Being Creative

In a world overrun by war, terrorism, financial insecurity and fraud, one of the biggest casualties, along with innocent lives, tends to be human creativity. In my mind, this is a profound tragedy—almost as great as the loss of innocent life.

Sooner or later, all of us reach the end of the road and confront our own mortality. In my mind, the single greatest validation of one's existence in the face of death is the answer to this question:

When one considers all the self-serving, negative, dishonest, vengeful, exploitative, hateful or destructive actions that all of us commit in the course of a lifetime—to varying degrees, some more so than others—how many of us can lay claim to a single act of true creativity—a single action or accomplishment that is honestly, genuinely, truthfully, selflessly creative or productive, one that is both inspired and inspiring, that uplifts the human soul rather than destroys human lives—however modest or ephemeral that action may be?

I think that what makes the great urban cultural centers of the world remarkable—be it New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles or Mumbai, India—is the fact that their thriving, cosmopolitan arts and cultural scenes and entertainment industries place actual value on human creativity. True, these industries can only too often be inordinately competitive and even outright exploitative, stifling the very creativity that fuels them—but compare that to other parts of the world where the norm often seems to be hatred, murder, religious fundamentalism, ethnic cleansing, violence, genocide, terror, tyranny, enslavement, financial corruption and widespread chaos.

I noted previously that human creativity is one of the major casualties in the face of calamity or catastrophe, but that isn't necessarily always the case. Sometimes the very opposite is true—tragedy and catastrophe can sometimes actually stimulate creativity in an odd, inverse way. Very often, being creative and self-expressive is a powerful way for some people to cope with difficult times. For others, coming face-to-face with one's mortality can force one to reassess one's priorities in life and reconsider what's really important, thereby inspiring creativity and productivity in the face of violence, terror, murder and financial collapse or fraud.

Horizon Cybermedia is committed to furthering the cause of human creativity, whatever the circumstances may be. Check out our ongoing online film series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar, at our website http://www.explorationtheseries.com and stay tuned for much more new and, hopefully, both inspired and inspiring content to come in the near future.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Fear and Ignorance

As mankind stands at the threshold of the 21st century, never before in history has it been clearer that our biggest challenge for the future is dealing with the age-old problems of fear and ignorance. Never before in history have we had the sort of communications and information technology that potentially allows humanity permanently to do away with fear and ignorance, spreading enlightenment and understanding to the darkest, most God-forsaken corners of the earth. And never before in history have the forces of fear and ignorance, in the form of fundamentalism, extremism, fanaticism and religious terrorism, posed a more direct threat to the future of humanity.

F.D.R.'s inspired words, uttered in the heart of the Great Depression, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," have never been more relevant than today. Truly, we are plagued by nothing else than our fears and our ignorance. These regressive forces have been apparent in the past as primitive ritualism, superstition, shamanism, and the tendency to fear the unknown. Most primitive cultures had a “shaman”—a figure of mystery and terror who wielded authority in the society based on their ability to intimidate the rest of the populace and keep them psychologically enslaved, in a state of primitive fear of the unknown characterized by superstition, misogyny and xenophobia. As primitive society matured into urban civilization, the shaman potentially faced extinction as his ability to control society through intimidation was severely compromised by the perpetuation of education and technology.

In modern times, while shamanism is no longer a reality, the role of the shaman, namely that of the terrifying mystic who wields a position of authority based on the intimidation of the ignorant masses, is invariably assumed by figures of religious fundamentalism and extremism. This tendency is most evident in backward, regressive Islamic states such as Iran and Pakistan—cultures in which figures of religious authority are, very often, supreme, and which thrive on religious bigotry, misogyny, and the suppression of individual rights and freedoms. Regressive cultures such as these invariably feel threatened by their progressive, democratic neighbors, like India, which have historically been major centers of culture and commerce and are now growing technological hubs. As such, these backward, regressive, failing societies whose very existence is threatened by the advance of technology and the perpetuation of enlightenment, tend to respond with cowardly acts of terror and violence, striking out at urban progress in a desperate bid to legitimize their own failing existence.

This trend is only the latest phase in an age-old problem. As long as there have been regressive forces that thrive on fear and ignorance, whether it be in the form of primitive superstition or religious fundamentalism or fanatical extremism, they have invariably, often violently, opposed the progress of education and enlightenment. Never before in human history has there been a greater promise for the total eradication of fear and ignorance from the face of the earth through the widespread proliferation of communications and information technology in the form of the Internet and networked mobile devices. And never before in history has there been a greater threat to modern society posed by terrorism sponsored by fundamentalist and extremist religious groups rooted in regressive, backward societies clinging to obsolete doctrines and dogmas that seek to perpetuate religious authoritarianism, misogyny and xenophobia.

I guess, ultimately, the choice is ours—do we succumb to our irrational fears and negate the promise of modern understanding and technological advancement to work towards a better educated, more progressive society, or do we resist these fears and the forces of terror that seek to destabilize and undo us? Horizon Cybermedia is wholeheartedly committed to the causes of progressiveness and modernism and to opposing the forces of primitivism, fear and ignorance. Check out our website at http://www.explorationtheseries.com for continually updating content dedicated to promoting understanding between cultures and societies and overcoming the destructive forces of fear and ignorance that threaten to divide and enslave us.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

A Sick Joke?

Is mass murder on the part of deranged psychopaths some perverse attempt at humor? In our mass media culture, where do we draw the line between reality and entertainment? When the 9/11 terror attacks happened, they seemed to be surreal, almost as if they were a movie. It took some time for the shocking reality of the events to sink in. To this day, there are fringe groups who suggest that the terror attacks were staged by the US government to promote a right-wing agenda. In my mind, it appears that the overwhelming shock of these events might have thrown some people off the deep end, desensitizing them to violence to such a degree that they have achieved a state of complete denial. Such a frame of mind borders on the level of psychotic madness, as depicted in the character of the “Joker” in the recent Batman film, The Dark Knight. That, in my mind, is potentially as dangerous as the psychosis of the raving lunatics who commit such sickening acts of terror and violence.

As news events unfold, the response is often sheer incredulity at their seeming absurdity. In an age of YouTube videos that go for cheap laughs by turning violence and mayhem into Chaplinesque slapstick comedy, sometimes, the response to shocking violence and terror is to throw the observer off the deep end, to respond with amused apathy at the horrific plight of innocents. Indeed, sometimes the news appears to be as insanely ridiculous as some cheap slapstick comedy—the trampling to death of enthusiastic customers at a Black Friday stampede appears to be laughable when observed from the safe distance of a YouTube video clip, but it completely negates the very real tragedy of the people involved. To laugh at such an event, however absurd it might seem, is to make light of the tragedy of the loss of life and to experience a sense of apathy at the plight of those who suffer. Sometimes, of course, the absurdity of circumstances is such that the only possible response is laughter, but there has to be a line—otherwise, the upshot is nothing less than psychosis stemming from denial and apathy—the same sort of psychosis that characterizes the perpetrators of terrorist acts, though, perhaps, to a different degree.

