GICED Mumbai

Mr. Shekar Sartandel is the Course coordinator in Practical film-making at GICED-Mumbai. He has more than 25 years of industry experience. Bringing such a vast experience, he wants students to experience and learn the practical aspects of filmmaking. He is a pioneer in the industry and believes that potential must be effectively channelized. Read here what he has to say in his interview.

Tell us about your academic and initial period in the film sector?

“The journey has been extremely enriching”

I have been working in the film industry for more than 25 years. With initial lessons in photography and painting from J.J. During my commerce college days, I started as a cameraman in Doordarshan, moved on to private production houses, worked as an assistant to advertisement filmmaker, and assistant director for a few Hindi feature films. Since 2008, I have Directed 4 Marathi feature films which have received critical acclaim, bagged awards, and got selected in National and International film festivals. Here I mention with pride that my 2008 film Joshi Ki Kamble was assigned in the syllabus by two media colleges.

Tell us about your contribution in film Education for GICED(Mumbai University)?

“The idea to impart practical knowledge led us to start the course”

I have been in film education since 2009. After teaching film direction in Raheja Institute; Mumbai, I and other qualified faculty initiated a course in film education in association with Rachana Sansad College, Mumbai. The objective was to impart practical knowledge of what I learnt in Bollywood. In 2016, I became a member of the academic board under the University of Mumbai for GICED’s Post Graduate Diploma in Practical Filmmaking.

What is the importance of professional education/Course in the film industry?

“An essential aspect of filmmaking is to build fundamentals at an early stage”

The fundamental question that arises is: Do we need formal film education? To assess subjectively, Film and TV education is not about shooting the text with the camera and then editing it. Innovative ideas in scriptwriting & direction, use of techniques in creative ways, and collaborative skills are necessary requisites. Students in their most formative years of life understand these aspects through modern education and their fundamentals become clear for their film creation.

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What are the main challenges for your sector in this cutting edge technology and how do you overcome it?

“Ever-evolving technology poses different challenges”

Every month, a new camera appears on the market with improved features. While awareness of the latest features is necessary, more important is the understanding of the art of cinematography, based on the foundation of visual art, colour theory and composition. What matters the most in our syllabus is the ability to give creative justice to the story from script to screen. Similarly, in editing, we emphasize the rhythm and effectiveness of shaping the footage than just cutting or adding effects with software. Often neglected yet highly noticeable is a stream of sound recording that exists with a ‘silence’ of the sound and ‘presence’ of the sound. These factors play a significant role in our syllabus.

As a course coordinator in GICED(Mumbai University), which main topics do you cover from the film industry as a part of Education?

“Cinema combines the diversity and dynamics of other arts”

Cinema is an art of arts; fine art, performing arts like drama, music, and dance; also psychology, philosophy, literature, science and management too! With reason, one can say no other profession has such diversity & dynamics. Indeed, no syllabus of film education in the world can cover all of these subjects in a specific time frame. Therefore, to explore this challenge, we designed our syllabus on dual nature: Standard theory–practical method as well as regular discussions with our students on various related topics of human life that lead to the cinema. With its due importance, we teach the history of films not as a database of years and titles, but akin to an entertaining episodic TV program on it. Given that assignments are for evaluation of understanding of delivered lessons.

What opportunities do you give your students to perform practical work?

“A pivotal element of directing potential in the right direction is through grooming students”

We believe that individualistic interpretation by a student should be encouraged by looking at it in a kaleidoscopic way to exploit their creative potentials to the fullest. To achieve this, we focus on grooming a student’s sensibilities about arts and life study, which are fundamental requisites for their expression on-screen rather than merely writing definitions and correct figures. 

What are the placement opportunities available in GICED for this particular course?

“The ability to produce effective desired work lands you in the right place”

We do not give false promises of placements in media houses, as the film industry does not require a certification for its employees from particular institutes. What matters here is your knowledge (gained from education) of the stream, ability to work sincerely for long hours, and a tendency to absorb workflow and complete given targets without irritations.

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How do you build bridges of communication between students and faculties?

“We nurture the talent of all the students”

During the course, we take proper care for nurturing essential qualities in our future filmmakers through our specially designed techniques. The techniques are designed by working professionals, which are a result of our twofold experience from the actual film industry as well as film education for more than a decade.