How To Become A Screenwriter: Colleges, Job Role, Career Prospects and Salary
Film and Television Institute of India Joint Entrance Test 2026 ( FTII JET )
If you have a passion for storytelling and a talent for translating words into visuals, a career as a screenwriter is best for you. Read this article to know about screenwriting, job roles, salary, institutes offering screenwriting courses, and much more.
How to Become a Screenwriter?
What comes to your mind when you hear screenwriting? Writing for screen, right? But it is more complex than it sounds. Suppose you are watching a comedy movie where there are 10 artists in a single frame and all of them are doing goofy things to make you laugh. Do you think they are doing it on their own? No. They are given a specific set of instructions from movie's director to perform a specific set of acts. These acts come from SCREENWRITING. So, screenwriting is about creating scenes, writing dialogues, writing screenplays and a specific set of instructions for artists who will be performing these acts on screen.
A screenwriter acts as a base of storytelling. The job of a screenwriter includes crafting narratives that captivate audience. In filmmaking process, screenwriters are unseen architects who bring laughter, tears and inspiration. They make us fall in love with characters. This is a real win for a screenwriter. If you have a talent for creativity and want to pursue a career as a screenwriter, hold on for a few minutes and check this article on how to become a screenwriter.
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The minimum passing marks for the Film and Television Institute of India Joint Entrance Test varies, however, the minimum final cut-off marks to qualify for admission in FTII are as follows.
- 50% for General category.
- 45% for OBC NCL category.
- 40% for SC/ST category.
To fill the application form of the Film and Television Institute of India Joint Entrance Test (FTII JET) examination. Candidates must be minimum 21 years of age. The minimum educational qualification required for candidates to apply for the FTII JET examination is graudation in any discipline. However, for candidates who want to apply for Art Direction and Production Design course they will have to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Arts, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Interior Design or related fields in Fine Arts.
- What is Screenwriting?
- What is the job of a screenwriter?
- Salary of a Screenwriter in India
- How To Become A Screenwriter: Jobs and Career Prospects
- Future in Screenwriting
- Colleges Offering Screenwriting Courses
- Famous Screenwriters in India
What is Screenwriting?
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Screenwriting or writing for screen is art of writing scripts for films, television shows, and web series. It does not just involve writing a story, but it also includes creating characters, giving depth to each character, creating a story arc, bringing in twists and turns in the story, infusing drama and action, creating curiosity, hype, attention, and suspense, and often ending on a cliffhanger.
During screenwriting process, a writer has to create dialogues, craft characters, and develop plots that are both engaging and visually compelling. A screenwriter's script serves as a blueprint for directors, actors, and entire production team to bring the story to life on screen. In short, we can say that a screenwriter is a person who conceptualizes the story for very first time.
What is the job of a screenwriter?
As we already know about roles of a screenwriter, it is time to understand their work ethics and jobs. Apart from Concept Development, Plot Structuring, Writing, Collaboration, and Rewriting, the screenwriter has to do these.
- Creating narratives that are structured for visual storytelling.
- Working closely with directors, producers, and other members of production team.
- Ensuring that their scripts are translated effectively into final visual product.
There is a cut off which is defined after the exam is conducted. The FTII JET cut off is defined based on various factors such as the exam's difficulty level, total number of applicants who appeared in the exam and the shifts under which the exam is conducted. Candidates who score equal to or more than the FTII JET cut off will qualify in the exam. As far as the minimum passing marks of FTII JET varies, the minimum final cut-off marks to qualify for admission in FTII for General Category is 50% for General category while that for OBC NCL category is 45%.
If you have not completed your graduation or if you are waiting for your graduation results during FTII JET exam, you can still appear for test. But, you will have to submit proof of graduation qualification during document verification process. If you fail to do so, your application will be rejected, no matter if you qualify the test.
The Film and Television Institute of India lays down the age limit for admission to offered courses through FTII JET entrance exam in its admission prospectus. An 18 year old student is not eligible to apply for FTII JET exam. The minimum age requirement for the exam is 21 years.
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Screenplay Writing Colleges in India
Script Writing Colleges in Mumbai
Salary of a Screenwriter in India
Would you believe me if I said that the sky is limit for a screenwriter when it comes to salary? Yes. The salary of a screenwriter in India can vary widely based on experience, reputation, and success of their projects. But, after one or two critically acclaimed projects, their salary can be tenfold, with some earning significantly more based on high profile projects. To get an idea about the salary of a screenwriter, candidates can refer to the table here.
| Experience |
Salary (Per annum) |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level |
INR 3,00,000 to INR 5,00,000 |
| Mid-Level |
INR 6,00,000 to INR 12,00,000 |
| Experienced/Famous Screenwriters |
INR 15,00,000 |
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Top Filmmaking Institutes in India
How To Become A Screenwriter: Jobs and Career Prospects
In past few years, demand for compelling content has opened up numerous opportunities for screenwriters. Earlier, movies were limited to only big screen; but, with OTT platforms and YouTube, scope has just broadened. Here are some potential career paths.
- Film Industry.
- Television
- Web Series
- Advertising
- Freelance Writing
Future in Screenwriting
The future for screenwriters is glorious as there is no recession in entertainment, and creative screenwriters will always be in demand. Adding fire to fuel is digital revolution, spurring a surge in content creation.
Colleges Offering Screenwriting Courses
Below are some institutions in India offering specialized courses in screenwriting.
- Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune
- Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata
- Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
- Asian Academy of Film & Television (AAFT), Noida
- Zee Institute of Media Arts (ZIMA), Mumbai
Famous Screenwriters in India
- Salim-Javed
- Gulzar
- Vijayendra Prasad
- Juhi Chaturvedi
- Farhad-Samji
- Anurag Kashyap and more names.
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Nupur Jain started with a passion for educational content writing, which soon grew into a meaningful journey of helping students through reliable guidance. A commerce graduate from Delhi University, she has spent ov
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 weeks ago
No, FTII only offers admission to PG diploma, MFA degrees and Certificate courses through FTII JET entrance exam. Candidates wanting to get admission to Film and Television related courses at Film and Television Institute of India can check the list of course specializations offered on Shiksha page.
Y
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, the FTII JET eligibility criteria for some courses is different than the others. Aspirants wanting to get admission at Film and Television Institute of India must check the eligibility requirements for their target course before filling and submitting FTII JET application form. The criteria is r
V
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, as application form for FTII JET entrance exam is released in online form an applicant cannot pay the fee in cash. The online form fee for FTII JET exam can be paid via credit cards, debit cards, or UPI.
R
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
According to previous year's prospectus released by FTII, the FTII JET entrance exam is conducted in 26 cities. The names of exam cities are shared by the institute in its admission prospectus. But, students must note that this number may or may not change for every admissio cycle.
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
The Film and Television Institute of India shares the list of exam cities for written test in the FTII JET admission prospectus. The detailed address of the exam centre will be mentioned in the admit card of applicants.
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
The Film and Television Institute of India lays down the age limit for admission to offered courses through FTII JET entrance exam in its admission prospectus. An 18 year old student is not eligible to apply for FTII JET exam. The minimum age requirement for the exam is 21 years.
A
Beginner-Level 5
On clearing the Joint Entrance Test (JET), students can get admission into Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) as well as the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India (SRFTI). These two premiere institutes are the conducting body of FTII JET as well. Candidates who qualify in this exam will be eligibile to take up film making related courses in either of the two institutes.