Horizon Cybermedia is committed to staying balanced and humane in insane times. In an age in which violence and entertainment are all too often indistinguishable, threatening throw humanity off the deep end and into the madness of The Joker in the Batman films, Horizon Cybermedia is about keeping one's head screwed on straight and promoting an appreciation of art, humanity and an empathy for one's fellowman.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Mumbai Terror Attacks—The Corollary

In the aftermath of the terror attacks in Mumbai, India, authorities are currently investigating into who is responsible for these insane and reprehensible actions. The initial evidence apparently points to a terrorist organization based in Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, though the government of Pakistan denies any involvement.

As investigations continue into the cause of the attacks, I can only hope that the responsible parties, whomever they might be, are aware of the scale of the consequences of their actions. Essentially, this attack is like throwing a lighted fuse into a powder-keg—the powder keg of potential global nuclear war. I can only hope that the aftermath of this attack does not precipitate a nuclear exchange between the nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan, which could potentially result in global nuclear war and World War III.

Horizon Cybermedia, meanwhile, remains committed to being creative and rational in the face of the deranged, destructive, mentally retarded, and ultimately, mortally dangerous rogue operatives in our volatile world, as it threatens to teeter on the brink of global nuclear catastrophe.

So, whomever it was that devised this ill-advised, ill-conceived operation to wreak havoc in the peace-loving, cosmopolitan city of Mumbai, you might well have triggered off the events leading up to World War III and global nuclear devastation.

As they say in the movies, "Have a nice day."

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai, India

The recent, ongoing spate of terrorist attacks against major landmarks in the city of Mumbai, India deserve the strongest condemnation from the international community. I, for one, am deeply concerned for the well-being for my family and friends in the region and for the hostages currently still being held by the terrorists. The deliberate targeting, by extremist Islamic militants, of westerners and Israelis, is particularly reprehensible, as is the chaos wreaked upon prestigious landmarks in the vibrant, progressive city. I have to commend the courageous and effective response of the Indian anti-terror special forces and elite commandos who continue, as we speak, to engage terrorists in various locations in the city. Indeed, the scenario is reminiscent of the terrorist attacks during the Munich Olympic games in the '60s.

By an amazing coincidence, I was filming at a few of these very landmarks earlier this year. The Taj Mahal Palace hotel, which was one of the terror targets, is featured, along with the Gateway of India monument, in Horizon Cybermedia's first film in the Exploration series, the Elephanta Caves. Other major landmarks in Mumbai that were targeted by terrorists include the Oberoi Hotel and the C.S.T. Railway Station, as well as hospitals, cafés and even a Jewish center. It is an eerie experience for me, considering my recent visit to the city of my birth and the fact that I filmed one of the popular tourist excursions from the city. The city is a vibrant, cosmopolitan center of culture and commerce, the seat of one of the world's major film industries as well as a major technology hub in Asia. It is a sobering experience to witness the city being targeted by forces of militant extremism.

This only strengthens my resolve to continue to document, on film, the major centers of culture and civilization around the world. I feel a deeper sense of purpose in the face of the forces of barbaric extremism and cowardly destructiveness who threaten to undermine the stability, integrity and security of the major cultural centers in the world. I am sure that Mumbai will recover quickly from what is, undoubtedly, a traumatic experience and continue to thrive and succeed like other cities that have recently been afflicted by monstrous terrorist attacks, such as New York, London, Paris, Madrid, and others.

Horizon Cybermedia remains undeterred in our creative efforts to produce art, culture and, ultimately, the artifacts of civilization—we are, if anything, only more determined in our efforts in the face of the destructive savagery of militant extremism and terrorism.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Geography Lessons

Recently, one of the major news stories was that Vice-Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin was unaware that Africa is a continent, not a country. This flagrant ignorance of basic high-school geography called into serious question her qualifications to serve is VP and, potentially, as President of the United States and Leader of the Free World. It is, indeed, a scary thought that someone with that level of ignorance could come so close to ruling the "free world," as it were, particularly on the heels of the disastrous Bush administration of the previous eight years—an epitome of the calamitous consequences of ignorance in power and leadership. One can only hope that the new Obama administration possesses some basic knowledge and understanding of geography as it pursues its foreign policies and, given the extent and globally savvy nature of President-elect Barack Obama's education, things do appear to bode well—from a geographic standpoint at least.

It has almost become a cliché to disparage the geographic knowledge of most Americans, but the fact is that we live in a world of increasing specialization and unless one happens to be an academic, a statesman or a world explorer, most people tend to forget one's high school geography lessons by the time one reaches adulthood. After all, if it isn't relevant to your day-to-day life, why would you care about it?

Furthermore, one's knowledge of geography tends to be stronger the closer it is to home. For instance, most Americans are clearly aware that the Rockies are the major mountain range in North America while the Andes are the the major South American mountain range, but how many Americans know (or care) what the capital of Tibet is? And, likewise, how many Tibetans know (or care) anything about the Rockies or the Andes?

So, in an effort to expand our collective geographical knowledge—at least in an attempt to ensure that the next presidential candidates have some basic knowledge of the rest of the world, Horizon Cybermedia continues to present our flagship film series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar. Check it out at http://www.explorationtheseries.com and do stick around for many more amazing voyages of exploration to come.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Political Advertising

In this heated political season, Horizon Cybermedia continues to make every effort to remain a politically neutral space. It is our intention to focus exclusively on the arts and to avoid addressing political issues in our content and messaging. To that end, we make every effort to filter any and all politically oriented advertising content from our site.

Most recently, we noticed that advertising in support of the controversial "Proposition 8" was displayed on our website. Please note that this advertising is in no way an indication of Horizon Cybermedia's political views. We have already taken measures to filter out this advertising and we will continue to remain vigilant and keep any and all political messaging out of our websites.

We hope that our policy does not offend the proponents and/or opponents of any political views. The simple fact is that Horizon Cybermedia wishes to remain a politically neutral space because our website is about getting beyond politics and addressing issues that relate to our common humanity.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Shades of Gray: Moral Ambiguity in Cinema

The greatest performances in cinematic history have invariably been of characters that cannot categorically be labeled as either "good" or "evil". Rather, they have been characters who inhabit the shadowy middle ground between the two extremes—characters who represent the profoundly human experience of ethical ambiguity.

