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Tag: FTII

  • FTII gets new auditorium; I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurates it

    FTII gets new auditorium; I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurates it

    MUMBAI:  At last some attention is being paid to the venerable Film & Television Institute of India. A new auditorium  in its complex was ribbon cut by I&B, railways, and electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on 11 January.

    This marked Vaishnaw’s first visit to the esteemed institution, which operates under the ministry of information and broadcasting. The minister was joined by students as he cut the ribbon and lit the ceremonial lamp, symbolising the beginning of a new chapter for FTII.

    In an open forum with students and faculty following the inauguration, Vaishnaw articulated his vision for FTII’s future, aiming to elevate the institute on the global stage.

    “Our legacy and heritage provide a firm foundation to embark on the journey of further excellence,” he stated, emphasising the importance of advancing the institution’s educational offerings.

    The minister addressed various questions from faculty and students, particularly regarding the proposed deemed university status for FTII. He also shared his vision for cinema education in India, focusing on strengthening career prospects for students and fostering greater industry linkages.

    Citing the success of Gati Shakti Vishvavidyalaya, which has rapidly become a key talent provider for global players, Vaishnaw underlined the importance of such industry partnerships.

    The newly inaugurated auditorium, with a seating capacity of 586, is equipped with state-of-the-art features, including a cinema projector, a PA system for stage performances, and a cutting-edge Dolby Atmos surround sound system.

    One of its most innovative features is a horizontally movable screen, measuring 50 feet in width and 20 feet in height. This screen can be easily adjusted with a remote control, transforming the auditorium into a full-fledged cinema theatre. This pioneering feature, which sets a new standard for flexibility in auditorium design, is believed to be the first of its kind, and FTII has already filed for a patent for the technology.

    During his visit, Vaishnaw also toured various facilities at the institute and interacted with faculty members.

    Reflecting on the creative economy, he remarked, “With the talent and ecosystem of FTII, we can become a bigger player in the global entertainment industry.”

  • Budget 2022: I&B ministry allocation slashed to Rs 3980.77 crore in FY23

    Budget 2022: I&B ministry allocation slashed to Rs 3980.77 crore in FY23

    Mumbai: The Union Budget 2022 has earmarked a total sum of Rs 3980.77 crore for the ministry of information and broadcasting in the fiscal year 2022-23. This amounts to a decrease of Rs 90 crore from last year.

    With the exception of the Press Council of India that saw an increase of Rs 7 crore, up from Rs 20 crore in FY22 to Rs 27 crore for FY 23, the budgets for all other autonomous bodies under the MIB were slashed.

    Allocation for Prasar Bharati’s declined to Rs 2,555.29 crore from Rs 2,640.11 crore in the last financial year. The same was the case with The Films and Television Institute of India (from Rs 58.48 crore last year to Rs 55.39 crore this year), the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (from Rs 65 crore to Rs 52 crore), Children’s Film Society of India and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.

    Allocation for broadcasting under the social services head has also gone down from Rs 2,921.11 crore to Rs 2,839.29 crore. There was also a reduction in the budget for ‘information and publicity’ from Rs 971.26 crore to Rs 942.04 crore.

    ‘Information and publicity’ covers establishment expenditure of media units in the country such as the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, Press Information Bureau, Publications Division, New Media Wing, Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), Films Division, National Film Archive of India, Electronic Media Monitoring Centre and others.

    Hailing the budget as “beneficial”, information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said that it is a blueprint to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of a new India in the 100th year of its independence.

    The annual budget for 2022-23 was presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Tuesday.

  • Need to integrate the spirit of nation-building in each citizen: I&B minister

    Need to integrate the spirit of nation-building in each citizen: I&B minister

    New Delhi: “India is a pivotal power in Asia and as a member of the BRICS consortium, we would like to play a crucial role to strengthen ties between the member countries” said union minister of Information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur.

