Film Making Course on Sundays from October to December '12

Admissions for the currant batch are closed. The next four months batch of film making will start sometime in January. Please call me at 9945192862 or mail me at manjushree.abhinav@gmail.com for further enquiries.

Learn to Film your Dreams at

FINAL CUT

Make your own short fiction films in four months on Sundays! 

FINAL CUT

Manjushree Abhinav, a film-maker, novelist and teacher, is organizing the fourth batch of the course in film making, from concept to screen, on Sundays over four months, in Bengaluru. Manjushree has taught at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, NID ( National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad), and Srishti, Bangalore.

This Weekend batch organised by Manjushree Abhinav has a great faculty, reasonable fees and a convenient location. It gives people the opportunity to learn film-making without leaving their jobs or studies.

So you can now follow your dreams while taking care of your responsibilities.

COURSE CONTENT

Creative Writing 

Since this course deals with fiction films, we would first tap the biggest reservoir of stories : an unblocked storehouse of memories and emotions. We will also understand the structure of the conflict-resolution story, and we shall dip into the Navarasas. The aim of the workshop is to dig out the blocks that hamper the sprouting of the creative juices and fuel the love of writing towards an intense and natural discipline. It will help the beginner as well as the writer who is stuck in the middle of a story, a script, a film….

Scriptwriting 

The story we have structured in the creative writing workshop, we will stretch out into an audio visual script. We will understand the elements of Scriptwriting: Characterization, Plot, Setting, Theme. Students will pitch their scripts to the batch, and a few scripts will be selected to be developed for shot breakdown and dialogues.

(Those who want to study only script - writing, the fees is rs 11600/)

Acting workshop 

It is only when we our-self get liberated from inhibitions that we can direct others. A theater professional will teach us that acting is not acting, it is much much less.

Introduction to Screen Grammar 

The various elements of shot-taking: Image Size, Camera Angles, Camera Movements, Lighting, Camera Speed, Stocks, Graphics, Colour. The Rule of Thirds & the Golden Points. Lenses. Depth of Field and Selective Focus. Maintaining continuity, the imaginary line.

Camera Practicals 

 Basics of how to use a digital camera will be followed by shooting a five shot exercise to understand the rules of screen grammar in a practical manner. A professional camera person will show us that cinema is a play of light and movement.

The Elements of Editing 

What we have shot we will now edit on final cut pro, an editing software. We will also talk about how the history of Editing is synonymous with the development of language of cinema.

Animation Workshop 

An introduction to Animation techniques, sketching, story-boarding and planning. Students will make a 10 sec animation in the method of their choice.

Making the short film 

 The final project of the course will be to make a short fiction film with a small group of students, depending on the script that is selected.

Here is one of the films we made in the last workshop. Its called , The Skipping Rhyme. An old man gets an answer to a deep question from a little girl : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9jPvErYrwM

CONTACT :  Manjushree at 9945192862. You can also email us at  manjushree.abhinav@gmail.com for more information.

VENUE : Bangalore Film Society, 4th cross, Thyagaraja Layout, Jai Bharat Nagar, Banaswadi, Bangalore.

DURATION :The course would span across four months of weekend classes, mostly on Sundays, from October to December 2012.

FEE STRUCTURE

The film making course includes creative writing, script writing, acting workshop, camera practicals, elements of editing, Animation Workshop,  and making the short film, during four months of weekend classes.

The total fees for this course was INR Thirty two thousand and eight hundred, (Rs.32,800/). If the fees is paid in one single installment, there is a whooping discount of Five thousand rupees, which means the total fees would be only Rs 27, 800/ -

The course fees cover the classes, the visiting faculty’s fees, the cost of making the student film, and study material like books and cds. A donation of Rs 500/- would be given from every student’s fees to a children’s charity.

