The FX School Filmmaking course is an intensive course that requires students to make as many as 5 short films or projects to earn their Certificate!
Through its powerful Filmmaking Program, FX School has been creating a unique brand of professionals that are making their mark in the film and media industry. FX School students have worked on as many as 8 feature films while pursuing their filmmaking course. These include Ab Tak Chappan 2, The Attacks of 26/11, 3D film Bhoot 2, Ragini MMS, Not a Love Story, Dongala Mutha and Department. Students have had the opportunity to work with eminent production houses such as Ram Gopal Varma Films, iRock Media, Viacom18, Satellite Pictures and Balaji Telefilms.
FX School offers 11-month Advanced Certificate courses comprising four modules and a Professional Certificate course comprising a 3-month Professional Film Project (PFP) module where students gain access to dedicated professional grade equipment and facilities to produce a high quality short film that will function as their calling card to enter the industry as filmmakers.Click here for More Course Info
Advanced Certificate in Filmmaking
Course Content
Module 1: Foundation in Filmmaking
FX School's intensive Filmmaking Foundation gives students a thorough understanding of the craft of filmmaking. Through theory classes and practical projects, students acquire a technical understanding of cinematography and editing. Students learn how to visualise and story board their ideas. Students are also introduced to the history and aesthetics of film techniques with examples from popular films and world cinema. Acting classes enable students to learn about an actor's process and how to direct actors. Students also learn about the role of Photography, VFX and CG in Filmmaking. Over the duration of themodule, students make two short films.
Course Outline
- Overall Introduction to Filmmaking
- Introduction to Camera Operating - technical settings and understanding of DSLR Cameras
- Introduction to Cinematography - using the technical aspects of the camera to shoot a story with a certain style. Understanding basic angles and coverage
- Pre-Production and Production of a short film
- Post Production: Editing Software, Settings, Editing a film, Color Correction
Module 2: Specialisation
At the Specialisation level, the course strengthens the student's technical skills acquired in Foundation and develop creative skills. It provides further depth into the technique and craft of cinematography, editing and sound. In this module, students shoot and edit anon-narrative film, which can be a music video or a documentary or an ad.
Course Outline
Film Visualisation: Students will learn to develop ideas, visualize their ideas and shoot their films. They will work in teams and form crews
Cinematography: DSLR camera, lenses, introduction to lighting, framing, composition, exposure, solving real-life challenges
Editing: Organizing footage, understanding software and settings, editing students' films, color correction, sound design and exporting
Sound: Recording on-location sound and processing post-production sound
Modules 3 & 4: Pro Module Options
After successfully completing Foundation and Specialisation, students can choose from the following combination of Pro modules:
- Pro Writing & Directing: Writing & Direction I + Writing & Direction II
- Pro Cinematography:Production-Post Production + Cinematography Pro
- Pro Editing: Production-Post Production + Editing Pro
Writing & Direction Pro Course I
Students focus on the language of cinema to tell a story that is their own. Through exploration of concepts of screenwriting, script breakdown and editing aesthetics; through constant script development and analysis exercises mentored by the faculty as well as extensive discussions in which students analyze each other's scripts and provide feedback; Students begin to realize their directorial vision. Further, an exploration of the history and aesthetic of noteworthy of World Cinema, exposing students to films which they might otherwise not be familiar with, aims at making them "cinema literate." During this module, students write and direct a short non-dialogue film.
Course Outline
Screenwriting:
- Three Act Story Structure
- Setting, Characters and Conflict
- Industry Standard Screenplay Format
- Thinking in Visuals Instead of Words
- Anatomy of a Scene
Script Breakdown:
- Cinematic/Visual Language
- Breaking a Scene into Shots
- Analysis of Scenes of Significant Films from Hollywood/World Cinema
Editing:
- Basics of Continuity Editing
- Basics of Montage
Cinema Appreciation:
- Students are exposed to the best of World Cinema, thereby widening their cinematic vocabulary, expanding their horizons and possibilities
Writing & Direction Pro Course II
In this module, students now integrate the spoken word into their arsenal of cinematic skills, thereby reaching a certain level of maturity as filmmakers. Through extensive in-class theory and practical exercises, students develop further the discipline of screenwriting and directing, making them more prolific, efficient and skilled at the craft. The goal of this module is to thus enable students to acquire the skill-set required to become professional Assistant Directors and eventually, Directors. During this module, students write and direct a short film with dialogues.
