"Fulfill your celluloid dreams, every Sunday... Did
you harbour a dream of becoming a filmmaker, but ended up pursuing an
entirely different profession? Or are you one of those who buried their
dreams, while trying to realise more pressing responsibilities? Or do
you like to broaden your experiences with learning how things are done
in the film industry? There might be good news in store, for such
readers... sign up for a Sundays-only course conducted by National
Award-winning filmmaker, Rajashree."
MiD DAY, Mumbai Newspaper
"Rajashree
is a teacher par excellence. She can make the most difficult topics
comprehensible. She is very patient and understanding, yet strict. Her
Sunday classes are ideal for students who want to learn hands-on
filmmaking without forsaking their responsibilities towards their work
or studies. Its well-designed syllabus is practical-oriented; the theory
goes into developing a good understanding of the fundamentals of
story-telling and filmmaking. The course requires the students to write
and direct a short film, which may be used as a showreel and can also be
submitted to film festivals. Films made by the previous batches have
been shown at the International Film Festival of India, Goa, the most
esteemed film festival in the country."
Complete Television Magazine
Do
you want to make feature films, TV shows or short films? But can't
spare the time to learn full-time? A new batch of Rajashree's popular
4-month Film & TV Direction Course, with full-day classes on
Sundays, in Andheri (W), Bombay, begins in February 2014. It's designed
for working people and students by Rajashree, an award-winning
film-maker and bestselling novelist who’s taught at FTII, Pune, and some of the best film schools in Bombay. The course is great value for money, since the fees have recently been reduced to Rs 24,900.
We
have tied up with Humaramovie, a popular platform for short films with
which prominent filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap, Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Basu,
Vikramaditya Motwane and Rajat Kapoor have been associated. It has more
than a million views per month. We
have also tied up with Mediapippl, one of India's best Media
Recruitment & Resource Services. They are our placement partners. You would be getting a lot of hands-on practical experience while doing this certificate course, including making a short film. Many
films made by students as a part of this course have been screened at
the Short Film Center at the prestigious International Film Festival of
India, Goa.
This
Sunday course organised by Rajashree is very popular because it has a
great faculty, special tie-ups, reasonable fees and a convenient
location. And because 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.
^_^ Please contact +919769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information.
***
“Rajashree taught me how to create 3-dimensional characters, structure
the plot, and direct actors, which helped me tremendously when I was
writing and directing my movie.” Rakesh Mehta, Rajashree’s ex-student,
whose debut feature film, ‘Khuda Kushi’ has won 3 international awards.
***
*** "The next best thing to a course at FTII." - Bharati Hemmady, Rajashree's ex-student. ***
Rajashree’s Film & TV Direction Course is right for you if you are:
• A Newcomer to the Film & TV Industry:
The course would equip you to enter the Film and Television Industry
professionally as an assistant director and work on feature films, TV
programs and advertisements
• An Animator: You
would build on your skills by learning Film & TV Direction. It
would make you a better animator, since film-making is such a vital part
of animation and special effects. Or, if you want to shift to live
action, it would help you do that.
• A BMM/ BMS Student: The
BMS/ BMM course introduces you to various mass media. If you want to
specialise in films and TV, this course is just right for you.
• 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.
• An Aspiring Short Film-Maker: While
our 4-month Film & TV Direction Course is designed for people who
want to take up direction as a profession, it also serves film
hobbyists. The advent of digital
technology and You-tube have revolutionized filmmaking. You can make
short films independently at an affordable cost after doing the course.
Making short films is ideal for those who want to hone their craft and
create an impressive showreel to showcase their talents. It’s also a fun
hobby for those who are working full-time. These short films can be
shown at film festivals, screened on television, and also uploaded on
You-tube & social networking sites for lakhs of people to watch.
• From the Corporate Sector: The
course would add to your qualifications since films are an increasingly
important medium of corporate communication & advertising.
