Workshop on Basics
of Documentary Filmmaking from 16 to 22 May 2026 in Bhopal
Film
and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, under its Centre for Open
Learning (CFOL) initiative announces “Workshop on Basics of Documentary Filmmaking”
in Bhopal.
Following
are the details in this regard;
(1) Workshop
Name: Workshop on Basics of Documentary Filmmaking
(2) Dates: 16th
to 22nd May 2026
(3) Timings:
10.30 am to 5 pm
(4) Total No. of seats: 25 (Course may not be conducted if there are less than 15 participants)
(5) Age: Participants
must be 18 years or above in age as on 01st May 2026
(6) Educational
Qualification: HSC (12th pass). In exceptional cases,
10th pass may be considered
(7) Nationality: Indian
(8) Venue: Seven Hills School, New Market,
Bhopal
(9)
Course fee: Rs 11,500/- per participant
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 6 pm, 06th May 2026.
(11) Course
Director: Rajendra Janglay and Sudeep Sohni
(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 FTII logos 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
2.
Future
Story Cine Labs = Dhwani on 9315220724
(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 Cine Labs will facilitate for
accommodation in Raipur. Please contact Dhwani on 9315220724 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 11,500/-.
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 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) Course Directors: Rajendra
Janglay and Sudeep Sohni
Rajendra Janglay
is an acclaimed Indian documentary filmmaker and cinematographer, widely
recognized for his extensive work on anthropology, tribal culture, and
environmental issues. An alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India
(1985 batch), he has had a distinguished career spanning over four decades,
during which he has created more than 200 films and received six National Film
Awards.
Janglay began his academic journey at the
Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, where he graduated in 1979 with a
specialization in still photography. He later pursued cinematography at FTII,
graduating in 1984, followed by a Post Diploma in Film Direction in 1985.
Throughout
his career, he has worked extensively with tribal communities of Madhya
Pradesh, including the Gond, Baiga, and Bhil tribes, documenting their lives,
traditions, and cultural heritage with sensitivity and depth.
His acclaimed, National Award–winning
filmography includes Buddhijeevi, Raga of River Narmada, Chanderinama,
and Madnal Ke Bol. His deep commitment to human stories and documentary
realism made him a natural collaborator with Saeed Mirza for the 16-episode
television series A Tryst with the People of India, commissioned by the
Government of India to mark the 50th anniversary of India’s Independence. This ambitious
project involved traveling over 35,000 kilometers across the country in just
four months.
Janglay also directed and shot a major
documentary project titled Highways of Prosperity (2004), commissioned
by the National Highways Authority of India. The film required extensive
cross-country travel and included a demanding 35-day aerial cinematography
schedule.
In addition to his filmmaking work, he has
contributed to institutional and cultural bodies, serving as Creative Director
(Films) at Madhya Pradesh Madhyam. He has also held prestigious positions such
as Chairperson at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI-Goa) and as a
member of the National Film Awards jury.
Sudeep Sohni is an alumnus of the Film
and Television Institute of India with the specialization in Screenplay
Writing. A pioneering voice in Central India’s independent cinema landscape,
Sudeep is multifaceted creative, works as a Writer, Director, Conceptualizer,
and Consultant across Cinema, Literature, and Culture. His work themes are
Children, Art, Culture and Life.
His
recent documentaries, Tanishka (2021-centered on an 8-year-old
Bharatanatyam exponent and Reminiscence of Gangaur (2023) a
visual exploration of a 100-year-old traditional folk festival - have
earned international release on Heritage, the OTT platform by The
Archaeology Channel (USA), makes him the first from state to gain global
distribution. Both films have featured at prestigious festivals in India,
Europe, the USA, and the West Indies. Currently, his children fiction short
‘Jaggu Aur Magahari’ is travelling to festivals. He has been accredited as a
critic and columnist for IFFI-Goa (2017–18) and the Cannes Film
Festival (2018) and regularly conducts workshops on cinema and curriculum
design at leading universities across India.
Working
outside traditional industry systems, he is a rare example of a self-driven
filmmaker who has taken stories from a small city to international platforms.
He has also served in the jury panel of Screenwriters Association (SWA) Awards
four times.
Through
his work and mentorship, he continues to champion independent storytelling,
encouraging emerging filmmakers to develop authentic voices in cinema. He
currently heads Sudeep Sohni Films in Bhopal, and Cinekari -
pursuing meaningful creation driven by instinct and vision.
(21) Course Overview
Write the Film in Your Mind
Transform ideas into
compelling screenplays
OVERVIEW
Do you have an idea—or a
story you’ve always wanted to turn into a screenplay?
Writing comes from intuition
and imagination, but screenwriting is a craft.
Learn the techniques, master the structure, and transform your ideas into
powerful scripts.
This intensive seven-day
workshop introduces participants to the craft, grammar, and discipline of
screenwriting with a specific focus on short film storytelling. The program is
designed to help emerging writers and filmmakers understand how cinematic
narratives are conceived, structured, and executed.
Through lectures, case
studies, writing practices, guided exercises, and feedback sessions,
participants will learn how to transform an idea into a structured screenplay.
The workshop emphasizes the relationship between story, character, conflict,
and visual storytelling while encouraging participants to develop their own
original short film project.
By the end of the workshop,
each participant will produce a structured screenplay dossier and a complete
draft of a short film script.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The workshop aims to enable
participants to:
• Understand the grammar and
language of cinema
• Develop the ability to generate and evaluate story ideas
• Learn principles of dramatic storytelling
• Construct compelling characters and character arcs
• The three-act screenplay structure
• Design effective scenes and visual narrative progression
• Write purposeful and authentic dialogue
• Develop and present a complete short film screenplay
Workshop Flow
The workshop follows a
practice-oriented learning structure that includes:
• Conceptual lectures and
discussions
• Analysis of selected film scenes
• Structured writing exercises
• Individual and group critique sessions
• Script development mentoring
• Daily writing assignments and review
Participants will be
encouraged to develop their personal voice while adhering to professional
screenplay standards.
Whether you are a beginner or
someone who loves storytelling, this workshop will guide you through the
creative and technical process of screenwriting.
Let’s learn the craft and
bring your imagination to life.