Diploma in Cinematography Course, Eligibility, Syllabus, Career, Top Institutes, Fees-2023

Diploma in Cinematography is an undergraduate course having 1 or 2 years duration. It’s conducted as a full-time course and the minimum qualification to learn cinematography is 10+2. There is no minimum percentage required to apply for the course.

Interested students can pursue the course from a filming institute as a full-time course or choose it as an additional course along with another major course in filmmaking. Hereunder is a list of institutions offering course Diploma in Cinematography:

CRAFT Film School, New Delhi
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida
Rayat Bahra University
FA School of Media & Films, Mumbai
MV Media Institute, Lucknow

The average fee for Diploma in Cinematography course would range between INR 35,000 and INR 1,25,000.

During the course, students will be taught various skills and techniques for planning and coordinating film. They are taught several techniques of cinematography like the handling of the camera, size of a shot, use of special effects, camera angle, movement and shot, lightning techniques and aesthetics, editing and transitional devices, sound effects, and many more.

Diploma in Cinematography course helps students in aiming for job profiles like Director of Photography, Cinematographer, Video Editor, Cameraman, and Videographer. The entry-level salary for a cinematographer would be between INR 7,000 and 8,000 per month. With experience, the cinematographer may earn anywhere between INR 40,000 and 50,000 per month or even more depending upon the project.

Diploma in Cinematography: Course Highlights

Course Level	Graduation
Duration of Course	1 or 2 year
Eligibility	Pass in class 12th examination in any stream
Admission Process	Personal Interview
Course Fee	INR 35,000 – INR 1,25,000
Average Starting Salary	INR 7,000 – INR 8,000
Top Recruiting Companies	Doordarshan, Zee Studios, Film studios, TV Studios, Associated Broadcasting Company Ltd.
Job Positions	Camera Production Assistant, Motion Control Operator, Camera Operator and Camera Assistant

Diploma in Cinematography: What it is about?

The cinematography is a profession for those who are eager, committed, and passionate about pursuing a career in filmmaking. Students can increase the scope of their study by pursuing a bachelor’s degree side by side by from a film institution. Diploma in Cinematography course primarily teaches its students about camera and light crews working on film production, television production or any other live event and making technical and artistic decisions related to the image.

Concepts in Cinematography include visual storytelling, camera techniques, lighting methods and techniques, scene composition and working with the entire film crew. During the course, students are introduced to several concepts on editing through short film projects genres, film lighting, basics of cinematography and digital cinematography.

The important topics covered under the curriculum of Diploma in Cinematography include:

Film Dimension and Packaging, Processing and Printing, Films for Motion Picture, Motion Picture Cameras and Shooting Format
Various Camera Test, Types of Film Cameras, Types of Digital filmmaking, Special Cinematography and Cinema Projection.

A start in a career as Cinematographer can be challenging but turns lucrative depending on candidates’ project and experience. A two-year Diploma in Cinematography is sufficient to start a career in movies, television, and documentaries. The course structure will largely help a student in gaining experience required in field work.

Diploma in Cinematography: Top Institutes

Name of the Institute	Location	Average Fee
CRAFT Film School	New Delhi	INR 1,25,000
Asian Academy of Film and Television	Noida, UP	On Request
Rayat Bahra University	Mohali, Punjab	On Request
FA School of Media & Films	Mumbai, Maharashtra	On Request
MV Media Institute	Lucknow, U.P	INR 35,000

Diploma in Cinematography: Eligibility

Students need a pass in class 12th examination in any stream. There is no minimum percentage requirement to seek admissions. In some institutes students above 15 years of age can also apply for admissions.

Diploma in Cinematography: Admission Process

The selection criteria is based on candidate’s performance in personal interview. The institute shall evaluate whether the student is really passionate about studying Diploma in Cinematography course. Some institutes will offer direct admission based on first come first serve.

