When you talk about the Film and Television Institute, the first name that comes to the mind is the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), which is located in Pune. And although its among the best Film & TV institutes in India, its not the only Film & TV institute in India. There are a few more, albeit not as popular as the one that is located in Pune.
What Makes Them So Popular
These institutes focus on the technical aspects of film making and are like the IITs among engineering colleges. There are very few seats on offer to students every year, and there’s fierce competition to get admission into these colleges.
- These are government aided so there fees are very nominal (compared to what the private film schools charge)
- They have sprawling campuses so it feels like a big university
- The courses are lengthy (3 years) so it allows the students to complete immerse in the subjects of their choice.
Focus on Technology
These colleges focus on the technical aspects of film-making, so the specializations are in subjects like photography, cinematography, sound engineering, video editing & Film-making.
If you’re looking for specialization in acting, you have to look somewhere else.
Students Learn Film-making
Although the specializations are in the technical topics, you do get to learn about film-making & film-appreciation. The first year has a common syllabus for all the students, where they learn about film-making and what constitutes good cinema.
Students are shown movies, and then every frame is discussed in detail — what makes it a great shot, why did a particular shot came after the earlier one, and so on.
Locations in India
In India, you have the following film and television institutes.
- Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune – The best one in the country
- Government Film & Television Institute, Bangalore
- Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata
- Biju Patnaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha, Cuttack (BPFTIO)
- M.G.R. Government Film and Television Institute, Chennai
How to Get Admission
Just like the engineering colleges, you have to appear for entrance exams, go through group discussions, and give interviews. You must have completed (10+2) years of education in the science stream.
Is it only for science students? Yes, because you require basic understanding of maths and science for these courses. Adjusting focal length, how will the light impact the pictures, sound engineering, decibels…these all require some background of science/maths.
What After College?
So how do the students manage to find work after finishing their courses?
They still have to put in the efforts to get in touch with people, production houses for work, as there’s no concept of campus recruitment. Fortunately for them, because these institutes are held in high-esteem most students manage to find work in the film & television industry.
Some of the top cinematographers in India, such as Anil Mehta, Binod Pradhan, are from the film & television institute of India. So the best thing to do is to get in touch with your seniors and they will help you get placed or at least point you to the right set of people.