    Thakur was addressing the virtual inaugural of ‘BRICS Film Technology Symposium’, being organised by FICCI, jointly with the ministry of I&B and FTII, here on Wednesday. “India takes pride in organising the first-ever BRICS Film Technology Symposium as a part of the special event planned in the run-up to the BRICS summit to be held in India,” he said.

    According to the minister, the focus of the BRICS Film Technology symposium is to acknowledge the service sector and technicians working for the film industry. “I am sure the symposium will create opportunities for the working professionals in the field of film technology of all BRICS nations to explore the world of cinema with a new perspective and vision,” said Thakur, highlighting the need to win the hearts and minds of the people from all BRICS nations. “A film symposium is an event which brings together one and all through the medium of cinema technology.”

    “Organising the first-ever BRICS Film Technology Symposium is a step in this direction to bring the people from all member states together. Through the medium of films, art and culture we have also opened avenues for cooperation which will be supporting development and growth in the film business,” he added.

    The two-day symposium intends to form partnerships and provide a platform for technological companies and organisations promoting films and bring the film community together for better communication, cooperation and collaboration.

    “BRICS countries are significant players in the field of VFX animation, computer-generated imagery, and media outsourcing. There is a great potential for collaborating with each other to enhance the technology in film production and cinematic experiences for the world of entertainment. The BRICS Film Festival which we will be organising along with the 52nd International Film Festival of India will provide us another opportunity to interact and share the best of our Cinemas,” said MIB secretary, Apurva Chandra.

    The event is spread over two days with sessions conducted by eminent speakers from all the BRICS countries. A virtual exhibition is being held as well.

  • Shekhar Kapur to head Pune-based FTII

    Shekhar Kapur to head Pune-based FTII

    MUMBAI: The Pune-based Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) has appointed veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur as the president &  chairman of the governing council, a position he will hold till  March 2023.

    Information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar made the announcement on Twitter. He also stated that that Kapur will add value to the institute.  

     

     

    Kapur, in turn,  thanked the government for the posting. 

     

     

    He replaces BP Singh who was appoiinted president n 2018. Singh is best known as the producer of the long-running Sony TV show CID and was recently appointed by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to its general assembly.

    Several industry stalwarts and organisations gave their thums up to Kapur’s  appointment. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The 75-year old Kapur is well known  both in India and internationally, having been involved with cinema for the past four to five decades. Some of the more critically acclaimed films he has been associated with as a producer or director include:  Mr India, Bandit Queen, Queen Elizabeth, Masoom, and others. This apart, he has been the  host of the TV show Pradhanmantri in 2013.

    FTII is India’s  leading institution for film making.  Started in 1960, the institute, it is situated on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studios in Pune. It has  produced some of India’s finest film talents and icons. It offers a variety of courses including – direction, screenplay, cinematography, editing, direction, screen acting.

  • FTII short film fails to get the Cinéfondation award at Cannes Fest

    FTII short film fails to get the Cinéfondation award at Cannes Fest

    NEW DELHI: The only Indian film that had officially made it to Cannes – the short film from the Film and Television Institute of India – has failed to get any awards although it was among the sixteen films shortlisted by the Cinéfondation Selection of the Cannes International film festival to mark the twentieth year of this section.
    The film was ‘Afternoon Clouds’ by Payal Kapadia with duration of 13 minutes.

    The 16 films included 14 works of fiction and 2 animations from among the 2,600 works submitted this year by film schools from all over the world. Fourteen countries from three continents are represented. Four of the films selected come from schools taking part for the first time.

    The three Cinéfondation prizes that were awarded – in that order – are:

    THE CINÉFONDATION SELECTION:
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    The Cinéfondation allocates a €15,000 grant for the First Prize, €11,250 for the Second and €7,500 for the Third.

    The winner of the First Prize is also guaranteed the presentation of his/her first feature film at the Festival de Cannes.

    The awarded films will be screened at the Cinéma du Panthéon on 30 May.

    However, all the films of the Cinéfondation selection will be screened at the Cinémathèque française on 31 May and 1 June 2017.

