Coimbatore was once the hub of filmmaking in the South but lost its pre-eminence when the focus shifted to Chennai. But S Aravindhan, Managing Director of Clusters Institute of Media and Technology, wants to bring the spotlight back to the city. Beginning next month, the institute introduces a one-year Diploma in Film Technology with four specialisation options: Screenplay & Direction, Editing, Cinematography and Visual Effects. “The course is integrated with the industry,” he stresses. “We have award-winning editor B Lenin as head of Media Studies and our faculty includes filmmakers like Gavaskar, animators like Venkatesh who worked on Life of Pi and cinematographer Ravi Shankaran better known as Wide Angle Ravi.”
Head of Marketing Praveen Kumar points out that 70% of the course has more to do with practicals. “The students get exposure to all aspects of filmmaking,” he says and Aravindhan adds that they don’t limit the time spent on campus. “The students can stay back as long as they want and explore and make use of the various facilities.”
- Diploma in Film Technology is offered as a one year course offered both part time and full time
- Specialisation options are screenplay and direction, editing, cinematography and visual effects
- The batch size for each specialisation is limited to 12 students only
- The course fee is ₹140,000
- For more details contact 9500297002 or 999472282
The campus not only has recording and dubbing studios and areas for pre- and post-production work but also plays host to film shootings. “Our students work with these professionals and are paid a stipend,” says Aravindhan. “So when they leave college, they go out as professionals with experience.”
Pradeep adds that, apart from technical skills, they are taught how to project themselves. “Grooming, language skills, professional etiquette are all packaged into the programme,” he explains.
Apart from this, the institute also has a film club and is in the process of setting up theatre and music clubs and a library with books on films and filmmaking. This will soon be opened to the public as well, promises Aravindhan.
