The Indian film industry produces the largest number of films in the world. It produces over 800 films per year, and most these films come from Bollywood i.e. the studios of Mumbai. Regional movies are also produced in large numbers, especially in the southern states and Bengal. The industry, though generally unorganized gives employment to a large number of people. The young get drawn to this industry mainly due to the glamour that surrounds movies and the people associated with it’s making, though the reality is quite different. The process of making a movie may be quite grueling and taxing and involve a lot of repetitive work, however though the end product may give immense creative satisfaction to its makers and artists performing in it.

Other than mainstream cinema i.e. feature films, there are many different kinds of films made, like documentaries, newsreels, and advertising films. Filmmaking entails teamwork among people with varied skills. The number of people involved in making a particular film and their role and responsibilities would depend upon the type of film being made. For example making of a feature film would require a larger crew than a documentary. To understand the various activities involved in film making, functions of the major units like production, direction, sound and so on have been discussed under separate headings.

Educational Qualification:
Most of the areas in filmmaking are highly technical and therefore require professional training. Even for artists and directors, which are basically, creative fields requiring inherent talent, training helps in honing the skills. In areas like cinematography, sound engineering and editing professional training is essential. There are a number of institutions in India, which offer courses in various aspects of filmmaking. Notable among them is the Film and Television Institute of India situated at Pune. Selection for these courses is through an aptitude test. Eligibility criterion for technical courses is generally 12Th pass with science. Duration depends on the course that one opts for and can be anywhere between one to three years.