Workshop on Documentary Film Making from 10 to 21
Nov 2026 in Lonavala
Film and Television Institute
of India (FTII), Pune, under its Centre for Open Learning (CFOL) initiative
announces Workshop on “Workshop on Documentary Film Making from 10 to 21 Nov.
2026 in Lonavala.
Following
are the details in this regard;
(1) Workshop Name: Documentary
Film Making
(2) Dates: 10th
to 21st Nov. 2026
(3) Timings: 10.30
am to 5 pm
(4) Total No. of
participants: 25 (Course will be conducted only if min. strength of 15
is reached)
(5) Age: Participants
must be 15 years or above in age as on 01st Nov. 2026
(6) Educational
Qualification: SSC (10th std.) pass
(7) Nationality: No
bar. For Foreign national, no documents/ invitation emails will be provided
(8) Venue: Serenity Resort, Lonavala
(9) Per participant
course fee: Rs 19,800/-
Course fee is excluding
breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea/ coffee, snacks etc.
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 refunded within 21 working days of the course commencement. Also, due to any
other reason, if the course is cancelled by FTII, course fee will be refunded.
However, due to any reason,
if the course is postponed OR cancelled by the organisers, course fee will be
refunded.
(10) Last date to
apply: By 5 pm, 01st Nov. 2026.
(11) Course Director:
Ms Maya Rao
(12) Medium of
Instructions: English and Hindi.
(13) Selection
Criteria: First – Come – First – Served basis. Selected candidates
would be communicated by email. List of the selected participants will be
published on FTII website.
(14) Certificates: All
participants would be given participation certificate on successful completion
of the course which will carry logo of FTII and will be jointly signed by FTII
Director and the Course Director. Minimum 90% attendance is mandatory to get
certificate.
(15) Queries: For
any queries contact
- Mr.
Milind Joshi, Asst. Outreach Officer – 020 -
25580085, info(dot)cfol(at)ftii(dot)ac(dot)in
- Future
Story Cinelabs, Mumbai – Ms Dhwani on 9315220725
(16) Communication
with participants: All communications with the participants will be
carried out through email only. List of shortlisted participants will be
published on FTII website and selection email will be sent to the selected
participants on their registered email.
(17) Accommodation: Outstation
participants may please note Future Story Cinelabs, Mumbai, will facilitate for
accommodation in Lonavala. Please call Ms Dhwani on 9315220725 for the same.
(18) Participants
need to assure general decency, decorum etc. on the course campus. Failing to
do so will lead to cancellation of admission without refunding course fee apart
from taking internal disciplinary action and dealing the matter as per law of
the land. All rights in this regard are reserved with FTII.
(19) How to apply:
1. Click on the following link:
2. Fill-up the application
form with requisite details and proceed for payment.
3. Make necessary payment of
Rs 19,800/-
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;
(i) by taking printout of
receipt of payment, scan & save it
(ii) by taking screenshot of
payment (if using mobile) or print screen (if using computer)
(iii) by simply taking a
photograph from mobile
(iv) check your bank account
to confirm whether money (course fee) has been deducted or not
(v) After a day or two, once
again check to see whether money (course fee) has been refunded.
(vi) 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 fulfill all the
requirements as stated in the advt. Also, it is presumed that participants will
be staying and or attending the course at their own risk & cost and FTII will
not be held responsible for anything or matter of what-so-ever nature. Further,
participants agree that decision of Director, FTII regarding admission to the
course and its conduction in all respect will be final.
(20) About Course
Director: Ms Maya Rao
Maya Rao is the alumna of FTII
Direction batch of 1984-87. Since then she has been working in the Mumbai film
and television industry. She has made several award winning TV shows both in
fiction and non fiction. She has also made several documentaries and is a firm
believer of the power of documentaries to bring social, behavioral, policy
changes. She regularly conducts Impact Documentary workshops in Mumbai and Pune.
(21) Course Overview
COURSE OBJECTIVES
To introduce the students to
the power of audio- visual narrative
Understand the importance of
storytelling in documentary
• Understand research
methodology and tools
• Understand basic concept of
framing, composition, editing, sound design etc...
• Understand the way to
create your pitch for funding
• Shooting simple exercises
with available equipment and resources
• Identifying your
story/subject
• Application of research
methodology
• Building a narrative
jointly
• Dividing into groups to
shoot specific aspects of the story
• Post production - editing,
sound design, graphics etc
The sessions will involve
theory lecture, viewing & analysing important documentaries, open
discussions and basic practical exercises.
WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY AND HOW
IS IT DIFFERENT FROM REPORTAGE OR JOURNALISM
DOCUMENTARY IS THE CREATIVE
TREATMENT OF ACTUALITY - JOHN GRIERSON
DOCUMENTARY IS A SOCIAL
COMMENTARY - UNCOVERING OF THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ACTUALITY
TRUTH IS RELATIVE -
DOCUMENTARY SHOULD HAVE AN AUTHORSHIP, INDIVIDUAL'S POV
DOCUMENTARY EXAMINES THE
TRUTH USING THE PRISM OF TEMPERAMENT
DOCUMENTARY IS ORGANISED
REALITY - SO YOU NEED A STORY THAT WORKS TOWARDS YOUR GOAL
DISCUSS EACH OF THE ABOVE
WITH EXAMPLES
IDENTIFYING YOUR SUBJECT
MOTIVATION TO TELL YOUR STORY
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY -
ENVIRONMENT OR LOCATION OR SET UP OR SPACE
PEOPLE PARTICIPATING - MOCK
INTERVIEWS
CULTURAL SPECIFICS FROM
LOCALS
READING & ASSIMILATING
DATA/FACTS
IMPORTANCE OF LOGGING YOUR
DATA INTO SEPARATE FOLDERS.
DAY 2
TYPES OF DOCUMENTARY - POETIC
& LYRICAL, OBSERVATIONAL, PARTICIPATIVE, INVESTIGATIVE, EXPOSE/REVEAL,
SOCIAL, POLITICAL, TRAVEL/WILDLIFE/FOOD/CULTURE
WATCHED
• GLASS - POETIC/LYRICAL
• INCEL - INVESTIGATIVE
EXPOSE
• BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE -
PARTICIPATIVE + INVESTIGATIVE+SOCIAL
• MUMBAI MEGA FLOOD - REVEAL
+ ENVIRONMENTAL + DISASTER
PRACTICAL EXERCISES -
• ONE FRAME STORY -
COMPOSITION/METAPHOR/WHAT TO PUT IN A FRAME/EXPOSURE
ANALYSIS
DAY 3
ELEMENTS IN A DOCUMENTARY
: STUPE
SOUND - LIVE + FOLEY +AMBIENT
+ VO MUSIC - COMPOSED OR STOCK
VFX
RECREATION/ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE
PACKAGING
• GRADING
6 FRAME STORY - PROGRESSIVE
BUILD UP USING STILLS OF A STORY ANALYSIS OF THE STORY
SHOOTING AN INTERVIEW
LIGHTING A CHARACTER FOR
INTERVIEW
Day 4
RECCE TO MANDI TO RESEARCH ON
PREP FOR HOLI CELEBRATIONS AS WELL AS CULTURAL, SOCIAL ISSUES
Day 5
HOW TO COLLATE THE COLLECTED
DATA AND DECIDING ON THE STORY & THE APPROACH MAKING A PITCH FOR YOUR IDEA
• WRITE A LOG LINE
• WRITE A SYNOPSIS
• IDENTIFY YOUR CHOSEN
PARTICIPANTS
• DECIDE ON APPROACH
• TREATMENT NOTE / SCREENER /
MOCK INTERVIEWS
• BUILDING A LOSE NARRATIVE
STRUCTURE
DISTRIBUTE SECTIONS AMONGST 3
TEAMS
DAY 6
SHOOTING OF HOLI IN MANDI
TOWN
Day7
ASSEMBLY OF EVERYONE'S
FOOTAGE & LOGGING
ALLOCATING SECTIONS TO
DIFFERENT STUDENTS TO EDIT INTO MEANINGFUL SEQUENCES SIMULTANEOUS WORK TO BEGIN
ON SOUND DESIGN
Day 8 and 9
SHOOT ANCHOR LINKS AND
ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE NEEDED FOR GIVING THE STORY VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES
Day 10
FINISH EDITING, WORK ON SOUND
DESIGN
DAY 11
FINISH EDITING, SOUND DESIGN
& JOINT VIEWING OF ROUGH CUT
Day 12
RECAP OF THE THEORY AND
LESSONS ON FUNDING, DISTRIBUTION, IP PROTECTION AND FACTORING AN IMPACT
STRATEGY