MEDIA, COMMUNICATION AND THE ARTS

Cinematographer

Planning camera work, lighting and the look of a film or show as director of photography.

Any Class 12 stream; a degree in any subject After Class 12 Private sector

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Shaping mood and feeling with light and frame
Working as part of a team on set, with directors, actors and crew
Seeing the finished image on a big screen or a TV show

It may not suit you if you dislike

Long, irregular hours, night shoots and outdoor work in heat or rain
Years of unpaid or low-paid assisting before steady work comes
Work depends on projects, so income and schedules can be uncertain

Class 11–12 subjects: Any Class 12 stream is fine. Physics helps you understand lenses and light, but it is not a rule for most courses. You then need a Bachelor's degree in any discipline before applying to the postgraduate film courses.
First degree: Bachelor's degree in any subject (3 years). Then a 3-year MFA in Cinema with specialisation in Cinematography at FTII Pune or SRFTI Kolkata, or a 1-year PG certificate in Electronic Cinematography at FTII's TV wing.
Entrance exams: FTII Entrance Test (FTII-ET, also called FTII JET) for FTII. SRFTI admits through the Joint Entrance Test (JET) followed by an orientation and interview. Both have a written stage and a practical or interview stage.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamAny Class 12 stream; a degree in any subject.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Deciding camera angles, lens choice and movement with the director. Designing the lighting for each scene. Supervising the camera crew, and checking the look on set and in the colour grade.

A day in the work
A cinematographer usually reaches the set before the crew, to walk the location with the director and the gaffer. They plan how light will fall through the day, and set lamps, reflectors and camera angles for the first shot. Through the shoot they adjust the exposure and watch the monitor closely, often for long hours. After the shoot they check the rushes with the director and the colourist.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 10–12Study in any stream. Take photographs and short phone videos often, and notice how light changes a scene. Watch films with the sound off to see how the frame is built.
Step 2 · After Class 12Complete a Bachelor's degree in any subject, usually 3 years. A film, media or fine arts subject helps, but it is not required.
Step 3 · Year of the entrance testApply for the FTII entrance test or SRFTI's JET. The latest FTII cycle I could confirm was the 2025-26 session, with a written test on 26 April 2026 and applications closing 7 April 2026. Stage 2 is practical, performance and interview. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · 3 yearsStudy the 3-year MFA in Cinema with specialisation in Cinematography at FTII Pune or SRFTI Kolkata. The course covers lighting, digital cameras and film history, and ends with a short fiction thesis film.
Step 5 · After the courseWork as a camera assistant or second camera operator under an experienced director of photography. Build a reel from short films, ads, music videos and web series. There is no single licence to get. (reported — check with the official body)

Ways in

Film schoola 3-year MFA in Cinematography at FTII Pune or SRFTI Kolkata, which uses a national entrance test.
Shorter TV-wing routea 1-year PG certificate in Electronic Cinematography at FTII, aimed at TV and digital work.
Learn on the jobstart as a camera assistant or clapper loader and work up to a director of photography. Schooling matters less here than the reel and the people you work with.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (any stream)	2 years	Your school's fees	—	—
Bachelor's degree (any subject), then entrance test prep	3 years	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	—
Film school route: FTII Entrance Test or SRFTI JET (exam fee)	1 day exam	Check the notice	—	—
Film school route: 3-year MFA in Cinematography at FTII Pune or SRFTI Kolkata	3 years	FTII Pune: about ₹3 lakh total (reported, third-party listing); SRFTI Kolkata: about ₹43,000 per semester (reported)	—	No official stipend found for these courses
Shorter TV-wing route: 1-year PG certificate in Electronic Cinematography at FTII	1 year	Check the college's fee page	—	No official stipend found for these courses
Learn on the job: camera assistant or second camera operator, building a reel	Varies; no set period	Unpaid or pay not stated; pay varies widely between projects	—	—

Total timeAbout 6 years after Class 12 via film school (3-year degree plus 3-year MFA), or about 4 years via the 1-year PG certificate route

Total costDepends mostly on the college you choose — compare fee pages.

Good to knowFee figures for FTII and SRFTI are reported, not official; check each college's fee page and the entrance notice before planning.

Fees from: FTII Cinematography course page (fee section) · FTII admissions page (lists Fee Structure PDF; figures not extracted) · FTII prospectus for FTII-ET 2025-26 (MFA Cinematography and PG certificate; no fee figures extracted) · FTII notifications page (re-exam notices; no fee figures) · SRFTI recruitment advertisement, 2026 (staff post application fee only, not a student fee). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Early-career camera assistants earn much less than established directors of photography, and rates differ between feature films, TV, ads and web series. Work in Mumbai and other big film hubs is more plentiful, but the competition is also tougher.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~You must go to FTII to become a cinematographer.~~

Fact: FTII and SRFTI are respected routes, but many working cinematographers learned by assisting on sets. A strong reel and good references count for a lot.

For girls and students with disabilities

SRFTI's admission page lists reserved seats in cinematography for students with blindness, low vision or deaf-blindness. Government reservation rules for SC, ST, OBC and EWS students apply to FTII and SRFTI seats.

Try it now

Class 7–9Take a photo walk with your phone for one afternoon. Shoot the same object at morning, noon and evening, and note how the light changes.
Class 10–12Look at the free video lectures on the SWAYAM portal for basic courses in film, media or photography, and watch one lecture a week.Open link ↗
College or afterVolunteer as a helper on a college film club shoot or a local event video. Learn to carry gear, set up lights and keep notes on each shot.

Good to know

FTII and SRFTI each take only a small number of cinematography students a year. The FTII prospectus lists 11 seats for its MFA in Cinematography.
Film school is not the only way in. Many cinematographers started as assistants and learned on sets.
Film and camera work can be irregular. Pay and workload change a lot from one project to the next.

Sources: FTII official site (notices and results) · FTII Cinematography course page · FTII ET 2025-26 admission prospectus (PDF) · SRFTI Kolkata admission process · SRFTI Prospectus 2026 (PDF)