Career in 3D Cinematography: Haunted By Imagination

Of late 3D cinematography in India was in its infancy, unlike the Hollywood movies or South Korean movies which gave fair dose of entertainment to its audiences. But with Vikram Bhatt's movie ‘Haunted' creating ripples, the Hindi film industry is all set for a new trend. Digital cinematography, breathtaking scenes and scary sequences all made the Bhatt's movie talk of the town. Career in 3D cinematography is finally picking up in India.

Vikram Bhatt himself admitted that he was ecstatic with such a welcome response from Indian audiences. He also said there is skepticism about 3D working in India, both from trade analysts and audiences. ‘Haunted' was made using digital 3D cinematography and projection techniques, thereby giving the viewers an extraordinary experience.

It is the technology and creative talent which marks the success of such off-beat or experimental films. Even Hollywood director James Cameroon said, that he wrote the story of his famous film ‘Avatar' long back, but it was only the absence of technology which restrained him from executing his dreams. All these effects were created with the help of highly qualified professionals in the field of animation.

3D perspective brings realism, it takes the viewer to a higher level of imagination. This has given the Indian film makers a platform to use animation in cinematography and add more spice on the entertainment platter. This in turn has garnered interest in aspiring filmmakers and they are enthusiastic in learning the skills professionally.

What is 3D Cinematography?

3D or three dimensional film is like any other movie, the only difference being the depth perception. Normally through our naked eyes we cannot see 3 dimensions of various activities happening around us. But a 3D vision takes the viewer to a virtual or non-existent world, visible from all the angles. There is a very thin line between a 3D film animator and a cinematographer. An animator might look only the technical aspects of the film but a cinematographer must have both the creative vision and excellent understanding of techniques. A 3D cinematographer is a combination of special effects and animation expert, the duo of which makes an excellent movie.

Skills for a 3D Cinematographer

• Excellent drawing and imagination skills
• Aesthetic sense
• Good working knowledge of latest animation software
• Sense of colors, textures and an eye for visual details
• Great deal of patience, stamina to work long on computer is a must-have

3D Cinematography: Future Prospects

India with its multicultural and militaristic human resource has attracted the attention of Hollywood studios. Blockbusters like ‘Batman', ‘Antz', ‘Titanic' and ‘Broken Arrow' had Indian animation experts. Animation and special effects as an industry is growing by volumes and is now an integral part of cinematography. A person might be a good director, but it is only with the help of animation experts, 3D or 2D films are possible. Therefore, the novices dreaming to make it big in the Bollywood, must have creative talent along with technical knowledge in their baggage.

Career in 3D Cinematography

Apart from graduating from Film and Television Institute (FTI) Pune and Satyajit Ray Institute, Kolkata, various film animation courses are offered by other colleges. Students can also start their career in Production Companies, Ad Agencies, and Government Department. They can also start their own venture and set up studios.

Eligibility to be a 3D Cinematographer

A student aspiring to become a film animator must have thorough knowledge about computer applications. To assure their chances in this field, student should take up graduation in Fine Arts, Applied Art, Animation Design or Visual Communication.

Students can also gain an edge in the market if they take up specialized courses in special effects or character design, offered by various reputed colleges in India and overseas.

Career Options

An animator can choose in any of the following disciplines in film industry.

• Designers (designs storyboards or sketches)
• Modelers (enables movement of characters)
• Composer (Layers and shapes the final product)

Apart from these jobs, there are other experts who work for special effects and animated scenes. Their job includes lighting, creating background, texturing which surrounds the characters. Industry experts say that the industry is on boom and there is shortage of qualified and creative professionals in this field. Therefore if you have that zeal and perseverance, no one can stop you to make it big in the thrilling world of special effects.

Students can find their dream Colleges offering 3-D Cinematography here!

Source: Prachi Srivastava (Shiksha Team)
Date:12th May 2011