***
"Rajashree is like the energy drink Red Bull! She motivates you to
spring into action and pushes you to deliver beyond your limits." -
Priya Saraiya, Rajashree’s ex-student. ***
The benefits of joining this Film & TV Direction Course are:
• FACULTY: The
course is organised by Rajashree, an award-winning film-maker and
bestselling novelist who has taught at the Film & Television
Institute of India and some of the best film schools in Bombay. The
faculty members are FTII alumni and professionals from the film
industry.
• 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 & TV Direction.
• 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 showreel as well as submit to film
festivals.
• VENUE: The
classes will be held in an air-conditioned classroom in Andheri
(West). Since the venue is on S.V. Road, opposite the railway station,
it is very easy to reach.
• VALUE FOR MONEY: The
course is fabulous value for money, since the fees have recently been
reduced to Rs 24,900 (if the student pays the full amount at the time of
registration.) The fees cover the classes, the cost of making the
student film, refreshments during classes, a directory of the Film &
TV industry 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.
• 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 are sent for film festivals.
Many films made by previous batches have been screened at the Short Film
Center at the International Film Festival of India in Goa.
• TIE-UP WITH HUMARAMOVIE: We have tied up with Humaramovie
for the production and distribution of the short films made by the
students as a part of the course. Humaramovie is a platform for short
films co-founded by Preety Ali, Pallavi Rohatgi and Vinay Mishra. They
have over 26,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel and more than
18,000 Facebook fans. They have a viewer base of more than a million
viewers per month. HumaraMovie is also associated with directors such as
Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, Anurag Basu, Vikramaditya Motwane and Rajat
Kapoor who provide them content for the channel.
• PLACEMENTS: We
have tied up with Medipippl - one of India's best Media Recruitment
& Resource Services. They are our placement partners and will help
you in getting a job in the Film & TV Industry after you've
completed our course. We would also be giving every student a
directory of the Film & TV Industry, which has a database of the
contact numbers and addresses of all the directors, producers,
production houses, actors and service providers of the Indian Film &
TV Industry, so that if the student wants to work with a particular
director or producer, he/she can contact them directly as well.
• DEMAND FOR FRESH VOICES: The
Indian film and television industry is looking for fresh voices. With
the success of 'different' kinds of films and TV programs, 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.
***
"I have had an amazing experience with Rajashree’s script-writing and
film-making workshops. The workshops were structured very well and had a
good effective blend of relevant theory, creative discussions on
assignments, analysis of classics and hands-on experience in writing a
script and making a short film. The workshops were conducted very
diligently in a focused manner encouraging participation from all
students. I found them to be especially useful for working persons as
the structure and organization of the workshop accommodated these
aspects very well." - Rajesh V. , ex-student ***
FACULTY: Our faculty members are FTII alumni and professionals from the film industry. Details about some of the teachers on our faculty are given below:
Rajashree has
been a film buff since she was a kid – she stood in a line for five
hours to get tickets for Sholay when it was re-released. She has been
working in Bombay after studying direction at the Film and Television
Institute of India, Poona. She’s assisted Mansoor Khan and Sanjay Leela
Bhansali. A film she wrote and directed, The Rebel, was screened at many
film festivals, and won the National Award and the Golden Ten Award.
She has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Film
Writers’ Association. 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. It has recently been
published in French. She is represented by Isabel Atherton, the director
of Creative Authors, a literary agency based in the UK. She has taught
at the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, and some of the
best film schools in Bombay. She has been organising courses
independently since 2009. http://rajashree.in
A.M. Padmanabhan, a
National Award-winning sound designer, would teach the students about
post-production. He has worked with the who's who of Bollywood and has
taught at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and the
Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata.
Arun Varma, who
has studied Cinematography at the Film & Television Institute of
India, Pune, will be teaching the students about camerawork, the various
practical aspects of shooting a film and professional behaviour on the
set. He has shot Bollywood films like Bhajatey Raho and Dasvidaniya.
Ashok Purang learnt
the nuances of theatre under the tutelage of Mr Barry John. He is the
founder of two theatre groups Pierrot’s Troupe (estd.1991) & Showbiz
Action Players (estd. 2004). For over twenty years, he has been working
on Acting Training Methods. He has developed unique and practical
methods, which are effective in theatre, as well as TV and films. Being a
renowned acting teacher, he has trained a lot of Bollywood actors and
upcoming talent. A curator and judge of many short film festivals, Ashok
has been a major force behind the new generation of short film makers.