DISCOUNTS  

1. To encourage women film makers, all ladies will avail a discount of 25 %!
2. Students will avail a 10 % discount.

Manjushree Abhinav’s Film making Course is right for you if you are:

• A Newcomer: The course would equip you to enter the Film and Television Industry as an assistant director or to make short films independently.
• A Mediaperson who’s learnt on the job: You would benefit from learning the basics formally and getting your fundas clear.
• A Professional who is already working in the Industry in another capacity: It would help you become a full-fledged director.
• From the Corporate Sector: The course would add to your qualifications since films are a very important medium of corporate communication & advertising.
• Animators will understand film making, which is an important aspect of animation.

The benefits of joining this Film & TV Direction Course are:

• SUNDAY CLASSES: Full-day classes on Sundays, so you can pursue your dreams without forsaking the responsibilities of your work or studies.
• WELL-DESIGNED SYLLABUS: More than 50% of class time would be devoted to hands-on film-making, so that you learn how to transform your ideas into films that light up the silver screen. While the course is practical-oriented, the theory portion would help you develop a sound understanding of the basics of story-telling and film-making. You will also be watching many world class films to appreciate the different aspects of the teaching. The visiting faculty will be from reputed institutes like FTII, SRISTI School of Art and Design, Chitra Kala Parishad, etc.
• STUDENT FILM: You would write and direct a short film. The cinematography and editing would be done by professionals from the Industry, which would be a great learning experience. It would also result in a well-made film which you can be proud of and use as your show-reel as well as submit to film festivals.
• STUDY MATERIAL : The students would be given:

1. Copies of important books
2. Scripts
3. Links to useful websites and free scriptwriting software
4. CDs & DVDs of some important films

• CERTIFICATE: You would be given a certificate at the successful completion of the course.
• FILM FESTIVALS: The student films made as part of the course would be sent to film festivals.
• DEMAND FOR FRESH VOICES: The Indian film and television industry is looking for fresh voices. With the diminishing appeal of the formula masala film, there is a demand for out-of-the-box thinking, for directors who understand the art and craft of film-making. It’s a great time to enter the field!

TEACHER’S PROFILE

Manushree Abhinav has authored a novel, ‘A Grasshopper’s Pilgrimage’.

She is a film maker. She has studied at FTII, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. She has made several documentary films, and taught various aspects of film making like scriptwriting, making documentary films, video editing, at FTII, NID (National Institute of Design), Ahemedabad, Srishti School of Art and Design, Bangalore.

She has also conducted several creative writing workshops at the Times of India Nalanda group, Bangalore, Ahemedabad and Mumbai. This is the third batch of film making workshops she is conducting in Bangalore.

She blogs at www.baktoo.blogspot.com. You can watch her films and read part of her book at www.storygram.in.

Acting Workshop in Mumbai by Jyoti Dogra

Explorations  through  the  self

A workshop for actors conducted by Jyoti Dogra

Jyoti is conducting a workshop, sharing theatre techniques and processes she has been working with for the past few years that have deepened and changed her understanding of what the work of the actor involves and the creative act at large.

The workshop will explore techniques that encourage you to create an inner dialogue with your self, opening up intuitive ways of reacting and receiving, moving away from learnt/taught ways of emoting and acting.

Through precise physical techniques you will be encouraged to access body memory (memories stored in the body that in day-to-day life are ignited unconsciously by a smell, a taste, a place, or a touch). Accessing body memory will allow you to make contact with the rich and vast store of personal stories and images hidden in your subconscious, and then we find ways to translate these impulses into physical and vocal actions.

The techniques explored will allow you to investigate and understand your very individual and specific way of expressing, and help you to form a stronger connect between ‘you the performer’ and ‘you the person’........ and how best to bring this connect into your acting work. This connect also allows you to inhabit a stronger presence, both in the body and in space.

While the approach of the work is physical in nature, the focus of the work is not body movement or flexibility. The focus lies in each participant accessing his or her individual inner resource which opens the self to a flow of images and associations which keep appearing, disappearing and changing. Our response and shaping of these lost memories, images and forgotten moments will become the material for each individual  participant to create their own performance work.

