Creative Career
Introduction: Two experts discuss prospects in filmmaking and animation.
(Source: Vijay Times, THEME EDITION, Page - 3.)
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal
One of those fine mornings you wake up and realize you want to be a filmmaker. You then buy a camera, spend a few days writing a script and then cast a few of your friends in a short film… suddenly it dawns on you that there is more to it than just putting things together. Yes, there is more, as the experts will tell.
Filmmaking is a composite art form that embraces technology to present a story at its enticing best. Films straddle different genres and integrate art forms like literature, drama, music and photography to come up with riveting stuff that enthralls, inspires, fascinates and makes you part of the drama that grips the characters on screen. Film Categories include documentaries, feature films, silent or talkies, animated films and others. Broad Avenues in Filmmaking relate to Scriptwriting, Cinematography, Direction, Editing, Acting, and Audiography.
Only a few years ago there was a very limited number of Film Schools. Today that number has expanded significantly; and there are hundreds of film schools that range from departments within larger universities, to degree specific schools, to online programs.
Rakesh Kumar, a Cinematography, who graduated in 2000 from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, joins us in conversation with Ila Gupta who works with Teamwork Films India, which engages in producing and directing documentary films and lifestyle shows and serials for television. Ila's job with Teamwork involves the creative concept, scripting, on location shoots, assembling creative and technical crew and all production.
Rakesh has assisted noted filmmaker Gautam Ghosh in his National Award winning films DEKHA and ABAR ARANEY and worked as Additional Cameraman in Mr. and Mrs. Iyer by Aparna Sen. He has also photographed the costliest film ever made in Bengali...ABAR ASHBO PHIRE(September,2004) while working as Director of Photography with Ravi Ojha. Rakesh has been the Director of Photography for the longest running Bengali serial EK AKASHER NICHE.
TEETHING PROBLEM
BOO: from the movie Monsters Inc
Rakesh: Entry-level salary for mass communication students who join production houses is above Rs.10,000/-per month. But for those who join as apprentice, you are supposed to work for a meager amount or even for free initially. The specialists who assist freelancers earn on daily basis when the work is on. The amounts range from 1,000 to 5,000 per day. And the observers might just get food during the shooting!
Ila: They will be low down in the food chain and if they prove themselves they could end up doing almost everything possible. Film units are notoriously difficult places to be. Exhausting work 24/7, stressful but incredibly exciting. How much you want to do is dependant on the person.
MY FIRST STEP
Rakesh: If we take film, television, graphics and animation etc. you have lot of openings. Opportunities are more in the editing/graphics side. And of course television channels and production houses are always on the look out for new talents. Its difficult to quantify the number of openings but yes every year the requirements for mushrooming channels and production houses is increasing.
Ila: Filmmaking and animation in Delhi is a tough proposition. There is little of this work available on a regular basis. Making a break in this industry is a challenge not meant for the faint of heart. If they are truly dedicated the avenues will open up including international productions, etc. They will need to be willing to start from the bottom of the food chain.
GOING INTO DETAIL
Rakesh: If you are from Film and Television Institutes like the one in Pune and Kolkata you are a specialist in Direction, Editing, Sound or Photography. The above two institutes are run by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. Besides there are few run by the state governments like in Cuttack and Chennai. You have universities offering post graduation in Mass Communication like the one in Jamia Milia Islamia University in Delhi. The general orientation of the film graduates is to work as specialist like photographer, editor or directors. The Mass communication students mostly join Television Channels and Production houses. They mainly supervise the programming section. The work is of general nature. Those who cant for some reason join these institutes can join either channels or production houses or the individuals (freelancers) as apprentice/observer. Their career growth depends on how they pick up the tricks of the trade. The struggling period ranges from four years to ten years in general. Initially every new entrant has to serve as assistants to some freelancer if you intend to be freelancer. One can join the Doordarshan if aiming for a Govt job.
Ila: Government has no opportunities whatsoever, and that's how it should be. There are individuals who work with a variety of international companies in and out of Delhi people like Deepika Gandhi, Annie Thomas, Anureeta, Dilip Shankar, etc who are sought after by international film and documentary producers to get together good crews for India based shooting. These are people who would be beneficial. For animation Moving Pictures is the largest studio in Delhi based in Noida.
