Certificate in Documentary

Certificate by Institute of Moving Images Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi View Contact

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Learn: Documentary Film Making

Category: Film Making & Television

Age Group:	Above 18-   Years
Eligibility: (Pre-requisites)	- Minimum age of 18 years. - 10+2 / HSC / A-Level or equivalent level of education. Graduation is preferred.
Medium of instruction:	English

Documentary Filmmaking: A rewarding career for creatively vigilant & social minded
As a form of social commentary and entertainment, documentaries have never been so popular and relevant as they are today. The industry for documentary film is really booming.

Now with the tools of the trade financially accessible to all, documentary production is limited only by the reservoir of ideas and story telling skills one has at his or her disposal. The digital revolution has ushered in a new era of documentary filmmaking with high quality portable cameras and non-linear digital editing systems available to a growing community of documentary filmmakers.

Even the advent of Reality Television has taken the entertainment potential of documentary technique and documentary style story telling to new heights. When combined the emerging outlets for documentary on ever increasing news channels and the hunger for reality based programming on national entertainment television, we are truly experiencing a documentary revolution.

or the creatively vigilant and social minded, our six month long intensive Certificate course on Documentary Filmmaking offers an opportunity to dive right in to this cutting-edge art form through hands-on experience in documentary filmmaking. For students with little or no documentary filmmaking experience, this course provides a comprehensive and in depth study of the subject.

They learn not only how to research the subject, write a documentary script, operate camera or edit a film. They learn how all the aspects of filmmaking relate to, interact with, and depend upon each other.

This course aims to equip students with artistic and technical knowledge of documentary filmmaking covering a curriculum in core areas: conceptualization, visualization, preproduction, dramaturgy, interviewing techniques, shooting strategies, lighting, camera operation, sound and editing- while giving them the opportunity to gradually develop their creative talent through production of tightly schedule 6 documentary films of increasingly sophisticated and more complex in their ambitions,

Thereby placing them under same strict time constraints they will encounter in the professional world and thus, teaching them discipline and efficiency of world of documentary filmmaker.

By the end of the course, each student has an experience of working on close to 20 films.

Hands-on experience on latest cutting edge equipment

Our all student films are shot on actual locations. The equipments which our Documentary Filmmaking course student uses are comparable to that of the leading Film Schools in India provide for the production of their student films.

Each student gains a thorough proficiency with different camera types including Sony DV & HDV for camera work and editing experience on non linear AVID Xpress HD. The final Certificate films are made on broadcast level Sony DVCAM and post production on Final Cut Pro.

At the conclusion of the course, students final documentary films are celebrated in the IMI screening- open to Press, crew, friends and family. Students retain the copy of digital master tape of their finished film to include in their demo reel- the ultimate calling cards. Upon successful completion of the program, each student receives a Certificate in accordance with industry expectations. The students are also offered work experience opportunities on IMI Diploma films.

IMI's Certificate Documentary Filmmaking program simply gets the ball rolling for the students who wish to start full time independent career in documentary film making. Students gain fast track entry in News Channels as assistant producer. The program truly builds a strong foundation for working way up in the Reality Television.

 

Who Should Apply

• Creatively vigilant and social minded

• Can commit six days a week for six months

• Have sincere passion for Cinema & Art of Filmmaking

• Willing to work under pressure of deadlines

• Have spirit of collaboration and inquisitiveness

• People considering serious career move into documentary filmmaking

• Print journalist who are looking for sound basis before switching over to TV journalism

• Want to build a strong foundation for working way up in the News Channel or Reality Television

• Applicant of all nationalities and background with minimum age of 18 years (average mid 20s)

Admission Criteria

• Students applying to Institute of Moving Images come from a wide-spectrum of educational backgrounds. What we are essentially looking for is raw talent and new voices with something to say. Graduation is preferred. However, minimum eligibility is a 10+2 / HSC / A-Level or equivalent level of education

• No previous experience of filmmaking required. However, a strong instinct for the grammar of visual story telling is preferred

• Admission purely on merit. Applicants merit & creative potential are evaluated on the basis of their response to three aptitude test questions listed on the admission form and performance at interview. For more detail, go to Admission requirement page

• The need to follow and understand the intensive course of lectures and high pressure of group work make it imperative that all students have a satisfactory knowledge of English language

 

Course Curriculum

Course Outline

The first term curriculum of the Documentary Certificate course is identical to that of the Filmmaking Certificate course.

