The world is looking closely at Indian filmmakers these days, and they’re not restricting themselves to movies. Newsreels, commercials, music videos and documentaries – all catering to different audiences – and all equally intense to produce.
Eligibility criteria & skills
Technical courses require 10+2; others require graduation. In practically all cases there’s going to be aptitude testing. There are diplomas, degrees and certificates to be earned in almost every specialization – directing, cinematography, animation, acting, photography, animation etc. Preferred skills cover team ability, responsibility, excellent communication, administrative skill, stamina and great visual sense.
Job opportunities
Film making careers can be direct or indirect. Direct careers are actually involved in film projects, whereas indirect careers include critics, archivists and distributors.There are no real single filmmaking courses.
- Producer: The producer’s main job is to make sure that everybody else is doing theirs. He chooses the story, manages resources, appoints the cast and crew including the director, chooses locations, manages legalese etc. He can even direct. The post is usually held by Mass Comm. graduates from film and television institutes.
- Director: He is the producer’s right hand man. It’s him that most people will have to work with; his will that translates the producer’s vision. The choreography, the costume, the music and crew all rely on him.
- Editor: Films get made in a long and jumbled mess; it’s the editor’s job to put everything in sequence. He has to work very closely with the director and the producer to keep their visions true. He chooses what must be re-shot and what need to be cut away. He does special effects and synchronizes the sound track.
- Screenplay Writer: Books and stories have to be formatted for the screen; the screenwriter bring his creative and visualization talents to translate between these mediums. A literature graduate or anyone with creative writing skills can pick this up.
- Actor: Powers of empathy, mimicry and memory best serve the actor. Good physical attributes and charisma can only be learned up to a degree, but degrees in acting do help hone skills.
- Animator: This, the creation of moving images, requires more formal tangible technical skills; cartoons, commercials, games etc can all use an animator. Fine arts, graphic design and animation design graduates are perfect here.
- Cinematographer: Working closely with the director, the cinematographer compiles scenes for visual impact; he decides lighting, camera angles – a job with high technical expertise requirements.
- Cameraman: This is the cinematographer’s right hand man; must have high technical proficiency and an in-depth knowledge of cameras.
- Lighting Technician/Operator: Turning day into night, or shifting moods with just the change of colour; this job requires high technical skill and experience.
- Soundmen: A degree in audiography/Electronics with a high school science background helps a lot here – recording, dubbing, sound mixing and effects … AND keeping all that in sync with the video.
Places of employment
- Film Studios
- Advertising Agencies
- Government Departments
- Production Houses
- Self-employment through marketing of personal skills
Other Film-related careers
- Film Critic: Must be well versed in practically all the general knowledge of the movies; his job is to review and rate movies and determine their worth. He interviews a lot of the cast and crew too.
- Film Archivist: Films can spoil and become lost; the archivist is responsible for their preservation. The job is similar to that of being a curator of the museum, only instead of dealing with artefacts; they’re dealing with photos, maps, information and media.
Where to Study film-making?
Courses for Drama:
- Film & Television Institute of India Pune: Graduation & Post Graduation
- National school of Drama Delhi: Graduation & Post Graduation
- Barry John Acting School Delhi & Bombay: Certificate & Diploma
- Whistling Woods International Mumbai: Diploma & Graduation
- Asian Academy of Film & Television Noida: Certificate, UG & PG
- Roshan Taneja School of Acting Mumbai: Under Graduate
Courses for Production, Direction and Management:
- R Sace Mumbai. Bachelor’s Degree in Film Production & Management –
- Mindscreen Film Institute, Chennai Six months course in Cinematography
- Digital Academy Mumbai 10 months course in Cinematography –
- Digital Academy Mumbai. Six months course in Film-making
- Center for Research in Art of Film and Television (CRAFT), Delhi: 1-year course in Film Direction
- Whistling Woods International, Mumbai: (3 Year) – Bachelor’s Filmmaking & 2-year Diploma Filmmaking
- National Institute of Film & Fine Arts, Kolkata: Diploma in Film Direction (18 months / 24 months)
- Digital Academy-The Film School, Mumbai: PG Diploma course in Film and TV Direction (2 years)
- Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida: 3-year B.Sc. Cinema + Diploma in Cinema (Specialization in Direction)
- Zee Institute of Media Arts (ZIMA), Mumbai: Diploma / Bachelors /in Film Making
- Matrikas Film School, Delhi: Diploma in Film-making (1 year)
Courses for Animation:
- Whistling Woods International school several undergraduate courses in media and animation.
- Apeejay Institute of Design offers several undergraduate and graduate level courses for graphic designing, visual editing, and filmmaking.
- Animator Academy high-quality career programs in fields of designing and animation.
- Picasso Animation College diploma courses and certifications in game art & designing, Palpha VFX or advanced filmmaking
- Zee Institute of Creative arts bachelor degree program, diploma courses, and certifications
- Mayo Academy of advanced cinematic (MAAC) courses in animation, VFXFilmmakingng, and gaming.
- Arena Animation courses offered in D & 3D animation
Institutes offering film-making courses in India
- Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)
- Jamia Milla Islamia: A.J. Kidwai Mass Communication and Research Center
- Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI)
- Asian Academy of Film and TV
- Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai
- Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu
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