     

  • Steps underway for upgradation of FTII: Rathore

    Steps underway for upgradation of FTII: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: A sum of Rs eighty crore has been set aside for the upgradation plans of the Film and Television of India in the Twelfth Plan..

    The performance of the Institute is periodically assessed through meetings of the Society and Governing Council, Audit and Annual Report submitted by the Institute, and audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

    There is a regular mechanism of periodic audit including audit by C&AG, meetings of the Society and Governing Council of the Institute which include representatives from the Government and domain experts.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that the programmes being undertaken for upgradation are:

    i. Up-gradation of existing infrastructure of FTII and creation of additional infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the Institute. This includes construction of new main theatre, class room theatres, student hostels etc.

    ii. Replacement of obsolete equipment and procurement of modern equipment to keep pace with the technological changes in film and television industry including HD technology.

    Meanwhile, the syllabus of FTII had been modified recently to provide for semester system, modular structure, choice based credit system, continuous evaluation etc. that would provide more flexibility to the students in the process of learning and corresponding monitoring of outcomes thereof.

  • Steps underway for upgradation of FTII: Rathore

    Steps underway for upgradation of FTII: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: A sum of Rs eighty crore has been set aside for the upgradation plans of the Film and Television of India in the Twelfth Plan..

    The performance of the Institute is periodically assessed through meetings of the Society and Governing Council, Audit and Annual Report submitted by the Institute, and audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

    There is a regular mechanism of periodic audit including audit by C&AG, meetings of the Society and Governing Council of the Institute which include representatives from the Government and domain experts.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that the programmes being undertaken for upgradation are:

    i. Up-gradation of existing infrastructure of FTII and creation of additional infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the Institute. This includes construction of new main theatre, class room theatres, student hostels etc.

    ii. Replacement of obsolete equipment and procurement of modern equipment to keep pace with the technological changes in film and television industry including HD technology.

    Meanwhile, the syllabus of FTII had been modified recently to provide for semester system, modular structure, choice based credit system, continuous evaluation etc. that would provide more flexibility to the students in the process of learning and corresponding monitoring of outcomes thereof.

  • Fourth Indian Screenwriters Conference to focus on stories that reflect ‘India’s Reality’

    Fourth Indian Screenwriters Conference to focus on stories that reflect ‘India’s Reality’

    MUMBAI: The television and film writers are pulling their socks for the fourth edition of Indian Screenwriters Conference. The Film Writers Association, Mumbai are set for the conference on 3 and 4 August 2016 at St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra West – Mumbai.

    During 4ISC, the prominent names from the writer fraternity, along with writer-directors, producers, TV channel representatives and film lovers, would network and indulge in stimulating discussions revolving around various issues concerning screenwriting and screenwriters in India. The theme in the fourth edition is So Near So Far: Do our stories reflect India’s Reality? The issues relevant to writing profession will also be addressed in the conference.

    The first conference, held at FTII, Pune, in August 2006, was attended by 275 writers.The second, at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, in December 2008; saw 575 screenwriters and writer-directors attending it. Third ISC at St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra, in February 2013, had the participation of 700 screenwriters. The event has been garnering popularity over the years. The association is claiming the fourth edition to grow bigger.

    The sessions will tackle the theme from different angles. The sessions included are- Little Big Films: Small films, driven by strong scripts and the passion of the filmmakers, are increasingly ending up as surprise successes. What is the scope and future of such efforts?

    Serial Killers: Does our current TV content reflect our times and society? Why are we stuck in some unchangeable grooves? What is the way out?

    Writers & Producers: Partners or Adversaries?: Writers feel they are undervalued while producers complain of lack of quality scripts. How can this relationship be made more collaborative, more mutual, and more productive for both?
    The Feminine Factor: Are female actors getting better roles now? Is our audience comfortable only with stereotypical women characters? Are we ready to have a more realistic gender equation on screen?

    The Digital Explosion: Is the Internet the answer to our creative and economic issues?
    The Business of TV Writing: The leverage of the TV writer is growing; it appears, with him/her turning into a producer. Is this the model for all TV writers to move towards?