Diploma in Cinematography: Syllabus and Course Description

The course structure and topics covered in the syllabus depend on the duration of the course. A full-time Diploma in Cinematography course of two years would have more modules then short-term course which covers broader concepts. Presented below are the important modules covered under the syllabus as provided by some leading institutes:

Module	Topics Covered
Film Dimension and Packaging	Negative and positive perforation
	Edge No
	Cores and camera spool
	Edge marking
	16mm film winding
	A-winding and B-winding
	CAN. label information
Processing and printing	Various section of Motion picture lab
	Colour negative and intermediate film
	Intermediate film
	Positive film
	Wash, Drying, Development
	Colour film printing
	Printer
	Liquid gate printing
	Photo-guard
	Step printer, optical printer
	Printing colour Correction
	Necessity of colour correction
	Additive colour correction method
	Scene to scene colour correction
	Trimmer correction
	Colour correction effect
	Colour correction determination
	Black and white film printing
Films for Motion Pictures	Screening of films
	Studying the conceptual lighting
	Music video-styling of lighting
Motion Picture Cameras	Various parts of Motion picture cameras
	Perforation loop
	Pressure plate
	Plate catch
	Pull down claw
	Magazine
	Threading of film
	Loading unloading of magazine
	Types of magazine
	Intermittent Movement
	Analysis of Claw motion
	Registration pin
	Sprocket wheel
	Frames per sec
	View finder.
	Eye piece adjustment
	Camera Motors
	Slow motion and Fast motion
	Reverse Movement
	Tacho meter
	Lens Mount Flange Depth
	Matte Box
	Blimp
	Changing bag
	Magazine Cover/rain cover
Transfer of Film to Video	Tele-cine basic
	Type of Tele-cine machine
	Frame per sec
	File type
	Digital Intermediate
Various Camera Test	Physical condition of the camera and lenses
	Optical path and focusing
	Shutter
	Gate
	Camera Choking
	Motors
	Scratches
	Fogging of film
	Sample lens test
	Eye piece /viewfinder/ground glass
Batteries for Motion Picture Camera
Shooting Format	16mm
	35mm
	70mm
	super.16
	I-max
	3-D
Types of film Cameras	AATON.35-III
	Aspect ratio
	ARRICAM
	Video assist
	ARRI-535.B
	ARRI-435
	ARR-BL
	ARRI-3
	ARRI-2C
	16.SR-II
	16.SR-3
	PANAVISION
Cinema Projection	Print Colour balance
	Screen luminance
	Print loading and rewind
	Random points about projection
	Electronic Display Devices
Special Cinematography	Rigging the camera
	Underwater shooting
	Shooting in snow
	Aerial photography
	Shooting through Mirrors
	Use of Acrylic Mirror
Digital film making	LFR(Laser Film Recorder)
Digital film making	DI (Digital Intermediate)

Diploma in Cinematography: Career Prospects

Cinematography has become a career option since the requirement for cinematographers is always high owing to the ever-expanding film and television industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S states that the demand for cinematographers will increase in near future due to a globalized network that is being formed in the entertainment industry. Diploma in Cinematography graduates may take up entry-level job roles in the capacity of Camera Production Assistant, Motion Control Operator, Camera Operator, and Camera Assistant.

With experience, cinematographers find jobs as:

Director of Photography
Cinematographer
Video Editor
Cameraman
Videographer

The top recruiters for cinematographers are Doordarshan, film studios, television studios, news studios and corporate. They can also work in wedding cinematography, which has a huge scope now or takes up freelancing work.

Students don’t need to study further in Cinematography and a two-year Diploma is sufficient. The scope and future prospects for cinematographers depend on the nature of work they’ve been associated with and largely on personal contacts and references.

Job Profile	Job Description	Average Salary (in INR)
Camera Production Assistant	Set up and position the camera equipment and more.	INR 8,4000 – 96,000
Motion Control Operator	Systematically repeat camera moves for special effects purposes.	INR 80,000 to 1 Lac
Camera Operator	Operates the camera as per the direction of the Director of Photography.	INR 70,000 to 80,000
Camera Assistant	Keeps the camera on the focus of the subject, loads the clapper-board at the start of each take and loads the film stock onto the camera.	INR 3,00,000 – 3,20,000