Brando is the classic example. Arguably one of the the all-time greatest of on-screen performers, the characters he played were typically shadowy, liminal, ethically conflicted figures who escape any moral judgment or categorization. Consider his most noteworthy performances—Mark Antony in Julius Caesar; Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire; Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront; Johnny Strabler in The Wild One—all the way down to the classic performances towards the end of his career, namely Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather and Col. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now—all these characters are characterized by a profound moral ambiguity that ultimately reflects the sorts of ethical struggles that are only too human.

This is why these characters resonate with audiences so much and come across as honest, truthful and powerful, often brutally so, much more so than, for instance, the one dimensional, morally absolutist characters of a Medieval morality play would. Their humanity is what makes them identifiable and their moral ambiguity is what makes them human. Marlon Brando was, arguably, one of the most expert performers at conveying ambiguity on screen—it is impossible to categorize, label or morally judge any of the characters he played; his screen performances can only be experienced at a profoundly human level. In fact, Brando was only continuing a tradition of playing morally ambiguous anti-heroic characters that possibly goes all the way back to Rudolph Valentino's classic performances on film as Sheik Ahmed ben Hassan in The Sheik and Juan Gallardo in Blood and Sand. In theater, the tradition of playing moral ambiguity goes back at least to Shakespeare's classic anti-heroes such as Hamlet, Macbeth and, of course, Mark Antony.

I was recently watching Oliver Stone's new film "W" and was struck, even mildly amused, by the inherent irony in the very concept of the film. Here was a film that was loaded with irony and subtlety about a central character whose personality was completely devoid of those traits. It is a film loaded with all sorts of moral ambiguities about a character for whom the world is purely black-and-white, a character who is incapable of comprehending or appreciating the subtle shades of gray that permeate human existence. In essence, Josh Brolin, in his performance as President George W. Bush, captured all the tragic irony, subtlety, moral ambiguity and, ultimately, humanity of a personality who happens to be, equally ironically, completely incapable of any of those qualities or traits in and of himself and who has no appreciation of nuance, subtlety or ambiguity in the human experience. It is one of the profound ironies of life, therefore, that the character "W" as played by Josh Brolin resonates with the audience much more so than the real-life George W. Bush, because the portrayal has all the qualities that the actual man lacks, namely irony, subtlety, nuance and moral ambiguity.

Moral ambiguity is one of the centerpieces of great art and cinema and it is one of the qualities that Horizon Cybermedia aspires to capture in its media productions, so be sure regularly to check out our website at http://www.explorationtheseries.com for plenty of exciting, ironic, subtle and morally ambiguous content to come in the future. By the way, look for a cool new look to the website that will be unveiled in a few weeks, as the website is currently undergoing a complete redesign.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Individuality

As we move closer and closer to election day, it becomes more and more apparent that our culture and our politics are driven by oversimplification more than anything else. When political season looms over us and political candidates start to sell their party brand to the public, they tend to reduce the ethically intricate issues that drive party politics into a populist message that is easily palatable to the electorate at large. As a result, what they sell to the public is a heavily distorted, simplified message that is sometimes so far removed from reality—from truth—that it becomes absurd.

Art is about the truth and about human individuality and the complexities of life and reality. Populism—whether in party politics, advertising, mass media or any other sphere—is about selling something—about promoting a brand or message—and, thereby, about oversimplifying complex realities and inducing conformity to this reduced "reality". It's about labeling people as "liberal" or "conservative", "blue" or "red", "left" or "right", whereas the reality is always far more complex and complicated—only because human individuality is complex and complicated. On the other hand, the mob or collective typically needs some oversimplified slogan to unite them to a common cause. More often than not, the "common cause" tends to degenerate into a "common enemy", which is how scapegoatism is often born.

Of late, I have been reading and re-reading some of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and short stories—and I say this mainly because the new Bond movie is due in theaters soon. The original stories by Fleming are subtle concoctions of mood, personalities, ideas and, of course, nail-biting action, each with a unique, distinctive flavor that is hard to characterize or categorize. Of course, one can lump them into a broad category such as the genres of "spy fiction" or "suspense thriller," but that would be doing the stories a profound injustice, because they address so many themes and issues.

It's really interesting to see how some of the familiar characters from the movies were originally conceived in Fleming's imagination, as documented in the novels. For example, take one of the best of the Bond films, From Russia with Love—and the characters of Red Grant and Rosa Kleb, the "bad guys" in the movie. In the film, they are pretty one-dimensional nasties. Grant is a mindless thug and assassin, while Kleb is an evil Soviet harridan, both intent on murdering Bond for no clearly established reason. So Bond has, basically, to kill them before they kill him—which he does—and so the movie ends "happily ever after" for Bond and his hot Russian girlfriend.

True, the movie is an action film about visceral responses, so maybe one doesn't really care about the characters' back stories all that much, especially if you happen to be the average audience-member who is catching a popcorn flick after a long week at work. Yet, in the novel, these one-dimensional characters each are unique and distinct individuals with complex histories and motivations. They are not defined by their political allegiances, be it to the "evil Soviet Empire" or the "good old British Empire", or by their appearances or habits. Rather, Fleming goes into Red Grant's history and psychological profile in depth to paint a grisly portrait of a soulless, psychotic murderer recruited by the Soviet state, while rendering him a strangely empathetic figure at the same time. And he does much the same for Rosa Kleb. He explores the motivations of the characters in much greater depth, and the impression you get is not so much that the characters can easily be categorized as "goodies" or "baddies" but that each is a distinct individual with complex motivations and unique psychological profiles that define them—as opposed to their political allegiances or ethnic or cultural origins. That's what makes these novels interesting to read—and also, probably, why John F. Kennedy found this particular novel interesting enough to list it as one of his personal favorite works of fiction.

Some might argue that the complexity in the novel is due to the nature of the medium, and is, as such, not easily translatable into the medium of film. And this might especially be true of an action film, which is about visceral audience response, in which the complexities might only get in the way of the action. That is partly true, of course—films are about giving you an entirely different experience from literature. But that's not to say that films can't be about complex themes and characterizations while being visceral and entertaining at the same time. Hitchcock did it, Kubrick did it, Coppola and Spielberg continue to do it. Art, in any form, is supposed to do it—art is about exploring complex themes, personalities, ideas and issues. When it oversimplifies and dumbs down the complexities, it tends to become propaganda, not art. As John F. Kennedy put it:

We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.