Term One: A Foundation in Filmmaking
The term one of Documentary filmmaking course is cross-disciplinary and gives students a thorough grounding in the basics of filmmaking. You will learn the history & grammar of cinema, script development stages, shot breakdown, visual continuity, production management, basics of camera skill exposure control and lenses, editing principles through lectures, extensive hands-on workshops and immediate directing experience. From the first day of the class, students are behind the camera.

For us, learning by doing means requiring each student to make a series of documentary films. This takes them through the entire process of documentary filmmaking. Their work is constantly assessed critically by their teachers who are industry professionals. The student applies the experience gained through this process to the next project, and the learning process continues.

First term is extensively intensive. Students work in units of five with each student works on 15 film projects, 3 of which he or she directs him or herself on series of assigned topics.

Projects:

1. Tribute to Lumiere

Students are challenged to produce their single shot, first film as a tribute to Lumiere Brothers- inventor of Cinema on a subject of any social / cultural issue. Each student is expected to write a script, direct, shoot and edit a film without any cuts and sound for a duration of up to 60 seconds.

2. Observation Film

Students are challenged to record life "as it happens" rather than staging scenes or interviewing, using multi shots and sound. Students are challenged to observe the subject closely and find the most effective shots, camera angle, image size, focal length and editing pattern. Each student edits and designs sound track for a film of up to 3 minutes.

3. Character Film

Each student produces a visual portrait of an extraordinary or extremely ordinary person, maintaining visual continuity of action, movements and eyeline between the shots . Each student directs, shoots and edits a film of up to 5 minutes.

 

These film exercises serve as a practice and foundation for more complex and ambitious projects in the second term where students take all the aesthetic decisions, solving problems similar to those faced by professional units. The difference in curriculum starts from second term with major concentration on non fiction filmmaking technique.

Term Two: Non-fiction Filmmaking Techniques
In second term- the aesthetic, technical and craft skills of documentary filmmaking techniques are further honed in the core areas- documentary history, dramaturgy, research & interviewing techniques, shooting strategies, practical demonstration of location lighting, camera operation, recording sync sound on location and different editing style, drawing upon a rich pool of international and national award winning documentaries crossing themes and genres i.e. docudrama, television reportage, current affairs stories, travelogues, corporate and educational films, personality-based, historical, cultural and social issue documentaries.

Projects:

4. Social issue Film

Extensive use of research, interview and narration are the building blocks for this project. Student are expected to provide a fresh perspective to a local issue or document a local story that has larger implications. Each students writes, shoots, directs and edits a film of up to 7 minutes.

5. Reality Show

Working in a group, students will produce a pilot episode for an original reality show, using documentary techniques learned throughout the first and second term. Students will be challenged to structure a show with real people or issues for entertainment television. Team projects may be of up to 10 minutes in length.

6. Independent Documentary

The culmination of six month intensive documentary progamme is a final film of student's own choice. Through extensive research, writing and planning, each student produces a certificate documentary film of up to 15 minutes of length.

By the end of both the terms, students finish working on close to 20 films & 6 of them are independent projects. This is in parallel and intersecting with the classes which cover theory & strategies for documentary filmmaking.

 

Subjects

Film Theory
The class surveys the theory and grammar of cinema. A lecture series and critical workshop defining the elements that make narrative filmmaking effective and important. In it students will have a forum to stretch and exercise creative powers, practicing newf ound filmmaking evaluative skills.

Overview of 35mm SLR stills cameras
This is essentially the study of Camera basics- Using SLR stills camera to demonstrate body shutter, view finder, film transport mechanism.
Lenses: focusing, focal length and aperture.
Film stock: size, reversal/negative, speed (ISO), daylight & Tungsten
Use of Camera: choosing the lens, framing, focusing, setting the exposure
Exposure: what is it?
Aperture, shutter speeds, film sensitivity, how it is measured? Incident light, TTL meters.

Scriptwriting for Documentary
Research and writing are essential to documentary filmmaking. This class takes students the process of researching and writing a documentary treatment, script, voice-over commentary and project proposals.

Politics, Society & Cinema
The subject explores impact of politics on society historically. Film as the voice of a society and its ideas are examined in the popular films, advertising, ethics, censorship and globalization from psychological, political and sociological perspectives. The use of in-class discussion, lecture and screen studies of early days of Hollywood through global cinema in the silent and sound eras, and new cinema of the "third world".

