Cinematography Course

Training/Coaching/Tuition by Digital Academy Mumbai View Contact

Starting from: INR 2,69,663 Per Course (Plus 12.36% Tax) Request Info

Very simply the invention of the movie camera in the late 19th century started the miracle called Cinema. From extremely basic hand-cranked devices to the extremely sophisticated film and HD cameras of today-the history of cinematography is synonymous with the history of Cinema itself.

The persons looking through the viewfinder, controlling aperture, focus, shutter angle and lighting are the magicians called Cinematographers.

As Sven Nyquist, a world-renowned cinematographer puts it "The art of cinematography is nothing but the art of painting with light". But artistry apart, Cinematography is also a highly technical field. A good Cinematographer needs to know the physics of optics, the chemistry of laboratory processing, the electronics of video cameras and the mathematics of exposure. If ever there was a profession that married science and art, it is the profession of Cinematography. It is the Cinematographers who become the "eye" of the Director, transposing his/her vision into unforgettable images that leave an indelible impression on our minds.

The students doing the Cinematography Course at Digital Academy-The Film School, are not only given hands-on practical training in film and digital cameras along with extensive lensing and lighting practicals, but are also given a rigorous input in the aesthetics of image making.

We prepare our students doing the Cinematography Course to be able to perform in all kinds of shooting conditions, be it the studio floor, the exterior space or a combination of interior and exterior lighting conditions.We also train them to work as part of a collaborative team and be able to communicate with the Director and understand his or her requirements fully.

Instruction Module

Basic Still Photography
Cinematography derives most of its technical and artistic skill from the knowledge of still photography. It is through still photography that students understand basic ideas like framing, exposure, shutter speeds, depth of field and lensing. By learning to use the still camera well, students actually create for themselves a solid foundation of theoretical and practical knowledge, which they can build upon as they go on to movie cameras.

History - Cinema and Cameras
Students are introduced to the art of Cinematography with its history and shown films in various genres. This encourages open discussion and also an exchange of ideas between the faculty and the class. Cinematography and its skills in the absence of present day technological advancements is a good way to learn how many optical effects were achieved through simple means without sophisticated gadgetry.

Visual Eye
The Cinematographer is the 'visual eye' of the Director and hence it is indeed essential that both are on the same page. The course stresses on this aspect and conducts workshops to help cinematographers co-relate with the director's vision. The Cinematographer needs to understand the mood and context of the screenplay which should eventually transpose itself into a unique visual style. It is the Cinematographer's job to create a visual narration that communicates eloquently.

Lensing
Lensing is directly connected to the emotional response of spectators. It is the lens that decides the image magnification, the depth of field, the area of coverage and the plane of focus.It is also the lens that helps us capture the subtle variations of light and textures. Students discover the artistic fundamentals of shot taking and are taught how lensing is the most crucial aspect of mise-en-scene as well as shot break down.

Lighting
Lighting is different for diverse mediums and hence there are different lighting techniques for still photography, film and television. The parameters along with techniques of each are explained in detail.Students are taught to set up the shoots themselves and work on the textures of light. Students are given inputs in both indoor and outdoor lighting to enable them to respond to any kind of challenge in their professional life.

Shooting on Film Cameras
In this module students are taught how to use and operate 16 mm and 35 mm cameras.Getting used to operations like panning, tilting, tracking and zooming along with familiarization with magazine changes, film loading and using variable film speeds and shutter angles form the sum and substance of this module.

Videography
When the image is acquired electronically, instead of the usual optical process then it is called videography. Students are taught the nitty gritty of how video signals are generated, amplified and recorded. They are also brought into contact with information about the various formats and resolutions in which video exists today. Apart from inputs in DV CAM, multicam setups, they are also given inputs into high end cameras like Red and various other HD cameras capable of 2k (film) resolution and the knowledge of 2k film transfer.

Shooting for Chroma
Whenever it is found necessary to create a composite shot using two or more separate shots, the techniques of keying, matting and frame blending are used. Students are taught how to light up green/blue screens meant for chroma key effects and also give in inputs about matting and blending techniques.

Digital Intermediate and Colour Grading
Students are given inputs as well as taken on study tours to make them cognizant of the latest Digital Intermediate (DI) and colour grading technology with the popularity of 2k projection and high end colour processing, an exposure to the complete workflow of Cinematography is a must.

Projects

P1: Lensing, Framing and Composition
Knowledge of still photography finds its use by extension, in the motion picture camera. Students are taught concepts like perspective depth of field, depth of focus and lens speed by physically showing the changes in an image by changing the prime lenses or by changing the focal distance in a high-resolution zoom lens. Connected to the idea of lensing is the aesthetics of framing and composition. Appropriate aesthetic inputs are given to show the direct relationship between lensing, frame composition and emotions

P2: Camera and Gear options
Students are given hands on training to enhance their skills in camera operations like focus pulling, panning, tilting, fluid head movement, using track trolleys, cranes, jibs and steadicam harnesses.