GROWTH PROSPECT
Rakesh: The middle level for the freelancers is Chief Assistant to the boss. The per day remuneration is around Rs.5000/-. If you were working for channels and production houses you would be getting around Rs.25000/-a month. You are the Executive Producer in the middle level and the responsibility is to coordinate the production of various programs.
For senior level as a freelancer you would be earning Rs.10,000/-and above per day. For freelancers the main aim is to become Director, Director of Photography, Chief Editor or The Director of Sound Designing...as per your specialization. And for doing in-house jobs they become Creative Directors. The salary is above Rs.35,000/- per month depending upon your profile.
Ila: Salaries could start as low as a few thousand and then as they get better these could increase to being paid in dollars and pounds on a per day basis which normally is as per international norms. For someone who is excellent, dedicated, hard working, sacrifices their lives for the film, passionate it could be a short journey to the top.
Monsters Inc (Cast)
THE COMING YEARS:
Rakesh: The television industry is mushrooming. And it will keep on growing as per the recent trends. The film industry is not that stable. It sees its rise but nevertheless fall too. But films will continue to be the dream for every specialist. Many corporate houses are entering into the industry, which is a good sign. Also the corporatisation of the industry looks inevitable now. There is lot of recognition for the people who work is the industry. The word GLAMOUR is associated with it...hence we say "THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SHOW BUSINESS"...But cinema is a passion for many. Only passion-driven people should join it. It's a very demanding industry and a very closed one too. The employers depends more on the recommendations by the seniors and colleagues rather than your biodata. So you have to be on your toes all the time.
Ila: Indian film industry can only grow. But those seeking jobs within it will also grow as the perceived glamour and glitz takes over. There is something called the "struggle" period, where u struggle to make ends meet, you trudge from producer to producer from location to location till you get your lucky break and then it is up to you.
Like I said, in the beginning, there is more to it than meets the eyes, but when the hard work is done, and you have not given into the grind the benefits are huge... "There IS no Business like Show Business!!" Enjoy the ride.
(Source: Vijay Times, THEME EDITION, Page - 3.)
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal
One of those fine mornings you wake up and realize you want to be a filmmaker. You then buy a camera, spend a few days writing a script and then cast a few of your friends in a short film… suddenly it dawns on you that there is more to it than just putting things together. Yes, there is more, as the experts will tell.
Filmmaking is a composite art form that embraces technology to present a story at its enticing best. Films straddle different genres and integrate art forms like literature, drama, music and photography to come up with riveting stuff that enthralls, inspires, fascinates and makes you part of the drama that grips the characters on screen. Film Categories include documentaries, feature films, silent or talkies, animated films and others. Broad Avenues in Filmmaking relate to Scriptwriting, Cinematography, Direction, Editing, Acting, and Audiography.
Only a few years ago there was a very limited number of Film Schools. Today that number has expanded significantly; and there are hundreds of film schools that range from departments within larger universities, to degree specific schools, to online programs.
Rakesh Kumar, a Cinematography, who graduated in 2000 from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, joins us in conversation with Ila Gupta who works with Teamwork Films India, which engages in producing and directing documentary films and lifestyle shows and serials for television. Ila's job with Teamwork involves the creative concept, scripting, on location shoots, assembling creative and technical crew and all production.
Rakesh Kumar on his set
Rakesh has assisted noted filmmaker Gautam Ghosh in his National Award winning films DEKHA and ABAR ARANEY and worked as Additional Cameraman in Mr. and Mrs. Iyer by Aparna Sen. He has also photographed the costliest film ever made in Bengali...ABAR ASHBO PHIRE(September,2004) while working as Director of Photography with Ravi Ojha. Rakesh has been the Director of Photography for the longest running Bengali serial EK AKASHER NICHE.
TEETHING PROBLEM
BOO: from the movie Monsters Inc
Rakesh: Entry-level salary for mass communication students who join production houses is above Rs.10,000/-per month. But for those who join as apprentice, you are supposed to work for a meager amount or even for free initially. The specialists who assist freelancers earn on daily basis when the work is on. The amounts range from 1,000 to 5,000 per day. And the observers might just get food during the shooting!
