Overview
Our 4-week filmmaking beginner's course is designed for budding writers, directors, cinematographers and editors eager to learn the fundamentals of audiovisual storytelling, pre-production, working with actors and post-production.
Write, develop, shoot, edit and screen your own short film, and experience a range of other roles as you crew on the films of your peers.
We maximise ‘hands-on’ access to doing what you love. With professional film facilities, editing suites and a wide selection of equipment and props, we're the perfect playground to start your filmmaking endeavours.
Launch, define and refine your own process and shoot with confidence through hands-on learning facilitated by expert tutors and industry professionals. From applying the basics of storytelling to getting to grips with gear and a film set. From collaborating with a crew to developing your vision. You will come out of the four weeks with an essential understanding of filmmaking – and, most importantly, the fuel to forward your creative journey.
Course Details
Subject areas
- Camera workshop
- Operating Camera gear and recording
- Operating film lights
- Sound workshop
- Operating Sound gear, recording and basic post production sound (editing)
- Feedback RT
- Giving and receiving Feedback
- Directing workshop
- Directing actors
- Mise En Scène
- Story workshop
- Script writing - mostly based on feedback
- Editing workshop
- Organising your timeline
- Basic cutting
- Basic editing storytelling
- Packaging the project
- Production workshop
- Film production
- Organising your set
- Briefs
- Updates and guidance of your projects
Weekly breakdown
Week 1: Writing & Pre-Production
- Storytelling fundamentals
- Short script writing
- Storyboarding
- Scheduling
- Shot lists and overhead diagrams
- Rehearsal and planning
Week 2: Cinematography & Directing
- Photography fundamentals
- Lighting
- Camera placement and composition
- Mise-en-scene (set and costume design)
- Directing actors
- Visual storytelling
- Sound recording
Week 3: Guided Shooting Week
During this week you’ll shoot your short film, and the films of your peers in a major role, on site at our Funkhaus campus under the guidance and consultation of our tutors.
Week 4: Post-Production & Screening
- Picture editing
- Software: Da Vinci Resolve, Fairlight, After Effects
- Color correction and color timing
- Sound design and editing
- ADR and Foley effects
- Introduction to visual effects, titles, and credits
- Exporting and delivery for screening
- End of course celebration
By the end of all this, you’ll have the skills to take your future filmmaking projects to the next level!
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- apply the basics of storytelling
- handle the camera safely
- collaborate with other filmmakers (crew) and actors
- work independently, and within a team
- know the basics of camera handling and exposure
- communicate with the crew and with actors effectively
- use 3 point lighting and set light quality and temperature
- set shot sizes & types and create basic compositions
- tell a story through short film
- prepare and organise shooting
- record and edit sound
- organise a timeline, do basic editing, package a project
- Solve a rage of film making problems
- give and receive constructive feedback
Progression
This course is designed for two student types.
The first are those looking for a productive way to spend 4 weeks developing their filmmaking skills to support their own projects, launch themselves into the industry and meet like minded people to work with. For these students the likely progression routes are:-
- Returning to their own projects with a new set of skills.
The second is for students wishing to continue their education in filmmaking by applying to a film school. After this short course students can consider progressing onto a degree course which requires some practical experience and an example of work previously produced - which they will achieve during this short course!
- The Catalyst degree courses they would be able to progress onto are:-
- Film Production HE Certificate (1 Year)
- Film Production BA (Hons) (3 Years)
- Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation HE Certificate (1 Year)
- Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation BA (Hons) (3 Years)
Students who wish to enrol on both a short and long course will receive a discount on total tuition fee - please request this to our Admissions team when applying.
Our team
Our tutors are industry experienced with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others. Here are a few of the experienced and friendly tutors that will be supporting you throughout your learning process.
Simon Oblescak
Are you driven to move others with your art? Then you’ll love the approach of Simon Oblescak, for whom it is precisely this desire that fuels his thought-provoking documentary films. Simon worked for many years in TV and advertising before establishing his own film production company, Onion Films, working on both personal and commercial projects. A go-the-extra-mile kind of guy, he’s at his happiest when he’s pushing others to achieve their potential.
Daniel Dietz
Whether he’s working with high-tech equipment or encouraging the vision of his students, Daniel Dietz is passionate about creative innovation. Within his film and visual media career, his core expertise lies in projection mapping, 360-degree photography, editing, directing, shooting and producing. Who better than Daniel to demonstrate the transferable skills of the filmmaking discipline and the diverse opportunities they can bring?
Greta Amend
When it comes to her career, Greta has always sought adventure. She’s worked all over Europe for the past 25 years, acting extensively in theatre productions and directing theatre and film. For over ten years, she’s also been leading masterclasses on acting and directing.
An international creative community
Catalyst is a thriving creative learning community of tutors and students from more than 75 countries.
Studying here is a golden opportunity to meet up and collaborate with like-minded peers from around the world. A key part of our approach to learning involves working with others whether as peers, mentors, collaborators, audience or fellow travellers. Passion is always better shared!
Sit back and tune in
In the end it doesn’t matter what we say or do. What matters is what our students are doing during their time with us. Watch one of our favourite videos directed, shot and edited by our filmmaking students, starring their fellow acting colleagues and decide for yourselves.
Essential information
Entry requirements
The most important prerequisite for attending any course at Catalyst is that you must be passionate about building and developing your skills as a filmmaker.
Our short courses are designed to be accessible to anyone so we do not require any level of academic certification to apply. To qualify you should usually be aged 18 or over. If you're coming from outside the EU, a holiday/travel visa will usually suffice.
For more information, please contact a member of the team. We love to chat! Please reach out to us at admissions@catalyst-berlin.com or call us at +49 30 2900 9052.
Course dates and application deadline
Course dates: Monday 17 June – Friday 12 July 2024
Course length: 4 weeks
Application deadline: Friday 17 May 2024
Although our final deadline for Summer Short Courses is Friday 17 May 2024, we strongly recommend that you apply by our priority deadline (5 April 2024) for your best chances of securing a spot on your chosen course. If the course is full, you will be added to a waiting list.
Tuition fees
Enrolment fee*: €495
Course fee: €1,755
Total: €2,250
If you decide to enrol in both a Summer Short Course and an undergraduate course (HE Certificate or BA) with us, you will receive a discount of 500€ on the total tuition.
* Note- Enrolment fee is non-refundable.
Open days, Q&As & taster workshops
Get a feel for Catalyst and our courses at a range of both online and in-person events. Join us at a Virtual Open Day or an Open Day at our campus in Berlin, chat to our programme leads at Meet The Tutor, or try a taster workshop.
Primer Workshop - Access to Higher Education
Designed for those wishing to join our main programmes, but lacking the formal education requirements to apply through standard entry.
These free workshops run at the same time as your short course programme and cover writing skills, reading, structuring arguments, debate and understanding context.
They utilise task and project-based learning methodology to ensure that you’re prepared and ready for our longer HE Certificate or BA (Hons) programmes.
More courses
Film Production courses
Our Film Production programme transcends borders and teaches you to disrupt the status quo – making you part of a new wave of cinema that better reflects the world we live in today. You will create original work by diving deep into your own unique point of view and by embracing the global perspectives that your peers and tutors bring, here in the heart of Europe.
Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation courses
Gain a powerful insight into the fast paced world of visual effects production, digital arts and animation with all the tools, techniques and practical experience required to succeed as one of tomorrow's industry professionals.
Screen Acting – Short Course
This high-energy short course is designed for beginners and budding actors eager to play and experiment with their own bodies and their acting abilities.