What to Expect in the First Year of a Cinema Course

If you aspire to build a career in cinema, you need a course that strengthens both your theoretical understanding and practical on-set abilities. A B.Sc. in Cinema is one of the few programmes that offers this balance, combining scientific concepts, visual theory, and hands-on filmmaking practice. Unlike many general cinema courses, this degree helps you develop a deeper technical foundation along with creative clarity.

Many institutes in India offer cinema courses with this kind of training, and AAFT is one of them. The institute provides undergraduate programmes in cinema with multiple specialisations, allowing students to choose the path that aligns with their career goals.

During your initial semesters at AAFT, you can expect to study first-year B.Sc. in Cinema subjects like Introduction to Filmmaking, Scriptwriting, History of Cinema, Introduction to Photography, Screenwriting, and more. Let us walk you through the detailed outline of what to expect in the Cinema course first year after completing 12th, cinema courses offered at AAFT, and more.

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First Year B.Sc. in Cinema Subjects 

The B.Sc. in Cinema at AAFT lets you choose from four specialisations. Once you enrol in the programme with any one of the specialisations, here’s an overview of the subjects that will be taught in the B.Sc. in Cinema first-year syllabus:

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• B.Sc. in Cinema (Acting)

During the first year of your cinema course, with a specialisation in acting, you can expect to be acquainted with first-year B.Sc. in Cinema subjects, such as basics of acting, techniques of screenwriting, digital photography, different arts forms and cultures, digital video techniques, and more. This course will familiarise you with important skills, including voice and speech techniques, on-camera performance, body language, and movement, among others.

• B.Sc. in Cinema (Cinematography)

Under the Cinematography specialisation, the first-year cinema course topics include filmmaking basics, acting and presentation, elements of editing, art forms and cultures, communication and soft skills, and others. At the end of the three-year course, you will be equipped with skills like camera and lighting techniques, digital proficiency, project and crew collaboration, and more.

• B.Sc. in Cinema (Direction)

Choosing the Direction specialisation can lead you closer to career opportunities such as a film director, a creative director, and others. In the first year of your B.Sc. in Cinema course in Direction, you will get a chance to explore subjects like the fundamentals of filmmaking techniques, the importance of technology in photography, Adobe Photoshop basics, film techniques and video editing, and more.

• B.Sc. in Cinema (Post Production)

In the first year of your film studies degree in the Post Production specialisation, you will get to learn about Adobe Photoshop, primitive and early cinema, basics of video post-production, and digital video techniques, among others. After this three-year course, you will have all the knowledge required to become a video editor, VFX artist, sound designer, or motion graphics designer.

Begin Your Cinema Journey at AAFT

Making a career in cinema requires hard work, perseverance, and a strong portfolio and skillset. If you find yourself drawn towards cameras, visual storytelling, lighting and composition, and other interesting features, then you should go for a bachelor’s in cinema.

AAFT offers a three-year comprehensive course in B.Sc. in Cinema with four different specialisations that a student can choose from as per their interests and preferences. With a legacy spanning over 30 years of creative education, AAFT is recognised as one of the premier cinematography colleges in India.

Students get to experience what a real production environment looks like and how everything works behind the scenes, so that when they do get an opportunity to work in the industry, they understand the functioning beforehand.

You can book a campus visit to have a look at AAFT’s studios, sets, and classrooms firsthand.

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FAQs of Cinema Course