P3 Camera Movements and Continuity
Having learnt the basics of framing and composition the students then move on to learning about continuity and camera movement. In a series of exercises in increasing order of complexity starting with two characters in movement to four characters in movement across multiple zones in a single space, the students learn the basics of handling space and movement. Attention is paid to the requirement of maintaining directional continuity as well as the devices by which such continuity can be broken.

P4 Mise-en-Scene
Cinematographers need to know Mise-en-Scene as much as Directors. The ability of a cinematographer is to design a shot not only to give information functionally but also to do it in a way that creates 'meaning'. The students are taught the use of props, character movement, camera movement, composition and lighting - All combining to create a cinematically meaningful shot. The exercises are again graded in increasing order of complexity starting with two characters and ending with four.

Final Project:

In the final project, cinematography students collaborate with direction course students form units and shoot a film upto 10 minutes on DV CAM format. As a final culmination of their learning at Digital Academy-The Film School, Cinematography students in this project are tested for their ability to find the correct visual rendition of a narrative and also on technical matters like consistency of lighting, consistency of tonality, focus pulling and exposure. The students are encouraged to shoot in exterior, interior and mixed conditions.

The final project films are edited in the Digital Academy editing studios and the entire sound post-production is also done in the Digital Academy Audio workstations.

The completed films can be taken by the students as their showreel along with the earlier practical projects.

The Digital Academy Student Benefit

• No previous knowledge needed.

• Study of various Film, DV and HD cameras.

• Exposure to multi camera set-up, lighting and shooting.

• Lighting and camera operations for motion picture and television.

• A fine balance of theory and practicals.

• Additional shooting sessions on floors.

• All shooting facilities in-house.

• Shooting on Digital, HDV, DSR 450, D55, Red, 16mm & 35mm Arriflex cameras.

• Students take the self composed, shot and processed film as their demo reel which they shoot in association with the Direction students.

In short, a cinematography student from Digital Academy is ready to be absorbed as a certified Cinematographer in any entertainment stream.

Note:- Curriculum subject to change

Faculty

We have professionals teaching our course – some of whom are mentioned below.
Any one or more of the experienced faculty can be assigned to a course batch.

Prasantanu Mohapatra

Prasantanu Mohapatra is a practicing cinematographer, who has graduated from from FTII, Pune. His passion is making documentaries, both as director and cinematographer. So much so that he uses the documentary approach and skill in shooting his feature films too.

His taste and trial into the world of cinema began from a dark room of the only photo studio in his small suburban home town, followed by a brief stint as a sub-editor in a vernacular daily. He has shot three features, innumerable documentaries and corporate films as well as ad films as on date.

His latest work is an Odiya feature "Kebe Tame Naahan Kebe Mun Naahin" successfully doing the rounds in theaters now and a Marathi movie is in pipeline - both on the digital platform.

He received an accolade of best cinematography for the feature "The Last Monk" from Amity International Film Festival, New Delhi in 2007. His projects fetched many more awards, the latest being the national award for "Best Biographical Film 201” - a documentary "NILAMADHAV" on the famous Hindustani vocalist Dr Sunanda Patnaik.

Mr. Tanmay Agarwal

Mr. Tanmay Agarwal has done his specialization in Motion Picture Photography from FTII, Pune. He has worked as a Cinematographer for serials like “Talaash” and “Ankahee”.

He has also handled operativecamerawork on “Rendezvous with Simi Garewal”, an acclained talk show for Star TV. He has won several national and international awards for his short film “Aftershocks”. He also won the National Award in the short fiction category for his film “Still life”. His documentary “Zindagi Andhere Ke Saye Mein” bagged him an Indian Red Cross entry at International Symposium on AIDS, Toronto.

Mr. Dev Agarwal

Dev’s passion to capture the fleeting moments and its beauty was seeded early when he was in school. He went on to complete his photography course from Society of Photographers, Kolkata in 2001. He then graduated with B.A in Mass Communication and Film Studies from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata and has done Post Graduate Diploma in Cinematography from the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.

Now Mumbai is the city where he lives and work as a freelance Cinematographer / Director. He had worked with eminent Indian as well as International Artists and Theatre Directors. He has shot many documentaries, short fiction and corporate films.
He had shot with Discovery channel for a Travel & Living show filmed in South- East Asia (Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand & India).

His other work includes films for Reliance, Glenmark, Borosil, Hindustan Construction Company. He is the Creative Head at Purple Haze Films, and is directed a Non-Fiction Film titled “Unheard Voices and notes to myself” produced by Public Broadcasting Service Trust.

Mr. Anirban Lahiri

Born and brought up in Kolkata, Anirban Lahiri grew up with the silver screen magic of Chaplin, Walt Disney and Ray. Later, as part of the Undergraduate programme at Jadavpur University, he got the first inkling of how to read a film as a cultural text. While doing Masters in Comparative Literature, the passion for film-viewing led him to learning the major European languages so that he would be able to watch the films without subtitles. The same passion goaded him to join a second Masters degree course in Film Studies and to take basic training in photography and animation.

After a few stints in local channels as Producer, Lahiri joined L V Prasad Film & TV Academy, Chennai at his future mentor Sunny Joseph’s behest. While studying there he assisted Mr Joseph in a couple of films, as well as assisted the other noted teacher Mr Balu Mahendra in some of his independent works.