Ila: They will be low down in the food chain and if they prove themselves they could end up doing almost everything possible. Film units are notoriously difficult places to be. Exhausting work 24/7, stressful but incredibly exciting. How much you want to do is dependant on the person.
MY FIRST STEP
Rakesh: If we take film, television, graphics and animation etc. you have lot of openings. Opportunities are more in the editing/graphics side. And of course television channels and production houses are always on the look out for new talents. Its difficult to quantify the number of openings but yes every year the requirements for mushrooming channels and production houses is increasing.
Ila: Filmmaking and animation in Delhi is a tough proposition. There is little of this work available on a regular basis. Making a break in this industry is a challenge not meant for the faint of heart. If they are truly dedicated the avenues will open up including international productions, etc. They will need to be willing to start from the bottom of the food chain.
GOING INTO DETAIL
Rakesh: If you are from Film and Television Institutes like the one in Pune and Kolkata you are a specialist in Direction, Editing, Sound or Photography. The above two institutes are run by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. Besides there are few run by the state governments like in Cuttack and Chennai. You have universities offering post graduation in Mass Communication like the one in Jamia Milia Islamia University in Delhi. The general orientation of the film graduates is to work as specialist like photographer, editor or directors. The Mass communication students mostly join Television Channels and Production houses. They mainly supervise the programming section. The work is of general nature. Those who cant for some reason join these institutes can join either channels or production houses or the individuals (freelancers) as apprentice/observer. Their career growth depends on how they pick up the tricks of the trade. The struggling period ranges from four years to ten years in general. Initially every new entrant has to serve as assistants to some freelancer if you intend to be freelancer. One can join the Doordarshan if aiming for a Govt job.
Ila: Government has no opportunities whatsoever, and that's how it should be. There are individuals who work with a variety of international companies in and out of Delhi people like Deepika Gandhi, Annie Thomas, Anureeta, Dilip Shankar, etc who are sought after by international film and documentary producers to get together good crews for India based shooting. These are people who would be beneficial. For animation Moving Pictures is the largest studio in Delhi based in Noida.
GROWTH PROSPECT
Rakesh: The middle level for the freelancers is Chief Assistant to the boss. The per day remuneration is around Rs.5000/-. If you were working for channels and production houses you would be getting around Rs.25000/-a month. You are the Executive Producer in the middle level and the responsibility is to coordinate the production of various programs.
For senior level as a freelancer you would be earning Rs.10,000/-and above per day. For freelancers the main aim is to become Director, Director of Photography, Chief Editor or The Director of Sound Designing...as per your specialization. And for doing in-house jobs they become Creative Directors. The salary is above Rs.35,000/- per month depending upon your profile.
Ila: Salaries could start as low as a few thousand and then as they get better these could increase to being paid in dollars and pounds on a per day basis which normally is as per international norms. For someone who is excellent, dedicated, hard working, sacrifices their lives for the film, passionate it could be a short journey to the top.
Monsters Inc (Cast)
THE COMING YEARS:
Rakesh: The television industry is mushrooming. And it will keep on growing as per the recent trends. The film industry is not that stable. It sees its rise but nevertheless fall too. But films will continue to be the dream for every specialist. Many corporate houses are entering into the industry, which is a good sign. Also the corporatisation of the industry looks inevitable now. There is lot of recognition for the people who work is the industry. The word GLAMOUR is associated with it...hence we say "THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SHOW BUSINESS"...But cinema is a passion for many. Only passion-driven people should join it. It's a very demanding industry and a very closed one too. The employers depends more on the recommendations by the seniors and colleagues rather than your biodata. So you have to be on your toes all the time.
Ila: Indian film industry can only grow. But those seeking jobs within it will also grow as the perceived glamour and glitz takes over. There is something called the "struggle" period, where u struggle to make ends meet, you trudge from producer to producer from location to location till you get your lucky break and then it is up to you.
Like I said, in the beginning, there is more to it than meets the eyes, but when the hard work is done, and you have not given into the grind the benefits are huge... "There IS no Business like Show Business!!" Enjoy the ride.
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