Update:
Those who have been trying to watch the movie from India and been unable to because of slow streaming, I think I fixed the problem by also hosting the files on blip.tv. So just head here for everything you wanted to/ never wanted to know about That Four Letter Word and also watch the film. Since it’s the world’s first film to be given away free online, I think it’s time it had a home of its own.
Dear People Unfortunate Enough To Be Reading My Blog,
I have subjected some of you to my film already but this is for all those of you who got away without watching my first feature film That Four Letter Word which released a couple of years ago.
After a couple of weeks of testing, I have finally hosted my film on my blog and I think the picture quality too isn’t too bad considering the whole film can be watched online.
So whenever you have a couple of hours to spare, go here.
The password is: ipromisenottohateit
Please note that the password is subject to change. So, if you are unable to load the page using this password, please mail me at madeinmadras at gmail dot com and I will send you the new password in case of change.
Before you can watch it, here are the disclaimers:
1. This is a beta version of the digital print. Given limitations of streaming video online, this is the best size we could manage for a wordpress blog. Please watch with headphones for better audio quality.
If you are not happy with this picture quality, the film will be able on home video in India (through Moser Baer) and through video on demand (through Tata Sky) from mid-February 2009. Thank you again for your interest.
2. This is a low budget independent film made with a budget of Rs. three and a half lakhs and resources available at that point of time. At best, it’s a half decent effort, a five on ten film, which is also the reason you get to watch it free. You can read more on the making of the film at http://that4letterword.com
3. Play and Pause immediately to let the page load (Just like how you watch videos on Youtube). Depending on your internet connection, it may take around 10-40 minutes for you to load each of the two parts and you can start watching even if has buffering suggests only half of it is over because by the time you get to the halfway mark, the rest of it would have loaded too. So I suggest you let Part 2 load as you are watching Part 1. Part 3 is just the end credits, goofs and outtakes – and it’s three minutes long only because we have a long list of people to thank. So if you want to make a hit-list of all people responsible for this misadventure, don’t miss Part 3.
Do feel free to report any errors or problems faced in loading the page and I will do my best to assist you.
And those of you who have blogs, please feel free to spread the word and inflict it on the world. And please tell your friends not to embed the videos on to their blogs because as producers, we could flag the sites and report copyright violation. A link to this, however, will be appreciated.
This is probably for the first time here in India that a filmmaker is showing his entire feature length film online and free. And that’s because I want more people to have heard about the film and I hope that the word of mouth will help boost the DVD and home video sales in February 2009. Those who will download will anyway do so anyway and those who want to support the film will anyway buy DVDs… So I’m guessing no harm done here by this experiment. 🙂
Feedback on the film is welcome too. But remember what you typed as the password. 🙂
Have a that-four-letter-word-in’ time!
Cheers!
Sudhish Kamath
MADRAS INK. 
Given that I already liked your film, I’m going to wait until the DVD release. Speaking of which, any plans to release it in the US?
Hi,
I have been waiting for quite a while for the dvd release of your film. Online release is quite a step. I am not sure if you have come across YouTube screening room (http://www.youtube.com/ytscreeningroom). They somehow seem to host good quality videos. Just a suggestion, in case it is free you can try that out too.
Hi Sudish,
An online release is a very welcome initiative. I hope this trendsetting act evolves into a commercially viable alternative for independent small film makers..
Instead of the whole film, why did not you think of small capsules of the film(extracted from the film, which might in iteslef be a complete entity), which would evoke an interest in the audience to buy the film DVD and work with Moserbaer or others to promote DVD release and satellite rights.
I am a firm believer that cinema today has a lonegr shelf life, theatrical success is not a be all and end all of it. Am motivated to comment on this initiative more driven by this sentiment of mine. Have not yet watched your film. Will try to do so in the coming days.
Best regards,
Magesh
hey sudhish…i am big fan of ur reviews…
remember u wrote a series of weekly articles in THE HINDU some 6 years bak like “a for …,b for … upto z”.can u post those articles in ur blog.
thanks in advance!
with regard to ur movie i will watch it surely when i find time.
sudhish i m able to watch only the first half of part 2. waiting to watch it completely
Nirenjan:
Thank you. 🙂
No plans to release in the US though.
Giridhar Shyam:
We’re still waiting to hear from them. Thanks for the link.
Magesh:
I believe a film has to be seen in its entirety and in a low budget amateur production like this one, everything is about a context… Outside the context of the film, the scene may not mean anything. I do agree that this may work for a lot of other films which are episodic in structure.
Arun:
Ha ha! It was the Campus Jottings column… a round up of colleges and campus life around the city. It must be online. Besides I’m not that kicked about it to post them online. But thanks for mentioning it. Shonali will be glad too.
Visalakshi:
Try watching it on http://thatfourletterword.com/play
Or you can go to http://sudermanshows.blip.tv and find all the clips related to the film there. You can even download them using iTunes or Miro. It will be much quicker. Thanks!
Hi sudish,
I have actually been looking for a long time for this film. I had met you more than a couple of years ago (2003 I guess ) when u were scouting for talents and putting the cast together. I was with Binu to do the costumes actually when you talked to us bout the story.
So finally, now that I see the link am definitely gonna check it out!
Hi,
Yeah, I remember Binu. We reshot the film all over again a few years after that and the actors used their own clothes cuz we didn’t have money! 🙂
This turned out to be a great read though!