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Who is a Film Maker?
Film making is a science involving artists ~ Paul Freeman
A career as a film maker is the head of the film production involved in artistic and dramatic aspects along with the visualisation of screenplay while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. Individuals who opt for a career as film-makers play a key role in choosing the cast members, production design, as well as the creative aspects of filmmaking. In other words, the film maker can also be termed as the author of the film. Students can pursue Film Making, Visual Media, Visual Communication to become a Film Maker.
In this article, we will discuss, how to become a Film Maker in India, film maker role and responsibilities, film maker skills, film maker qualifications, film maker eligibility and career in the film industry in India. If you want to know more about a career as film maker, career in filmmaking in India then continue reading the article.
Film Maker in a Nutshell
Film making is an art performed by various creative people which can be defined as a creative and interpretive process that culminates in the authorship of an original work of art rather than a simple recording of a simple event. Individuals who opt for a career as film maker are required to envisage a way to translate a screenplay into a fully formed film and then realise the vision.
Film maker’s job descriptions include overseeing the artistic and technical aspects of the film. Filmmaker job description involves organising the film crew in such a way as to achieve their vision of the film and communicating with the actors.
Individuals who opt for a career as a film maker are required to possess skills such as group leadership, as well as the ability to maintain a singular focus even in the stressful and fast-paced environment of the production set. Students can visit FTII Pune and JNU Delhi to study film making courses. This article talks in detail about how to become a filmmaker in India or is film director a good career.
Quick Facts for Film Maker
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Industry
Entertainment
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Suitable for
Male, Female
The profession of a film-maker is suitable for everyone who possesses great artistic and film directing skills. A film-maker is someone who controls the artistic and dramatic aspects of a film along with bringing reality to the screenplay. The field of filmmaking is not something that asks for a specific gender. If anyone has appropriate talent and skill in addition to little technical knowledge of filming and cinematography, then the job easily fits.
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Any special needs
Yes
Film making requires a lot of field research and physical movement. It becomes difficult for physically challenging people to match the profession. Hence, it can be a cumbersome process for physically disabled people to get along with the work. However, for someone who is talented and passionate enough, one might be the right fit for a career as a filmmaker.
Table of Contents for Film Maker
What is the role of Film Maker?
Are you looking for the details on how to become a film maker in India or the film maker roles and responsibilities? then in this section, we will discuss it. There are numerous film makers who make an effective profession out of making ad films, short films, documentaries or even big-budget commercial movies. A career in filmmaking in India can at present still be an extremely fulfilling career. Other people who make extraordinary progress at an early stage in their professions become commonly recognised names and get many significant offers.
Most film makers will have a profession that is someplace in the middle of these two limits. Filmmaker job description includes performing additional roles such as producing, writing, or editing. Film-makers are also an important part of the post-production process. During film production, the film-maker is required to send ‘dailies’ to the film editor along with explaining the overall vision for the film or the particular scene, allowing the editor to assemble the editor’s cut.
Research work
The film maker roles and responsibilities begin shooting for the role, he or she is required to conduct research in order to study the detailed characteristics of the roles and scenes of the movie. For instance, a film maker must be familiar with the personality of the roles, only then one would be able to project it on screen.
Study
Before signing up for a film or show, a film maker is required to know the whereabouts of the film such as script, plot, theme, location, budget, and many more. A film maker is responsible for working closely with actors, other film makers, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
Planning
The role of a film maker is to check and approve all call sheets and shooting orders for the day’s work. They watch the rehearsal of the scene to be shot, device shot list with the film maker, choose the lens and composition, show to the film maker for approval, make sure of composition and movement, fulfill scene tasks, workout mechanical problems with the camera, crane groups, set any camera-movement cues, place stand-ins and rehearse and fine-tunes, ensure proper coverage of scene for the editor, work with an assistant director on background action.
Promotion
In a career as a film maker, one is responsible for promoting his or her film through interviews with the cast, stage shows, performances, interactions with the audience, and many others. A film maker is required to closely work and coordinate with the production house of the film in order to manage the promotions and strategies.
Types of a Film Maker
Below we have provided the types of a film maker or film maker career options.
Film editors: As a film editor, you are required to conceptualise, shoot & edit a variety of patient stories, along with the educational script, that drive the organisation’s objectives, often under strict deadlines, in an ever-changing production landscape, able to juggle various projects, including coordinating pre-production work.