Dates: The workshop will be spread over five days
            Day 1: Sat 7th July (11am to 4pm)

Day 2: Sun, 8th July (11am to 4pm)

Day 3: Wed 11th July (5pm to 10 pm)

Day 4: Sat 14 July (11am to 4pm)

Day 5: Sun, 15th July (11am to 4pm)

Venue:  803, 8^th floor, Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Bhavans College campus, Andheri West.  

        

Fees: 5500/-

Workshop conducted by Jyoti Dogra.

For Registration and enquiries please call 9819488971 or email: explorationsthroughtheself@gmail.com

Jyoti is a Mumbai-based actor who has been working in film, television and theatre. In the past few years her theatre practice has moved increasingly towards making devised pieces which are not script-based, but use the self as a starting point. Jyoti has been training and working with techniques and acting processes which originally belong in the tradition of Grotowski's Laboratory     Theatre. Khalid Tyabji and Jola Cynkutis have been guiding her through work sessions, in interpreting, applying and understanding these techniques and processes.

She has recently been awarded a research residency grant by Prohelvetia to continue her research on voice and sound in Zurich. In 2011, Jyoti collaborated with Berlin-based video artist Bernd Luetzeler on a multimedia theatre piece called "K⁰" (K to the power of zero) based on Kafka’s writings. Between 2007-2010, she devised, directed and performed a solo performance piece called “The Doorway”. The work was a result of working with techniques and acting tools inspired in the Grotowski tradition, and was performed across India. The work received much critical acclaim. 

She has worked as an actor-teacher with the National School of Drama’s Theatre In Education Company. Some of the eminent theatre directors she has worked with are B. Prassanna, B.V. Karanth, Maya Rao, Barry John, Kanhai Lal, and Rehaan Engineer.

Links to reviews:

links to  K⁰ 2011

http://www.filmifunda.de/kafka-cctv.html

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-20/art-culture/29793966_1_franz-kafka-performer-video-footage

http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=289&source=1

Links to The Doorway 2009-2010

www.artslant.com/ind/articles/show/13257 - Cached

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/2853/opening-doors-freedom.html

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=Entertainment%20-%20Art%20&%20Theatre&sectid=134&contentid=20090415200904150237468803d54f390

http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_the-doorway-by-jyoti-dogra-is-poetry-in-motion_1376091

Links to Who's in town anyway? 2007

http://www.project88.in/neha_choksi/press/12_2007.pdf

http://www.project88.in/neha_choksi/press/13_2007.pdf

Links to Man to Man 2006

http://www.narthaki.com/info/reviews/rev387.html

Art and Craft of Screenplay Writing in Bangalore

Learn the Art and Craft of Screenplay writing in Bangalore over four Fridays, starting 22nd June' 12.

Course Content : 

• 1. Format of scriptwriting.

• 2. Structuring a screenplay : Plot points to Scene transitions.

• 3. Characterization and Dialogues.

• 4. Project : Writing a screenplay of a ten minute fiction film.  

  
  

Please note : Home work assignments would be checked on email.

Schedule : Class timings would be 11 am to 4 pm on Fridays, starting 22nd June'12,  in North Bangalore.

Contact : Call Manjushree at 9945192862 to register for the course. You can also mail her at manjushree.abhinav@gmail.com.

Fees : Rs. 7700 / -

Certificates will be given on submission of the project work.

Teacher's Profile : 

 Manushree Abhinav has authored a novel, ‘A Grasshopper’s Pilgrimage’.

 She is a film maker. She has studied at FTII, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. She has made several documentary films, and taught various aspects of film making like scriptwriting, making documentary films, video editing, at FTII, NID (National Institute of Design), Ahemedabad, Srishti School of Art and Design, Bangalore. 

She has also conducted several creative writing workshops at the Times of India Nalanda group, Bangalore, Ahemedabad and Mumbai. This is the third batch of film making workshops she is conducting in Bangalore.

 She blogs at www.baktoo.blogspot.com. You can watch her films and read part of her book at www.storygram.in.

