Studying in India

Marco King · May 18, 2010

Hi there

I have been looking around for film schools all over the world which offer post-graduate studies in cinematography and am particularly interested in India. It occurred to me recently that with the massive and successful industry that India has it must surely also have some top quality institutions to match. I have looked at a few websites ( Asian Academy of Film and TV and the Film and television institute of India). Whilst the education itself remains extremely cheap I have no idea of the quality of these places.

Anyone with experience, advice or knowledge of film institutes in India? I think it could be an amazing place to study further and to open up doors into the bollywood scene.

Marco King

Sunbib · June 1, 2010

My best knowledge says Film and Televition institute of india pune and Sattyajit Roy Film and Televition institute Kolkata r the best place for film study in India.

Edited June 1, 2010 by Sunbib

Arun Gopalan · June 1, 2010

Hi Marco,

The Film and Television Institute of India, Pune has been around for very long now and most of the current industry professionals are pass out of this institute... you could say almost 90% of them. It's tough to get in here. Each year it gets like around 600+ applications for streams like Cinematography and Direction and they take in like 10-12 per stream. So you know the kinda competition there. But having said this, the institute has lost out now. Have seen students there who are in the 4th yr when the course itself is of 3 yrs. But then you need to be pro-active and complete the projects in time and pas out!

There's this other institute- Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India, Kolkata. As good as FTII, Pune but not as old. Both these institutes are government run and the fees are very very cheap. They have all the facilities and equipments and definitely worth having a look.

Quite a number of private institutes have come up. The L.V.Prasad Film and TV Academy, Chennai is from where I complete my 2 yr course this August. It's part of the Prasad Groups who have been into the film business for decades now. The group has its post-production house, laboratory, equipment rental house, anything and everything that's required in the film business and as students and part of the group we have access to them anytime. The fees is quite high if you compare it with the government run institutes but definitely worth the money and personally I would say better than the govt. run institutes.

There's one more institute called Whistling Woods International, Mumbai and is run by one of India's top most Director Subhash Ghai. It's in the heart of Bollywood. But the fees is almost double of what one would pay at LVP, Chennai and almost 10 times of what one would pay at FTII, Pune and SRFTI, Kolkata.

These are the top institutes in the country at present and you shouldn't look at others if you seriously considering for some quality education! At other institutes you would end up shooting your diploma film in DVCam or at max. HD! The Pune, Kolkata and Chennai institutes have their Diplomas in 35mm, not sure about Whistling Woods though.

Good Luck.

Arun

Arun Gopalan · June 1, 2010

I missed out on one institute which has produced some very well know professionals. Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai. It a well known institute but am not familiar with the institute or in touch with any of their current students. So can't comment any further.

Marco King · July 18, 2010

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Arun. I must definitely look further into these schools. By the way did you say that these places offer shooting on 35mm? What is the length of the films you produce and how many do you make a year?

Thanks again

Arun Gopalan · July 21, 2010

Yes all the above said schools have their diploma films ahot on 35mm except Whistling Woods International, Mumbai. The diploma film usually is like between 10-20 mins, but then it depends on the student. You can definitely chip in a few more bucks and make a longer movie.

At my film school- L.V. Prasad Film and TV Academy- it's a trimester patter- total 6 trimesters in 2 years. we started off with HDVs- shot 3 projects on it. By the end of the first year we were shooting on S16mm- so that was 4 projects in the first year. Second year we shot a documentary on HDV followed by a music video on S16 and the final diploma on 35mm. Apart from this we have the daily practicals. In the third trimester- every day, you would be having practicals on S16mm- Arri SR2 and the second year you would be working on 35mm- An Arri3 in your practicals.

FTII, Pune and SRFTI, Kolkata are too very similar but their's a three year course.

July 21, 2010

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Arun. I must definitely look further into these schools. By the way did you say that these places offer shooting on 35mm? What is the length of the films you produce and how many do you make a year?

Thanks again

Arun's list of film schools in India are absolutely bang on! The funny part that Arun may have forgotten to mention is that the current Director of Arun's film school (L. V Prasad TV & Film Academy) is one of the founding students of the much reputed FTII Pune; Mr. K. Hariharan. He is a well connected person & a faaaaaaaaaantastic academic in films! His best friends include some of the biggest names in the Indian film scene including Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who I think was his batch-mate ;-)

July 21, 2010

Yes all the above said schools have their diploma films ahot on 35mm except Whistling Woods International, Mumbai. The diploma film usually is like between 10-20 mins, but then it depends on the student. You can definitely chip in a few more bucks and make a longer movie.

At my film school- L.V. Prasad Film and TV Academy- it's a trimester patter- total 6 trimesters in 2 years. we started off with HDVs- shot 3 projects on it. By the end of the first year we were shooting on S16mm- so that was 4 projects in the first year. Second year we shot a documentary on HDV followed by a music video on S16 and the final diploma on 35mm. Apart from this we have the daily practicals. In the third trimester- every day, you would be having practicals on S16mm- Arri SR2 and the second year you would be working on 35mm- An Arri3 in your practicals.

FTII, Pune and SRFTI, Kolkata are too very similar but their's a three year course.

Arun whereabouts are you located? Tried accessing your website, not working.... do write to me- write2z at hotmail.com

Arun Gopalan · July 22, 2010

Arun whereabouts are you located? Tried accessing your website, not working.... do write to me- write2z at hotmail.com

Hey Benzi, I am based out of Pune-Mumbai and currently working on projects in Pune, Mumbai and Chennai. The web hoster is currently carrying some upgradation stuff thus putting the site offline. Should be up in a day or two. That's how a free hosting service works.. :|

And yes Mr. K.Hariharan- a very senior and respected person in the field- has been LVP's Director from day one. He's a walking encyclopedia (you can talk to him for hours on literally anything and everything)! As students we feel it's our privilege to have a person like him around as our teacher! :)