/ Indirect

As I knew what I wanted the project to be, I only needed to find collaborators who were on board with the concept and the goal.

Maka is someone I came across on social media. She goes to film school and has experience with directing and editing a short film, called tragicake. I watched this film on youtube and found that it looked very professional. She had collaborators on that project to help with the recording element, and I have expressed this concern to her. However, she seems certain that due to the nature of this being a short documentary with a more homely/ natural feel to it, with the right equipment she will be able to execute the vision.

I have also come into contact with multiple artists/ dancers who would love to take part in the documentary indirectly. They will share their stories within their creative spaces. Aryan is a dancer who has experience choreographing and dancing in the Wel-Hat Diwali Party. He also is a musician at the conservatoire, who can be involved in the recording element.

Rohan is an artist, who paints and draws as a hobby. He has also done henna, which is an Indian practice. This connection to his heritage is one we would like to explore as it is a beautiful practice to do.

Joshua is a photographer who is aiming to build up his portfolio and thought this would be a great opportunity. We can have some stills in the documentary that showcase the artistic and cultural richness of South Asia.

There are many more collaborators who are taking part to be interviewed, such as my parents/ grandparents (who moved to the UK themselves) and some friends introduced through the collaborators.

Methodology and Rationale

Myself and Maka have planned to meet on the 14th of December to discuss the way the documentary will look and how we will navigate the work completed by artists. So far, we have created a google drive folder for everyone’s individual work to go into, with folders for each person to keep progress and also ensure we all can see what others are doing. We will be meeting up monthly for the purpose of the project but also we have created a safe, friendly environment whereby everyone is kind and close with one another. This encourages “positive feedback [which will] enhance subsequent performance” [Goller & Späth, 2023].

On the other hand, there is a well‑documented phenomenon called Social loafing. People tend to exert less effort when working in a group compared to when working alone. [2004, work groups]. To guarantee this does not happen, myself and Maka are going to discuss on the 14th, how we can clarify independent roles for timestamps in the documentary. We will also be keeping a logbook, so no one will be overshadowed.

Timeline

See Appendix 1

The Gantt chart outlines how we will allocate our time and set individual deadlines for each art form. This will help ensure the project runs smoothly and stays consistently monitored throughout its development

Market analysis

On a broader scope, this documentary centres on growing up South Asian in England, relating to our identity, belonging, heritage, and creative self-expression. Likeminded individuals who are also trying to find their authentic selves will find relatability within this short documentary. A 2021-2022 report by UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report observed that shows with diverse casts had higher ratings and social media engagement, as this enabled more viewers to see themselves reflected within the show.

On a more intimate level, this documentary will strengthen social bonds and build a shared sense of identity. According to recent national survey data, “72% of the UK public believe that arts events help bring different communities together” [University of the Arts London, 2024]. Although my documentary is less of an event, I believe the same principle applies, as different communities will be interacting to showcase different art forms, special to certain people.

Costs and Budgeting

See Appendix 2

This is a student-led, community-focused project that engages other students as collaborators. As the participants will incorporate the work into their personal portfolios, we are not spending money and not applying for grants for this film. A hypothetical budget has been included to illustrate potential costs if the project were to be externally financed. Most, if not all, equipment and studio space will be provided by our respective universities, and any additional requirements will be met using existing resources. As emerging creatives we already possess significant equipment, materials, and technical capabilities, reducing the need for external funding.

Should external funding be applicable, potential sources include:

Arts Council England, which supports cultural, creative, and community-based initiatives, particularly those that engage young or underrepresented groups. As well as the Leeds City Council “Inspire” Grant, which provides small grants for innovative, non-profit cultural projects within the city.

Equipment

Camera and Video Equipment

DSLR / Mirrorless Camera or Professional Camcorder
Tripod

Audio Equipment

Lapel / Lavalier Microphones
Shotgun Microphone

Lighting

Soft Box or LED Panel Lights

Editing Software and DAW / recording studio equipment

My expertise comes in music production, I know from experience that I have all of the equipment and relevant recording elements I could need to book out at the University. I also have grown up surrounded by Indian music and so I have an awareness over the instruments, and the elements within Indian classical and modern variations.

Inspiration and Influences

See Appendix 3, 4 and 5

I have created a storyboard, and cover image to show how the documentary will look and how an interview will be formatted.

Contingency plan

Due to the multi‑disciplinary scope of the documentary, this project remains flexible. Should the original documentary fail to materialise, alternative formats can be utilised that still preserve the core themes or cultural unity and heritage.

One alternative project is a visual and audio installation that conveys the documentary’s themes through photography, artwork, and original music. This format allows the audience to engage with the stories in an immersive, spatial, and multi-sensory way, rather than relying solely on linear narrative. Leeds Museums & Galleries’ community exhibition programme provides a professional and accessible platform for presenting such work, offering guidance on layout, lighting, and audio setup to ensure a cohesive and immersive experience.

On the other hand, another project I could move towards is a recorded dance performance that blends Western and Indian dance traditions using movement, music, and choreography. Venues in Leeds, such as Carriageworks Theatre or student performance halls, provide the infrastructure for high-quality audio and visual capture while maintaining an intimate, participatory atmosphere.

Risk assessment

See Appendix 6

Evaluation of the Viability

On the 19th of November, I presented the information and work I had gathered so far on the beginnings of my project. Since then, I have received good feedback from Matthew Colmer and my fellow students on what I could work on and what needed to be done. At the time of the presentation, my classmates viewed my project as viable due to the clear organise plan I had laid out, however I was missing a risk assessment, more evidence to back up my research and visual elements to really showcase what the documentary will look like. After broader analysis, and a further development of this documentary, I believe my project to be viable, as I have completed all the steps to ensure a smooth work progress.

See Appendix 7 for the presentation

See Appendix 8 for feedback Matthew Colmer gave me

See Appendix 9 for the feedback I got from my questionairre at the end of the presentation

Bibliography

Tola, F. and Dragonetti, C. (2005). Unity in Diversity

Goller, D. and Späth, M. (2024). ‘Good Job!’ the Impact of Positive and Negative Feedback on Performance. Sports Economics Review, [online] 8, p.100045. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.serev.2024.100045.

Liden, R.C., Wayne, S.J., Jaworski, R.A. and Bennett, N. (2004). Social Loafing: A Field Investigation. Journal of Management, [online] 30(2), pp.285–304. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jm.2003.02.002

Acknowledgements. (n.d.). Available at: https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/UCLA-Hollywood-Diversity-Report-2021-Film-4-22-2021.pdf

University of the Arts London (2024) Harnessing creativity to build cohesive communities: new research. Available at: Harnessing creativity to build cohesive communities – new research | UAL

Leedscultureprogrammes.org.uk. (2023). Inspire | Culture Programmes. [online] Available at: https://leedscultureprogrammes.org.uk/inspire

Leeds.gov.uk. (2025). Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions. [online] Available at: https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/community-programme-x9y6

Carriageworkstheatre.co.uk. (2025). Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds. [online] Available at: https://www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk/