Yes, now you too can make your own Films!

You have an inclination, you have imaginations, you have an interesting story to share.

But always wondered- what it takes to make an entertaining & meaningful film of your own & enter into the magical world of Cinema.

For all aspiring filmmakers, students & working professionals like you, who cannot join any regular film school for their other time commitments, Institute of Moving Images- the Film School has designed & developed a comprehensive, short-term Filmmaking Certificate Program.

Since 2006, IMI has been a pioneer in India for conducting 2 months of Weekend Filmmaking Certificate Program, every month in major cities across the country.

Institute of Moving Images also offers various full-time Diploma Programs in Filmmaking throughout the year at its campus in Pune. IMI is run by non-profit "Moving Images Educational Trust", recognized by Government under Public Trust Act'1950.

More than 7,600 students across India have already been trained under IMI Weekend Filmmaking Certificate Program and today, many of them are gainfully employed in the creative team of Film Production Houses & Television Channels in India & abroad.

IMI Weekend Program imparts theoretical as well as hands-on practical knowledge of the craft of filmmaking, familiarizes students with all the aesthetic aspects to appreciate Cinema as an art form and enables them with technical expertise to make their own short films. 

During the Program, you just need to be passionate about cinema. IMI faculty of industry professionals from Mumbai will take you through the entire process of filmmaking.

In a brief span of 2 months, you will acquire & apply knowledge in Scriptwriting, Production Designing, Cinematography, Direction & Editing while making a series of 4 short films independently; and also assisting others in their student film projects.

Now, you can book your seat and kick-start a parallel, lucrative career in filmmaking.

(Links to watch International Award winning IMI Students' Films are available at the bottom of this page).

UNIQUE FEATURES

• Learn Filmmaking while working / studying
• Ideal for film enthusiasts, students and working professionals
• No previous experience of film making required
• Affordable Fees 
• Faculty of high profile, working industry professionals from Mumbai
• Hands-on training to make Documentary or fictional Films
• Students write, shoot & edit 4 short films of their own 
• Regular feedback by industry professionals 
• Final Film of 15-20 minutes with Professional HD Camera
• Certificate and Show-reel on successful completion of the course
• Informal screening of your final film for your invited guests



PROGRAM VENUE

WHAT EXACTLY YOU LEARN

At IMI, you actually learn Filmmaking by doing practical from day one. 

With a series of lectures, discussions & filmmaking exercises, you will be introduced to the fundamental Principles of Filmmaking, Role of a Director to the essential elements of Storytelling, how to manipulate the Screen time, how to condense Real time into Screen time, how to plan Shot Divisions & Rules of different Visual Continuities, Principles of Editing, Laying & Mixing of different Soundtracks.

Our faculty will practically demonstrate & teach you the aesthetics of Camera Operation & Significance of different Camera angles, Image sizes, Composition, type of Lenses & their effect on a Screen.    

IMI will provide you with the latest HD professional camera for all in-class practical training and will also help you to freely download Editing Software for the Post Production of your projects. You just need to have a laptop with good storage capacity to edit your own films. 

The regular in-class screening & analysis of the best of world cinema will sensitize your aesthetic values for better film appreciation, which will eventually enable you to develop aesthetic & technical ability to Write, Shoot & Edit your own 4 short films the way professionals do it.

Upon successful completion of the course, your final film will be celebrated & screened for your invited guests. You will also receive an IMI Certificate & a showreel of your work.

COURSE CURRICULUM

Program Goals: 

• Weekly Assignments to help students improve their Filmmaking skills
• Students are enabled to write, shoot & edit their own projects
• Production of 4 Short Films by each student during the course
• Certificate on completion of the program

Learning Goals: 

Day-1

Challenges of Filmmaking

• Introduction of Participants
• What is Cinema?
• Creative Processes of Filmmaking
• Role of a Director

• What is a Mise-en-Scene?
• Importance of Production Planning
• Screening of IMI Student films

Weekly Assignment:

Each student prepares a Script & Production Plan for a single shot, Mise-en-Scene Exercise film.

Day-2

(Students submit their Script & Production plan for the evaluation)

Camera & Sound Practical- I

• Understanding Camera as a Tool
• 10 Principles of Visual Aesthetics
• Importance of selecting a Viewpoint 

• Significance of different camera angles
• Characteristics & Impact of the various dimensions of shots
• How to compose a Dynamic Shot?
• Aesthetics of Camera Operation 
• On-location camera practical to improve Shot-taking
• Technique to record on-location Sound

Weekly Assignment:

The Production of a single shot, Mise-en-Scene exercise film by each student for next week screening.

