1 Year Filmmaking Course

Directing Specialisation

Our 1 Year Directing Course is practical, full-time, suitable also for beginners with no experience and taught on our campus in Prague, the Czech Republic. The program ends with qualification BTEC Level 4 HNC in Creative Media Industry (Film) which is equivalent to the first year of bachelor’s study. This study program consists of two semesters and will teach you all you need to know to direct festival-worthy films of high production value. It includes internship on a film set, taking part in shooting up to 20 short films and scenes of different styles, as well as directing your own 2 festival-quality short films shot on high-quality filmmaking equipment (RED Gemini, RED Dragon, Alexa Amira or Sony F55). You will be required to learn all the basics of general filmmaking to make you understand the entire process from pre-production to post-production, which is crucial for kick starting your career in the film industry. The emphasis on directing specialisation is given mostly during practical workshops and shootings.

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Requirements

Price List

our value proposition

course highlights

Up to 20 short film per study

During the course, you will practice your directing skills on up to 20 short films of different styles, create industry- standard showreel and present it to the panel of film professionals in a public cinema.

Be Mentored by Film Practicioners

Small class sizes means more time with tutors and individual guidance on your projects. Our teachers are actively involved in the film industry and can offer tips on the latest trends in filmmaking.

Festival-worthy Films

During the study you will direct at least 2 festival-worthy films shot on the most popular cinema cameras such as RED Gemini, RED Dragon, Alexa Amira or Sony f55.

Internship on a Film Set

You will get a chance to take part in filmmaking internship on a professional film set. The internship will grow your network of all-important contacts and set yourself apart in a very competitive career field.

festival-worthy films

During the study you will invest most of the time developing films. Your main focus will be to produce at least 2 festival-worthy final films in cooperation with your classmates. You will have access to on-site located green screen and lighting studio and high-end filmmaking equipment at the value of more than 90 000 USD. Through guidance of your tutors, you will prepare your films on the same level as a professional film production.

what you will study

directing specialisation

Below you can see the basic topics which you will complete on the course. You will turn into practice all knowledge acquired in the classroom. During practical exercises, you will create industry-standard showreel and equip yourself with key skills for directing festival-worthy films of high production value. The curriculum of the 1 Year Directing Course is identical to the first year of the 2 Years Filmmaking Degree Course.

Mise-en-Scene Studies

Learn about everything that appears before the camera and the arrangement of composition, sets, props, actors and lighting.

Working with Cinematographers

Experience first hand the process of filmmaking as a director and closely collaborate with cinematographers through the entire process from pre production to post-production.

Directing Actors

Explore the processes on how to get the best possible performances from actors for your film.

Film Theory

Learn how to analyse films and get a deeper understanding of how to direct your own film.

Film History

Go through the basics of film history and understand how the pioneers of cinema created films.

Mood Boards

Create your own style in order to differentiate yourself in the competitive environment of filmmaking.

Master Classes

Learn directly from professionals from the film industry by listening to their personal experiences as filmmakers.

Consultations with Teachers

You will have consultations with your teachers in order to get best possible guidance for your final film.

Every Week Shooting

During the course you will be constantly improving your directing skills by directing up to 40 short films of different styles. You will be also allowed to use the video content for creating your high-quality showreel.

Directing of Festival-worthy Film

You will direct your own festival-worthy film m in which you will go through all the phases of the film production from director’s point of view as follows:

Location Scouting
Casting
Production Design
Cooperation with Cinematographers
Directing on the Film Set
Post-production

OTHER MANDATORY MODULES

Cinematography

Principles of Camera and Lens Use in Cinematography
Basics of Safe Setup, Operation and Control of Cameras and Lenses
Roles & responsibilities in Camera Department
Combining Equipment
Compositional Theory of Cinematography
Consultations with Teachers for the Final Film

Lighting

Features of Lighting in Cinematography in Creating a Visual language
Safe Setup, Operation and Control of Lighting Equipment
Presentation of Dailies/Rushes Demonstrating Different Approaches to Lighting

Scriptwriting

Writing to Theme
Writing Characters
Utilizing the Story Framce
Dramatic Dialogue
Classic Narrative
Alternative Story Structures
Working with Genre
From Concept to Final Draft
Consultations with Tutors for the Final Film

