Film degree for future Bollywood business stars

Publish date	2008-07-27
Available Articles	Full articles without membership

Aspiring entrants to the Indian film business are to benefit from a two-year distance learning MBA.

The new degree – the first of its kind in the country – is to be offered by Manipal University and Whistling Woods International, an institution set up by Indian film maker Subhash Ghai to teach skills in film, television and animation.

The management programme is well timed. Once little more than a cottage industry that produced lengthy, formulaic and often baffling films, Bollywood is turning itself into a big, globalised business.

The Indian movie business was worth $2bn last year and is forecast to grow to nearly $5bn by 2011, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. A number of factors are helping the industry to turn itself around. First, the Indian government recently awarded Bollywood formal ‘industry’ status, which meant it could raise finance from banks and worldwide stock markets. This in turn has lead to a growth in deals with Hollywood Studios.

Second, the Indian middle-class is not only growing but also increasingly wealthy. Exposure to contemporary popular cinema is driving demand for a more modern Indian product. These combined factors mean the film industry is crying out for skilled managers and accountants.

The new Film MBA will offer specialisations in Film, Broadcasting, New and Interactive Media and Event Management. The first year of the programme will be conducted from the Manipal University campus in Bangalore, covering all General Management Subjects and Media Case Studies.

Manipal will provide technical support for the programme and also conduct the industry internship and training.

Whistling Woods is Asia’s largest Film, Television, Animation and Media Arts institute. It provides education in all technical and creative aspects of filmmaking and television through two-year programmes in specialisations including Acting, Animation, Business of Film & Television, Cinematography, Direction, Editing, Screenwriting and Sound.

Shri Subhash Ghai said: “We have admired the growth of Manipal and its contribution to education. We are happy that they are moving into higher technical areas that would support the kind of explosive growth in entertainment that the IT sector has shown in the last few decades.

“Whistling Woods International, which has partnered with major technology players globally, is pleased to offer value to the students through its industry programme while adding value to education offered by Manipal Education. We are looking forward to a meaningful association”.

Manipal Education is one of the largest education services providers from India. The group includes two universities, Manipal University and Sikkim Manipal University, and over 30 other institutions in India, besides colleges and university campuses in Antigua, Dubai, Malaysia and Nepal.

Manipal currently has over 125,000 students from over 53 countries, of which about 25,000 study at institutions and overseas campuses in India and abroad, while over 100,000 students undertake distance education, delivered using a blended approach including both satellite-based lectures and local coaching at 550 learning centres in India and overseas.

Anand Sudarshan of Manipal said: “The new generations of youngsters are looking for education in areas of high growth and opportunity, and we offer both the scope for creative and managerial growth. We are confident that students will seek this opportunity to further their prospects. We are pleased with the industry tie-up offered through Whistling Woods International.

The course begins in July 2008 and admissions are open. Details are available on www.whistlingwoods.net and www.manipal.edu.

Keywords: Film, broadcasting, India, distance learning, MBA.

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