Cinematographer: A director of photography, also known as a cinematographer, can be defined as the head of camera and light crews working on a movie, entertainment television production, news, sports, and or any other form of live production piece. These types of directors work include making artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The area is referred to as cinematography.
Film critics: Film critics and reviewers are the professionals who write essays or articles describing a movie's content and plot along with analysing its theme and evaluating how engaging the viewing experience was. The film critics are also responsible for interviewing film makers and actresses or other individuals involved in making/ producing a film. To perform their job, film critics usually take notes or create outlines during a film so that they can thoroughly and accurately write their reviews. They might also be required to research a subject or the technical details of a film.
Screenwriter: A screenwriter, also known as a scenarist, is a professional who writes screenplays for television, film, video games, and comics. Screenwriters are required to be good at writing, storytelling, and have a vivid imagination. The screenwriters love movies and television and think they have the passion to make it in this competitive industry. With hundreds of feature films, and dozens of television movies and weekly series produced each year, somebody must be writing screenplays. Read the entire article to know more about film maker in India.
What is the workplace/work environment of Film Maker like?
In a career in filmmaking in India are expected to work outside at real locations for most of the time. The film film makers working for big media productions sometimes work in big film or project sets. However, most of their job demands them to visit outdoor settings and stay there for as long as the shoot demands them to.
The professionals are also required to work under unfavourable weather conditions and late-night shifts are not something new in the industry. Depending on the project and the deadlines, film makers are sometimes required to work for months continuously in different sets of locations around the country or world.
Does Film Maker require travelling?
Likely
The career as a filmmaker requires one to work across various locations both countrywide and globally. Travelling is an essential part of a film maker’s work. Depending on the demand of script and production houses, the professionals can be working anywhere around the world.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
A career as a film maker is a full-time job. The film makers are required to make important decisions related to casting, budgeting and creative approach to the shooting. Hence, the professionals are required to work on shoot locations and stay there for days, even months, if required. The working hours are not fixed and there is no particular starting and shutting down time. It all depends on the script and production requirements.a
Employment Nature
Contractual
The film makers are required to usually work on a contract basis. The professionals are hired for a particular project and are required to work until all the requirements of the project are met. However, there are some production houses that hire film makers on a permanent basis to work on several smaller projects rather than a long-stretched film.
Work Place
Studio, Outdoors
On a usual basis, the film makers are required to work for 12-14 hours per day. The work hours can be extended depending on the requirements of the project. film makers work in outdoor settings for most of the time. They shoot in a real location which can be anywhere across the globe. There are no specific work hours. Sometimes, their work starts at night because of the demand for a script. Hence, the work hours vary from project to project. Quite often, they are required to work overtime in order to complete a shoot or meet a deadline.
Presence in Geographical Area
Urban
Almost every media or production house is based in Mumbai, making it a hub for acting. As a film maker, one is expected to work in Mumbai for at least one project. However, the odds are that one will be working in Mumbai for a lot of film making projects as the film city is situated in Mumbai and all the big banners and production houses have their head offices in Mumbai. The secondary cities for the cinema and filmmaking industry would be New Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Time Pressure
Likely
In the career as a film maker there is a lot of time pressure. That is one of the major reason why one has to work for long hours.
Overtime Details
A film maker has to do overtime in order to meet the needs of the producers. One has to deliver the work according to the time committed.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 60 Hours
On a usual basis, the film makers are required to work for 12-14 hours per day. The work hours can be extended depending on the requirements of the project. The film makers work in outdoor settings for most of the time. They shoot in a real location which can be anywhere across the globe.
How to become a Film Maker?
Steps to become a Film Maker
If you are someone who is amazed by watching movies and how every shot has been taken and loves movies, pictures photography or videography then a career as a Filmmaker is the best option for you. If you are someone who would love to pursue a professional career as a Filmmaker and looking for the details on how to become a Film Maker in India then below we have provided the steps for how to become a Film Maker in India.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Film Maker?
When it comes to the career as a filmmaker one must possess some film maker skills. Here are Some of the important film maker skills required in a career in filmmaking in India:
Technical skills: It becomes important to make sure that one is valuable, which means that as a film maker, one must have the technical experience needed to do the job right and do it well. It is not mandatory for candidates to be an expert in every element of film making, but it is sure important to have knowledge of what a good role, scene, the plot looks like and how to achieve it, which includes framing, staging, lighting, and the actual technology that should be used.
