Film & TV

Hi Sawstik!
To get into film industry, first and foremost thing is to clear your 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board of education like CBSE, ICSE or equivalent. You can then apply to one of the film making institutes to pursue direction, acting, script writing, editing or cinematography; whichever field of specialisation you want to pursue. The courses can be pursued at UG as well as PG level. Following are some of the great film making colleges in India:
1. Film and Television Institute of India, Pune
2. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata
3. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
4. Center for Research in Art of Film and Television, Delhi
5. Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida

Hi,
While TV correspondents and correspondents for print have many similarities, what makes the TV reporters different from those in print is their confidence in front of the camera. Not only should a TV correspondent be accurate (especially if he/she is LIVE) and have current affairs handy (which the print ones can still sit back and search on the internet before sending their final report), but also ensure excellent speaking skills.
A TV correspondent should be confident enough to face camera and should know the tricks to keep a check on his facial expressions when facing the camera. All of this can be learnt practically - either during internships or during graduation/post-graduation courses in journalism and mass communication. Also, the TV correspondent should have the skills to take in breaking news as and when it comes - especially on live TV.

In order to make a progress and become an art director, you need to enhance your professional profile. Here are few important steps you should follow.
1. Acquire required skills
Here are the most required skills employers are looking for, prioritized by their importance, based on the analysis of thousands of Art Director's job posts:
- Photoshop
- User interface design
- HTML
- Illustrator
- Typography
- InDesign
- Adobe creative suite
- CSS
- Photography
Start with evaluating your current skill set and identify your missing skill.
There are many relevant online and offline learning resource out there, to gain these missing skills.
2. Stay updated with the latest industry updates. Read relevant articles and professional material to gain as much relevant knowledge as you can.
3. Grow your professional network. Get connected with Art directors and with other key players from the industry. Here are few effective ways to do that:
Attend relevant meetups. Attending meetups is a way to get to know people from the industry, grow your network and to ask questions and get advice. You can find relevant meetups here: Art Directors Meetups
Join relevant LinkedIn groups. LinkedIn groups are a great way to meet relevant people from the industry and to create initial connections. Here are few groups that may interest you
Art Director Group
Graphic designer and art director
Get connected with relevant people in LinkedIn.
4. Use your existing network to locate relevant people who can mentor you and give you professional advice and lead you to become an art director.
5. Try to gain relevant experience. Consider taking projects (even for free), or even a short internship.

New media is known to be the new platforms of assimilation, circulation of Information and entertainment. We can take internet as the referred new media here.
Film, Television and New Media form the trinity of the whole landscape of media industry. When this is done through a course, a media job must be preferred rather than going for a higher studies option.
You may think of opting for higher studies if only- the completed course mentioned above does not have the capability to get you a job. It means the course you have done is not from a place which gets jobs. A vocational course or a course in such fields should be done for the purpose of a job only and this involves a hands-on profile.
If one has an interest in making a career based on higher studies and has inclination towards teaching or research, there is no end to higher studies in that case.
Choose a job if it comes with strong scope otherwise, higher studies are the suggested option.

The hierarchy or the organizational set up of an advertising agency keeps both these profiles and do have a different scope of work as well as a profile for them.
A copywriter is a person who writes. This writing is of scripts of jingles for audio or video advertisement. This may be the text of a printed advt. material. The copywriter is responsible for composing the concept and bringing the words that make the best impact and create a brand of the advertised product.
The art director is the person who does an altogether different but comprehensive work than a copywriter. It is the art director who designs an advertisement of print or audio or video.
The art director is primarily the leader of the set up of shooting set where a TV or video commercial is shot. This way, a copywriter is someone who composes things in sync with the Director and Art Director's Concept and plan.

The degree of Bachelors in Mass Media aka mass communication or journalism and mass communication gives a foundation to the skill sets and knowledge to enter the media careers. There are specialisations offered through B.Sc and other technical degrees in the domain of mass media only where you may get more of direction and film-making learning.
However, I am on one to say that the degree of BMM is less capable of taking you to accomplish your dream of becoming a film director.
I shall suggest and share that a specialisation will always be needed. The course of film-making and production or degrees done from institutes like FTII or Whistling Woods or from AAFT or IIMC have the potential to lead you to the aim you are pursuing.
Go ahead and don't stop from doing the course that you are determined to. My advise would be to choose a good institution where film-making is preferred.

Camera and light management skills are fruitful to get to the technical jobs into film making or professional videography or photography in India and abroad.
While thinking of jobs abroad check the two major concerns that may hurt your prospects outside India:
1. The certificate is recognised and acknowledged in that country.
2. You gain such skills that even if the certificate course is just an elementary level thing, still the course serves its purpose to convey your skills and expertise of the camera skills and the lighting skills as well.
These two domains are complementary to each other but are kept aside for the sake of specialisation.
In India, government jobs are there in documentary production with private channels or Doordarshan. It should be appreciated that a course titled as documentary production shall have limited offerings if the nomenclature does not match the approved requisites.
In other countries, the technician knowing camera and lighting has an ample number of jobs once the person is able to break the ice and is able to develop a trust with the employer.
A proper, impressive, as well as professional portfolio of the work is needed as an example.

A course in camera handling/videography and light management (shooting and of stage) skills are one of the main components of film making careers.
I shall assume that the above course is an introductory level course where the person has learnt the basics and foundation have been created. It is also noteworthy that the course in camera shall involve - not all cameras - that are actually used in the field. To know all that one will certainly need one of the two:
1. A place to work where the skill and learning enhancement is an integral part of the working
2. A place to pursue higher degree where the previously learnt skills are enhanced via teaching, practice and live projects.
When available, the option 02 shall be kept as a priority. But unfortunately, we do not get many institutions that take the skills higher.
The professional course is done to start an occupation and earning. Hence, it is suggested that the camera and lighting course person should search for healthy opportunities to work in job. If that does not succeed then the time must be used to pursue higher studies in any field.

To become an actor one needs to possess the following characteristics:
1. Competence to take fictional roles
2. Truthfulness in learning the role play
3. Flawless diction and multiple language skills
4. Experience and the best possible in theatre
5. Formal training in acting if possible
6. Knowledge of film making and direction nuances
Along with the above basic requirements to become an actor in films and for the acts of theatre as well, I can suggest that an actor needs to perform the role of others so, the actor needs to have a keen observation as well as adaptability skills which come to action within a fraction of a second.
Presence of mind along with the determination to perform the task of getting into the flesh of others should be done with through practice by the actor.
Aristotle gave the following elements of drama which are the lifeblood of acting:
Plot, character, diction, thought, music and spectacle.
The fulfilment of these has to be done with the above-mentioned qualities.
I shall mention that an actor needs to be physically good looking because the acting needs to be good.