2 Years

Filmmaking Degree Course

Prague Film Institute > Filmmaking Degree Course
2 years full-time

FILMMAKING DEGREE COURSE

Filmmaking degree course at Prague Film Institute is 2 years intensive hands-on program designed to master knowledge of your chosen filmmaking specialisation. Every academic year you will have the opportunity to participate on set for up to 20 short films and scenes of different styles including 2 festival-worthy final films of your own. When you finish you will have culminated a vast portfolio of works to be used for your personal showreel.  The curriculum of the first year of study is identical to curriculum of 1 Year Filmmaking Courses, the second year you will focus on enhancing the quality of your films and studying advanced filmmaking modules. Our best students will get a chance to have a filmmaking internship on a professional film set. The course ends with British Diploma BTEC HND (Level 5) in Creative Media Production, pathway Film.

The BTEC Level 5 HND is equivalent to a foundation degree, i.e. first 2 years of Honours Bachelor’s Degree. You can easily top-up to Bachelor’s degree by joining the final year of other three-year Bachelor programs at different institutions worldwide

The aim of the course is to learn all you need to start working in filmmaking industry, shoot up to 4 festival-worthy final films, internship on a film set and gain British Diploma BTEC HND.

COURSE FEATURES

Study Mode: Full Time

Type: Hands-On Course

Dates:
5 Feb 2024 – 4 Jan 2026
Only for EU applicants: 4 Sep 2023 – 29 Jun 2025

Application Deadline:
30 Sep 2023
Only for EU applicants: 15 Aug 2023

Duration: 2 Years
(Summer Breaks Jul – Aug)

Qualification: Diploma BTEC HND in Film

Tuition: see Price List

Language: English

Students: Small Groups (10-15 people)

definition of study

choose your specialisation

  • Production
  • Directing
  • Cinematography
  • Scriptwriting
  • Post-production

Choose to specialise in the field according to your interest (choose in the application form). The emphasis on the chosen specialisation is given mostly during practical classes. 

festival-worthy films

filmmaking facilities

At this course you will shoot up to 40 short films and minimum of 4 festival-worthy short films. Through guidance of your tutors, you will have access to on-site located green screen and lighting studio and high-end filmmaking equipment available for you to use free of charge both during the classes and on your own final film projects.

our value proposition

course highlights

Practical Approach to Learning

During study you will turn all knowledge acquired in the classroom into practice. During the course you will shoot up to 40 short films and scenes of different styles which you can use for a high-quality showreel.

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. 

Internship on a Film Set

Our best students will get a chance to have a filmmaking internship on a professional film set. The internship will grow your network of all-important contacts and set yourself apart in this very competitive career field. 

Festival-worthy Films

During the study you will shoot at least 6 festival-worthy films for which you will have access to locations on our premises including a green screen and light studio and professional equipment, including RED cameras. 

program details

Entry Requirements
What’s Included
Not Included
What to Bring?

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

AgeMinimum age to enter the course is 18 years.
EducationCompleted secondary education or Level 3 qualification.
EnglishYour English must be at least at a B1 level.
DocumentsCopy of passport, curriculum vitae, example of creative work / motivational letter.
 
Not met the entry requirements?

Don’t worry, you can still study this filmmaking course but without BTEC Higher National Diploma. At the end of the course you will receive Prague Film Institute Certificate instead.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

We understand that by choosing to study with us you are making a big financial commitment. The tuition fee of this course is 17 750 USD / annually. 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
  • BTEC HND in Creative Media Industry (Pathway Film)
  • Field trips to industry partners
  • Access to editing room
  • Teaching materials
  • Filmmaking equipment
  • Essential production cost for your final film
  • Filmmaking gear (see list of available equipment for shooting of your final film)
  • Work experience & film internship
  • Building your own professional network
  • Discounts at our industry partners
    • 50% discount in Fundus of Barrandov Studios
    • up to 2 000 USD free rental of weapons & props at Three Brothers production company 
    • up to 70% discount of filmmaking equipment at LS Lumination Pictures