Course Outline
Directing Actors:
- In-class exercises dealing with casting, rehearsing and extracting performances
Use of Dialogue in Cinema:
- Show it, don't tell it: How to use dialogue correctly as an appendage to the visual rather than a replacement for it
- How to write effective conversational dialogue
- Dialogue as voice-over
- How to use off-screen sounds and words
- When not to use dialogue. The beauty of silence: the dramatic pause
- The beauty of abstract/poetic monologues
Production-Post Production
This module combines in-depth theory and a practical understanding of cinematography and editing to give students essential skills necessary to become camera persons/editors in the industry. This module encourages the making of aesthetic cinematography showreels in addition to developing creative editing skills. During the course of this module, students shoot and edit Cinematography reel or a short theme-based film.
Course Outline
Cinematography:
- Filming Methods and Perspectives
- Filming Sequences for Framing, Continuity and Exposure
- Sensors, Depth of Field and Exposure Latitude for HD Cinematography
- Advanced Lighting and Exposure Techniques: Understanding Grey Scale, Manual Exposure, the Zone System
- Digital Shooting Formats
- Introduction to Grips
- Script Analysis for Visual Treatment & Camera Blocking
- Advanced Camera Technology and Functions
- Color Theory, Grading, Transcoding and Workflows
Editing:
- Exploration of the basic creative skills necessary for presenting footage for cinematography or editing students
- Rhythm, Abstract Structuring, Advanced Transitions and Basic Colour Correction
- Understanding the Production to Post-production Pipeline
Cinematography Pro
The Cinematography Pro module provides in-depth training in handling the RED Scarlet camera. It also focuses on helping students build showreels that showcase their cinematography skills and technical expertise.
Course Outline
- Introduction to the DSMC System: Understanding the modular capabilities of the RED DSMC system with various monitoring, lens, and mounting options
- Menu Structure: A complete overview of the camera menus and options
- Best Practices for shooting Motion and HDRx, Panning speeds, Artifacts
- Science of RED: Bayer Pattern, Resolution, Codec Choices, Wavelets and Color Science
- Understanding Metadata
- Exposure Dynamics: Shooting RED in low light, high contrast and daylight exterior
- R3D Workflow
- Editing and Grading Options
- Data Dynamics: R3D file management, archiving, data rates and hardware options
Editing Pro
The Pro Editing module provides hands-on, experience-driven learning to students. The goal is to provide the student a thorough, in-depth technical understanding of the editing software, while applying these techniques for creative, storytelling purposes.
Students work with student footage as well as industry footage arranged for by the school. They edit a variety of different projects and thus acquire a clear understanding of the skillset required to become professional Editors and Assistant Editors.
Over the course of this module students edit a Thematic Mood Film, Trailer and a Structured Extract of a Narrative Film.
Course Outline
- Advanced Post-Production Techniques & Color Correction
- Editing Shortcuts, Workflows and Professional Practices
- Aesthetics & Techniques of Narrative or Documentary Films, Trailers and Advanced Mood films
- Soft skills for an Editor (Working with clients, directors, and other editors)
- A Creative Exploration to Motivated Rhythmn, Story Structure & Transitions
Editing Projects:
- Thematic Mood Film
- Trailer (Pitch trailer/Student Film Trailer/Deconstructed Trailer)
- Structured extract of a Narrative Film (Documentary or Scripted)
Professional Certificate in Filmmaking
Course Content
The goal of the course is to give students a platform to make high-end short films. Students gain access to dedicated professional grade equipment and facilities to produce high quality short films that will function as their calling card to enter the industry as filmmakers.
While working on their films, students have meetings at regular pre-determined intervals with the faculty to monitor progress.
Depending on their areas of specialization, students can choose one of the following.
Professional Film Project (PFP) for Directors Pro Course
Course Outline
- Screening and Analysis of Short Films from Different Film Institutes and Student Films of Major Directors
- In-depth Analysis of Short Film Structure
- Optimising the scale of production to maximize aesthetic value with minimal resources
Professional Film Project (PFP) for Cinematographers Pro Course
Course Outline
- Advanced Lo-key and Hi-key exposure techniques for soft skin texture
- ACES Workflow. How to integrate different camera formats i.e. Sony, Canon with Red Camera, using the ACES workflow
- Advanced Colour Grading Techniques on Da Vinci Resolve
Professional Film Project (PFP) for Editors Pro Course
<Course Outline
- Post Production Workflows and the Editor as a hub
- Da Vinci Resolve
- Davinci Resolve Introduction + Interface
- Davinci Resolve Technical Workflow (Conforming + Grade + Output)
- Advanced Color Grading in DaVinci Resolve (Visual Analysis + Work Environment + Ocular physiology for Color Grading)
New Batch Starts on 25th May
Student Work / Showreel / About Course
Faculty
C B Arun KumarEx-Academic Director, FX School
C B Arun Kumar was a founding member of FX School and responsible for creating and establishing its unique and powerful pedagogy which enables students to achieve world class results in an extremely efficient time frame.