Propaganda is aimed at brainwashing the masses into conformity and subservience. Art is about awakening the human soul to the complexities of life. Propaganda is about inducing mindless conformity whereas art is about engendering human individuality.

Horizon Cybermedia aims to do just that. We are a company aimed at producing art—not propaganda or populist oversimplifications. We are about exploring the complexities of life, hence our flagship series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar. We hope that you will continue to support our endeavor with your continued viewership and stay tuned for much more interesting content to come.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Soundbite Culture

As we move into the political season, it becomes increasingly apparent that we live in a "soundbite culture"—a culture of marketing slogans that simplify things and tell us how to think and what to believe. When politicians speak, what sells, as advertisers already know, are the soundbites—the slickly crafted slogans that stick in your brain in spite of yourself.

Political slogans have a long history, dating back, at least, to the French Revolution, when the slogan "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité", epitomizing the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen adopted by the revolutionary government, incited the French mob into action.

However, while this is a classic example of the noblest of causes to be adopted by a rioting mob, it is also a classic example of how mob violence, even for the noblest of causes, can quickly turn ugly and horrific and result in the most terrifying of situations. The French Revolution, which began with the Storming of the Bastille on Bastille Day—July 14, 1789—and was quickly followed by the decapitation of the French aristocracy, including the French King and Queen, by guillotine, rapidly devolved into a state of complete political anarchy.

In 1793, lawyer Maximilien Robespierre took control of the nascent French Republic and unleashed what came to be known as The Reign of Terror—a fascist regime characterized by universal paranoia in which as many as 40,000 accused political prisoners were summarily executed by guillotine without the benefit of a trial. One of the most prominent casualties of the Terror was Danton, one of the architects of the Revolution, as recounted in the 1983 film Danton, starring French thespian Gérard Despardieu in the title role. The Reign of Terror continued until July, 1794, when Robespierre himself was arrested and executed as a political threat to the French Republic.

Thus, the Revolution, which began under the noblest of pretexts, as encapsulated in the revolutionary slogan, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," turned into a blood-thirsty monster that devoured its own leadership and architects—the mob, once unleashed, took control and, running amok, devoured anyone and everyone in its path.

While this is a somewhat extreme example, it is a classic case of how one of the earliest and best known of political slogans, representing the very noblest of human instincts and political causes—namely, human rights and equality and justice for all—is closely linked to one of the biggest political fiascoes in history—the Reign of Terror—and, ultimately, to the rise of the proto-Fascist dictator and self-proclaimed emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Horizon Cybermedia is about getting past all the slogans and soundbites that permeate our culture, whether from politicians or corporate advertisers, dumbing down and simplifying the complex realities of our world—and getting to the complex truth through the sophisticated medium of self-expressive art. Check out our website at http://www.explorationtheseries.com and stay tuned for continually updated media content, including the 30 second promo of our next film on the Wine Country of Sonoma, Ca., coming soon.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Horizon Cybermedia Progress Update

As you might already know, Horizon Cybermedia, Inc. is a small media shop with epic ambitions. And in spite of even the global economic meltdown, we continue to grow and make steady progress.

Some of the projects in which we are currently engaged are:

• Finalizing the DVD version of the first film in the Exploration series—Exploring Elephanta. This DVD will soon be available as a collectible—at online retailers like Amazon.com and at various film festivals where the film will be featured.


• The film Exploring Elephanta has been submitted (in DVD and BD formats) to and is currently a contender at the Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival. We are also working on and entertaining other film festival submissions. Details will be released as soon as they are available.


• We are currently editing the second film in our Exploration series on the Wine Country of Sonoma County, Ca. Principal photography for this film was completed last year in November. Stay on the lookout for a 30 second teaser trailer of the film that will be available online at iTunes, YouTube and other outlets very soon.


• We have also completed principal photography for a number of other short films, including several films in the Exploration series. These films will continue to be produced and released online and on DVD as and when film and sound editing for each film is completed. After we have completed a run of 5-6 short films, the entire series will be released on DVD and, possibly, BD. The films will also continue to be submitted to various film festivals in the US and overseas.


• We are currently working on a number of scripts and script ideas and we anticipate producing short and feature-length independent films in the near future. We have already copyrighted two feature-length scripts (under US Copyright law), one of which was a finalist at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in 2006.

As Horizon Cybermedia continues to grow, as a media company focusing primarily on new media, our projects will continue to become increasingly ambitious in scope. Based in the vicinity of Los Angeles, right next door to Hollywood, Horizon Cybermedia plans, eventually, to become a major Hollywood player. Keep on the lookout for our growing list of projects and accomplishments!

If you are interested in finding out more about Horizon Cybermedia, Inc., you can contact us by email from the contact form on the About Horizon Cybermedia page at our website, http://www.explorationtheseries.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Religulous!

I recently saw comedian Bill Maher's hilarious and informative documentary Religulous, which takes a satirical look at the absurdities of religion, especially from a 21st century point of view. I highly recommend this film as it makes a strong case for religious skepticism, a point of view that I fully appreciate, even though, personally, I happen to be a free-thinking Christian baptized in the Episcopal church.

Before heading out to check out this film, however, I was watching a T.V. panel discussion on CNN in which the issue of "culture" came to the forefront. After a few minutes of watching panelists issue strong condemnations on some of the cultural artifacts of modern society, such as violent video games and explicit T.V. shows, and decry the proliferation of pornography in our society thanks to the internet and cell phones (none of which I am personally terribly thrilled about)—all on the grounds of espousing morality in our society—and in the very next moment, proceeding to rationalize and justify the selective use of torture and incarceration based upon racial profiling—it got me wondering—how far do double standards and hypocrisy have to go before they reach the level of the sort of blatant absurdity exposed by Bill Maher in his documentary film, Religulous?

It is an unfortunate reality that, throughout history, the elements of religious fanaticism have been at odds with "art" and "culture"—very often violently so. In fact, you have to look no further than recent times to see how the forces of religious fundamentalism and fanaticism—in the form of the Taliban, the extremist Islamic movement in Afghanistan, which promotes religious zealotry and authoritarianism, narrow-minded provincialism, ignorance, fear, superstition and misogyny—have waged a violent war against art and culture in their own country. In March, 2001, Taliban forces destroyed a pair of monumental statues of the Buddha in the Bamiyan province in Afghanistan, about 150 miles from the Afghan capital, Kabul. Check out this link for further details. This was an outrage against art and culture that was committed only a few months before the Taliban-sponsored Al Quaeda terrorist organization launched their unprecedented and horrific terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001.

