The grand tradition of death-defying showmanship, from Harry Houdini to Evel Knievel, takes a new spin in poor, rural India in “Riders of The Well of Death.”
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Director Erik Morales, who created a portrait of the everyday heroes who ride motorcycles and small cars up the wooden, cylinder wall, talked to Salon about how he turned a circus act into a meditation on life.
How did you come to make a film in India?
About ten years ago I met, during a shoot, Anand Menon, an Indian producer with whom I grew a great relationship. During this time I filmed a lot there with him and it was precisely in one of those trips where I met the "Well of Death."
Could you characterize what's unique or distinctive about shooting a documentary in India?
India has its own universe very differentiated from the rest of the world. For me, as a European, it's like traveling to another planet. The mixture of the old and the new is incredible. On the one hand, you have the modern and futuristic India and on the other the traditional Indian that seems to have remained anchored in time and has not evolved since the middle ages. A huge contrast. What fascinates me most is that these two worlds coexist in a strange harmony, feeding on each other.
What were the greatest logistical and technical challenges of filming the riders on the Well of Death?
During the preparation, the most complicated thing was to contact and intercept the "drivers." The show of "Well of Death" takes place in the context of a fair (Mela) and these fairs are itinerant, they move from city to city indefinitely, in deep India, in regions far from large urban centers. This nomadic nature made it very difficult to foresee where they were going to be at the moment that we could go to roll and prepare everything to be able to carry it out.
On the other hand, speaking of shooting technique, the biggest challenge was to shoot the cars and motorcycles in movement inside the "well of death." We use very light Go-Pros with very basic grips. The complicated thing was to find a location for the cameras that would not unbalance the vehicles and would allow the drivers to perform their stunts without danger.
You make very effective use of slow motion in the film; please tell us, creatively, why you used that technique?
I used slow motion for two reasons. The first is at the conceptual level. I was dealing with a very specific issue that was speed and I wanted to create the effect that these people, who make their living performing high-speed pirouettes, live their lives in slow motion. The only part that is at normal speed is the start of the show. I wanted to prepare the viewer so that, when they arrived at that moment, the impact was very strong.
The second reason is personal and is based on my experience traveling to India. The first day after landing is always a bit shocking. The change from Europe to India is very drastic. It is like landing on another planet. That first day I am always with a feeling of tiredness and sleep motivated by jet lag and I perceive what surrounds me as in a semi-waking state, between dream and reality. I wanted to convey that feeling.
Do you have any updates about the riders since filming?
To be honest, no. It is very difficult to communicate with them. They live in a very remote region, they do not have email, nor smartphones and they speak a northern dialect. We sent a person with several DVDs to them, but we have not had feedback. I hope they are well and have not suffered any accidents. They were really nice people and I do have a great appreciation for them. I would love to meet them again in the future.
Did you or your crew ever take a spin on one of the cars or bikes on the wall?
Hahaha, not really. We tried to go around with the camera inside the car just when the car has some wheels on the ground and others on the wall but it was unviable, it moved a lot and it was impossible to frame.
What are you working on now?
After "Riders" I made "Immortals" which, although it is also located in India, is very different. I'm preparing a new documentary, which I cannot tell you much about yet. It will be more in the line of "Immortals." I want to explore in more depth things that arose during that filming.
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