Imagining Reality - Documentary

                                                                   Soulful Stitches

                                                                 

Documentaries have the strength to shed light on untold stories, and that is exactly what I wanted to do with my film, Soulful Stitches. This film is a heartfelt exploration of Pakistan's low-scale handmade leather shoe industry. This craft is highly underappreciated, yet this craft is deeply rooted in tradition.

Journey of the Documentary: The journey of the Documentary started with a very simple question: What skill goes into the making of a handmade leather shoe? this question was the starting point of the path that led me to a dimly lit workshop in a busy market. This was the place where I met two underprivileged cobblers who were highly skilled, although they didn't have the proper resources. This documentary follows the process of making handmade leather shoes from start to finish. From dyeing raw leather, cutting, stitching, assembling, and polishing the finished product.

Purpose and Vision of the documentary: Soulful Stitches is a tribute to the unsung heroes of Pakistan's low-scale shoemaking industry. Through this Documentary, I aim to inspire the audience to appreciate underprivileged artisans. Additionally, I hope this film will contribute to preserving these traditional crafts, and by showing the cobbler's rough conditions, I want people to sustain these crafts and support the artisans.

Research: Before starting my documentary Soulful Stitches, I conducted in-depth research to accurately represent the process of handmade leather shoe-making in Pakistan. My goal was to showcase the craftsmanship involved, highlight the challenges faced by underprivileged cobblers, and explore the significance of handmade leather shoes in both local and global markets.

Understanding Handmade Leather Shoe-Making

The first step was understanding how handmade leather shoes are crafted. Unlike mass-produced shoes made in factories, handmade leather shoes go through a detailed, time-consuming process. Each stage requires precision and skill. The main steps include:

1. Selecting the Leather – Cobblers carefully choose high-quality leather based on durability, texture, and flexibility. Different types of leather, such as cowhide and goatskin, have unique properties that affect the final product.
2. Cutting and Shaping – Artisans manually cut the leather into precise shapes, ensuring each piece fits perfectly into the shoe’s design.
3. Stitching and Assembling – This is one of the most skill-intensive parts of the process. Stitching is often done by hand to maintain durability and aesthetics.
4. Sole Attachment – Depending on the technique, cobblers either sew or glue the sole to the shoe. 
5. Finishing Touches – Polishing, shaping, and adding details complete the shoe-making process. This final step ensures the shoe looks refined and is comfortable to wear.

Researching the Lives of Cobblers

Since Soulful Stitches is not just about the process but also about the artisans behind it, I focused on understanding the lives of cobblers. Many cobblers in Pakistan come from underprivileged backgrounds and have inherited their skills from previous generations. However, they face multiple challenges, including:

• Low Wages and Lack of Recognition – Despite their expertise, cobblers earn very little compared to factory workers.
• Declining Demand for Handmade Shoes – With the rise of mass production, fewer people buy handmade shoes, affecting artisans’ livelihoods.
• Limited Access to Markets – Many cobblers lack the resources to expand their business or sell their products to a wider audience.

To get a firsthand perspective, I visited local markets where cobblers work. Observing them at work helped me understand their struggles, passion, and dedication

Cultural and Historical Significance

Leather shoe-making has a deep cultural history in Pakistan. Handmade shoes are often associated with tradition, craftsmanship, and luxury. In cities like Lahore, skilled cobblers have been making shoes for decades, passing their expertise down to younger generations. In rural areas, handmade shoes are still worn in traditional settings, highlighting their cultural importance.

This historical and cultural context added depth to my documentary. Instead of just showing the process, I wanted to connect it to Pakistan’s heritage and emphasize why preserving this craft is important.

Preparing for Filming

Once my research was complete, I outlined key aspects to capture in the documentary. These included:

1. The Environment – Filming in the cobbler’s workspace to showcase their daily routine.
2. The Craftsmanship – Close-up shots of each step, from cutting leather to stitching and polishing.
3. Market and Customers – Observing how people react to handmade shoes and whether they recognize the value of the craft.

This research phase was essential in shaping Soulful Stitches. It allowed me to approach the documentary with a clear vision and a strong understanding of the subject. By highlighting both the craftsmanship and the challenges faced by cobblers, I aim to create a film that is not only visually engaging but also meaningful.