 

 

Screenplay- Narration and Pitching Workshop in Mumbai

SCREENPLAY- NARRATION & PITCHING WORKSHOP

Learn the art and craft of screenplay- narration and pitching from eminent film
professionals like Robin Bhatt (Writer, Baazigar, Koi Mil Gaya, Krissh), Sanjay Chhel
(Writer: Rangeela, Yes Boss), Atul Tiwari (NSD Grad + Writer, Mission Kashmir), Jyothi
Kapur Das (FTII Grad + Creative Director, Development & Production, Viacom 18 Motion
Pictures) and Amitosh Nagpal (NSD Graduate + Actor, Dabang).

Please contact 9769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information

The Indian film and television industry is looking for fresh voices. With the diminishing
appeal of the formula masala film, there is a demand for out-of-the-box thinking, for writers who
understand the art and craft of story-telling. It’s a great time to enter the field.

But in the Bombay film industry, it's not enough to approach a producer or a film
star with a well-written script. Because people often don't read scripts. They ask for a verbal
narration. And a bad narration can mean that you, and your script, are shown the door. A
narration is a performance. But a very specific kind of a performance, in which you have to
narrate your script in a dramatic way, so as to make the listener 'see' the film in their minds and
feel emotionally moved by it.

Pitching a script is an art form, and although it can be stressful, it's something every
writer has to perfect before approaching producers, studio executives or stars. So what is
pitching exactly? A pitch is a dramatic verbal summation of a script with emphasis on the main
characters, the conflict, and the genre. It's a big help to have a great pitch prepared before you
contact industry personnel. You never know when you'll be called upon to sell your story or
how you'll be asked to sell it. In this workshop, you will learn to pitch, that is, what to say about
your proposed film and how to say it, in order to get the producer or star to say yes!

The practical-oriented workshop will have limited seats, so that attention can be given
to every student. There will be full-day classes on Sundays, so you can pursue your dreams
without forsaking the responsibilities of your work or studies.

DURATION
The course will be conducted as full-day classes on Sundays over 1 month.

VENUE
The classes will be held in an air-conditioned hall in Oshiwara, Andheri (West).

CERTIFICATE
The students would be awarded a certificate at the successful completion of the workshop.

FEES
The fees for the workshop would be Rs 12,700. They would be payable in full at the time of
registration.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Participants would be required to know the basics of screenwriting. Please note that the participants
would not be taught how to write scripts in this workshop, they will only learn how to pitch their
proposed films and narrate their scripts to producers, directors and actors.

FACULTY
Amitosh Nagpal will lead the workshop and conduct the practicals. Robin Bhatt, Atul Tiwari and Jyothi
Kapur Das will give lectures.

ROBIN BHATT: He is one of the most successful script-writers in Bollywood, having written Baazigar,
Dil  Hai  Ke  Maanta  Nahin, Koi  Mil  Gaya,  Krrish, and 50 other films. He is the Joint Secretary of the
Film Writers Association.

SANJAY CHHEL: Is a writer, director and lyricist. Has written Rangeela,  Yes  Boss,  Kismet
Konnection, Partner, Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji and 20 more films. He has directed Khoobsurat and
Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam.

ATUL TIWARI: Dashaavataar with Kamal Haasan was his latest release. He has scripted more than
twenty films like Yeh  Woh  Manzil  Toh  Nahin,  Mission  Kashmir and Netaji:  The  Forgotten  Hero. An
NSD graduate, he has adapted and directed plays of Shakespeare, Shaw, Goethe and Schiller apart
from Indian plays. Also conducts workshops on screenwriting and theatre. He works very closely with
Kamal Hassan.

JYOTHI KAPUR DAS: She is a graduate from FTII. An award-winning filmmaker and writer, she is
currently the Creative Head, Development & Production, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

AMITOSH NAGPAL: A graduate from NSD, he is a talented actor, script-writer and lyricist. He has
acted in Dabang, Aarakshan and Powder. Amitosh has written and sung a song in Oye Lucky, Lucky
Oye. He is currently writing scripts for some feature films.

