3-28 August 2020, FTIIONLINE, Film and Television Institute of India, Course Coordinator- Prof. Rajula Shah, Associate Prof. Mukul Haloi
My first step towards endorsing my passion for the movies in an attempt to equip myself through a formal training platform.
Amidst the ferocity lashed out by the Pandemic, it did bring a nanoscopic goodness with it- a load of online courses and a handful genuine ones under the banners of renowned institutions like the FTII. I was lucky to be looking at the right place at the right time and I am thankful to the organizers who admitted me.
I was confident, as I was selected for the course through a lengthy application procedure and was super charged to give my best. But I was pretty startled listening to the personal introduction of the fellow students, as they ranged from assistant directors at bollywood to cinematographer at kollywood and PhD students on films to film institute students. For a person who didn’t had any exposure whatsoever in the ‘World Cinema’ avenue, other than few Hollywood films and series on the OTT, thankfully the course started from the ‘origin of cinema’.
The arc of the course was well structured course as it addressed from the very beginning of still frames and ended with complex film making. The course’s entirety covered aspects of films including -sound, music, color, styles, statements of film makers, depth, art forms, propaganda, what we expect from films and what they try to convey- it was a fully loaded package.
I slowly started shedding my inhibition by frankly sharing my views on every film that we were taking turns to discuss and it was enriching to hear the views of others about the film. We were power packed with watching films back to back. The days were hectic, to post our views on google classroom after watching a film during our lunch hour and another to be watched after evening session so it could be reviewed for the next day. Not to mention the tiresome weekend list of films and the assignments. But surprisingly I was not wearing off, because, the introduction of an aspect of cinema during the sessions helped decode the relevant films that were asked to be seen that day, complimenting the theory aspect beautifully. I was drawn to the mystic world of Cinema for good.
Films for me was a fascination from childhood, but Alocana opened a new world of film watching, film appreciation and film criticism. Learning ‘history’ for once enthralled me. Rajula Ma’am introduced the gaze quotient that helped me change the perspective I watched the films there on. Seeing films from the lens of the maker, made me appreciate technical nuances.
Elaborate structuring of the course was significant so was the fellow student’s contribution during discussion. The sessions which invited the respective film makers to our sessions were the pinnacle of the course, as we were able to explore the perspectives of the makers. The Finale of Award-winning array of directors, alumni of FTII, who shared with the class their emotions about making their films and as viewers we were happy to convey, what we like and how emotionally moved we were after seeing their work.
On the whole, Alocan, was a productive course that vitaminized my love for the films. I am glad my first ever formal entry in to the world of cinema was with this dedicated team of FTII’s Alocan, under the tutelage of Rajula Shah and Mukul Haloi.
I will treasure this novel feedback that Rajula ma’am had given each of us on the last day and I am sincerely working on setting my shortcomings right.
Thank you Alocana, Thank you FTII, Thank you friends. This experience will always be close to my heart.