Education in filmmaking can definitely up your game as a budding artist. Of course, it is an art that relies heavily on one’s creativity, education in the field can make it easier. The industry values those with experience or proof of knowledge, and a course in film direction gives you just that.
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Not only do you get a chance to do fieldwork, but also build your portfolio along the way. If you are wondering how to become a film director, have a look at this hand-picked list of some of the best film-making institutes in India.
1. Film and Technology Institute of India, Pune:
FTII is undoubtedly the first choice of most aspiring filmmakers. Set up by the government in 1960, it is also a member of CILECT, which is an international body of over 180 film schools.
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Having started with just three courses. It now offers eleven, including but not limited to film direction and screenplay writing, screenwriting for film, TV and web series, and cinematography.
FTII has brought up the best cinema marvels since its inception – renowned filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rajkumar Hirani and highly acclaimed actors like Shabana Azmi, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Rajkummar Rao to name a few.
2. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata:
It is named after the legendary Satyajit Ray – one of the best film directors of India. Set up in 1995, SRFTI is also a government institute. It primarily focuses on post-graduate courses in cinema. But also offers short term courses.
SRFTI boasts of nurturing creative minds in not just mainstream cinema but also parallel, art-house, experimental, and non-fiction narratives.
An alumnus of SRFTI, Sagar Ballary received critical acclaim for directing the Bollywood comedy-drama, Bheja Fry. Tridib Poddar is another alumnus who made it to the Cinefondation section of the Cannes film festival in 2002 with his short film, Khoj.
3. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai:
This film school was founded in 2006 by none other than Subhash Ghai, a top-notch film director of Hindi movies. Ghai, an FTII alumnus, has ensured that WWI prepares the students for the industry. The institute offers a perfect blend of in-class and on-set education, with a film studio, theatre, sound recording studio and production house.
In addition to being a member of CILECT, WWI is also counted amongst the top ten film schools in the world. It is truly an international school with students from all over the world with its curriculum being exported to other countries like the UK and Nigeria.
WWI has undergrad courses in film-making, a diploma in screenwriting and a masters in filmmaking with many specializations alongside acting courses and several others.
Actors like Aahana Kumra who starred in Lipstick Under my Burkha and Harnam Singh Sandhu who starred in the widely celebrated web series Made in Heaven are alumni of this film school.
4. Annapurna International School of Film and Media, Hyderabad:
Established by the prominent Akkineni family, AISFM is known as India’s first private non-profit media school. It started out in the year 2011, on the premises of the Annapurna Studios. With over sound stages and dozens of stunning outdoor locations and permanent sets, the students can get real-life practice.
With a range of bachelors and masters courses as well as short term courses in direction, production, scriptwriting, cinematography and more, it offers film-making courses for both beginners and advanced students.
The academy advisory board has the best names from Bollywood like Farah Khan, Karan Johar, Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi and more. These factors undoubtedly make AISFM one of the best film direction schools.
5. Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida:
AAFt is Located in Film City, Noida, with a campus sprawling across a massive 100 acres. It is the first choice of aspiring filmmakers in Delhi-NCR. It is a private institute that’s been functional since 1993 in the area of film-making.
Students can pick from different undergraduate and postgraduate level courses alongside short term courses in direction, cinematography, acting, post-production and sound editing.
AAFT is associated with over 120 feature films and 4500 TV programmes. Alumni like Piyush Ghosh, cinematographer of the Bollywood film Black has made his mark as a filmmaker. Ajay Bahl, director of BA Pass is another renowned name on that list. Arjun Kapoor, a well known Bollywood actor is also an ex-AAFT student.
Boney Kapoor and Anil Kapoor are part of the board of directors. And celebrated actors like Shahid Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui hold acting workshops here. It is a great choice for film-making enthusiasts who hope to make it to the industry.
In current times, online film direction courses can come to the rescue of young filmmakers. It is believed in the industry that you can be good at the art of film-making if you love movies just enough. So sit back and use this time to not just learn. But also watch good cinema and web series on streaming platforms like Netflix.
At the same time, if learning from experts is your preference, we have just the right person for you. Join Shashank Khaitan in his unluclass and learn from him first-hand the skill of film direction. The online direction class takes you through his journey and Khaitan shares valuable lessons in this course. Subscribe and learn direction online now!