The other faculty members are FTII alumni and professionals from the film industry.
CONTACT
^_^ Please contact +919769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information.
DURATION
Full-day classes on 12 Sundays and 1 Saturday and half-day classes on 3 Sundays, over 4 months.
FEE STRUCTURE
The
fees have recently been reduced, making the course great value for
money. The course fees cover the classes, the cost of making the student
film, refreshments during classes, a directory of the Film & TV
industry 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.
There are two plans for paying the fees:
1.
It is preferable if the student pays the full amount at the time of
registration. The fees would be Rs 24,900 for this plan.
2.
It is also possible for the student to pay in monthly installments, in
the form of post-dated cheques (non-refundable) that would be submitted
at the time of registration. The fees would work out to Rs 29,700 if the
payment is made in installments.
The first installment: Rs 9,900 (Payable at the time of registration)
The second installment: Rs 9,900
The third installment: Rs 9,900
COMPLIMENTARY REFRESHMENTS: would be provided to the students during classes.
CHARITY : The administration would give Rs 500 from the fees paid by each student to an NGO that’s working for underprivileged children.
STUDY MATERIAL:
The students would be given:
• Copies of important books
• Scripts
• Links to useful websites and free scriptwriting software
• A directory of phone numbers and addresses of everybody in the Film and TV Industry
• CDs & DVDs of some important films
COURSE CONTENT: The
course has been designed to teach the students the basics of
film-making. There is a well-worked-out balance of practicals and theory
classes.
The topics that would be covered are:
• The Process of Making a Film
• Scriptwriting: Audiovisual Writing & the Format for Writing the Synopsis, Step-outline, Screenplay and Script for a film.
• The Elements of Scriptwriting: Characterisation, Plot, Setting & Theme
•
Introduction to Screen Grammar: What is a shot? The editing transitions
that can be used to join two shots: Cut, Dissolve, Fade, Wipe, Bleach.
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.
• Shot Breakdown
• Continuity and the Imaginary Line
• Ways of Shooting
• Preparing for a Shoot
• How to Narrate a Story or Screenplay to Producers & Actors
• Assisting in Direction
• Directing Actors
• Sound Design
• The Principles of Editing
• How to Make Your Own Low-Budget (or No-Budget) film
• Television: Genres & Techniques
• Film History
^_^ Please contact +919769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information.
COMMENTS ABOUT RAJASHREE'S WORKSHOPS BY EX-STUDENTS:
"I
had read quite a few books by Syd Field and Robert McKee but most of
them had been written keeping in mind Hollywood movies. After attending
Rajashree's workshop I got to know that Bollywood is a different ball
game altogether and what works in Hollywood might not necessarily work
in Bollywood, or to make it work you need to add those extra spices
(masala) to make it palatable for Indian Audience. If you need to know
what works in Bollywood and Tellywood (I mean television) per se, the
Bollywood Structure, the Rasas etc., then you must attend her
workshop." - Brijesh Bolar
"To
me, Rajashree is like the energy drink Red Bull! She motivates you to
spring into action and pushes you to deliver beyond your limits. Without
her encouragement, I dont think I would have been able to transform my
idea into a screenplay .....And with her encouragement came the right
dose of constructive criticism......Also it was a great help to share
and brainstorm ideas in the presence of other students and see where
your idea stands....It is a relief to see so many people sailing in the
same boat as you are and trying to get better and getting there.I was
actually groping in the dark when Rajashree came as a ray of
hope...." - Priya Saraiya
"This
programme gave me the mechanics of writing for features, along with the
confidence. But what Rajashree really did was crack the whip, pushing
us constantly to keep writing and keep exploring. The lively discussions
were the best part of this programme." - Satish Desa
"You
can't open a door by pushing a wall, this is what I realised in the
workshop. Rajashree will not only let you open your thoughts but also
direct them to a proper way so that we push the door and not the
wall." - Amit Shukla
^_^ Please contact +919769449556 or rajashree.in@gmail.com for more information.
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.
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.