Producing the Documentary
The producer of the documentary often has the private creative voice of the project. In this sense, students are the producers of all the film they make during the course. This class introduces students all the professional procedures of documentary and non-fiction filmmaking. Students have to practice basic production management skills including production scheduling, budgeting, obtaining location permission, organizing crew and production needs, copyrights and distribution.

Behavioral Science
The class introduces students to the psychology of self-evaluation, self-motivation, self awareness and self focus. It provides proven methods in adapting to new environments and reducing anxiety. Students are also introduced to technique of time management, organizational skills, active listening and producing effective presentation.

Documentary Craft
Student will explore the history and evolution of non-fiction filmmaking technique as it applies to students own projects. Individual and group projects are introduced; various interviewing techniques and shooting strategies are devised for different genre of documentaries. The film exercises are screened and criticized by the instructor and students in Documentary craft class.

Camera Operation and Lighting
The subject introduces students to the art and operation of various camera types including traditional film formats and advanced high definition by providing an in-depth overview of terminology, camera structure and camera operation. In hands-on classes and production workshops, students learn to operate and maximize the functions of DV, HDV, DVCAM and film cameras. Subjects covered include composition, focal length, shutter speeds, apertures, frame rates, filters and scene menus.

Lighting classes introduce students to type of light, contrast ratio, colour temperature. It gives demonstration and practical exercise in lighting techniques including basic electrics, health & safety, clamps and stands, diffusion and reflectors.

It further teaches students how to make use of available and natural light on outdoor locations as well as traditional studio lighting for indoor situation.

Sound Recording
The subject trains students in all the essential elements of sound recording and designing. They gain knowledge of live-sync sound, microphone technique & boom operation, role of sound effect, track laying, music and film mixing.

Editing a Documentary
Documentaries and non-fiction content film often find their true form in the editing room. This class will teach students the fundamental principles and different style of editing with AVID Xpress HD. Students also study basic engineering for post production, digital video effects, compositing, color correction and edit lists. Sound designing technique, Music/ effect track laying and mixing is also covered. At the end of the course, teachers guide them through the process of editing their final projects on Final Cut Pro.

Screen Studies: Director Strategies
Each week a director or a group of documentary films are selected and analyzed from the point of view of the complex pattern of directing strategies it reveals, set in the context of technical possibilities, the directors other work, and the possible & impossible options presented by film, cultural and social history. Across six month, there are more than 100 different classes.

Final Project
By the end of semester, students are exposed to various facets of advanced Documentary filmmaking including on traditional film or high definition video. Students develop and produce their own projects using advanced technology and their final documentaries are celebrated in the IMI screening- open to Press, crew, friends and family.

Students retain the copy of digital master tape of their finished films to include in their demo reel and are free to submit their work to film festivals in India and abroad.

Upon successful completion of the program, each student receives a Certificate in accordance with industry expectation.

 

The Certificate Filmmaking program at IMI start twice a year which means you can choose when it is best for you to begin your film education. The dates below represent the day instruction start for the program. Students come from all over the Asian countries to attend IMI program, so start dates fill up quickly. Applications are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Course dates

June intake 2014

Last date to apply : 15th March 2014

Interview Date : 02nd June 2014

Course Commencing : 30th June 2014

Course Duration : 6 months +1 month internship

Class Timing: The classes are held Six days a week
10AM to 5PM - Classroom instructions & Screening

Students are expected to work additional hours daily, outside the normal teaching hours including on weekends for on-location shooting or editing exercise.

 

Certificate Features

• 6 month / Six days a week

• Certificate program- total 900 hrs of tuition

• Vocational multi-disciplinary course

• Filmmaking Certificate program recommended for practical training in Filmmaking

• Documentary Certificate program should appeal to creatively vigilant and social minded

• Comprehensive & rigorous education

• Fast paced, intensive learning

• Small group with excellent tutor-student ratio

• Average 15 students

• No prior experience of filmmaking required

• Practical training by industry professionals in all key discipline of Filmmaking process

• Each student works on close to 20 films projects

• Sony DV & HDV for camera work

• Editing experience on non linear AVID Xpress Pro

• Independently makes 6 short films/documentaries and crewing in 15 other films in supporting roles

• Professional assessment and feedback

• The final Certificate film on Sony broadcast level camera and Documentary on DVCAM.

