Sridhar Rasthapuram

Acclaimed Director Sridhar Rasthapuram boasts numerous achievements to his name. Perhaps foremost among these is his work in public service announcements for government agencies such as the United States Department of Homeland Security's Coast Guard. He has also made lead and critical contributions to an array of distinguished short films and still photography productions that all emphasize his technical expertise and savvy with crews of creative professionals. Mr Rasthapuram hails from Hyderabad, India, a city famous as host to Ramoji Film City-the largest film studio in the world. As his expertise in sharing his vision and feelings with others grew, Mr Rasthapuram's passion turned toward drawing cartoons on every surface he could find. Soon that fascination blended with his love of the camera and he became interested in the art of animation. As he grew older, his father began to take him to see films in one of Hyderabad's many cinemas. The experience affected him powerfully, and he became a regular at the cinema in his neighbourhood to the point that the ushers taped off his preferred seat so that no one would sit there. Mr Rasthapuram started filming, and his favourite subjects included swimming pools, artificial fountains, or any water body. His search for the beauty of light through water also led him to capture small moments between friends, family, and strangers. His growing interest in moving stories rather than single pictures again drew him back to animation and he joined Anim Arts: Animation College to feed his appetite for animation, as it was rare to find such an opportunity in India, let alone in Hyderabad. Following his graduation, he worked as a 2D/3D Artist for a variety of productions and organizations in many sectors. After cutting his teeth professionally on a series of increasingly sophisticated and reputable assignments, Mr Rasthapuram learned that the renowned Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University was starting a BFA Animation program in affiliation with Arena Animation. Excitedly, he joined their Creative Multimedia Educational Society (CMES) to fulfil his dream of obtaining an undergraduate degree pertaining to his passion. At CMES, Mr Rasthapuram enjoyed another opportunity to demonstrate his outstanding talent for pictures when he contributed several pencil-sketched, photo-realistic portraits to a charity art show entitled, "Life: The Golden Season," with the common subject of 'old age.' These pieces captured the attention of the then-Minister of State, Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari, as well as coverage in The Hindu and The New Indian Express, two of India's largest newspapers. Over the years, his increasingly urgent desire to tell stories in a cinematic way led Mr. Rasthapuram to the prestigious Academy of Art University (AAU)in the United States. By this time his passion for motion pictures had swelled beyond the world of animation and he enrolled in AAU's School of Motion Pictures & Television to help him return to his roots in photographing rather than drawing the world. He began to rack up experience in all aspects of production, from editing to camera work to directing for wedding shoots, commercials, and shorts. Mr Rasthapuram's ambition and curiosity also led him to join forces with Yeluguri Entertainment. There, his prestigious assignments included photographing San Francisco's popular annual Peace in the Park Festival, renowned for its affiliation with TEDx speaker and mindfulness and meditation expert, Janardhan "Jay" Chodagam. His narrative choices for the images and videos he captured at Peace in the Park became central to Yeluguri Entertainment's success with its client when the footage of the main event failed to produce an emotional connection in the audience. Mr Rasthapuram's own imagery and its resonance saved the client relationship when edited into the original footage, syncopating the plainspoken documentary feel of the primary videography with the vibrant personality of Mr Rasthapuram's work. Later, Mr Rasthapuram went on to work with Peter Valentino Productions, renowned in indie film circles for its comprehensive approach to scene study and vocal performance. There, Mr Rasthpuramedited short films and demo reels, and his technical skill and production speed became a critical motivating force for the actors, that is the clients of the studio. By helping the actors examine their own performances through his nuanced eye, they came to better understand which aspects of their performances to enhance for maximum effect on screen. His work proved so popular that the actors purchased more scene study time from Mr Valentino, increasing the overall financial performance of the organization. Mr Rasthapuram also began working with Unni Productions, a production company distinguished for its numerous award-winning short and feature-length films, prizewinning documentary photographs, and prestigious commercial clients including Burger King, Calvin Klein, Harley Davidson, Target, and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). As of 1st Assistant Director, Unni Productions has brought Mr Rasthapuramin to focus on numerous upcoming shoots, such as the short film The Valley and the web series "NRI Stories," including the finalization of casting, crew, set, and locations as required before the filming begins. Unni Productions also increasingly entrusts Mr Rasthapuram with the critical script and character insights that enhance overall production quality, while simultaneously relying on him to lead shoots and other on-set activities. His contributions have proven so valuable to these productions that the director and producer expanded his responsibilities to include casting, table reading, lighting, and co-directing. In addition to these numerous respected productions and organizations, Mr Rasthapuram has also begun to develop his own distinguished projects. As a primary example, he developed a public service announcement for the United States Coast Guard San Francisco. This short film, Always Ready, highlighted in a series of interviews and thrilling action shots the bravery of the guards and the extremely important work of the Department of Homeland Security on the sea and in the air, saving lives and protecting America's shores. He also filmed a short piece, Snapped, that featured as its lead the breakout Mongolian actress Dulguun Odkhuu, whose popularity is evident in her almost half a million Instagram followers. The film also boasts the contributions of venerable producer, Michael D. Jones, whose other renowned credits include Unsolved Mysteries, comedy specials featuring top stars such as David Spade and Jeff Foxworthy, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Mr Rasthapuram is shopping for another of his short films, Brutal Truth, to numerous film festivals around the world. The film is based on Mr Rasthapuram's own lived experience and again prominently displays his exceedingly nuanced understanding of film production, conveying beautiful shots and a technical precision that only very few auteurs can achieve. Looking forward to the coming years, Mr Rasthapuram has been fortunate to be selected by Amazon Independent Studios to work as 1st Assistant Director on its upcoming feature film, Queendom, which is scheduled for release in 2022. Not only is Amazon a household name, but the film itself boasts the longstanding Hollywood talents of Stanley V. Henson, Jr.-whose almost 40-year career began in the 1980s with television series like Simon & Simon and Knight Rider as well as feature films like St. Elmo's Fire. In addition, Unni Productions has also hired Mr Rasthapuram as 1st Assistant Director, primarily to contribute to its upcoming series of films.