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • Air fare
  • Visa fee & health insurance
  • Living expenses (housing, food, transportation)

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

 

WHAT TO BRING

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

  • portable external drive with minimum storage 1 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. 
ComponentMinimum RequirementRecommended Requirement
CPUIntel COre i7 or AMD Ryzen 7Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9
RAM16 GB32 GB+
GPU4 GB VRAM8 GB+ VRAM
Media StorageSSD or RAIDSSD, Direct Attached RAID or NAD RAID (10 GbE)
BTEC higher nationals diploma

foundation bachelor’s degree

The course ends with BTEC Higher Nationals Diploma. It is equivalent to the first two years of standard European Bachelors degrees. While the practical skills gained from course lead directly to the workplace, some students ‘top up’ this qualification to a full Bachelors degree. If you choose top-up program with similar content, you should be able to enrol in the final year of a Bachelors degree at another university abroad with your HND from Prague Film Institute.

STUDY MODULES

The first year of filmmaking degree course you will study the same modules as students from the 1-year filmmaking course. The second year you will study advanced modules according to your course specialisation. Read more below.

Screenwriting Course Specialisation

Drama

  • Narrative Structure
  • Techniques
  • Diegetic and non-diegetic elements
  • Abbreviation
  • Fabula
  • Flashback and forward
  • Voice over and narration
  • Backstory
  • Foreshadowing
  • Mirroring
  • Anticipation
  • Suspense
  • Point of no return
  • Coincidence
  • Symbols and representations
  • Mise en scéne
  • Audience empathy
  • 3 act structures
  • Freytag’s analysis (Exposition, rise, climax, fall and denouement)
  • Equilibrium
  • Protagonist
  • Genre and hybrid genre

Narrative

  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Setting
  • Atmosphere
  • Pace
  • Characters
  • Point of view
  • Concept
  • Treatment
  • Synopsis
  • Pitch
  • Literary devices
  • Narrative Theories
  • Narrative Structures
  • Levels of Narrative
  • Audience Considerations
  • Product Considerations
  • Client Needs
  • Media Product Requirements

Shooting of Film

  • Workflow in Film Production
  • Project Management related to Film Production
  • Shooting a short film as a collaborative project
  • Pitching of short film
  • Marketing and Promotion strategy of short film

Personal Professional Development

  • Career aspirations
  • Mapping own skills to specific job roles
  • Career Options
  • Creating Portfolio/CV/Motivational Letter
  • Professional Networking
  • Small Business Models
  • Grants/Residencies/Internships
  • Tax liabilities
  • Legalities/Record keeping/Contracts/Intellectual Property
  • Preparing for Interview
  • Each student will be given an opportunity to have an interview for Production Companies according to skill set

Advanced Film Production Studies

  • In-depth group and individual meetings with tutors developing scripts
  • Concept
  • Genre
  • Treatment
  • Script
  • Pitching
  • Pre-production
  • Shooting of Film
  • Post-Production
  • Equipment
  • Camera Set-up
  • Lighting & Rigging
  • Sound Set-up
  • Editing
  • Final Cut

Internship

  • Industry roles and responsibilities
  • People and interpersonal skills
  • Work culture and employment expectations
  • Self-evaluation, development and career planning
  • Future development opportunities

Branding & Identity

  • The Function of Branding and Identity
  • Developing a Unique Brand Identity
  • Company Identity
  • Brand
  • Branding Guidelines
  • Visual Identity Strategy
  • Output and Platforms
  • Testing
  • Presentation and Justification of Strategy Using Industry Conventions
  • Development Opportunities

Directing Course Specialisation

Narrative

  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Setting
  • Atmosphere
  • Pace
  • Characters
  • Point of view
  • Concept
  • Treatment
  • Synopsis
  • Pitch
  • Literary devices
  • Narrative Theories
  • Narrative Structures
  • Levels of Narrative
  • Audience Considerations
  • Product Considerations
  • Client Needs
  • Media Product Requirements