RAJASHREE: Assisted Mansoor Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansal after studying direction at the Film
and Television Institute of India, Poona. A film she wrote and directed, The Rebel, was screened
at many film festivals, and won the National Award. Her critically acclaimed first book, Trust Me, is
a lighthearted romantic comedy set in the Bombay film industry. According to figures given by The
Times of India and The Sunday Telegraph, Trust Me is the biggest-selling Indian chick lit novel. She
is represented by Isabel Atherton, the director of Creative Authors, a literary agency based in the
UK. She has taught at FTII and some of the best film schools in Bombay. She has been organising
courses independently since 2009.

Please contact +919769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information

Pavan Kumar to young film makers

Pavan Kumar is a Kannada film maker.

  Off late I have been getting too many requests from people who want to work with me. I want to tell them and the others the hard truth. No one will ever tell you this, and that’s the reason why things around us are the way they are.

Stop fantasizing about feature films. Stop glorifying the idea of getting to make a film and releasing it in a movie theatre. The game out here is not what it appears to be from the other side. As dreamers, we dream of making feature films and releasing them in the theatres. We think, that’s what is called as success.  I have written for three feature films, acted in six and directed one, and when I talk about realities, you must take it seriously for your own good.

Please understand that film making in India is less of art and more of business. The sooner you get that, the happier you are. So you must decide whether you want to do business or films. This decision will take you in two different directions. So please do decide what you want to do.

Feature films that release in theatres is all about branding and business. Its the new circus. Don’t get here with dreams to tell a novel story. Your job would be to provide entertainment, entertainment that a 6 year old can understand. To excel in this area, you need skills in marketing and PR, more than the skill of film making. The majority of the audience don’t care whether you have anything new to tell, they want to be fooled into thinking that you are saying something new. Its a circus, you must know how to get the most popular clown and then spice it up with some hot chics and then add little action here and there. Ask yourself if you know how to do all this? The sad part is that no one teaches you these things, nobody can. The skills required to do all of these things is inborn and those talented people eventually make it big and are known as successful filmmakers. And there is nothing wrong in being able to do that. In fact it is very difficult, more difficult than making something from the heart. I am one of the less talented guys in this area of film making and I am wondering how to get better at this. So if you are someone who is dreaming to do all of that, then stop watching foreign films, stop being smart and intelligent, instead try being innocent. Start brushing up skills on marketing and building contacts. Most of the producers and studio all over the country will not look what script you are carrying, they will see which star has given you the dates. It might sound bad, but that’s the truth, get in terms with that. A major production house told me that I must write scripts which a 6 year old should be able to understand and that’s when they will produce it, they said this after watching lifeu Ishtene and knowing how successful it was commercially.

Am I against commercial films? Am I complaining? Nope, not a bit. When there is a demand, there is a supply, there is nothing wrong in that. I am just asking the new breed to know what they want to get into. Some of you may want to come and change things, that could be your plan. Its a plan everyone comes with, including me. Some of the film makers you hate now also started with the same intention. Recently a senior producer whom I met said – ‘Its easy to wake up someone who is sleeping, but impossible to wake up someone who is pretending to sleep’. This was his way of advising me not to be too creative with what I write for commercial cinema. I believe that the majority of the theatre going audience don’t want to wake up. Time and again the statistics has proved that right. They want the circus. At this point some of you will list out a handful of films which were out of the box and still were successful commercially. But you don’t know what the film maker goes through after such films. We appreciate Anurag Kashyup, we are in awe of the films he makes but his every new film is a struggle for him. Its like starting all over again. But he enjoys this process, so he keeps going through that. But are all dreamers cut out for such hardships? Only they can tell. Getting my first film was a lot easier than getting the second one. No one knew what I could do last year. Now they know how Lifeu Ishtene was and it scares them that I might end up doing something like that again, I am constantly advised to make something commercial. For a commercial producer, Lifeu Ishtene is not a film they would want to make, though it made profits, they always want to play safe. So all those of you out there inspired by my story of making lifeu ishtene, please know these facts and then contact me. Paper article tend to glorify our careers, don’t fall for it.

