Current role
Director
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Qwestrum — Career Profile
Vikram Sharma
Director | Arts & Entertainment | London, UK
Current roleDirector
EducationIIT Madras (2015)
Short bio
From English literature graduate to FTII to indie director. Documenting the real career story behind a debut feature — the rejection letters, the script that took four years, the festival circuit. For the next person considering film as a path without family connections.
Why I'm sharing
I share this so the next student can see what the middle years actually look like — not the highlight reel.
Career milestones
English Literature Undergraduate2009-2012
IIT Madras — Education
Context
Discovered cinema as language during a film appreciation elective. Wrote a play, then a one-act, then a 12-minute short shot on my phone.
Challenges
Parents wanted a stable job; I wanted to apply to film school. Three years of polite arguments.
Learnings
Films are written before they are shot. Read widely; cinema is rich because literature taught it grammar.
Skills
Story analysis, reading like a writer, college theatre, short film clubs
Direction Diploma Student2012-2015
FTII — Higher Studies
Context
Three years at FTII. Slept in editing rooms. Made four short films, two went to festivals.
Challenges
Politics of film school. Competition for camera time. Realising talent is necessary but not sufficient.
Learnings
Film school teaches you the difference between an idea and a story. The first costs nothing; the second costs years.
Skills
Direction craft, screenwriting, cinematography fundamentals, editing, sound design
Assistant Director2015-2019
Yash Raj Films — First Job
Context
Four years assisting on three feature films. Watched veteran directors block scenes, fight with producers, hold the room.
Challenges
Long hours; lower pay than friends in tech. Watching less talented peers get breaks because of last names.
Learnings
An AD job is the best film school. Notice everything; ask later.
Skills
Set management, continuity, working with stars, schedule recovery, learning silence
Aspiring Director (no green light)2019-2022
Self — Failure and Lesson
Context
Wrote three feature scripts. Pitched to 27 producers over two years. Got polite encouragement and no money.
Challenges
Watching my bank balance drop while peers built houses. Two relationships ended because of the uncertainty.
Learnings
In creative careers, the dry years are the years your style forms. Nobody tells you because they look like failure from outside.
Skills
Patience, screenwriting through rewrites, pitching to producers, networking
Director2022-Present
BBC — Achievement
Context
Debut feature picked up by BBC. Premiered at an A-list festival. Theatrical release in three countries.
Challenges
Reading reviews of my own film. Learning that promotion is half the job, not an afterthought.
Learnings
Your first film is judged by your last one. Make the second one fast; do not chase the buzz.
Outcome
Optioned the next project before the debut released. Started a small production company with two colleagues.
Advice
Save 18 months of runway before quitting your day job. Creative careers do not negotiate with rent.
Skills
Feature direction, post-production supervision, festival strategy, audience engagement
Biography-focused profile
Vikram Sharma
Director | Arts & Entertainment | London, UK
Film Director
Arts & Entertainment | 11 years experience
Education
IIT Madras (2015)
Short bio
From English literature graduate to FTII to indie director. Documenting the real career story behind a debut feature — the rejection letters, the script that took four years, the festival circuit. For the next person considering film as a path without family connections.
Why I'm sharing
I share this so the next student can see what the middle years actually look like — not the highlight reel.
Journey overview
2009-2012 | English Literature Undergraduate
Duration: 3 years
Discovered cinema as language during a film appreciation elective. Wrote a play, then a one-act, then a 12-minute short shot on my phone.
2012-2015 | Direction Diploma Student
Duration: 3 years
Three years at FTII. Slept in editing rooms. Made four short films, two went to festivals.
2015-2019 | Assistant Director
Duration: 4 years
Four years assisting on three feature films. Watched veteran directors block scenes, fight with producers, hold the room.
2019-2022 | Aspiring Director (no green light)
Duration: 3 years
Wrote three feature scripts. Pitched to 27 producers over two years. Got polite encouragement and no money.
2022-Present | Director
Duration: 4 years (ongoing)
Debut feature picked up by BBC. Premiered at an A-list festival. Theatrical release in three countries.