Day-3

(Screening of students' first film for creative assessment by IMI faculty)

Script Writing & its Challenges

• Where to search for an interesting, unique idea?

• Essential Elements of any Story telling
• The basic difference between Writing for Novel, Theatre & Film
• Script Writing: Translating all Abstracts into Instruction
• International Format of Screenplay writing
• Stages of Script Development
• Importance of writing series of One-line Scene breakups before working on the Scene detailing

• Why & how to Restructure a Story?
• Screening of a Popular Film to explain Restructuring of a Plot

Weekly Assignment:

Each Student selects a Story to develop it as the Script for his/her final Certificate film and writes a Synopsis & One-line Scene Breakups based on it.

Day-4

(Students submit their Script Assignment for critical assessment by the faculty)

Evolution of Language of Cinema

• History of Cinema
• Kuleshov Effect
• Manipulation of Time & Space in Script Writing
• Condensation of Real Time in Screen Time
• Case Study: How they created time-lapse in a film "Lage Raho Munna Bhai"

Weekly Assignment:

Students are tasked to analyze any 10 consecutive scenes of the same film & make a list of cinematic tools employed by the Writer/Director to create time-lapse & smooth transitions between the scenes.

Day-5

(Students submit their analysis report on the use of time lapse in films)

Grammar of Visual Storytelling

• Classroom Exercise: observing a Life to make a film on it
• Why do you need to divide a Scene into multiple Shots?
• Technique of preparing a Shot List
• Principles of Constructing a Scene
• Principle of Editing
• What's the ideal length of a Shot?
• How to maintain Action Continuity?
• Directorial Strategies for difficult Shooting Circumstances
• Screening of various multi-shots, IMI Observational Films

Weekly Assignment:

The Production of multi-shot 3 minutes Observational Film with background Music & ambience Sound for next week submission.

Day-6

(Screening of students' Observational Films for critical assessment by IMI faculty & recommendation for further improvement of the film)

Production Management

• Overview of Film Industry Convention
• Importance of Pre-production Meeting

• Factors influencing Production Designing
• Scheduling the shooting order
• Film & Finance
• Knowledge of Budgeting for Artistic discipline
• Shooting ratio
• Case Study: Screening of the Making of a big budget Indian film to appreciate its Production Challenges & Planning 

Weekly Assignment:

Drafting a Shooting Schedule based on the Script prepared by each student for their final Certificate Film. Also making the final revised version of the Observational Film, after incorporating editorial corrections as recommended by the faculty and thereafter, adding Commentary, Music & ambience Sound Tracks.

Day-7

(Assessment of the Shooting Schedule prepared by each student & screening of Observational Films for final review)

Directing an Actor

• Directing a Scene: A Classroom exercise
• How to maintain optimum creativity in difficult Shooting circumstances?
• Importance of Homework for Blocking a Scene
• How to divide a scene into Shots?
• Importance of preparing a Story-Board

• Setting up a Scene on location
• Drill to Shoot: Method in madness
• Case Study: Screening of a French film directed by the Master of World Cinema

Weekly Assignment:

Analyzing the Shot Divisions of a Scene directed by a great Master & writing its technical descriptions shot by shot

Day-8

(Assessment of the Shot descriptions written by each student)

Visual Continuity- I

• Screen reality: an illusion
• How to maintain illusion as reality for audience?

• What communicates the essence of a Script?
• Understanding how the audience reads images on screen
• How to maintain the visual continuity while creating an illusion?
• Continuity of Mood, Idea & Action

Day-9

Visual Continuity- II

• Continuity in Direction of Movement
• Importance of maintaining the line of 180 degree while Filming
• Effect of crossing Centre Line on Screen

• Position Continuity 
• Continuity in three-shot Situation
• Eyeline / Look Continuity
• Continuity in moving Vehicle
• Cinematic devices to create Continuity in Time

Weekly Assignment:

The Production of a 5-minute long Continuity Film with fictional characters & dialogue, depicting a short story. The film to be submitted in 15 days for critical assessment by IMI faculty.