You all know that one in a million eventually gets to run the circus. What about the rest? Honestly, I feel the rest are in a better place. If you are someone who is new with all the zeal, by trying to be my assistant or anybody’s assistant, you are wasting your time. The world is changing really fast. And everyone is changing differently within their own geographical regions. The theatre going audience in India is way different from the ones outside India. It is very natural for a young dreamer to be inspired by foreign films, most of the times that is your seed to become a film maker. But 10 years from the day the seed was sown, you will be a very frustrated person, if you try to follow the old methods.

I want you all to be part of the new wave. Stop thinking about being on Filmy Funda or Zoom TV. Start thinking about being on millions of laptops and Ipads. Start making the films you want to make. Don’t fall into the commercial cinema crap trap. The technology today is filmmaker friendly. Think new. commercial cinema will give you budgets, but it will tweak your dream into a product that the market is demanding. Trust me, this process is not fun at all.

So my advice to all the new dreamers is that, be a story teller. Use the technology and tell a story, there are audience all over the world who want to watch good stories, it is the same audience who don’t go to the cinema halls anymore, and they are in majority. Why make commercial feature films by selling your soul when only a small percentage of audience will watch it, instead make what you want and release it worldwide online, you might not make as much money as you make in commercial cinema but you will be able to sleep better. My new initiative Home Talkies is to support this idea and trust me that’s the future. Watch Iranian cinema. See what they did in pressure and constraints. Develop your own style of telling a story, it will make you unique. That’s what the whole world will appreciate. Don’t dream of 3 weeks of theatrical fame and lose your soul, its not worth at all. I am not just advising this to the young, I am going to start doing the same very soon. I was never cut out to run a circus anyway, I wish I was because I could have made loads of money

Please see Christopher Nolan’s First feature film – Following. A film that made me a filmmaker. You must see the film and then watch it  again with nolan’s commentary. He made this film with no producer, shot only on weekends and worked jobs on weekdays. All the actors are his friends and family members. He showcased this film at film festivals, and asked people to donate money to make memento. Today he is the man who can make Inception!

Whenever I am a little low, I watch Following, it reminds me that – I am my own limitation!

Creative writing and Script writing in February in Bangalore

SCRIPT WRITING WORKSHOPStorygram is starting a three weekend workshop on script writing starting this Sunday, 12 th February, from 11 am to 6 pm.
VENUE : Pioneer Manpower Solutions, 14/1, 3rd floor, Wood Street, Parallel to Castle street, Ashok Nagar, Richmond Road, Bangalore.
Landmark: diagonally opposite to Sacred Hearts' Church, next to Reliance Trends, near Show Off outlet
All the students will write a five minute script in the Celtex (American screenplay) format during the course. We will learn how to 'show' and not 'tell' the story in the audiovisual language of scriptwriting. We will study how good scripts are written by analysing scenes from good films, by reading the scenes and then viewing them. The theoretical aspects that would be covered are:  Characterization, Plot, Theme, Dialogue writing, Structure, and Flow.

All the writing classes will have ample writing assignments for the students. These assignments will be either read out in class or feedback will be given over email. Since the workshop is spread out over three Sundays, the students will also get homework assignments. The end result of this endevour would be a complete short film script, in the proper audio-visual format.
Fees : Rs. 6,200
Teachers Profile :
Manjushree Abhinav is an author and a film maker. She has studied at FTII, Pune and worked in the film industry in Mumbai for ten years as an AD, scriptwriter, and has made her own short films. After that, she went on to teach at reputed institutes like NID in Ahemedabad, FTII in Pune and SRISTI in Bangalore. She has conducted several creative writing workshops at Times of India. Her films are uploaded on this site. Her book, A Grasshopper's Pilgrimage, is available on flipkart. Manjushree lives in Bangalore, she blogs at www.baktoo.blogspot.com  and her email id is manjushree.abhinav@gmail.com .
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
Storygram is also planning a creative writing workshop on 18th February, Sunday, from 11 am to 6 pm.
Fees: Rs 1,600
SOULPEN  1

• A three step ritual to loosen the writers block.*
• Exploring the map of the mind, from oceans to the stars, to write a short story.
• The two approaches to fiction: A ) the American Conflict- Resolution Structure and B ) the Navarasas.
• Secret tools of a writer.**

Participants will be given plenty of writing exercises during the workshop to bring home their understanding of the concepts.