He has been working in the Animation & Broadcast Industry in India since 1985 and has over 37 years of professional experience. He did his Masters from MCRC, Jamia Milia Islamia in 1989.
He has worked with TV18, Business India TV (TVI), Aaj Tak, Doordarshan, Vijay TV, Maya Entertainment and Pixion.
He worked on the first Indian 3D animation series, Jungle Tales (for Cartoon Network) with Moving Picture Company.
He was awarded the National Award for Best Director of an Animation Film (2005) for Kachua aur Khargosh.
Abhineet Gogne HOD Writing & DirEction
Abhineet Gogne is a writer, director, producer and editor, whose first Hindi Feature Film, DOORS, was selected for the prestigious Work-In-Progress Lab at NFDC's Film Bazaar.
Previously, Abhineet independently made short films that were screened/nominated at film festivals like Great Lakes Independent Film Festival, U.S.A., Regent Park Film Festival, Canada, Bricklane Film Festival, London, Short Film Festival of India etc. Abhineet has assisted director Kaizad Gustad, as well as National-Award winning directors Rahul Dholakia and K. P. Kumaran.
Onkar Agarwal Faculty
After earning his Diploma in Filmmaking at FX School, Onkar assisted Director Ashim Ahluwalia and worked at the production house -- Future East Film. He also worked on numerous Advertisement films and at Netflix as a Director's Assistant.
Onkar has directed 16 short poems for poet Gopi Warrier, a leading poet in Europe. He has also freelanced for major automobile brands including Kia Motors and NEXA in addition to a number of other production houses. His films have garnered 3 International Film Festival selections!
Karen Williams Faculty
"The art of story telling was something that prodded me early on, leading me down a roller coaster career journey that always made sense in hindsight. Whatever the medium... you will find a way to tell your story..."
An FX School alumnus, Karen began her professional career in the FXS Post Production team for RGV Films like Psycho and Department. She went on to work with Phantom Films on several projects and was an associate editor on the award winning film Queen. In addition she has worked on a variety of industry projects ranging from ads and trailers, documentaries, independent films and corporate films to wedding films. She also enjoys other aspects of the filmmaking process and constantly involves herself as a conceptual & storyboard artist/illustrator in different projects involved in preproduction & design.
Baidujya Saikia Faculty
I started my career with the intention of becoming an engineer. However, my first DSLR camera changed my direction in life, making me discover my passion for all things Art.
I shifted gears from Engineering to Computer Graphics, where I followed my love for playing games into actually making games. But it wasn't until an off chance excursion into photography that I discovered my true passion in life - Cinematography.
I learnt and mastered cameras such as RED, Canon DSLRs, Sony A7 series and Panasonic GH series. The projects I have worked on as a cinematographer include films such as Gandhi No Golmaal and Kalakaar, Ad films for Asian Paints and a web series, The Adventures of Abbaas Mastan for 'Arre'.Why FX School
- 100% Apple Mac labs and classrooms with a 1:1 computer to student ratio
- Faculty that comprises leading industry professionals with hands-on experience of what is taught
- Award-Winning Students & Alumni
- Internationally Trained Faculty
- Project-oriented curriculum that ensures you have a quality show-reel at the end of the course
- No Cost EMI Education Loans Available!
Student Achievements
Nikita DeshpandeDiploma in Filmmaking & VFX 2011
Stepping into FX School for the very first time is an experience on its own. The smell of the place, the light, everything reaches out to you. For the one year that I was here, the bar of visual creativity was always held very high up. Whether by seniors or members of faculty themselves. I loved that I could never be complacent there. That every time I did something, I earned a pat on the back. That there were ten things more waiting to be tried, tested, perfected.
As a filmmaking student, I was educated quite thoroughly: class assignments added to my skill sets, watching teacher-recommended movies made me recognize the elements of good cinema. But, above all of this, I was encouraged to further my learning in the best possible way: "go out and shoot"-something you'll find teachers telling you all the time. It made me independent, creative and taught me to troubleshoot.
Click here to view Nikita's on IMDB
Abhijit Kokate Diploma in Filmmaking, 2011
FX School made it easy to connect with various Directors and Production Houses in the industry. Although the onus was on us to foster the relationships that would lead to a successful career, the staff at FX School provided a 'foot in the door' that gave me an opportunity to prove myself. Thanks and Kudos to FX School for building the bridge towards my dream.
Click here to view Abhijit's credits on IMDB
Filmfare Awards Winner in 2015 for Best Editing, FX School ex-student Abhijit Kokate talks about how exactly the institute helped him get him to where he is today! Click here to watch the video