Creativity: Creativity is an essential part of a career as film maker, and it is impossible to make films without creativity. To make a career as a film maker, one is required to invest time in understanding the range of film making specialities. As a film film maker, one needs creative talent to be able to visualise the production of the film. From the very beginning of the film making process till the end.
Problem-Solving Ability: Career in filmmaking in India, they are required to work in many roles or movies, and it is important for them to be responsible for every task their position requires, they should be able to contribute to every section by understanding how their work is affected and affects the work of everyone around them. Film makers are required to act as a leader whenever necessary.
Communication skills: Irrespective of the industry one works in, communication is the key. But as a film maker working on set with countless other crew and cast members, having good communication skills is essential. Without the ability to communicate effectively, no amount of experience or acting expertise can help you bring a vision to life and effectively communicate a story. Effective communication makes sure that everyone working on the production is on the same page on and off the set, whether it includes explaining your own artistic vision or clarifying your role in creating a film.
Storytelling: Individuals who opt for a career as film maker spend hours, months and even years physically making a film, but there’s no way they can make a successful film without having the skills required for written and visual storytelling. It is obvious that not everyone can write a creative script and create the best storyboards, but everyone can surely foster the skills needed to understand, draft, evaluate, and analyze stories, along with written scripts, and wordless visual stories.
Popular Online Arts And Crafts Courses and Certifications
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Film Maker?
Internship Availability
Internships are a great way to learn and develop technical expertise in the industry and have a comprehensive understanding of all the filmmakers. The career as a filmmaker is a creative and artistic work, hence there are a lot of internship opportunities available for students aspiring to become professionals in the field of film making. These internships help the students to develop advanced skills and enhance their professional working skills along with developing a great portfolio.
Candidates can choose from a variety of internships available which require different work and responsibilities for different projects. In the internship, candidates can work as an intern assisting the camera production team, assistant director, assistant production controller, camera operator and camera assistant. The primary goal of internships is to teach the candidates about professional work in the industry hence it requires them to be extremely attentive, observing huge to little details applied in the field of film making. Read further to know more about how to become a film maker in India.
What is the job outlook for Film Maker?
A career in filmmaking in India is one of the most prominent majors offered in the universities that offer liberal arts courses, hence it is expected to get very competitive in future. More the experience in the industry, the more important and difficult it gets to be ahead of the competition. A career in filmmaking in India is expected to grow as much as up to 10 per cent in the upcoming ten years.
This rate of growth ensures that the competition remains fierce in this industry with new talent entering the industry every year and engaging in the field. The art of film making is not only limited to making fictional movies. Science and technology is also a wide area where the use of film making plays a crucial role. Moreover, documentaries and non-fictional series are becoming popular and there is a huge scope in that area. Scroll down to read how to become a film maker in India.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Film Maker
Que. How many hours does a film maker work?
Ans.On a usual basis, the film makers are required to work for 12-14 hours per day. The work hours can be extended depending on the requirements of the project. The film makers work in outdoor settings for most of the time. They shoot in a real location which can be anywhere across the globe.
Que. What skills do film makers need?
Ans.They are required to possess skills such as creativity and a passion towards producing quality films, as well as the ability to maintain a singular focus even in the stressful and fast-paced environment of the production set.
Que. How do you become a film director?
Ans.More and more schools are offering bachelor's and master's in film directing. Most film directors typically hold a bachelor's in film or a related field and have several years of work experience. They often begin their film directing career as a film editor, actor, or assistant to an established director.
Que. What are the top Film making colleges?
Ans.There are various government as well as private institutes which offer filmmaking courses. The top film-making colleges are World University of Design, SonipatRIMT University, GobindgarhAAFT University of Media and Arts, RaipurThunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, MalappuramLakhotia Institute of Design, HyderabadRamoji Academy of Film and Television, and HyderabadLV Prasad Film and TV Academy, Chennai.
Que. Is filmmaking a good career in India?
Ans.Yes, filmmaking is a good career in India. It is one of the most rewarding and competitive careers.
Que. Is filmmaking a good career in India?
Ans.Yes, filmmaking is a good career in India. It is one of the most rewarding and competitive careers.
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Did you know?
Fact 1
Titanic came out in 1997 when film reels were still the only way to project a movie.
Fact 2
Bollywood produces around 1000 films every year – almost double the output of Hollywood.
Fact 3
A standard reel of film that runs at 25 FPS is 1,000 feet long.
Fact 4
In the 1970s, India cinema overtook America as the world's largest film producer and the term 'Bollywood' was coined.
