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Walking simulators have challenged and altered how video games are played, experienced and defined. In an attention greedy industry, their break from traditional game mechanics bought criticism. Since their introduction, perceptions of the genre have shifted focus from what they don’t have, to what they do differently. Today gamers playing walking sims have come to expect strong narratives and engaging exploration, while the industry on the whole has adopted their ideas.

Our second year Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students are assigned the project of building their own. Today we’re sharing Programme Lead Awu’s top five walking sims. We’ve identified what makes them truly special – both as gaming experience and as learning tools for our students. 

Originally created as an academic experiment by Dr Dan Pinchbeck, Dear Esther might seem like an unlikely game to reshape the industry – but that’s exactly what it did. Released commercially in 2012, this haunting first-person experience broke the mould by stripping away traditional game mechanics. There are no puzzles to solve, no enemies to fight – just a voice reading letters to a woman named Esther as you explore a remote, windswept island. As you journey toward the summit, you slowly piece together a story of love, loss and longing. What started as a university project has since become a landmark title that influenced how developers use exploration, space and atmosphere as storytelling tools in modern games.

Dear Esther presents a powerful lesson for students on both our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation and our Film Production programme. The game offers a powerful lesson in how to build a story through space. The island isn’t just a backdrop – it is the narrative. Every flicker of light, weathered cave wall and distant landmark adds depth to the emotional landscape. Without NPCs or cutscenes, the story emerges through mood, colour and movement. This is an immersive, visual poem that unfolds at the player’s pace. It is rare to find such a good example of world-building, where the world itself does the talking.

Walking sim with the best visual language

Firewatch is a first-person, single-player mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness. Players start by learning and making decisions about the life of protagonist Henry. Then, over the course of the summer, Henry has to unravel a years-old mystery with another fire watcher and boss, Delilah. So what can our students learn from Firewatch? Aspiring digital artists will be interested to hear the starting point of Firewatch’s outstanding visual language.

The starting point for the visual language of Firewatch tells an interesting story for artists interested in gaming. The game was directed by Sean Vanaman and Olly Moss, best known for reimaginings of movie posters, and produced by Gabe McGill and artist Jane Ng. The starting point for Jane when modelling the game’s environment was based on a single painting by Olly, resulting in impressionist-like scenery. The design then drew further inspiration from iconic 1960s National Park posters and field research conducted in Yosemite National Park. 

Firewatch reminds us that great game design begins not with code, but with imagination and artistic intent.

Creator Jenova Chen designs games to provoke emotional responses and move beyond the typical "defeat/kill/win" mentality. Journey invites players to feel small in a vast, awe-inspiring desert as they travel toward a distant mountain. Along the way, they may encounter others on the same path. but with no speech or text, communication happens only through a musical chime that shapes the environment and enables progress. Critically acclaimed for its visuals and emotional impact, what stands out most for us at Catalyst is how music plays a central role in that experience.

The music, composed by Austin Wintory, acts as an emotional co-pilot. The soundtrack feels responsive, adapting in real time to your actions and interactions within the game. Instead of assigning themes to places or characters, Wintory scored the entire game around a single theme that evolves with you. The cello – representing the player – weaves through an orchestral landscape that shifts like sand around you. The soundtrack  was nominated at the 2013 Grammy Awards and has gone on to be recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra.

For our Music and Sound for Visual Media students, Journey offers a masterclass in scoring with intention, emotion and immersion.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a pushes forward narrative design and emotional storytelling. At its core, it’s about legacy and loss, memory and mystery. You step into the shoes of Edith Finch as she returns to her sprawling, strange childhood home. With each creaking door and hidden passageway, you uncover the lives – and untimely deaths – of her relatives. The house itself becomes a kind of living scrapbook, echoing with stories waiting to be told.

One of the extraordinary features in this game is the storytelling methods. Each chapter is a first-person vignette that shifts in tone, visual style and gameplay mechanics, offering a kaleidoscopic look at mortality. In this way, the game explores fate, free will and the blurred lines between memory and truth. For our students, it’s a powerful reminder of how interactive storytelling can defy convention, elevate emotion and blur the boundary between game and art. That’s exactly why it earns its place on our top 5 – as a benchmark for what’s possible when narrative and design work hand in hand to deliver a lasting emotional impact.

Of course, bringing these ideas to life takes a whole team. Now imagine this: a Screenwriting student writing a character’s emotional arc – while a VFX artist brings it to life through a shifting environment. This is the world we're building at Catalyst.

The Stanley Parable puts you in the mind-numbingly beige shoes of Stanley, whose job is to push buttons... until one day, no instructions come. His coworkers vanish. The office is empty. And then, we hear the narrator. But here’s the twist: you can listen to him – or you can disobey. Take the door he tells you to? Or sneak off and see what happens? Each decision leads to wildly different outcomes, all laced with absurdist humour and philosophical undertones. This is storytelling that breaks the fourth wall, bends expectations and dares the player to ask “what if?” at every turn.

