Department of Cinematography
About the department
The department was incubated and setup under the guidance of Shri Subrata Mitra, the great Indian maestro who pioneered new trends in cinematographic practices. His indelible memory continues to be a guiding light for the department. The department aspires to prove worthy of the benchmarks set by him, both in academics and in the exciting practice of cinematography in today’s creative flux.
The department strives towards developing cinematography as an area of technical expertise through theoretical and experimental approaches, in consonance with the aims and objectives of the institute. To that end, the department views the practice of cinematography as an integral field of collaboration in the process of filmmaking and propagates the vision that students exhibit their skills in a production of professional scale through the final dissertation project.
Course Objective
A thorough engagement in “What you see is what you get” method of cinematography using Rec. 709 baked in image mode on digital platform is what students practice in the beginning of specialization. This ensures a clear conceptual and practical knowledge about the fundamental of digital cinematography. Studio and Location Lighting, Digital Theory, Cinematography Optics, Color Management from Pre-visualization through Post Production and introductory engagement with the allied areas of aesthetics are elucidated. Taught input culminates in lighting simulation exercise on set and location. In this phase students do multiple workshops on studio and location with master cinematographers.
The students evolve into the use of RAW image grabbing mode and Advance Color Management Practice in the following modules. This is a great opportunity (due to the availability of various choices of colour spaces and a variety of digital systems) for developing a thorough grasp of digital cinematography theory, testing and understanding.
Students are given diverse and intense exposure to both realistic and stylized cinematographic practice targeted at both theatrical and other media release platforms.
Course Duration
3 Years Divided into 6 Semesters.
Total No of Seats
12 (Twelve)
Eligibility Criteria
Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline.
Candidates successful in the Joint Entrance Test (JET) will be called for Orientation and Interview.
Final merit list will be prepared on the basis of written examination(JET), orientation and interview.
Faculty & Academic Support Staff
Samiran Datta
—Professor & Head of the Department
An alumni of FTII Pune Samiran Datta has got 18 years of work experience that includes ten feature films to his credit as DOP along with several Documentary, ADfilms etc. Films shot by him have been showcased in leading international film festivals including Venice, Rotterdam, Moscow and Chicago. Four films shot by Samiran has bagged national awards as best film in India and Bangladesh. His nonfiction work has been showcased in BBC, NGC, CNN and YLE Thema. ‘Meherjaan’ a fiction feature on Bangladesh war of independence has won him best cinematography award in Hobocan International film festival, USA. The same film has also bagged accolade award for excellence[USA] for best cinematography.Beyond Cinema and Cinematography Samiran has a keen interest in new media art.
Oindrilla Hazra Pratapan
—Associate Professor
MA in English literature from Calcutta University; Post Graduate Diploma in MPP from FTII, Pune
Directed and shot documentary and educational films that have been critically acclaimed. Worked as cinematographer for Ad films, and experimental shorts.
UGC CEC award for a 4 episode educational film called Koodiyattom –surviving change; recognized as a screen entrepreneur, by the British Council; Her latest documentary film Draupadi’s Descendants has screened at international festivals. Has closely been associated with the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, which organizes both the IFFK and IDSFF festivals.
Teaching experience: Served as a faculty at Roop Kala Kendra – an institute of social communication under the West Bengal Govt; served as faculty at FTll Pune, and C-Dit, Thiruvananthapuram
Hitesh Liya
—Assistant Professor
He is a Mechanical Engineer from llT Bombay and a graduate in Cinematography from SRFTI.
While studying Cinematography at SRFTI, Hitesh was selected as a student participant for the coveted, ‘5th VGIK International Summer School’ (2013) on Documentary film making at the Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK), the oldest film institute in the world. His short documentary, ‘My Russian Diary’ won ‘Best Film’ award of the summer school. He has been working in the Mumbai film industry and has shot Ad films and short films. He has been a part of the Camera team for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus, & ’Bajirao Mastani’. Apart from shooting films as a Cinematographer, Hitesh also writes and directs short films and does Street Photography with his Celluloid still camera.
His short films have been selected for international festivals across the globe in the countries like Turkey, Italy, Uruguay and Spain and have won awards.
Biraja Prasanna Kar
—Cameraman
MBA, Diploma in Cinematography, Film &TV Institute of Odisha.
Has worked as a Faculty in Film &TV Institute of Odisha and Roop Kala Kendra for more than eight years.
Professional experience: Worked as a DOP for Odia Feature films -Jay Sriram, Ma Mo Manara, Mu Tara Kie, and Bengali Feature film – Nei Manusher Kissa. Also shot more than 50 Ad-films e.g. Phillips, Horlicks etc, More than 20 documentaries for CllL, European Union etc and Corporate films for Nalco, Narnolia, etc
Keshab Chandra Manna
—Cameraman (Still Photography)
Trained as photographer from PAD, Colour Grading basics from Godrej (in Still colour printing), Digital Cinematography from lnfocom.
Has worked as a freelance photographer in news media. Has been invited as consultant to design photographic departments in institutes like LV Prasad Academy, Chennai, Pailan Film And Television Institute, Kolkata, Raft, Hyderabad. Guest Faculty of Roopkala Kendro, Kolkata, Syllabus committee member of Central staff training & research institute (Govt. of India Min of Labour and Employment); Technicalconsultant to Kolkata Port Trust.
Infrastructure/Facility
Film studio 70’x50’ dimension
Television studio 40’x40’ dimension
Practice studio 60’x45’dimension
Camera store is equipped with:
Sony F-55, 4K Cameras & RAW recorder,
ARRI ALEXA Camera with RAW recorder.
Sony EX3 Cameras
Canon 5D Mark II, and Mark III cameras.
Department is in the process of setting up a digital lab with DaVinci Resolve Color correction system and DCP mastering station.
Institute is equipped with DCI compliant 4K projection system.
