Film Making : Job Prospects & Career Options
Job Prospects
Candidates can find employment with Film Studios, Production Companies,
Advertising Agencies, Government Department, which make films or start
their own venture as producer, director, editors, cameramen, soundmen,
lighting crews, assistants and so on.
Career Options
Careers in films can be those related to the actual production of the
film and those related to the film field such as a Film critic, Film archivist,
Film curator, Film distributor etc.
Production: Production involves too many responsibilities,
sheer hardwork and anxiety after the release whether the hard work put
in was worth it. Usually the production team is the first to arrive on
the sets and the last to leave.
Producer: He is the over-all in charge of a film. Producer is
responsible right from raising finance up to marketing the film. He is
the decision making authority in all matters, plans and manages the technical
and artistic resources. It is he who decides the story, obtain legal permission,
hires the director, actors, decides the crew and the location etc. Production
Manager and Production Assistants help the Producer in his job. The producer's
role is sometimes combined with that of directing.
Post graduates in Mass Communication or diploma holders from the Film
and Television Institutes can enter as professionals. But it is not a
must. Personally he should have good communication skills, patience and
stamina. He should also have a through knowledge and experience in the
film industry and entrepreneurial ability to succeed.
Production Manager: The production manager shoulders the delegated
responsibility for the overall organisation of the film. He is responsible
for the technical pre-planning of productions and for coordinating the
crew, cast and scenery within a prescribed budget.
Production Assistant: He acts as the coordinator while the producer
or director is doing his artistic thing. It is the production assistant
who actually make everything happen as planned. He handles all the administrative
work, such as booking hotels and flights for the crew, arranging shooting
schedules etc. and he is also responsible for keeping records of film
sequences, scripts, call sheets and daily reports.
Direction
Director: He is responsible for the management of all the creative
aspects that go into the making of a film. These are the people who make
the unreal real--who turn the pages of a script into reality on the screen.
The director is in complete charge of the studio or location floor and
controls the film artistically. He decides the camera angle and directs
the work of the cast and crew, costumes, choreography and music, conduct
rehearsals etc.
Assistant director: They ensure all the timely arrangement of
things that are required for the shoot. There can be one or more assistant
directors, depending upon the film budget.
Editing, Acting & Animation
Editor: The work of an film editor requires great skill, it is
he who puts the film in correct sequential order. He views processed film
and video with production personnel to analyse, evaluate and select scenes
and to determine which scenes need to be improved or re-shot. He synchronizes
the sound track and adds special effects wherever necessary. Degree in
film direction and editing or professional experience is required.
Screenplay writer: Screen play writer rewrites the original story,
on which the film is based, in a format suitable for the screen. A graduate
or postgraduate degree in literature with proficiency in creative writing
can become a screen play writer.
Actor: An actor should have an ability to emote well and become
the character he represents in the film. They are the ones who come in
direct contact with the masses and the most appreciated. Actors need a
great deal of patience and commitment because most productions require
long rehearsal schedules and retakes. Acting is a highly competitive profession
and lot of talent, mettle as well as luck is needed to make it to the
top and create a place for themselves in the field. A screen presence
and a good physical appearance are additional attributes to be successful
in the field. Even though formal training is not a necessity, a graduate/post
graduate degree in acting will help to sharpen skills and give exposure.
Animator: Animation films are created by filming sequences of
drawings or computer graphics and processing them at high speed so that
they appear to be moving. Animation graphics are used in action films
to stimulate real events.
Animators use their drawing skills to create moving images and effects
for feature films, TV commercials, and short features. Drawing skills
are crucial for all animators, and technical and computer training are
integrated into the professional training. Personally, they must be artistically
inclined, imaginative, skilful and practical, able to generate new ideas
and put those ideas into sketches. One can work as an animator for Cartoons,
feature-length movies, TV commer cials or motion graphics, multimedia
or as a game designer. Proficiency in graphic software's or a graduate
or postgraduate degree in Fine arts, Applies Arts, Graphic Design, Animation
Design, Visual Communication Design etc is helpful in getting into this
field. The basic qualification for training in this field is 10+2/ equivalent.
Light and Sound
Cinematographer: He is responsible for composing each scene to
be shot, decides lighting and camera angles as per directors requirement.
He leads the camera/lighting team and is involved in the planning and
execution of a shoot from the pre-production stage. Job requires high
technical knowledge and experience in the field. In big units lighting
technician may work out the lighting plan for each shot.
Cameraman: The cameraman handles the camera and the camera assistants
collaborate with him. The Cameraman operates the camera according to the
instructions of the Cinematographer. Good technical ability and knowledge
of cameras and lenses is essential.
Lighting Technician/Operator: Lighting is used to change the mood
of a scene or to indicate practical aspects such as day or night. Lighting
technician arranges all the lighting effects. They determine light needed
during each shot.
Soundmen: Responsible for all sounds or effects that accompany
visual images (Sound Mixing). The work includes recording, dubbing and
mixing of music, dialogues and other sound effects. The Sound Mixer or
Sound Engineer puts together the various elements of the sound track and
edits it to give it a final shape. The Sound Recordist works under the
Sound Mixer and ensures proper recording. Degree or diploma in Audiography
or Electronics is required. For admission to these courses a Science background
at plus two level is preferred.
Film Related Careers
Film critic: A critic needs to be well read, have adequate knowledge
and experience in his respective field. Only persons having good knowledge
about the particular subject/art can authoritatively write about the subject.
He has to interview filmmakers and actors, covers local developments in
the film business, and attend film festivals from time to time. Reading
significant histories and biographies, understanding critical theory of
film, and becoming familiar with the history of film arts are keys to
success as a critic.
Film Archivist: Archivists are involved with the collection, arrangement
and provision and preservation of archives. Archives include official
documents, photographs, maps, audio-visual material and any other information-bearing
media that contains valuable historical information of individuals, companies,
government departments and other organisations. An archivist can be a
Film Archivist, Reference Archivist, Photographic Archivist, Appraisal
Archivist, Manuscript Librarian etc. A graduate or postgraduate degree
in one of more of the areas like history, art history, anthropology, archaeology,
Latin, English literature, public administration, politics, law or economics
or a postgraduate degree in Library and Information Studies; Museum, Gallery
and Archives Management and Information Management is essential to get
into this field. Archivists need to have good communication skills, analytical
and research skills, an eye for detail, problem-solving skills and organisational
ability, Knowledge of different databases and , Archivists need to be
patient, accurate, thorough and able to make good judgements about what
information to keep. They should work in a well organised and methodical
manner, be able to keep information private and work well under pressure.
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