Levelling up skills to achieve dreams in filmmaking

CHENNAI: Filmmaking and carving their name in the film industry is the dream of many in the country. To provide an opportunity for aspiring minds, LevelUp Learning has introduced The Forge. Said to be a first-of-its-kind residency program for aspiring filmmakers, the students can immerse themselves in the process of filmmaking.

“This program offers a unique, real-time filmmaking experience that includes the constraints and limitations first-time filmmakers often encounter. Students are challenged to work within real-world constraints, such as tight budgets, limited shooting schedules, and the need for quick decision-making. This prepares them to handle the pressures of the industry and fosters a proactive and adaptive mindset,” says Praveen CR, principal mentor at LevelUp Learning.

Students, guided by skilled mentors, explore every aspect of filmmaking, like scriptwriting, direction, cinematography, and editing. The Forge aims to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical learning. Online modules lay the foundational knowledge, while hands-on workshops provide real-world film production experience. From the applications, 20 students will be selected for the intense training, which ends with creating a short film in a span of seven days.

Talking about how such real-time programs help students get real-time experience, mentor Bavithravanan J shares, “Programs like these are instrumental in helping students realise their dreams by providing a structured yet flexible learning environment. Students come from diverse backgrounds, different age groups and varying levels of filmmaking knowledge. As a mentor, the goal is to bridge these gaps and bring each student to a common level of understanding.”

Praveen feels that the current generation is blessed with abundant platforms to express their creativity, bringing diverse perspectives from various fields into filmmaking. “This democratization of storytelling leads to richer and more varied narratives. While Artificial Intelligence might become more prevalent and the consumption of films may evolve into a more immersive experience, storytelling will always be rooted in human experiences and conveyed by humans. As the medium evolves, the core of storytelling will always centre on human connection and empathy,” he remarks.

Application for the upcoming session is open till May 20. Visit the portal www.forgebylevelup.com for more details.