After passing out, Lahiri worked on several documentaries and corporates for some time. While working in a film with Mr Indraneel Mukhopadhyay, one of the topnotch Bengali DOPs in Kolkata, he chose to join Digital Academy for an experience in film-teaching.

Lahiri is also a regular film-critic, writing mostly for the web-portal DearCinema, of which he is an Associate Editor. He is a trained vocalist with specialization in Tappa. Besides cinema, music and books, the other three activities he delves deep into are travel, martial arts and Science writing.

Mr. Satish Bhatia

Mr Satish Bhatia graduated from FTII Pune in the year 1967 and started working as a head of the Film and Video Camera department of Doordarshan Mumbai and Delhi.

Mr Bhatia has worked as a cinematographer with reputed directors such as Hrishekesh Mukherjee, Raman Kumar, Simi Garewal, Kundan Shah etc and also has worked on News Sports and Current affairs programmes for various international television networks like Transtel(Germany), Rosselini and Associati (Rome), Sports Satellite Broadcasting( U.K.)

He has also directed and photographed more than 100 documentaries and corporate films like Raj Kapoor, India's Rajiv, World Heritage Series "Taj Mahal".

Mr. Rafey Mahmood

After completing his BA in Economics, Modern History & Political Sciences MA in Mass Communication,Mr. Rafey Mahmood went on to do a Post Graduate Diploma in Cinematography from the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune.

Having worked in the media industry for many years he has been the Director of Photography (DOP) for feature films like ‘Mithya’, ‘Mixed Doubles’, ‘Raghu Romeo’, ‘Katha Don Ganpatraoanchi’, ‘Journey to Mecca’ (an upcoming IMAX film produced byCosmic Pictures) and many more. He has also done the cinematography for acclaimed short films like ‘Tarana’, a 35mm Non Fiction Film on Indian Classical Music, which won the Golden Lotus Award for the Best Non- Fiction Film at the National Film Awards, and many more. He has shot around 400 Commercials for Advertising Agencies, like JW Thompson, Grey Worldwide, Mc Caan Erikson, O&M, Leo Burnett, Mudra.

He has won the Radio & Press Advertising award (RAPA) in the year 2007 for ‘Best Cinematography’ in an Ad Film for Bose Audio Systems.

Career

Television, video, and motion picture camera operators produce images that tell a story, inform, entertain an audience, or record an event. Making of commercial quality movies and video programs requires technical expertise and creativity. Producing successful images requires choosing and presenting interesting material, selecting appropriate equipment and applying a good eye and a steady hand to assure smooth natural movement of the camera. Technical expertise, a "good eye", imagination and creativity are essential.

Cinematographers need good eyesight, artistic ability, and hand-eye coordination. They should be patient, accurate, and detail-oriented. They also should have good communication skills, and, if needed, the ability to hold a camera by hand for extended periods.

Employment of Cinematographers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in the near future. Rapid expansion of the entertainment market, especially motion picture production and distribution, will spur growth for camera operators. In addition, computer and internet services provide new outlets for interactive productions. Cinematographers will be needed to film made-for-the internet broadcasts such as music videos, digital movies, sports, and general information or entertainment programming.

Mostly starting as apprentices to well-established cameramen, the rise to the top need not necessarily be slow and steady for aspiring Cinematographers. All it takes is one independent job to be noticed and the sky is then the limit. Remunerations are modest for apprentices but leap in quantum measures as one's artistry and uniqueness is recognized. Cameramen are highest paid technicians in any film unit. A career in Cinematography is a career of adventure, excitement, good remuneration and extreme job satisfaction.

Fees

Fees for Indian Citizens Inclusive 12.36% service tax

INR: Rs 2,69,663/-
10,000/-On admission
32,500/- Before batch starts
32,500/-Within 1 month (PDC)
32,500/-Within 2 months (PDC)
32,500/-Within 3 months (PDC)
32,500/-Within 4 months (PDC)
32,500/-Within 5 months (PDC)
32,500/-Within 6 months (PDC)

Scholarship Fee Plan for Indian Citizens Inclusive 12.36% service tax

INR: Rs 2,24,719/-
10,000/-On admission
27,000/- Before batch starts
27,000/-Within 1 month (PDC)
27,000/-Within 2 months (PDC)
27,000/-Within 3 months (PDC)
27,000/-Within 4 months (PDC)
27,000/-Within 5 months (PDC)
27,000/-Within 6 months (PDC)
25,719/-Within 7 months (PDC)

Fees for International Students Inclusive 12.36% service tax

USD: 4450

Full Fees to be paid on Admission

Digital Academy

Digital Academy was the result of a simple thought; to introduce the art and craft of cinema to passionate minds.

We firmly believe in going the extra mile for all our students and hence placements are an integral part of our program. Our well-placed network has enabled us to set our students in ace film and television production houses. And it is pure pride that we wear seeing their success.

At Digital Academy we compete with ourselves to set new standards. And because we believe we can, we always achieve, for a goal is only unattainable when you give up trying. So if you have a dream, come to us and we will make it real.