The forces of religious fanaticism rival only the forces of radical socialism in their blind hatred of "art," "culture" and "civilization." For every "cultural revolution" inspired by some deranged socialist dictator, there is a "witch-hunt" called upon by some radical, puritanical religious sect. History is full of examples of such scenarios, and I don't want to get into a recitative laundry list of historical case studies.

Suffice it to say that the forces of religious fanaticism and the values that they promote of authoritarianism, fear, ignorance, submissiveness and radical misogyny, have nothing in common with the values that Horizon Cybermedia stands for, namely the promotion of civilized values through the appreciation of art and culture.

With regard to the issue of culture vs. morality, let me cite, for the record, Horizon Cybermedia's mission statement, as posted on our website http://www.explorationtheseries.com:

To be a positive voice in the media space; to put artistic integrity above mercenary interests; to make a truthful, meaningful artistic statement.

And let me point out that Horizon Cybermedia has, from the very outset, spoken (in this very blog) about maintaining the highest ethical standards. All we can hope is that the self-appointed agents of "religious morality" in our society—or, should we say, the agents of blind hatred and intolerance who use religion to justify their own ignorance, xenophobia and antipathy for culture and the arts—abide by the same standards of morality that they seek to impose on others!

Meanwhile, Horizon Cybermedia hopes that you will continue to check out our website, http://www.explorationtheseries.com, which is regularly updated with fresh, new content.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

The Evidence of Civilization

Suppose you're an archaeologist on a dig in some remote corner of the world. As you laboriously scoop away gravel and sand from your dig site, you shake your head in exasperation and scowl. There is nothing of value to be seen amidst all the accumulated rubble and dust—the products of millenia of soil erosion.

Then, after hours of back-breaking exertion, your trowel happens to strike against a strange object half-buried in the dirt. It resounds with a hollow, metallic clang—or, perhaps, a dull thud. Immediately, it intrigues you and you scoop it up out of the ground and hold it to the light to get a better look. It glitters mysteriously in the half-light of dusk as you turn it around with your fingers. Then, you notice strange carved markings around its rim—a design of some sort, with concentric circles and esoteric runes or hieroglyphs, catches your eye.

"Remarkable!" you whisper out loud. "It could not possibly have been created by the random forces of blind nature. Whatever it is—it has to be the product of design, of some form of artistry or artifice." What you hold in your hand is, in fact, an "artifact"—l'objet-d'art—the product of conscious, premeditated design or artifice. What it tells you is that "someone" at some point in time "created" that object—and, therefore, had the necessary ingenuity and sophistication to do so.

A single "artifact" unearthed in the wilderness is evidence of "civilization." Imagine the sensation that would result if such an artifact were to be discovered on the moon or on Mars—it would constitute undeniable evidence of an alien civilization!

Because an artifact constitutes evidence of the design, sophistication, technology and artistry required to produce it, the artifact, thereby, represents the "culture" or "civilization" that provides the setting for the emergence of those cultural traits. It may be argued, therefore, that "civilization" is, in essence, the "artifacts" that it leaves behind. After a culture or civilization has vanished into the mists of time, all we have left to prove that it ever existed and to testify to its accomplishments are the artifacts that were produced by that culture.

Myths and legends do not constitute evidence. The myths of Atlantis or the minotaur in the labyrinth of Crete do not prove that either ever existed. But a single Grecian urn or Renaissance painting speaks volumes about the cultures that produced them. Therefore, because a civilization is defined by the artifacts that it produces and leaves behind for posterity—i.e. those that are discovered by archaeologists and historians in subsequent ages—it may be argued that it is the artists and artisans who define and create "civilization."

Our concept of the past is never static—it shifts constantly, like the shifting sands of time. With every new artifact that is unearthed, our prior preconceptions are proven wrong and a new picture of the past emerges. We discern sophistication, complexity and artistry where previously none existed (in our minds, at least). What we previously assumed to be factually infallible is subsequently exposed as being illusory—a prejudicial misconception.

Remarkably, this entire process hinges upon the discovery of "artifacts." Artifacts become the determinants of our concept of history and have the potential to transform it radically—a fact that tends to be overlooked because it so rarely happens.

Artists and artisans create the artifacts that define civilization and, consequently, their actions determine history. The archaeologists and historians of the distant future, examining the cultural artifacts of our age, would inevitably come to certain conclusions about our civilization. I wonder—would they be favorable or unfavorable? For all we know, they might be grotesque oversimplifications or even outright distortions based upon limited surviving evidence!

A culture is invariably judged by its treatment of and regard for its artists—its creative people. For example, cultures like the Stalinist Soviet Union and Nazi Europe were notorious for their brutal suppression of artistic and creative freedoms and of the perversion and misappropriation of the arts to serve propagandist and political ends. The brutal subjugation and politicization of the arts in these societies are powerful indicators of the oppressive natures of these regimes.

In stark contrast, cultures such as Renaissance Florence or 18th Century Vienna, which are famous for having sponsored a flourishing of the arts, are now seen, in retrospect, as the pinnacles of civilization and cultural achievement. The proliferation of artists, poets, musicians and craftsmen who had the opportunity to thrive in those societies, enjoying the self-expressive creative freedoms afforded by those cultures to their residents to produce sublime works of artistic creativity, constitute undeniable evidence, from a historical standpoint, of the cultural advancement and heightened civilized sophistication of those societies.

Science and technology, while also being powerful indicators of a society's advancement, are not necessarily good indicators of its soul or humanity. A highly advanced technocracy with no artists or artistic accomplishments appears to indicate a soulless, dreary and mechanistically oppressive culture in which individuality and artistic self-expressiveness are stifled by the state and its institutions.

On the other hand, religious zeal is not a very strong indicator of cultural advancement either. More often than not, a "religious" society suggests a society steeped in superstition, ignorance and misogyny—a backward, even tyrannical culture.

However, when all is said and done, it is the culture that is characterized by remarkable artistic accomplishments, such as Renaissance Florence or Classical Athens or Vienna in the Enlightenment, that is, in spite of its technological limitations or religious shortcomings, perceived to represent the pinnacles of cultural sophistication and are the paragons of the ages. Truly, it is the artists who "create" civilization, in whatever sense we take it.

