Studying cinema abroad is a rewarding experience, Shazia Shaikh elaborates on filmmaking skills that can be learnt from international film schools
Sound design
The sound designer plans and provides sound effects to films. Sound designers and composers study the script and work on developing the kind of music that will fit it. Some directors know exactly what kind of music should be placed in their film while others rely on the sound designer for their assistance with developing the music and effects to be used in specific contexts. Would you be pleased if you wasted your hard earned pocket money on a film with poor sound or music? A sound director, therefore, must be able to place accurate sound effects in the required places, in order to increase the effect the film will make on the audience.
Study it at: Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, USA; Vancouver Film School, Canada
Gone are the days when engineering and medicine were the only two viable career paths. Today, among the extensive career options the youth have, filmmaking is becoming a favourite. Interest in the fields of editing, animation, screenplay writing, direction and acting have been gaining rapid momentum. After all, who wouldn’t want a career in an industry that hardly faces recession?
Cinematography
The role of a cinematographer is one of the most crucial in the making of a film. The manner in which a film turns out on-screen is heavily dependent on the cinematographer. Handling the camera, capturing the right shots from the right angles, and thus, coming up with the desired product for the viewers are done by cinematographers. Cinematography holds a key position in today’s film industry. It is the art of smart cinematography that sometimes manages to make up for directorial glitches, thus improving the quality of a film.
Study it at: International Film School Sydney, Australia; Hong Kong Baptist University, China
Study Film in India
Flim and Television Institute of India, Pune
Whistling Woods Institute, Mumbai
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida
School of Arts and Aesthetics Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Direction
Responsible for bringing to life a script, it is a film director who artistically and technically manoeuvres a blueprint – a script – into a full-fledged film. While it may seem like a walk in the park after a certain film has been watched, it is a serious, nerve-wracking process that takes time, patience, skill and sheer talent. The director shapes the film by understanding the script, visualising it, and being able to get the actors into the skin of the characters they’re portraying. As a director, an individual needs to dig deep into the screenplay to feel the script as though its events are unfolding in front of your very eyes. A director also thinks about the script cinematically. Since direction cannot be mastered overnight, choosing the right institute is important.
Study it at: Beijing Film Academy, China; New York Film Academy, USA
Scriptwriting
As the name suggests, screenwriting or scriptwriting is the craft of writing scripts for films, television and radio shows, video games, etc. Revolving around the telling of stories, a screenplay is the first step in the movie making process. Therefore, a screenwriter has a major role to play as far as direction of the film goes.
Screenwriting is closely linked with the concept of ‘show, don’t tell.’ As opposed to merely telling a story, it is the screenwriter’s job to portray versatility of characters, depiction of emotions and fit each person into the mould of the film. The role of each actor, the events encircling their lives, etc, all need to be envisioned appropriately in order to come up with a captivating script.
Study it at: Bournemouth University, United Kingdom; University of California Los Angeles, USA
Editing
A major part of the post-production process, editing involves working on recorded footage. Editing fine tunes every shot and scene in a film to render a greater amount of finesse. It also combines or deletes selected scenes to come up with the final finished product. Poor cinematography coupled with poor performances by the actors can lead to a disastrous outcome for a film that might otherwise have been able garner critical accolades. But a skilled and a creative editor can assemble the film so that the audience will never see these imperfections. Thus, the hefty sum invested in the production along with taking the film through the post-production process, till it hits the screens, entirely rests in the editor’s hands. That is something a good editor must manage to pull off efficiently.
Study it at: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School, Poland; CityVarsity School of Media and Creative Arts, Johannesburg, South Africa
Volume 4 Issue 1
