Masterclass Speakers

Rick McCallum is a legendary American film producer best known for his long-time collaboration with George Lucas. He produced the Star Wars Special Editions, the Prequel Trilogy, and the acclaimed TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. His diverse career also includes producing the Rolling Stones’ iconic music video Undercover of the Night. Rick gave a masterclass at Prague Film Institute, sharing his experience from working on large-scale productions and offering students unique insight into the world of producing at the highest level.

Nancy Bishop is an Emmy-nominated and Artios Award-winning casting director with over 100 international credits. Based in London, she has worked for top studios like Paramount, Universal, and Fox, as well as platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple. Her casting credits include Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (Artios Award), Snowpiercer, Miranda’s Victim, and Anne Frank: The Whole Story (Emmy-nominated). She is also a respected coach and the author of three books on auditioning. Her masterclass at Prague Film Institute gives students rare insight into casting, international careers, and audition technique in the streaming era.

Dirk Westervelt is a renowned American film editor behind major Hollywood productions like Logan, Deadpool 2, Ford v Ferrari, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Run All Night. He began his career in the camera department before moving into editing and working on films such as Friday, Set It Off, Soul Food, and Men of Honor. Dirk also served as Visual Effects Editor on Blade II and Hellboy. At Prague Film Institute, Dirk shared his deep expertise in storytelling through editing, on‑set workflows, and crafting dynamic narratives across genres.

Viktor is a Czech film producer with over 20 years of experience, specialising in historical and international productions. He was Line Producer on Medieval (2022) – the most expensive Czech film ever made, starring Ben Foster and Michael Caine. As a producer with Three Brothers Production, Viktor has been involved in the service production of numerous major international and Hollywood films, including Dune, Blade II, Van Helsing, Hellboy, Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Borgias, Three Musketeers, The Pillars of the Earth, and many others. In his masterclasses at Prague Film Institute, Viktor shares first-hand insights into film production, budgeting, historical filmmaking, and what it takes to deliver large-scale film projects. His teaching reflects not only his own experience, but the high standards and real-world demands of the global film industry.

Laurent Barès is an acclaimed French cinematographer known for his bold, cinematic visual style and storytelling precision. With a career spanning major international productions, he’s brought stunning imagery to series like Knightfall(History/Netflix), Carnival Row (Amazon), The Serpent (Netflix), and La Révolution (Netflix), as well as feature films including The Divide and The Big Picture. Laurent’s ability to create mood through light and camera has made him a sought-after DOP in genres ranging from thriller and horror to historical drama. At Prague Film Institute, he shared his on-set experience and visual approach during an in-depth masterclass on the art of cinematography.

Award-winning Czech director, screenwriter and producer best known for The Painted Bird – one of the most acclaimed Czech films of the last decade. The film received a Special Jury Mention at ScriptEast in Cannes, premiered in main competition at the Venice Film Festival, and won nine Czech Lion Awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. The Painted Bird was screened at over 60 international film festivals, earning praise for its bold storytelling and powerful visual language. At Prague Film Institute, Marhoul offered students a rare insight into the challenges of adapting literature for the screen, directing international co-productions, and leading creative teams across borders.

Pavel is a Czech SFX Supervisor with extensive experience on high-end international productions. He has worked on major films including Nosferatu, Casino Royale, and Extraction 2, as well as Amazon Prime’s fantasy series Carnival Row. In his masterclass at Prague Film Institute, Pavel shares what it takes to deliver top-level special effects on set – from pyrotechnics to physical simulations – and gives students a unique behind-the-scenes perspective from both Hollywood and European productions.

Kevin Bernhardt is a prolific Hollywood screenwriter with over 30 produced films. His work ranges from commercial action to critically acclaimed dramas and has featured stars such as Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Sylvester Stallone, and Djimon Hounsou. He has collaborated on numerous international projects, including the historical epic Medieval, written for Czech director Petr Jákl and starring Ben Foster and Michael Caine. At Prague Film Institute, Kevin led a masterclass on structuring the screenplay for an international marketplace, covering theme, genre, story structure, character development, and how to stay flexible during production.

Stephen Weeks, born in 1948 in Hampshire, England, is a distinguished British director and writer whose career spans over five decades. At just 17, he began directing short films for British television, making him one of the youngest professional directors in history. By 22, he had already directed his first studio film, solidifying his reputation in the industry. His most notable works include the horror film Ghost Story (1974) and the twice-made legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, showcasing his unique vision and persistence in the face of distribution challenges.

Steve Lichtag is a world-famous documentary filmmaker and the author of science films with a sea theme. He is the founder and president of the CRYSTAL PLANET endowment fund, focused on the protection of underwater flora and fauna. He has worked closely with personalities such as Jean-Michel Cousteau, Céline Cousteau, Dr. Samuel Gruber, Dr. Erich Ritter, Andre Hartman, Garry Atkinson and many more. He is currently completing the feature film “Stingl – Little Big Okima” and is preparing another film with the working title “Finding the Abyss”. It tells the story of the human desire to know the secrets of the depths, but also points to the plundering of the oceans by man. Steve is a member of a number of international film juries and institutions dealing with nature and its protection. In 2004, he founded the „Water Sea Oceans“ IFF, of which he is president.

Vladimir is a Ph.D. graduate from the Academy of Arts and Architecture & Design in Prague. He has been working on various film and theater project for the past 15 years. Some of the titles he has worked on are: James Bond – Casino Royale, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Mission Impossible IV, Carnival Row, and many more.

Sasha is a professional make-up artist, hair-stylist, and SFX artist. His 27 years of experience has amounted to working on dozens of films, commercials, fashion shows, magazines, and music videos. He has worked with numerous big names in the film and fashion worlds. He also has expertise in historic make-up and hair design. Sasha works on Czech and international projects and he speaks four languages: English, Czech, Persian, and Russian.

With hundreds of hours of work on shootings and thousands of hours in editing rooms and post-production, Tomas is real professional. During his career he managed and supervised large number of projects and worked with leading Czech directors and cameramen on dozens of films and television series.

During his studies Tomas gained experience with the film industry as a film technician and then gradually moved to his specialisation. Since 2013, he has run successful post-production studio CINEPOST at Barrandov Film Studios. In 2017, CINEPOST combined with another company PFX. Currently in PFX, Tomas is one of partners and also in charge of film and television post-production department.