FTII introduces cinema, TV courses

PUNE, DEC 18: Racked by agitation by students since 1996, the Film and Television Institute of India FTII has been for the past two year...

PUNE, DEC 18: Racked by agitation by students since 1996, the Film and Television Institute of India FTII has been for the past two years setting its house in order. The premier government institute had suspended admissions since 1997. Now, come February 1, 2000, FTII is all set to roll once again with a thoroughly revamped syllabus that caters to excellence in film making, whether cinema or TV.

Sweeping changes have been made to the style, modalities and execution of the courses. For one, the course is no longer a three-year diploma graduate course. The new system consists of a single term of one year for each of the distinct courses offered and each of the courses is independent with certificates issued at the end of each course.

Earlier a certificate used to be issued only after successful completion of all the three years of the course, just as in three-year degree course in BA or BSc and such other disciplines.

Under the new system three courses are being offered: Basic Course in Film andTelevision, Certificate Course in Specialisation Films and Television and Diploma in Films and Television. Each of these courses will be highly concentrated within the duration of 40 weeks.

Each course is a separate entity and the student can leave after successfully completing a given course. The primary qualification for the Basic Course in Film and Television is a graduate in any discipline.

However, if the student seeks to specialise in Audiography in the next course, i.e. Certificate Course in Specialisation, Physics as a subject at the 102 level is required.

Only those who have successfully completed Certificate in the Basic Course are eligible for the Specialisation Course. Similarly, a certificate in the Specialisation course is mandatory for the Diploma course.

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Eighty students are admitted to the Basic Course. In the Specialisation Certificate course, 12 seats in each of the four areas of specialisation are offered: Direction, Cinematography, Audiography and Editing. Unlike in the past,both films and television are covered in each area of specialisation. A student is then eligible to take a diploma in the discipline undertaken in the Specialisation course, which again comprehensively addresses both cinema and television.

Explaining the concept, Mehboob Khan, deputy director of academics at the FTII, said: quot;The basic course can be viewed as a 102 level general course in all aspects of film and television making. With that a student can directly join any film or television company at junior levels. The specialisation course can be said to be a highly concentrated graduate level programme. The diploma can be viewed as a post-graduate acquisition in the given discipline. A unique feature is that skills in both cinema and TV are taught. One who acquires a diploma is a complete professional in the chosen discipline.quot;

Khan says another major feature is the use of the latest in IT and the use of computers right from the Basic course and advanced computer-generated packages for editing,audiography, animations, special effects etc are integrated in the courses giving a cutting edge to the mastery acquired in the various courses. quot;The courses are so designed that after the Basic course, a student can start working as film technician. After completing the Specialisation course, one can directly become an assistant in the given discipline. After the diploma, the student is capable of handling his discipline independently,quot; Khan said.

Khan says that as a matter of policy, it has been decided to re-introduce acting as a discipline in the coming years though no time frame has been fixed as of now.