1 Year Filmmaking Course

Production Specialisation

Our 1 Year Production Course is hands-on, 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 Production (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 produce festival-worthy films of high production value. It includes internship on a film set and production management of up to 20 short final films shot on high-quality filmmaking equipment (RED cameras, 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. 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 production specialisation is given mostly during practical workshops and shootings.

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Requirements

Price List

our value proposition

course highlights

Create a Competitive CV/Portfolio

At the end of the course you will be a production manager of up to 20 short films of different styles which can give you a competitive edge while searching for work in the filmmaking industry

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.

Produce Festival-worthy Films

Learn to develop the production of festival-worthy films from the script breakdown till completed film. Explore industry established work procedures, standard softwares and tools, i.e. Movie Magic.

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 (such a professional producers and directors) 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

film production 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. You will manage all departments of the film projects from script breakdown to screening of the film and organise all necessary aspects of filmmaking. At the end of the semester you will get a credit as production manager by organising projects by professional film industry standards. The curriculum of the 1 Year Cinematography Course is identical to the first year of the 2 Years Filmmaking Degree Course.

Film Crew: Roles and Responsibilities

At our film school, students gain a deep understanding of the various positions and duties within a film crew, equipping them with the skills necessary to excel in the industry.

Business of Film

Students will learn the rules and regulations of the business that prevail in the film industry:
What contracts need to contain?
How professional producers negotiate with their partners and with film crew?
How the film can be sold?

Students also will acquire the skills to develop business models for their careers.

Film Financing

Students will learn all financial and production aspects of a film project. One od the most important responsibility of a producer is to monitoring and controlling the budget and also searching available financial resources.

Project Planning

Project planning in the film industry refers to the process of organizing and outlining the essential tasks, resources, and timelines needed to successfully execute a film project.

Location Management

Every film requires suitable and attractive locations where the story will take place. Students must learn how to find and secure these locations for filming.

Master Classes

During their studies, students will have the opportunity to participate in inspiring master classes led by experts in the film industry.

Consultations with Teachers

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

Project Development

During film development, it is necessary to comprehend and analyze the film script for the producer to estimate the economic scope of the project and acquire all the necessary resources based on that.

Production Management of Festival-worthy Films

There is a difference between planning a short student film and planning a festival-worthy film, which is much more demanding and closely resembles the reality our school aims to prepare our students for.

Location Scouting
Casting
Production Design
Cooperation with Director
Cooperation with Cinematographer
Shooting on the Film Set
Editing in Software DaVinci Resolve
Color Grading in Software DaVinci Resolve

Talent Management

Students will learn how to effectively identify, recruit, develop, and manage the artists required for a given film.

Marketing & Distribution

Marketing and distribution of a film are among the most crucial tools in the film industry. Students at our school will gain extensive knowledge from renowned professionals in these fields.

OTHER MANDATORY FILMMAKING MODULES

Directing

Basics of Mise-en-Scene Studies
Working with Cinematographers
Directing Actors
Film Theory
Basics of Film History
Mood Boards
Master Classes
Consultations with Teachers
Practical Workshops

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

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

Drone Cinematography

Drone theory
Drone training
Legislation

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

Post-production

Terminology and Different Movie Parts
Types of Shots
Bridging Scenes with Music
Cut by Color and Contrast
Editing for Different Genres
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

We provide foreign students with lessons in the basics of the Czech language.

Underwater Filmmaking

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

program 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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