Art Direction and Production Design

  • Evaluating a film treatment
  • Genre
  • Narrative structure
  • Time period
  • Visual language
  • Motif
  • Colors
  • Colour and mood
  • Design style
  • Historic/ Contemporary/ Futuristic
  • Design sketches
  • Sets
  • Props (Built/made vs rented/purchased)
  • Scenes
  • Location vs studio/soundstage
  • Visual effects shots
  • Location Scouting
  • Mood Boards
  • Story Boards
  • Computer Models
  • Samples

Shooting of Film

  • Workflow in Film Production
  • Project Management related to Film Production
  • Shooting a short film as a collaborative project
  • Pitching of short film
  • Marketing and Promotion strategy of short film

Personal Professional Development

  • Career aspirations
  • Mapping own skills to specific job roles
  • Career Options
  • Creating Portfolio/CV/Motivational Letter
  • Professional Networking
  • Small Business Models
  • Grants/Residencies/Internships
  • Tax liabilities
  • Legalities/Record keeping/Contracts/Intellectual Property
  • Preparing for Interview
  • Each student will be given an opportunity to have an interview for Production Companies according to skill set

Advanced Film Production Studies

  • In-depth group and individual meetings with tutors developing short films
  • Concept
  • Genre
  • Treatment
  • Script
  • Pitching
  • Pre-production
  • Shooting of Film
  • Post-Production
  • Equipment
  • Camera Set-up
  • Lighting & Rigging
  • Sound Set-up
  • Editing
  • Final Cut

Internship

  • Industry roles and responsibilities
  • People and interpersonal skills
  • Work culture and employment expectations
  • Self-evaluation, development and career planning
  • Future development opportunities

Branding & Identity

  • The Function of Branding and Identity
  • Developing a Unique Brand Identity
  • Company Identity
  • Brand
  • Branding Guidelines
  • Visual Identity Strategy
  • Output and Platforms
  • Testing
  • Presentation and Justification of Strategy Using Industry Conventions
  • Development Opportunities

Cinematography Course Specialisation

Storyboarding

  • Visual Expression of ideas
  • Images
  • Camera Movements
  • Camera Angles
  • Sound Direction
  • Transition
  • Edits
  • Storyboard Layout
  • Storyboard for different sectors
  • Drawing and Design Techniques
  • Point of View
  • Shot/View Types
  • Movements
  • Angles and Framing

Art Direction and Production Design

  • Evaluating a film treatment
  • Genre
  • Narrative structure
  • Time period
  • Visual language
  • Motif
  • Colors
  • Colour and mood
  • Design style
  • Historic/ Contemporary/ Futuristic
  • Design sketches
  • Sets
  • Props (Built/made vs rented/purchased)
  • Scenes
  • Location vs studio/soundstage
  • Visual effects shots
  • Location Scouting
  • Mood Boards
  • Story Boards
  • Computer Models
  • Samples

Shooting of Film

  • Workflow in Film Production
  • Project Management related to Film Production
  • Shooting a short film as a collaborative project
  • Pitching of short film
  • Marketing and Promotion strategy of short film

Personal Professional Development

  • Career aspirations
  • Mapping own skills to specific job roles
  • Career Options
  • Creating Portfolio/CV/Motivational Letter
  • Professional Networking
  • Small Business Models
  • Grants/Residencies/Internships
  • Tax liabilities
  • Legalities/Record keeping/Contracts/Intellectual Property
  • Preparing for Interview
  • Each student will be given an opportunity to have an interview for Production Companies according to skill set

Advanced Film Production Studies

  • In-depth group and individual meetings with tutors developing short films
  • Concept
  • Genre
  • Treatment
  • Script
  • Pitching
  • Pre-production
  • Shooting of Film
  • Post-Production
  • Equipment
  • Camera Set-up
  • Lighting & Rigging
  • Sound Set-up
  • Editing
  • Final Cut

Internship

  • Industry roles and responsibilities
  • People and interpersonal skills
  • Work culture and employment expectations
  • Self-evaluation, development and career planning
  • Future development opportunities