Horizon Cybermedia, Inc., is a company that aspires to be the artistic beacon of our time. We hope to leave behind a cultural legacy that will inspire future generations to reflect favorably upon the level of our artistic advancement and cultural sophistication. We hope that you will join us in our endeavor by supporting us with your viewership. Please do check out our website at http://www.explorationtheseries.com, which is regularly updated with brand new content.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Exploring Elephanta - The DVD

Horizon Cybermedia is pleased to announce the release of the film Exploring Elephanta on DVD. This DVD is being produced primarily for free distribution in the film festival circuit, for publicity purposes. However, for anyone who is interested in purchasing and possessing a copy of the film on DVD as a collectible, the DVD will be on sale soon through online channels like Amazon.com. Stay tuned for further details which will be available soon!

Meanwhile, posted below are photos of the proof copy of the DVD for your viewing pleasure!

Meanwhile, do feel free to check out the film at the series website http://www.explorationtheseries.com.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Exploration vs. Exploitation

To some people, the subject of independent media brings to mind those trashy low-budget horror flicks from the '60's and '70's—exploitation films loaded with gratuitous sex and senseless violence—substandard content without any semblance of plot, character development or artistic value.

Of course, some people differ in their opinion of this brand of cinema, seeing it as a genre in and of itself and deserving of recognition and praise. Personally, (my opinion), I see it as trashy, substandard and borderline pornographic in some cases.

For the record, Horizon Cybermedia is intended to be the very antithesis of this brand of cinema. This company is not intended to be a factory of substandard media content, regurgitated at regular intervals to satisfy the addictive cravings of some. It is intended to produce media content specifically designed to be of the highest standards—with an eye on quality and artistic integrity above all.

Horizon Cybermedia aspires to be the gourmet restaurant, not the supermarket, in the cultural scene. We aspire to serve up meticulously crafted media productions, not processed trash for mass consumption!

Some historians attribute the downfall of ancient Roman civilization to the circus of Rome—the horrific, yet compelling, spectacle that the public was exposed to on a regular basis at the circus—human slaughter and sacrifice, mortal combat in the gladiatorial arena, etc.—supposedly infected the Roman mob with a mindless bloodlust, a mass hysteria, that eventually led to the collapse of Rome and to the onset of the dark ages, in the opinions of some. The sublime artistic achievements of classical civilization remained buried beneath the sands of time until the Renaissance, when they were ultimately recovered and finally appreciated for the masterpieces that they were.

Horizon Cybermedia is a company created specifically to resist the onset of a new artistic dark age—hopefully, to stimulate a new Renaissance of art and culture in the face of the desert of cultural depravity and barrenness. We sincerely hope that you, the reader, will support us with your viewership in this endeavor to produce for you the highest quality media content our talents allow. Of course, actions speak louder than words, so we hope that you will check back regularly at our website, http://www.explorationtheseries.com and hold us to our word.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

New Promotional Video on iTunes and YouTube!

Check out the latest promotional video for the film series Exploration with Uday Gunjikar currently available on YouTube and iTunes!

Also check out the 25 minute first film in the series, The Elephanta Caves, in its entirety at the series website, http://www.explorationtheseries.com.

And stay tuned for the next film in the series coming soon, The Wine Country.

A Total Ban on Political Advertising!

Effective immediately, Horizon Cybermedia, Inc. announces a 100% ban on all political advertising on our websites. That means a zero tolerance policy for any and all political ads from any and all political campaigns!

While this may sound somewhat pretentious, let me assure you that it is not. It is about keeping my website free from the sullying influence and interference of partisan politics. The website http://www.explorationtheseries.com is about promoting harmony and understanding between cultures. It is not about partisan divisiveness or political messaging. So, to very clearly make that point, Horizon Cybermedia has decided to filter all advertising from all political campaigns this election season and indefinitely into the future.

For the record, Horizon Cybermedia would like to announce that we are a non-political and non-politically affiliated company. We are not interested in promoting anyone's political agenda. We are more about promoting cross-cultural understanding and the exploration of the world we live in. We are about human relationships and the thrill of adventure.

This is, in no way, intended to be a personal slight of the supporters of either political candidate. It is about keeping politics out of my website! Life is way too short to waste on petty partisan political bickering!

Meanwhile, do check out the new film series featured on our website http://www.explorationtheseries.com, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar. The current episode journeys to the Elephanta Caves off the coast of Mumbai, India, while later episodes travel to Sonoma, Ca. (the Wine Country); to Calcutta, India, and to many other fascinating sites around the world.

Hope you enjoy!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

A Couple of Announcements

Horizon Cybermedia is pleased to make a couple of important announcements—particularly significant to the continual growth of our company.

The first announcement is that Horizon Cybermedia has officially submitted an entry to the Beverly Hills HiDef Film Festival. We have submitted the film The Elephanta Caves—the first episode in our ongoing film series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar—as a short film entitled Exploring Elephanta, in a slightly re-edited version. Stay tuned for further announcements as and when they become available!

The second major announcement we would like to make is concerning the the Flash video versions of the film Exploration with Uday Gunjikar: The Elephanta Caves that are currently available to view online at the website http://www.explorationtheseries.com.

After fielding some complaints that the films were taking too long to download, we have taken quick and decisive action to resolve this problem. Firstly, we'd like to explain that the reason for the slow download speeds was the large size and high bitrates of the Flash video files that we had put online. This film was filmed entirely in high definition, and it was our intention to distribute the highest quality video files that we could. We even made three versions of the film available—three sizes to accommodate varying broadband connection speeds. However, it became pretty apparent that even so, the video files needed to be adjusted to improve download speeds.

As a result, we have made a new set of Flash video files available on our website with dramatically smaller file sizes and smaller bitrates. As a result, the download speeds are dramatically faster. Furthermore, the film will automatically begin playback once it is about 10% downloaded, continuing to download as you proceed to watch. With a built-in 3 minute video buffer, and assuming that you have chosen the appropriate video size to correspond with your broadband connection speed, you should have no trouble watching the film in its entirety without any interruptions.

The caveat to these improved download speeds is that we have had to compromise on the resolution and quality of the video files. However, we are continuing to research this problem and, hopefully, we should soon have versions of the film on our website with optimal resolution and file size to ensure maximum download speed combined with maximum video quality.

Meanwhile, here's hoping you continue to enjoy the film at http://www.explorationtheseries.com and stay tuned for the next films in our ongoing series, Exploration with Uday Gunjikar.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Artistic Integrity

Horizon Cybermedia, Inc. is a company dedicated to the preservation of artistic integrity in the media. We are a passion project—an experiment to determine whether a media company can survive and thrive if it is determined not to compromise on its standards.

The truth is, the company is navigating through difficult waters. Let's face it—the airwaves and broadband cables are dominated by giant media conglomerates who have no shortage of advertising dollars at their disposal. As such, they can afford to—and often do—serve up substandard content, heavily promoted, to the masses—and profit hugely off of it.