• Post production on Final Cut Pro

• On successful completion of course, a Certificate & demo-reel of final film are awarded

• Selected films/documentaries submitted to festivals

• Work experience opportunities on IMI

• Diploma films

• Students gain fast track entry for Assistants jobs in the entertainment industry

• Builds a strong foundation for working way up in the Film & TV industry

• Opening in TV channels for Filmmaking students as in-house creative/production team

• Documentary students start full time independent career

• Documentary students also get employed as an assistant producer in News Channel or as an assistant in Reality Television

Welcome to the Admission Process at IMI.

Institute of Moving Images is open to applicants of all nationalities and background with minimum age of 18 years who are seriously interested in the field of professional filmmaking.

The average age of students is in their early twenties, but the range is wide and we welcome applications from older students also.

To be eligible for the admission in any course at IMI, graduation is preferred but not mandatory.

IMI admission policy recognizes that there will be some outstanding applicants with backgrounds in other disciplines and work experience including those without standard graduation degree. What we are essentially looking for is raw talent and new voices with something to say.

The general category of applicants apply for admission in IMI are those who have not yet had any production experience but who have a history of creative interest in film, theater, writing, painting or in still photography.

Admission is purely on merit.

Applicants merit & creative potential are evaluated on the basis of their response to aptitude test questions listed on the admission form and their performance at interview.

The entire admission process at IMI is free of stress and straightforward as possible.

Just browse the pages step by step.

To avoid any last minute rejections of your application for technical reasons, please go through all the pages carefully before filling the "Application Form for Admission."

Classroom - Full Time (Group Size: Below 16 - )
When	Duration	Where	Remarks	Price
30th June, 2014 (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM)	6 Months (Total 900 Hrs)	All Venues	Class Timing: The classes are held Six days a wee... more Class Timing: The classes are held Six days a week. Students are expected to work additional hours daily, outside the normal teaching hours including on weekends for on-location shooting or editing exercise.	Price On Request

Classroom - Crash/Intensive (Group Size: Below 16 - )
When	Duration	Where	Remarks	Price
30th June, 2014 (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM)	6 Months (Total 900 Hrs)	All Venues	The classes are held Six days a week. Students are... more The classes are held Six days a week. Students are expected to work additional hours daily, outside the normal teaching hours including on weekends for on-location shooting or editing exercise.	Price On Request

Pune, Shivaji Nagar (Head Office):- MA Building, Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics Campus (Deemed University), 846 Shivaji Nagar, Pune - 411004, Maharashtra, India


Pune, Deccan Gymkhana (Branch):- MA Building, Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics Campus (Deemed University) BMCC Road Deccan Gymkhana, Pune - 411004, Maharashtra, India


Kolkata, Ballygunge (Branch):- Alliance Francaise du Bengale (Indo-French Cultural Centre) 217, A.J.C. Bose Road, Beck Bagan Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Mumbai, Dadar West (Branch):- Ravindra Natya Mandir, P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy Next to Siddhi Vinayak Temple Dadar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

New Delhi, Mandi House (Branch):- Shri Ram Centre of Art & Culture, Shafdar Hasmi Marg Near Mandi House Metro Station Mandi House, New Delhi, Delhi, India

Institute of Moving Images

Though we are the Filmmakers of today, you are the Filmmakers of the future. Our primary mission is to do everything in our power to launch you - the next generation of Filmmakers, into the Filmmaking business with a profound sense of excellence, a brimming self-confidence in your abilities and a passion for movie-making poetry.

Institute of Moving Images is an intimate and innovative film school for high standard of practical training in all key areas of filmmaking with latest equipments. It is very independent film school run by non-profit Moving Images Educational Trust, recognized by Government under Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950.

Located inside a sedate green, sprawling campus of a reputed university in Pune, IMI provides an interesting backdrop for concentrated study of filmmaking and to shoot student exercise films.

We select only those students who are the raw talent and genuine potential. We have very high expectation of our students and demand 100% commitment from each of them.

Today, we can proudly say many of our alumni are employed in prestigious Film Production Companies & Television Channels. But the fact remains that no one is ever hired in the film industry on the basis of mere paper qualification. This is our faculty of high profile, award winning and established film professionals, who often come straight from their movie set; teach students how to succeed in this
competitive field since they know better how the film industry works.

Success in film industry is a matter of right skills, attitude & confidence- this is what IMI provides to its students.