Assistant Director

Movie Magic Software
Script Breakdown
Create Shooting Schedule According to Shot List
Call Sheets
Communication Between Departments
Problem Solving
Track Daily Progress Against Production Schedule

Color Grading

Data Management
Post-Production Workflow
DaVinci Resolve 1
Colour Theory
DaVinci Resolve 2
Practical Exercise

Production Design

Introduction to Production Design
Visualization Basics
Narrative and Décor
Shot Design, Style and Atmosphere
Mise-en-scene Project
Color Theory
Visual Language
Design Style
Props
Locations
Mood Boards
Story Boards
Set Design
Set Construction

Documentary Filmmaking

Research in Documentary Filmmaking
Still photos, footage newspapers, online articles
Letters, Journals, diaries
Archival Research
Government Documents
Production process
Observational Documentary
Character-Driven Documentary
Interview Style Documentary

Drone Cinematography

Production

Film Crew: Roles and Responsibilities
Basics of Line Producing
Introduction to the Business of Film
Film Financing
Project Planning
Line Producing
Project Development
Location Management
Business Development
Talent Management
Marketing & Distribution

Post-production

Usage of Editing Techniques for Different Production Contexts
Terminology and Different Movie Parts
Types of Shots
Continuity Editing
Parallel Editing
Montage/Jump Cut
Emotional Curve of the Scene
Timing and Pace
Bridging Scenes with Music
Cut by Color and Contrast
Cutting Dialogues
Editing for Different Genres
Color Grading in DaVinci Resolve Software
Sound Post-production
Basics of Visual Effects
Consultations with Teachers for the Final Film

Action Scenes

Security of action scenes
Specifics of shooting preparation
Stunt coordination
Directing shooting
Editing
Special Effects (SFX)

Czech Language Course

Underwater Filmmaking

Theory of Underwater Filmmaking
Underwater Filmmaking equipment
Shooting in a Swimming pool
Editing and Colorgrading of Underwater Footage

additional details

What To Bring?

We recommend that all new Prague Film Institute students purchase their own:

Portable external drive with minimum storage 2 TB
Laptop for self guided learning and post-production practice. Our goal is to teach students how to use their own computer for high quality results. Make sure that you choose a laptop which meets the minimum recommended specification. However, for tasks which requires specialist software tools, you will be also allowed to use Prague Film Institute’s computer equipment.

Component	Minimum Requirement	Recommended Requirement
CPU	Intel COre i7 or AMD Ryzen 7	Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9
RAM	16 GB	32 GB+
GPU	4 GB VRAM	8 GB+ VRAM
Media Storage	SSD or RAID	SSD, Direct Attached RAID or NAD RAID (10 GbE)

Budget for your films – our school emphasizes the importance of practical learning by making films. Unlike standard classroom education, the cost of practical filmmaking can vary a lot depending on your script and the vision of the director and cinematographer. For teacher-led workshops the school will cover all or most production costs. However, for shooting of your own films you and your classmates must pay yourselves. As part of our curriculum we will teach you how to be resourceful when it comes to production expenses. Even with clever budgeting, we estimate that you will need approximately 5 – 10 000 CZK per semester for shooting your projects and on top of it a budget for your final films at the end of each semester. The school will provide for you a bundle of filmmaking equipment and a transportation van, but all other production costs will be your responsibility. We encourage you to plan carefully about the budget of your short film. Write or choose a script that matches the funds you have available to produce it.

What is Included

We understand that by choosing to study with us you are making a big financial commitment. We want to make sure you understand exactly what your tuition fee will cover when you decide to become a Prague Film Institute student.

Lectures, workshops & master classes
Teaching materials
Qualification BTEC HNC Level 4 in Creative Media Industry (Pathway Film)
Equipment (see more here)
- Industry standard cinema cameras & equipment
- Full editing suite with post-production software
- Individual licence to Premiere Pro/Da Vinci/AVID Pro Tool
- School car for student projects
Green-screen and cinema room on-site
Professional film internship for high-achieving students
Field trips to industry partners
Discounts at our industry partners

Not Included

Air fare
Visa fee & health insurance
Living expenses (housing, food, transportation)
Production cost for your films (such as locations, actors, fuel)

Hovewer Prague is still cheaper than many European cities. The capital offers very safe living environment with high rating in housing and healthcare.

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