Horizon Cybermedia, by comparison, is a much tighter operation with a great deal of ambition. The company is like a catfish swimming amongst whales and sharks—but it aspires to great things in the long term.

I am reminded of the film An American in Paris in which a Parisian artist, played by Gene Kelly, sets up shop on the sidewalk to market his artistic creations. In some ways, Horizon Cybermedia is a lot like that artist—we are fueled more by creative passion and idealism than anything else.

Ethics and artistic integrity have never been a priority for giant media conglomerates—and, we can be pretty certain, probably never will be. In fact, it might not be terribly far-fetched to suggest that giant media conglomerates would not hesitate to lobby Congress to legalize slavery and human trafficking if they could, as it would undoubtedly benefit their bottom line!

Horizon Cybermedia, by contrast, is determined to make a conscious effort to play by a different set of rules than giant media conglomerates—to prioritize ethics and artistic integrity from the very outset and to try to avoid compromising our standards or quality by not bowing to commercial pressures.

This means that, at present, we rely on word-of-mouth and viral marketing, more than anything else, to spread the word about our viewership. That means you—reading this blog entry—whomever you might be!

If you are passionate about our media content or project concept—or even just mildly interested in them—we are relying on you to spread the word about us amongst your friends and family to help us generate viewership and to enable us to grow as a company and take on increasingly ambitious and exciting projects.

Our success is in your hands! We, at Horizon Cybermedia, are relying on you, the media enthusiast or consumer, to help us realize our vision and to make great things happen! We can achieve our goal of bringing quality media content to the masses if you, the viewer passionate about or interested in high quality media content, support us with your viewership and help us generate viewership amongst your acquaintances!

So do spread the word about our website WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM, and here's looking forward to a long, enjoyable journey together through the challenging waters of media production!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Horizon Cybermedia is now podcasting on iTunes!

Horizon Cybermedia is pleased to announce our first podcast on iTunes. The podcast is Exploration with Uday Gunjikar and is available at this link. Feel free to subscribe, which is a great way to stay in touch with the latest releases from Horizon Cybermedia. You can also search for "Exploration with Uday Gunjikar" from your iTunes search bar or from Apple TV's podcast search function.

If you subscribe, you will see the promotional clip for our current episode, The Elephanta Caves, which you might already have seen on YouTube or Revver or on our website WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM. But do stick around! There's a lot more to come! Pretty soon we will be releasing the next episode in the series, The Wine Country, with much, much more to come after that! And before even that, expect to see more exciting clips from the current episode. And, of course, if you haven't already done so, do check out the 25 minute film in its entirety at WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

The Music of Exploration: Journey to Elephanta

In an earlier blog entry, I discussed my film-making process and mentioned, in passing, the crucial step of selecting music for my film soundtrack. I mentioned that the choices made at this stage were no less critical to the eventual outcome than the earlier choices I had made during the all-important filming and editing stages. And, indeed, the selection of music tracks I have included, licensed from Magnatune.com, have made a significant difference to the overall look and feel of my film.

The music genre I chose for my film is Indian fusion, an exotic blend of Indian classical and western music styles. Each of the tracks has a very distinctive sound, each contributing to create a signature blend of the romantic, exotic ambiance that pervades the film.

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The first track that you hear in the film is from the album Ethnic by the self-styled oriental/gothic artiste, Shiva in Exile—the composer/songwriter Stefan Hertrich. The album was released in 2004.

Magnatune.com comments upon the album in the following terms:

It is an enveloping sound rich with atmosphere and the pulsating life of percussion, an almost gothic expanse warmed with the vocals and instruments of distant lands. The album won the Just Plain Folks Music Award 2004 in the category "Best New Age/World Album 2004".

The track from the album that opens my film is Breathing, a surreal sound that, I thought, provides exactly the sort of the hauntingly lilting melody that the opening sequence needs:

Another haunting track from the same album, Hollow Earth, accompanies the sequence depicting the steep trek up to the Elephanta Caves. I believe this track captures both the mystery and the exertion of the grueling climb:

A third track from the album, Aldebaran, perfectly captures the ethereal, haunting beauty of the Elephanta Caves themselves:

And a final track, Akasha, again from the same album, blends a uniquely earthy, primitive sound with hauntingly evocative choral strains to the accompaniment of a techno jazz sound to end the film on a note of unearthly disorientation and ambiguity:

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The music from the album Happenstance featuring the ensemble touchingGrace led by the brilliant sitarist Jay Kishor includes some of the most melodious and contemplative tracks ever recorded, in my opinion.

It is my personal favorite of all the albums featured in the film. Magnatune.com features the following writeup of the album:

"touchingGrace", featuring Jay Kishor, is a Sitar-based World Music ensemble that combines the esoteric and mystical qualities of Indian Classical Music with the improvisation and synchopation of Jazz, the structure and thematic development of Western Classical Music, the passion and primal emotion of The Blues, and the energy and power of Rock.

Founded by Sitar and Surbahar virtuoso, Jay Kishor (pronounced "Jai Kee-Shore"), "touchingGrace" is more a "vision" than a "band". With the exception of Jay, the group will consist of a myriad of instrumentations and musicians from various styles, genres, and disciplines, keeping the Music always evolving and fresh.

The first track from the album appearing in the film, Watching Clouds, conveys a sense profound tranquility accompanying images of ships and boats on the ocean near the Gateway of India in Mumbai:

Another mellifluous track from the same album, Sitar Study in A flat Major, captures the serenity of the harbor and natural setting on Elephanta Island:

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The album Aras features the lyrical chords of flamenco guitarist Miguel Espinoza accompanied by the percussive rhythms of the Indian tabla played by Ty Burhoe. The duo, Curandero, have produced an album with a sound that is at once fluid and harmonious.

Magnatune.com comments upon their music, stating:

The word Curandero means healer/folk doctor/shaman. This powerful image, as a balancing, motivating, inspirational force in human history is what the music of Curandero aspires towards in the world of sound. The flamenco guitar of Miguel Espinoza and the East Indian tabla of Ty Burhoe bring together two passionate and ancient traditions into one music.

Since the initial release of their first release "Curandero" in 1995, they have toured extensively in the US and are responsible for initiating the exciting blend of flamenco with the rhythms of India.