    Well known poet Ashok Vajpeyi will be the chief guest of the conference, while journalist P. Sainath will deliver the keynote. Other expected penalists are- Javed Akhtar, Gulzar, Siddharth Roy-Kapur (Disney), Ronnie Screwvala (UTV), Gaurav Banerjee (Star), Ritesh Sidhwani (Excel), Anooj Kapoor (SAB), Danish Khan (Sony), Ravina Kohli (Epic), Vishal Bhardwaj, Jaideep Sahni, Sriram Raghavan, Rajat Kapoor, Hansal Mehta, Juhi Chaturvedi, Jayesh Patil, Aatish Kapadia, Purnendu Shekhar, Shridhar Raghavan, Nagraj Manjule, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sonali Jaffer, Shashi Mittal, Varun Grover, Himanshu Sharma, Sudip Sharma, Saurabh Tiwari, Biswapati Sarkar (TVF).

  • Fourth Indian Screenwriters Conference to focus on stories that reflect ‘India’s Reality’

    Fourth Indian Screenwriters Conference to focus on stories that reflect ‘India’s Reality’

    MUMBAI: The television and film writers are pulling their socks for the fourth edition of Indian Screenwriters Conference. The Film Writers Association, Mumbai are set for the conference on 3 and 4 August 2016 at St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra West – Mumbai.

    During 4ISC, the prominent names from the writer fraternity, along with writer-directors, producers, TV channel representatives and film lovers, would network and indulge in stimulating discussions revolving around various issues concerning screenwriting and screenwriters in India. The theme in the fourth edition is So Near So Far: Do our stories reflect India’s Reality? The issues relevant to writing profession will also be addressed in the conference.

    The first conference, held at FTII, Pune, in August 2006, was attended by 275 writers.The second, at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, in December 2008; saw 575 screenwriters and writer-directors attending it. Third ISC at St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra, in February 2013, had the participation of 700 screenwriters. The event has been garnering popularity over the years. The association is claiming the fourth edition to grow bigger.

    The sessions will tackle the theme from different angles. The sessions included are- Little Big Films: Small films, driven by strong scripts and the passion of the filmmakers, are increasingly ending up as surprise successes. What is the scope and future of such efforts?

    Serial Killers: Does our current TV content reflect our times and society? Why are we stuck in some unchangeable grooves? What is the way out?

    Writers & Producers: Partners or Adversaries?: Writers feel they are undervalued while producers complain of lack of quality scripts. How can this relationship be made more collaborative, more mutual, and more productive for both?
    The Feminine Factor: Are female actors getting better roles now? Is our audience comfortable only with stereotypical women characters? Are we ready to have a more realistic gender equation on screen?

    The Digital Explosion: Is the Internet the answer to our creative and economic issues?
    The Business of TV Writing: The leverage of the TV writer is growing; it appears, with him/her turning into a producer. Is this the model for all TV writers to move towards?

    Well known poet Ashok Vajpeyi will be the chief guest of the conference, while journalist P. Sainath will deliver the keynote. Other expected penalists are- Javed Akhtar, Gulzar, Siddharth Roy-Kapur (Disney), Ronnie Screwvala (UTV), Gaurav Banerjee (Star), Ritesh Sidhwani (Excel), Anooj Kapoor (SAB), Danish Khan (Sony), Ravina Kohli (Epic), Vishal Bhardwaj, Jaideep Sahni, Sriram Raghavan, Rajat Kapoor, Hansal Mehta, Juhi Chaturvedi, Jayesh Patil, Aatish Kapadia, Purnendu Shekhar, Shridhar Raghavan, Nagraj Manjule, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sonali Jaffer, Shashi Mittal, Varun Grover, Himanshu Sharma, Sudip Sharma, Saurabh Tiwari, Biswapati Sarkar (TVF).

  • Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

    Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

    Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

    In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

    Arora said “P K Nair’s contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country.”   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

    Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.