Day-10

Camera & Sound Practical- II

• Lens and Composition
• Type of lenses and their effect on Screen
• Use of Block & Zoom Lenses
• Light & Apertures
• Depth of Field & pulling Focus
• Movement of shots: Pan shot / Tracking / Moving the Subject
• Tips for Recording of Sound in noisy locations

Day-11

(Screening & assessment of the Continuity Film made by each student)

Introduction to Professional Editing Techniques

• Session starts with Potluck Lunch, followed by an Editing class
• Who & Why edit a Film?
• Psychological justification of Editing
• Editor: An artist or mere technician

• How to Construct a lucid continuity
• Factors influencing the smooth Transition
• Track laying: creative use of Dialogue, Sound Effects & Music
•  Remixing: Dramatic blending of all audio tracks

Weekly Assignment:

The production of a short fictional Film of 10-15 minutes duration, based on the Script prepared by each student

Day-12

(After 3 Weeks)

Screening & Certification

• Screening of students final Certificate Films for their invited guests
• IMI Certificate awarded to each student, followed by a Dinner Party

IMI COURSE FEE

Despite market forces, IMI fees for professional training in Filmmaking is very nominal.

In fact, most of the collected amount is spent on your Course Kit, Study Materials, Classroom lectures, Practical demonstrations & exercises for your hands-on experience with professional Sony 4K HD Camera & Sound equipment as well as on the Screening of world class Films as per the subject of the day. 

During the Course, students are advised to make their 4 exercise films without incurring any additional expenses and are encouraged to pool in their resources to arrange any production needs for their projects.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Anyone can apply for the IMI Weekend Filmmaking Program. No previous experience of filmmaking required. What you essentially need is raw talent & passion for visual storytelling.

Generally, students applying for IMI Weekend Filmmaking Short Course come from a wide spectrum of educational background and from different age groups including Students, Sr. Management Professionals, IT Engineers, Architects, Town-Planners, MD Doctors, Surgeons, Sr. Army Officers, Fighter Pilots, Space Scientists, Advertising Professionals, Print & Media Journalists, Supreme Court Lawyers, College Professors, Painters, Fashion Designers, Animators, Actors, Writers, Choreographers and other professionals from India & abroad.

WHY CHOOSE IMI

Institute of Moving Images is an intimate and innovative film school for high standard of practical training in all key areas of filmmaking with latest equipment.

Today the Institute of Moving Images is considered one of the prominent Film & Television institutes of India.

Located inside a reputed University at Pune, IMI is run by Moving Images Educational Trust, recognized by the Government under Public Trust Act, 1950.

IMI offers Diploma & Certificate Programs in various aspects of Filmmaking. IMI also offers various Weekend Script Writing, Acting, Production Management, Digital Cinematography, Editing & Documentary Filmmaking Programs in collaboration with various colleges & universities across India.

We can now proudly say that many of our alumni are today gainfully employed in prestigious Film Production houses like Aamir Khan Production, Yashraj Films, Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, Rajshri Productions, Balaji Telefilms, UTV and others.

Some of IMI alumni have worked in the creative team of Directors like Kabir Khan for "Bajrangi Bhai", Sujoy Ghosh for "Kahaani”, Anurag Kashyap for “Gangs of Wasseypur" & “Raman Raghav”, Meghna Gulzar for “Talvar” & "Raazi", Nitesh Tiwari for "Dangal" and Sanjay Leela Bhansali for "Gangubai Kathiawadi" & "Heera Mandi".

Pankaj Roy - Since 2006, he has been at the helm of Institute of Moving Images- the Film School as its Director with a single minded mission to develop imaginative visual storytellers who can make their mark in Indian as well as in World Cinema.

An alumnus of FTII & a Senior Member of the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, Pankaj also teaches at Pune University as a Guest Professor for its Filmmaking Course.

Till now, he has trained more than 7600 students across India & also conducts live-interactive online sessions for students joining from far away places like California, Paris, London, Ukraine, Ghana, Nigeria, Dubai, Bahrain, Yemen & Bangladesh.

Pankaj Roy has also independently produced & directed more than 1500 hours of entertainment content for Television Channels such as "Khiladi", "Agnipath", "Raag Anurag", " Ek Shoonya Shoonya", "Ebar Jombe Moja", "Chena Mukh, Achena Manush". In addition to all these, he has many more stylized & sleekly produced Corporate Documentaries and Ad films in his credit.

Gargi Nandi - A prolific fiction writer & an experienced Film & Television Actress working in Mumbai Film Industry. Also a member of Screen Writers' Association, Mumbai.

Gargi also regularly features in many Prime Time debates on National News Channels like Times Now, CNN News18, Republic TV, Mirror Now, NDTV, AajTak etc.

A postgraduate in Sociology from Mumbai University, Gargi Nandi also holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Gargi has written many shows for Televisions & acted in Ads, Serials & feature films in major roles.

Watch Award Winning IMI Student Films