Vikram Gandhi, a filmmaker and correspondent for VICE News, made a stop by Old Main Chapel on Wednesday, April 1, to tell his story and discuss the quickly evolving world of the millennial generation.
Gandhi discussed the concept of do-it-yourself (DIY) journalism, his story of once being an aspiring filmmaker, right out of college, with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and what he decided to do after college, which led him to this moment.
After college, Gandhi filmed a documentary where he pretended to be a spiritual healing guru. Kumare, a documentary Gandhi directed, follows him as he uses his guru identity to become the spiritual adviser to more than 30 people. Starting out with yoga studios, his alternate personality connected with people and, soon enough, he said, “We had ourselves a little cult for a while.”
Having seen the hope in people’s eyes and hearing the reasons why they were seeking a guru, Gandhi saw the impact he had developed with his followers and thought this prank had gone on long enough. Gandhi eventually revealed himself at the conclusion of the film and some of his followers still believed he had divine power.
The documentary was accepted to the South by Southwest film festival and won the Audience Award in 2011.
Following his success with Kumaré, Gandhi was hired by VICE News to cover stories in India. Originally aspiring to be a filmmaker, Gandhi did not put much thought into journalism, but while traveling through India one summer, he covered the 2008 Indian Embassy suicide bombings. With this experience and the quality of his work, he was hired by VICE as a correspondent.
At VICE, Gandhi travels all over the world documenting stories and working alongside Shane Smith, founder of VICE News, producing content for the Internet and the HBO series “Vice.”
Gandhi shared his experiences with filmmaking and events of his life that influenced him in his career. His talk on Wednesday also provided insight into current issues and the importance of accurate reporting of real issues that journalists will face in the future.
Gandhi also said, because of advancements in video and audio technology, DIY journalism is not just exclusive to those who can afford it. Today, DIY journalism is possible with as little as a cell phone. Gandhi also added that the Internet today will allow faster sharing of information, giving the population a wider range of perspective.
Gandhi’s inspiring story may encourage aspiring journalists to take initiative, produce one’s own content and contribute to the future of journalism.
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