*DEALING WITH THE WRITERS BLOCK

Why do we write? Because we need to tell the story. As children, all of us are born creative. When we learn to talk, there is no difference between imagination and reality. Education encourages us to develop our logic and the creative process takes a back seat. The glimpses of the muse are short and sweet: She comes visiting, she leaves a scene and takes back the movie. Missing the muse, the creative spirit, leads to the writer’s block.

Creative blockage can happen to the best of artists. Although we call this a writer’s unblocking ritual, this exercise is known to help all kinds of artists in getting over their creative blocks. This exercise is self-introspective and at the same time lighthearted. Words get tossed out, opening a series of self traps. Those who are truly interested in unearthing their hidden depths love this exercise.

**SECRET TOOLS OF AN ARTIST

Creativity is not just a hobby. It is a spiritual path. More like a spiritual garden. A garden that is watered with attention and shined on with energy will flower. The creative gardner who is flowing in art carries a bag full of secret tools. I am not talking of the painters canvas and oils. Those you can buy in the shops. My bag is full of attitudes. Devil may care or not, the artist is not an artist without them.

Film making course in Bangalore from Feb to April, 2012

Please note : For the fifth batch of film making course from Jan to April'13, please click on the word, 'Mountain' on the image above, and then scroll down for the latest post.

 'FINAL CUT'

A FILM MAKING COURSE

on  Saturdays & Sundays

from February to April, 2012

The course has started, but backup sessions are being conducted for late joiners. You may join the course till 18th February.

VENUE : Pioneer Manpower Solutions, 14/1, 3rd floor, Wood Street, Parallel to Castle street, Ashok Nagar, Richmond Road, Bangalore.
Landmark: diagonaly opposite to Sacred Hearts' Church, next to Reliance Trends, near Show Off outlet.

'FINAL CUT'

Manjushree Abhinav, a film-maker, novelist and teacher, is organizing the second batch of the course in film making, from concept to screen, on Sundays over three and a half months, in Bengaluru. Manjushree has taught at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, NID ( National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad), and SRISTI, Bangalore.

This Weekend batch organised by Manjushree Abhinav has a great faculty, reasonable fees and a convenient location. It gives people the opportunity to learn film-making without leaving their jobs or studies.

So you can now follow your dreams while taking care of your responsibilities.

COURSE CONTENT

We have altogether three modules:

1. Creative writing : Four sessions of half day each. (Rs.3,200/)

2. Script writing : Includes creative writing plus three full day sessions. (Rs.9,200)

3. Film making : Includes both creative writing and scriptwriting, plus acting workshop, camera practicals, Editing practicals and a short film. (Rs.24,800)
(For installment options, scroll down to Fee Structure )

• Creative Writing : Since this course deals with fiction films, we would first tap the biggest reservoir of stories : an unblocked storehouse of memories and emotions. We will also understand the structure of the conflict-resolution story, and we shall dip into the Navarasas. The aim of the workshop is to dig out the blocks that hamper the sprouting of the creative juices and fuel the love of writing towards an intense and natural discipline. It will help the beginner as well as the writer who is stuck in the middle of a story, a script, a film….

• Scriptwriting : The story we have structured in the creative writing workshop, we will strech out into an audio visual script. We will understand the elements of Scriptwriting: Characterization, Plot, Setting, Theme. Students will pitch their scripts to the batch, and a few scripts will be selected to be developed for shot breakdown and dialogues.

• Acting workshop : It is only when we our-self get liberated from inhibitions that we can direct others. A theater professional will teach us that acting is not acting, it is much much less.

