Basic Course in the Art of Screenwriting (12 December 2026 – 14 February 2027) - Online and Weekend

Fees, application deadline and selection

Per Participant Course fee

Rs 22,000/- per participant for participants from India.

Rs.66,000/- per participant for participants from foreign countries, OCI, PIO, Indians presently not staying in India

Course fee of selected participants will be non-refundable, non-transferrable, non-adjustable, etc. under any circumstances. Course fee of all the non – selected participants will be returned within 21 working days of the course commencement.

Mode of payment

Online through SBI Collect (along with application form).

Due date & time to submit application

13 November 2026, 6 pm IST. Application submitted after due date & time will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

On First – Come – First – Served Basis. List of selected participants will be published on our website and selection emails will also be sent to all the selected participants.

Online platform

FTII will be using “Google Classroom” and participants are requested to get familiarized with the same. Steps to join online class including login id & password will be shared with each selected participant in the selection email.

Computer literacy

It is the participant’s responsibility to be technologically capable to take an online course. Participants must be computer literate.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENT:

Since the course is online, participants must have following facilities;

• A Desktop / Laptop having minimum 4 GB RAM, 1.6 GHz or better processor (Intel i3 or i5 or better). (Windows / MAC)
• Operating system: a) Windows 7 or 8 or 10. b) MAC OS Sierra or later
• Audio – Video software: Latest versions of VLC player, Windows Media Player or Quick Time Player.
• Compatible good quality headphones/ earphones with mic
• Compatible HD webcam
• Internet pack of minimum 5 GB per day exclusively for this course. It is recommended to have fixed wired Internet connection with minimum speed of 10 Mbps or more.
• Web browser: Latest version of Google Chrome (Preferred), Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari.

Use of Mobile Phone (in place of Laptop or Desktop Computer) to attend the classes is strictly prohibited. Such participants will not be allowed to join the classes.

Course Director: Vikas Sharma

Screenwriter | Script Consultant | Screenwriting Educator

Vikas Sharma is a professional Hindi film screenwriter, script consultant, and screenwriting educator with over 15 years of teaching experience. He has served as Senior Faculty – Screenwriting at Whistling Woods International and has also taught at Film and Television Institute of India, where he trained in Screenwriting. Through workshops conducted under FTII’s Open Learning Programme across India, he has mentored many aspiring writers.

Vikas has written multiple feature-length screenplays across genres and has collaborated with several notable names in the industry. As a mentor and trainer, he has conducted workshops at film schools, universities, media institutes, international festivals, and under initiatives such as the Skill India programme. He has also served as a mentor and advisor for reputed script labs and fellowships, including the Asia Society New Voices Fellowship, the 100 Storyteller Programme, the Cinerise Screenwriting Programme, and the Cinestaan India Script Contest.

Known for his strong understanding of story structure, visual storytelling, character creation, scene design, and impactful dialogue, Vikas continues to mentor emerging writers while developing original screenplays for film and digital platforms.

How to apply:

1. Click open the link: Apply through SBI Collect (opens in a new tab).
2. Fill-up the application form with requisite details and proceed for payment.
3. Make necessary payment of Rs 22,000/- or Rs. 66,000/- either case may be.
4. Once payment is done, please note "SBI collect Reference Number" (mentioned in payment confirmation receipt). This may be required for future reference.
5. If possible, digitally store the receipt of payment. This can be carried out in one of the following ways;
   • by taking printout of receipt of payment, scan & save it
   • by taking screenshot of payment (if using mobile) or print screen (if using computer)
   • by simply taking a photograph from mobile
   • check your bank account to confirm whether money (course fee) has been deducted or not
   • After a day or two, once again check to see whether money (course fee) has been refunded.
   • In case of refund, it is a transaction failure and if so, once again apply for the course afresh.
6. No document/ certificate related to educational qualification, age etc. is to be attached.Participants’ self – declaration in the application form is sufficient.
7. Terms & conditions: By agreeing to the terms & conditions in the application form, participants are confirming that they have read & understood the website advt. They are eligible to apply and fulfil all the requirements as stated in the advt. Further, participants agree that decision of FTII Director regarding admission to the course and its conduction will be final.

Further to add in this, it is expected of the participants that during the class they must mute their mics but keep their cameras on unless otherwise instructed. Keeping camera off throughout the class or not heeding to instructions to switch on the camera will be seen as an act of indiscipline and will lead to expulsion from the Course and forfeiture of the Course fee. Decision of FTII Director regarding conducting the course in all respects will be final.

Communication with participants

All communications with the participants will be carried out through email only. List of shortlisted participants may be published on FTII website and selection email will be sent to the selected participants on their registered email id.

Certificates

All participants would be given participation e-certificates on successful completion of the course. Minimum 90% attendance is mandatory.

Queries

For any queries please contact Mr. Milindkumar Joshi, Assistant Outreach Officer, FTII, on info.cfol@ftii.ac.in OR call on 020 – 2558 0085

Course Details

This 10-weekend, comprehensive course is designed for aspiring writers looking to craft compelling stories for feature films. Through a structured blend of theory, hands-on writing exercises, and mentor feedback, participants will gain a deep understanding of core screenplay elements — Premise, Theme, Character, Character Arc, Conflict, Setting, Plot, Structure, Scene Design, Dialogue — along with the visual language of cinema.

What You'll Learn

By the end of the course, you'll have a 10–15 minute short script, one feature film story, a strong grasp of storytelling technique, and the confidence to develop your script into a full screenplay.