| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-06 | - |
| 2024-01-12 | - |
Program Overview
The semester program at Prague Film School is a highly-intensive, praxis-oriented course with a steep learning curve. The objective of the program is to instruct concrete craft skills through substantial production and course work. By the program's end, students will have developed a certain fluency in both the technical aspects of filmmaking and in film language in general.
Students enrolled in the semester program are required to follow courses in each of the core modules of screenwriting, editing, cinematography and directing. Students attend classes in sound, camera-related workshops and two elective courses from a menu of courses listed below. Within the semester, each student can direct four film productions while working on up to an additional 16 - 20 film sets.
By the end of the course, students will be competent in: shooting with RED, Black Magic cameras; operating and designing with lights ranging from dedos to 4K HMI, editing with AVID Media Composer systems, color grading, applying graphics and animation using Affer Effects, location sound recording and sound post production. Students will have also received training in screenplay structure and dramaturgy, character development, script analysis, visualization, color theory, directing the camera, directing actors and more.
The semester program is the first semester of the year course. It is possible to enroll in the semester course and then prolong ones studies to the second semester of the year course while studying in the semester program. However, doing so incurs higher fees than enrolling in the year program directly.
Program Outline
Content of the semester
The semester curriculum of narrative filmmaking program covers foundation courses including: (1) screenwriting, (2) directing, (3) cinematography, and (4) editing, in addition to a number of other subjects which can be taken as electives.
1. Foundation Courses (obligatory)
Screenwriting Course
Directing Course
Cinematography Course
Editing Course
2. Elective/Specialization Courses (each student takes 2 courses)
Acting
Art Direction
Advanced Cameras
Aspects of Film Language
Blocking
Central and East European Cinema
Czech Language
Directing Actors
Directing the Camera
Documentary Theory and History
Experimental Film
Film Industry
Film Comedy
Film Analysis
Lighting
Master Shot
Photography for Cinematography
Post-production effects
Post-production workflow
Screenwriting Feature Film
Sound
3. Production Workshops (obligatory)
Operation of filmmaking equipment (camera, lighting and sound systems)
Crew production protocol
Sound production (recording, mixing, design)
Grip equipment (camera support systems)
4. Studio Work: End of Semester Film
64 hours of studio work.
Film and practical exercises play an extremely important role in the program. Classroom-based courses are supplemented with a number of practical exercises in the studio and at different locations. In the first semester, each student completes four film projects of his/her own, performing the functions of screenwriter, director, cinematographer and editor on all of them. Each student works on another sixteen to twenty projects shot by other students.
Prague Film School
Overview:
Prague Film School is a renowned international film school located in the heart of Prague, Czech Republic. It offers a praxis-heavy curriculum, emphasizing practical filmmaking experience alongside theoretical knowledge. The school's ethos blends European art-house and American independent cinema styles, attracting students from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Services Offered:
Filmmaking Programs:
Foundation training and specialization studies in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, and post-production.Acting for Film Program:
Intensive, conservatory-style curriculum focusing on the art and craft of acting for the camera.Documentary Film Program:
Develops independent documentary filmmakers through practical and theoretical work, emphasizing narrative storytelling in real-world contexts.Student Life and Campus Experience:
Intensive Production:
Students participate in up to 30 productions annually, many of which are showcased at top film festivals.Intimate Size:
The school's small size fosters close relationships between students, teachers, and filmmakers.Access to Facilities:
Easy access to filmmaking equipment and facilities.Prague as a Classroom:
The city of Prague serves as a living classroom, offering opportunities for filming, inspiration, and cultural immersion.Key Reasons to Study There:
Practical Experience:
Emphasis on hands-on filmmaking experience through numerous productions.International Exposure:
Students interact with filmmakers and peers from around the world.Industry Recognition:
Alumni have achieved success at prestigious film festivals and in the film industry.Unique Location:
Prague's beauty and rich cinematic history provide a unique learning environment.Academic Programs:
Filmmaking:
Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Post-ProductionActing for Film:
Intensive training in screen acting techniques.Documentary Film:
Develops independent documentary filmmakers with a focus on narrative storytelling.Other:
Language of Instruction:
EnglishAlumni Success:
Graduates have worked on notable films and television shows, including "Gully Boy," "Thor Ragnarok," "Narcos," and "Spider-Man Far From Home."
Prague Film School is open to applicants of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of merit and creative potential.
Production experience is not a requisite for getting admitted, but of course welcome. Students applying to Prague Film School come from a wide-spectrum of backgrounds, from the professional filmmaker to the initiate.
Applicant Categories at Prague Film School:
1) advanced filmmakers who may have already completed degree filmmaking programs back home and who have already made festival-level or professional film products;
2) theater actors, acting conservatory graduates without formal training or experience in acting for film;
3) intermediate applicants who have significant production experience as autodidacts or work in a film-related area but who have received little to no formal training.
4) applicants with a background in cinema theory, acting, media studies, journalism, humanities who have not yet had any production experience but who demonstrate a history of interest in film.
We welcome applications from motivated, independent and hardworking individuals. Students are in class 6-8 hours per day and are also busy with homework, shooting and writing scripts. During production periods, which constitute 20-30 days per semester, shooting may last up to 12-14 hours/daily. Studies are very intensive and demanding and require a high level of personal discipline.