• Introduction to Screen Grammar : The various elements of shot-taking: Image Size, Camera Angles, Camera Movements, Lighting, Camera Speed, Stocks, Graphics, Colour. The Rule of Thirds & the Golden Points. Lenses. Depth of Field and Selective Focus. Maintaining continuity, the imaginary line.

• Camera Practicals : Basics of how to use a digital camera will be followed by shooting a five shot exercise to understand the rules of screen grammar in a practical manner. A professional camera person will show us that cinema is a play of light and movement.

• The Elements of Editing : What we have shot we will now edit on final cut pro, an editing software. We will also talk about how the history of Editing is synonymous with the development of language of cinema.

• Making the short film : The final project of the course will be to make a short fiction film with a small group of students, depending on the script that is selected.
Here is one of the films we made in the last workshop. Its called , The Skipping Rhyme. An old man gets an answer to a deep question from a little girl : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9jPvErYrwM

TEACHER'S PROFILE

Manushree Abhinav has authored a novel, 'A Grasshopper's Pilgrimage'.

She is a film maker. She has studied at FTII, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. She has made several documentary films, and taught various aspects of film making like scriptwriting, making documentary films, video editing, at FTII, NID (National Institute of Design), Ahemedabad, Srishti School of Art and Design, Bangalore.

She has also conducted several creative writing workshops at the Times of India Nalanda group, Bangalore, Ahemedabad and Mumbai.This is the second batch of film making workshops she is conducting in Bangalore.

She blogs at www.baktoo.blogspot.com.

CONTACT : Please contact 09945192862 OR manjushree.abhinav@gmail.com for more information.

FEE STRUCTURE

The film making course includes creative writing, script writing, acting workshop, camera practicals, elements of editing, and making the short film, over three months of weekend classes.

The total fees for this course is INR Twenty-nine thousand and eight hundred, (Rs.29,800/), payable in two installments, of Rs.15,800 at the time of registration and Rs 14,000/ before 5th of March.
Those who can pay the full amount in one go, will avail a discount of Rs. 5000, so they will have to pay only INR Twenty four thousand and eight hundred. ( Rs. 24,800/ )
The course fees cover the classes, the visiting faculty's fees, the cost of making the student film, and study material like books and cds. A donation of Rs 250 would be given from every student’s fees to a children’s charity.

Manjushree Abhinav’s Film making Course is right for you if you are:

• A Newcomer: The course would equip you to enter the Film and Television Industry as an assistant director or to make short films independently.

• A Mediaperson who’s learnt on the job: You would benefit from learning the basics formally and getting your fundas clear.

• A Professional who is already working in the Industry in another capacity: It would help you become a full-fledged director.

• From the Corporate Sector: The course would add to your qualifications since films are a very important medium of corporate communication & advertising.

• Animators will understand film making, which is an important aspect of animation.

The benefits of joining this Film & TV Direction Course are:

• SUNDAY CLASSES: Full-day classes on Sundays, so you can pursue your dreams without forsaking the responsibilities of your work or studies.

• WELL-DESIGNED SYLLABUS: More than 50% of class time would be devoted to hands-on film-making, so that you learn how to transform your ideas into films that light up the silver screen. While the course is practical-oriented, the theory portion would help you develop a sound understanding of the basics of story-telling and film-making. You will also be watching many world class films to appreciate the different aspects of the teaching.

• STUDENT FILM: You would write and direct a short film. The cinematography and editing would be done by professionals from the Industry, which would be a great learning experience. It would also result in a well-made film which you can be proud of and use as your show-reel as well as submit to film festivals.

• STUDY MATERIAL : The students would be given:

1. • Copies of important books
2. • Scripts
3. • Links to useful websites and free scriptwriting software
4. • CDs & DVDs of some important films

• CERTIFICATE: You would be given a certificate at the successful completion of the course.

• FILM FESTIVALS: The student films made as part of the course would be sent to film festivals.

• DEMAND FOR FRESH VOICES: The Indian film and television industry is looking for fresh voices. With the diminishing appeal of the formula masala film, there is a demand for out-of-the-box thinking, for directors who understand the art and craft of film-making. It’s a great time to enter the field