India is evidently the biggest producer of films in the world, with a humungous home base for satellite and cable. According to a FICCI- EY report 2021, the Indian films and entertainment business will be a projected $ 23.29 billion. The growth projections show a 25% of incline in industry growth.
However, a career in art is still predominantly ignored by a large population in the country due to a lack of awareness and quality training. As a global leader, India is now striding ahead to bridge the gap between education in film and entertainment and surging demands for talent in the country by setting its foothold in education in film and entertainment.
Institute of Creative Excellence is a leading name and a trailblazing institute that strives vehemently in the country’s pursuit of glory in Cinema and Entertainment.
The Knowledge Review perceived the reputed institute’s motive, inception, and notable contribution to the industry while speaking to the Managing Director of the institute, Mr. Hanumant Sabherwal.
Birth of a Prominent Media and Entertainment Institute
The Institute of Creative Excellence, also known as ICE, was founded in 2010 by Balaji Telefilms Limited, India’s number one television production firm, to provide world-class quality education to Media and Entertainment aspirants.
With ISO 9001:2015 certification, ICE has set the goal of being an organisation that consistently establishes worldwide standards and even exceeds them. Since its inception, ICE has been proudly serving global searchers with a high-quality education in a wide range of Media and Entertainment industry-related courses, including Acting, Modeling, Cinematography, Direction, Editing, Production, Scriptwriting, Sound, and Visual Effects.
It has 14 locations in India, including Mumbai, Delhi-Janakpri, Delhi-South Ex, Pune, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar, Bangalore, Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Jaipur, Vadodara.
While sharing the story behind the inception of the esteemed institute, Mr. Hanumant Sabherwal says, “ICE was launched with an exclusive intent of scouting and empowering new talent in the media and entertainment industry. We created new opportunities and gateways for talented people to become superstars in the making. We wanted to give hope to skillful people who dream big to rise above the ashes and set a stronghold within the film and entertainment sector.”
The Need to Belong
Balaji Telefilms, with its years of core experience in the media and entertainment industry, not only understands the skill set requirements for this field but also that an actor requires more than just a few acting tips. Sound engineers require hands-on training, editors require a thorough understanding of the screenplay, and producers need a sense of the Director’s perspective. Balaji Telefilms was motivated to create a one-stop platform after witnessing how difficult it is to find all the requirements in one location and therefore established ICE.
Driving the transformation
By providing world-class quality training and keeping a 360-degree approach to every aspect of the industry, ICE strives to train and hone talent while acting as a bridge for professionals within the industry. To excel in today’s competitive scenario, ICE is keeping a 360-degree approach to every aspect of the industry.
ICE advances the rich legacy of quality Indian cinema by providing a top-notch experience through its infrastructure and blended learning teaching methodology, which combines elements of instructor-led training (ILT), computer-based training (CBT), and web-based training (WBT).
Stamping Authority
The ICE has proved to be decidedly superior to all other players in the same segment, not only with their provision of quality education but also with a host of facilities that they are rendering.
Live Environment: Students get to work at Live Locations during internship.
Preferred Partner: ICE is the Preferred Partner of Balaji Telefilms, Balaji Motion Pictures & ALT Balaji for sourcing fresh talents.
Project and Assignments: In some selected programs at ICE, students get a perfect learning opportunity to work on the project under the guidance of the respective field experts.
Guest lectures by Industry Experts: ICE is dedicated to diverse learning experiences, and notable film and television personalities are usually invited to guide the students. Students can interact, discuss, and learn from the lecturers during this time.
Infrastructure and Course Offerings
The blended learning method at ICE emulates the functional realities within all facets of the film and television industries. ICE is the only institute in the country which offers every conceivable specialisation in the industry domain under one roof. It covers all film and media entertainment industry-related professions and has expanded its reach to more than 13 cities across India, becoming the largest network of centres.
Since its inception, ICE has not only aimed to train and buff talent but also create opportunities for students to learn on live sets while providing students with a one-of-a-kind advantage with lifetime mentorship and placement on multiple projects. ICE has undoubtedly put its footprint in the history of the Indian film and entertainment learning academy and persists in remaining top-class as an Institute of Creative Excellence.
ICE has one of the best facilities and infrastructure among the country’s leading institutes. The best-in-class facilities are highlighted below:
Exhaustive Library: ICE houses a well-stocked library where students can connect to the work of the masters.
Infrastructure: ICE is furnished with state-of-the-art, fully-equipped classrooms and studios. Students are trained with the latest software and equipment.
Power-Packed Courses: The ICE curriculum has been designed by industry experts who are known for their years of experience.
ICE Academic Council: The ICE Academic Council frequently boasts its well-known talented and multifaceted personalities in Indian Cinema. It was established to get stalwarts and industry veterans of various disciplines to help further enhance the course of ICE.
Courseware: ICE provides well-researched courseware to its students on seleted programs.
Industry Experts: Over two decades of experience in the media and entertainment industry, The faculty members of ICE are serving the institute with their excellent proficiency.
Key formats of Available Programs
ICE provides specialised courses in various departments of Cinema and Entertainment:
Full-time- Acting, Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Production, Script Writing, Sound Recording, VFX
Part-time- Acting, Modeling, Editing, Digital Sound, Digital Photography, Ad Film Making, Dance, VFX, Personality Development, Makeup
Kids programs: Young Stars in Making Dance Junior
Special Curated Courses- Celebrity Management & A Short Term Acting Course for Senior Person
Guiding Light for Artists
ICE has a dedicated placements committee that provides placement support to all of its students across every stream, and with its broad network in the industry, students are benefited from every update on placement opportunities to secure top-rated jobs.
There are numerous graduates from ICE who have made a name for themselves in the industry as talented artists. The institution is also proud and glad to serve every wise artist trained under their guidance.
The Pillars of ICE
Jeetendra Kapoor, Chairman, ICE Academic Council
Mr. Jeetendra Kapoor is a living legend who has ruled Bollywood with his exceptional acting talent from the 1960s to the 1990s. He is considered to be one of the greatest actors in Indian Cinematic History. His full-throttle star power and extensive network within the entertainment industry have proven highly propitious for the company, and with a high level of dedication and enthusiasm, he is continuously pushing boundaries to open the most advanced frontier.
Jeetendra Kapoor was, is, and always will be one of India’s most beloved leading personalities.
Ekta Kapoor, Member of ICE Academic Council
‘The Queen of Indian Television’, well known for her dynamic personality, is a creative force and an insightful content creator. She heralded the satellite television boom in the country, pioneering an entire genre of television content. Her television shows continue to be a channel driver and are among the top three shows in India.
She is an absolute master in understanding the minds of the Indian viewer, grasping what they want to see, how to package it, and bring the best out of it to them. She is further expanding her unmatched creative vision to feature films and new media and entertainment.