The track River from the album Aras brilliantly captures the harmony of the ocean waves in the course of the ferry ride from the Gateway of India in Mumbai to the Elephanta island. Mixed with the actual sounds of ocean waves, the acoustic imagery produced from the track is striking:

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The music of Anup, is a symphonic blend of Indian and western styles. Anup Patel is an Indian sitarist who is also proficient on the percussive tabla and the keyboards. His music has a very distinctively Indian sound, but makes liberal use of western harmonic structures.

Magnatune.com describes Anup's musical ambitions as follows:

Anup's main goal in the music world is to remove cultural barriers by fusing music from various cultures, without losing the original spirit of the music. He wants to share with the world the musical ecstacy that he feels by transforming simple and complex Indian scales into easily understandable and enjoyable songs. He would like to remove the sombre and complex image that has surrounded classical Indian music. He wants to emphasize the universality of musical notes.

The track Genesis Wave from Anup's album Embrace provides a striking musical backdrop to the images of the ancient sculptures of Hindu deities in the main cave at Elephanta. The very distinctively Indian sound combined with techno rhythms makes for a stunning tapestry of richly evocative melodies:

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The 25 minute film, The Elephanta Caves, the first in the series Exploration with Uday Gunjikar, is currently available to view for free in its entirety at the website WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM. The film features the tracks cited above and some stunning visuals of the city of Mumbai and the Elephanta Caves. Here's hoping you enjoy it!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Video Promo for Exploration with Uday Gunjikar: The Elephanta Caves

Journey into history in this fascinating excursion to one of the most remarkable spots in the world--the Elephanta caves off the shores of Mumbai, India, with rock carvings dating to the 7th century. This is a promotional video for my new film series--you can view the entire 25 minute first film in the series on my website http://www.explorationtheseries.com. Check out the film and stay tuned for more films to come. Also stay up-to-date with the latest news from Horizon Cybermedia, Inc. on my blog.

Journey to Elephanta: Images, Words and Music

The first film in my new Exploration series was filmed over a period of several weeks in Mumbai, India between December, 2007 and January, 2008. I completed principal photography over the space of three days, during which I made a couple of trips to Elephanta Island. I shot in HD on a Sony HDV camcorder, with stills shot using a Sony digital camera. The film was shot entirely in a first-person perspective, as I was making the journey myself. I shot stills at several stages of my journey, but mainly inside the main cave, where cinematography requires a legal permit, while still photography is permitted.

After shooting several hours of footage, along with over four hundred stills, I spent the next six months meticulously editing it down to a 25 minute short film. Every frame in the film is original and shot by me, with the exception of the first 10 second segment (the title sequence) and the final 10 seconds (after the credits have rolled). The remaining 25 minutes of the film is my original work and under my copyright! I had an amazing time shooting this film and I highly recommend this to anyone as a vacation trip.

Having decided on the final 25 minute print, my next step was no less critical--deciding on the soundtrack for my film. I was looking for a very distinctive sound, which I found in Indian fusion music. As a result, I developed a new and lasting appreciation for the music genre and, especially, for the albums I reviewed. I selected five amazing tracks to include in the film which are, in my opinion, some of the most moody, atmospheric strains ever recorded.

My final task was writing and recording the narrative. I tried to keep it to a minimum as, I believe, the images and subject speak for themselves. I recorded my own voice as narrator in pristine quality using a Sennheiser directional microphone to minimize ambient sound. I mixed the tracks using Sony ACID XMC and used Adobe Premiere, my editing software, to generate the Flash video files which you are able to view for free on my website WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM. I hope you enjoy watching the film even a tiny fraction as much as I enjoyed making it! I had a blast every step of the way, and the creative fulfillment I get from seeing it online is a huge reward for me.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

Horizon Cybermedia makes no Apologies!

Here at Horizon Cybermedia, Inc., we make no attempt to pander to the masses with the substandard garbage that prevails in the mainstream media, and we make no apologies for not doing so! Our mission statement, from the very outset, is to try to raise the bar―to strive for a higher standard―a new vision―something fresh, exciting and different!

But if you don't get what we are after, we won't hold that against you!

Horizon Cybermedia has, in part, grown out of a sense of profound distaste at the depths to which the mainstream media has sunk―the shameless populism, the hopeless lack of taste and the shoddy mediocrity displayed all too often by television and cinema content! In fact, I am shocked that even some of my favorite television shows (naming no names) have descended to the level of pandering to the basest of popular tastes in search of a cheap boost in ratings. At Horizon Cybermedia, we want to make it clear from the very outset that that is the very thing we want to avoid at all costs, even if it costs us your viewership!

No―we are not about snob appeal or “elitism.” We are about quality, plain and simple. We are about aspiring to higher standards and producing media content that is meaningful, beautiful and powerful. We won't turn anyone away, but neither do we have any desire to pander to you for pure ratings!

Horizon Cybermedia is about staying true to our vision, first and foremost. Yes, we want you, the viewer, to enjoy and appreciate our content, but what we are really after is the people who get us―what we would like to think of as the happy few who take pleasure in the finer things of life. We are not necessarily interested in the sort of mass viewership that gigantic media conglomerates tend to enjoy. So, in that sense, this is not mass media―this is about excellence in media.

We, at Horizon Cybermedia, entertain no illusions―we may never enjoy the sort of mass appeal that blockbuster Hollywood movies may enjoy, to be sure. But neither are we too concerned by that possibility. What we are primarily interested in is in keeping our vision alive and thriving. So we emphatically refuse to sink to the crass, substandard level of populist media!

We make no apologies!

But, all the same, we sincerely hope you enjoy our content and the body of work we are trying to develop―enough to support us with your viewership and by recommending us to your friends and family!

In the end, Horizon Cybermedia is about making a difference and opening some eyes―at least, those whose eyes are not totally glazed over by the harsh glare of mainstream populist trash!

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.

A New Horizon!

In a world where everything we see seems to be filtered through TV screens controlled by giant media conglomerates, Horizon Cybermedia, Inc. aims to be a breath of fresh air. We present a new choice to the viewer - a true choice, a real choice - dare we say, a better choice? But, for sure, a bold, independent new vision.

Horizon Cybermedia is constantly researching and improving our techniques and methodologies. Expect to see a site and company in constant flux, always growing and changing, always expanding our vision.

Exploration with Uday Gunjikar is only the first of many media productions to come. The Exploration series already has five episodes in the pipeline, following which, the entire season will be released on DVD. Further productions are on the drawing board, so stay tuned for additional details, which will be released as soon as they are available. Meanwhile, check out the series on the website WWW.EXPLORATIONTHESERIES.COM.

Welcome to the journey! Here's expecting a long and enjoyable voyage of discovery and the exploration of exciting new horizons!

Best regards,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.