Style of documentary: Observational

My approach was observational—I wanted to document the craft without interfering, allowing the visuals to tell the story naturally. This meant focusing on the cobbler’s hands at work, the textures of the leather, the repetitive yet skilled motions, and the small details that often go unnoticed.

Shots from the Documentary:

Equipment:

Sony A6700

Sigma 18-50mm F2.8

Dji Ronin RS4

iPhone 14 Pro

Edited on DaVinci Resolve

Creating my documentary Soulful Stitches was a challenging yet rewarding experience. From pre-production to editing, every stage tested my skills and patience, allowing me to understand the filmmaking process on a deeper level. This reflection explores the problems I faced, my approach to filming and editing, self-analysis, areas of improvement, and my final thoughts on the outcome.

Challenges Faced

One of the biggest challenges was managing logistics. Coordinating with the cobbler, ensuring availability, and scheduling shoots while balancing my academic workload required careful planning. Since the documentary aimed to capture an authentic portrayal of handmade leather shoe-making, I had to work with unpredictable factors like lighting, environmental noise, and the cobbler’s comfort in front of the camera.

Another difficulty was filming in a small workspace. The limited space made it tough to get creative angles while maintaining a cinematic feel. Additionally, natural light varied throughout the day, leading to inconsistencies in exposure. Sound was also a problem, as background noise from the street and workshop interfered with clean audio.

Editing presented its own set of challenges. Since I opted for a visually driven storytelling approach without narration, I had to ensure that the visuals alone conveyed the story effectively. This required precise sequencing, pacing, and careful selection of sound design.

Filming Process

I shot the documentary using my Sony a6700 with a Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 lens, which allowed me to capture detailed close-ups of the intricate shoe-making process. I focused on natural lighting, using reflectors when necessary to enhance shadows and highlights. To add depth, I experimented with different angles, capturing the cobbler’s hands at work, the textures of the leather, and the tools used in the craft.

To maintain continuity, I followed a structured sequence:

1. Introduction – Establishing shots of the workshop and raw materials.

2. Process – Step-by-step documentation of the cobbler cutting, stitching, and assembling the shoes.

3. Challenges – Close-ups of wear and tear on tools, highlighting the struggles of manual labor.

4. Final Product – A polished sequence showcasing the completed handmade shoes.

I kept the framing intentional, ensuring that each shot contributed to the story. Handheld movements helped maintain an organic feel, while slow motion and tight macro shots highlighted craftsmanship.

Editing Process

For editing, I used DaVinci Resolve to maintain cinematic quality. My approach was to create an emotional impact through:

• Sound Design: Since I didn’t rely on narration, I layered ambient workshop sounds scissors cutting, thread pulling, and leather pressing to create an immersive experience.

• Pacing: I carefully adjusted the rhythm, ensuring the film didn’t feel rushed while keeping the audience engaged.

Self-Analysis and Areas of Improvement

This project pushed me to work outside my comfort zone. It reinforced the importance of pre-production planning, as certain issues could have been avoided with better preparation. While I managed to create a compelling visual story, I realized I could have experimented more with lighting setups and stabilized shots using a gimbal for smoother movements.

In terms of editing, I felt my sound design could have been richer. Adding subtle atmospheric elements could have made the experience even more immersive. Additionally, I could have structured the narrative slightly better by including a short, text-based introduction to set context.

Time management was another learning curve. Since I was handling filming alone, it became overwhelming at times. In future projects, working with an assistant or having a clearer timeline will help streamline the process.

Personal Output and Takeaways

Despite the challenges, I’m proud of how Soulful Stitches turned out. It successfully highlights the art of traditional shoemaking while shedding light on the struggles of an underprivileged cobbler. The experience strengthened my storytelling skills, taught me the value of patience in documentary filmmaking, and improved my ability to work with real-life subjects.

Moving forward, I aim to enhance my cinematography techniques, explore better sound design strategies, and refine my editing workflow. This project reaffirmed my passion for filmmaking, especially in telling underrepresented stories. It was more than just a university assignment—it was a step toward my journey as a filmmaker.

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