Branding & Identity

  • The Function of Branding and Identity
  • Developing a Unique Brand Identity
  • Company Identity
  • Brand
  • Branding Guidelines
  • Visual Identity Strategy
  • Output and Platforms
  • Testing
  • Presentation and Justification of Strategy Using Industry Conventions
  • Development Opportunities

Editing Course Specialisation

Advanced Editing for Film and TV

  • Rhythm and Pacing
  • Identification of Cutting Points
  • Rhythmic Repetition of Action in Narrative
  • The Dramatic Effects of Different Pacing in Cutting
  • Avoiding Flat Pace
  • Selecting Music for Dramatic Purpose
  • Source and Score Music
  • Rhythm and Cutting with Music
  • Color Grading
  • Tracklaying
  • Mixing of Sound
  • Technical Suitability
  • Sound Quality
  • Dialogue
  • Background Sound
  • Atmos
  • Transitions
  • Motion Effects
  • Layered Video Effects
  • Illusion Effects

Visual Effects Practices

  • Roles within VFX
  • VFX Design
  • Shot identification
  • Shot requirements
  • Style
  • Genre
  • Storyboarding
  • Animatics
  • Filming
  • Codecs
  • Still Photography
  • CGI Supervision
  • Green Screen
  • Virtual Sets
  • Light Matching
  • HDRI
  • Matchmoving
  • Photogrammetry
  • VFX paint
  • Motion/performance capture
  • Miniatures
  • Forced perspective
  • 3D modelling
  • Compositing

Shooting of Film

  • Workflow in Film Production
  • Project Management related to Film Production
  • Shooting a short film as a collaborative project
  • Pitching of short film
  • Marketing and Promotion strategy of short film

Personal Professional Development

  • Career aspirations
  • Mapping own skills to specific job roles
  • Career Options
  • Creating Portfolio/CV/Motivational Letter
  • Professional Networking
  • Small Business Models
  • Grants/Residencies/Internships
  • Tax liabilities
  • Legalities/Record keeping/Contracts/Intellectual Property
  • Preparing for Interview
  • Each student will be given an opportunity to have an interview for Production Companies according to skill set

Advanced Film Production Studies

  • In-depth group and individual meetings with tutors developing short films
  • Concept
  • Genre
  • Treatment
  • Script
  • Pitching
  • Pre-production
  • Shooting of Film
  • Post-Production
  • Equipment
  • Camera Set-up
  • Lighting & Rigging
  • Sound Set-up
  • Editing
  • Final Cut

Internship

  • Industry roles and responsibilities
  • People and interpersonal skills
  • Work culture and employment expectations
  • Self-evaluation, development and career planning
  • Future development opportunities

Branding & Identity

  • The Function of Branding and Identity
  • Developing a Unique Brand Identity
  • Company Identity
  • Brand
  • Branding Guidelines
  • Visual Identity Strategy
  • Output and Platforms
  • Testing
  • Presentation and Justification of Strategy Using Industry Conventions
  • Development Opportunities

optional workshops

You will have chance to join number of optional and discovery workshops which will further evolve your knowledge in the field.

Assistant Director (AD)

  • 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

Grip

  • Unpacking camera and rigging equipment
  • Laying dolly tracks
  • Assembling camera rigging including dollies, jibs, static rigs, cranes and tracks
  • Testing the strength and safety of contracted rigs
  • Moving light fixtures
  • Maintaining and repairing rigging equipment

Sound Recording

  • Introduction to Sound Equipment
  • Recording at Exteriors
  • Recording in Interiors
  • Dialogue Recording
  • Action Scene Recording
  • Recording Folley
  • Location Mixers

Color Grading 

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

Underwater Filmmaking 

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

Drone Cinematography  

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

Action Scenes 

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

our premises

Our film school is situated in a building with award-winning directors, film equipment rental-house and professional post-production facilities. You will be surrounded by film professionals and have a chance to peek in the production workflow of the real film industry.

2 YEARS FILMMAKING PROGRAM

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