At its core, The Stanley Parable is a clever interrogation of traditional game design, presenting a looping maze of questions about choice, agency and control. And behind all the surreal twists lies something vital for everyone involved in creativity: problem solving. As we’ve seen in the other top picks, taking well considered risks can have a big reward. The Stanley Parable shows how subverting expectations can lead to some original storytelling moments, as well as subject for discussion after the fact.

Study Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation at Catalyst

At Catalyst, you'll learn the tools and techniques to bring your ideas to life and apply them to the demands of the film, gaming and design industries. We value the inherently creative process of storytelling, both on the dedicated Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation BA programme and across the programmes taught at all of our Schools. What better place to grow as a creative than one in which you are within arm's reach of broad-minded musicians, talented screenwriting specialists, up-and-coming filmmakers and actors ready to step onto the set.

Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation programme lead selects their favourite ever walking sims.

Five best walking sims, part of our VFX course

Five best walking sims, selected by Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Programme Lead

Our student-run radio station, Etikett Radio, has been showcasing our communities' creative voices for over a decade. As you'll see in this article, the radio station reaches beyond our School of Music & Sound. Students from the School of Film & Visual Media and the School of Acting are all getting involved with running our grass-roots, community run station.

The station is constantly evolving with the students bringing it to life. In 2024, station oversight transitioned from radio manager Matt Migz to student coordinator Samaquias Lorta. Previously, while students played key roles within the station, the shows were largely managed by Matt. But last year, we shifted gears – placing even more creative and curatorial control directly in the hands of our students. Now, from thought-provoking film podcasts to kitchen dance-worthy DJ sets, Etikett is giving our community the airwaves to express their ideas on. Tune in to the broadcasts at etikett-radio.com.

Keep reading to find out about the great reception Etikett Radio has had from students across our schools.

Our communications team are getting first hand experience in programming and promotion. They make sure our shows aren’t just aired, but also heard.

Acting first year student Mariana joined the Etikett team because radio has always been a constant in her life. From singing to music with her mum to engaging in discussions with my dad about whatever we are listening to. What a better way to keep radio in her life than being part of one.

Electronic Music Production & Performance student Karl-Markus is a producer, event organiser and DJ under the alias DJ Type 1. He has been immersed in electronic music since the fifth grade. His evolving taste spans a wide spectrum—from ambient, experimental and post-club sounds to dance-floor staples like techno, house, Latin club, and jungle.

His mission at Etikett is strengthening the foundations. He wants to reinforce it into a solid and professional platform while fostering a tight-knit, connected community.

Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation first year Inés Reyes joined the Etikett Radio team because she believes there’s no better way to connect people than through media!

She loves her work at Etikett because she gets to create visuals and help promote artist shows that are both captivating and innovative.

Station Leads work with more station oversight. They are responsible for scheduling and managing broader curations. They are also on hand to help producers and step in as student liaisons.

Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student in his final year, Pedro is a music producer and sound designer. His practice explores multiple sides of his sonic identity. Originally from Brazil and bringing a background in the Electronic Dance Music world as a DJ, Pedro likes to mix the synthetic with the organic. He is currently working on two projects. DRINHO where he focuses more on DJing and house music production and his recently launched Sonarium, where he shares sound design works and genre blending explorations.

Electronic Music Production & Performance alumnus has the longest experience with Etikett Radio. With his radio show partly cloudy, he explores feelings — his own or his guests' — through dream-like, non-linear mixes. Etikett embodies everything he loves about student radio: creative freedom, community, and the chance to stay connected to a place and the people that continue to inspire him as an alumnus.

Tune in to the weather report every other Thursday from 17:00–18:00 on etikett-radio.com!

A Station Lead of few words, when asked for a quote of their experience third year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student Nicolás simply said "there is always an open frequency".

Producers work directly with show hosts. They are responsible for several radio slots and picking out sets from the archive for after-hours shows.

Creative Production (Film) MA student Lia is both a producer and show host on Etikett Radio. She is a filmmaker and visual artist with a strong passion for music and community-led projects, making Etikett feel like the perfect place for her!

Patrícia Vitória Conceição Barros Leal

Electronic Music Production & Performance first year Patricia is from Fortaleza, Brazil. She is a very eclectic person who loves music and cultural diversity. She was drawn to Etikett Radio by the opportunity to experience a radio station up close and collaborate with other members of our community.

Meet the team running our student-run radio station

Learning how to broadcast

Learning how to broadcast – meet the team running Etikett Radio

During their final year, Acting students take on a deeply personal challenge. Our budding actors write and perform their own solo shows, rooted in ideas close to their hearts. These performances are a platform to explore broader societal issues through theatre. Each of the 16 unique shows will be performed three times. They tackle themes like existential dilemmas, climate catastrophe, grief, human connection and identity. Presented in groups of three or four, each 30-minute solo offers an invitation into the artist’s world.

Get tickets here and keep reading for details.

Post-Communist Girlies is an electrifying night of solo performances by three women, each bringing their own unique, bold, and deeply personal stories to the stage. Blending humor, drama, music, and satire, these performances will explore identity, relationships and existential dilemmas through a post-communist lens. Directed by Matilda Keizer.

Kazakh Princess Diaries by Aisha Kalymzhanova 

A lively solo musical comedy blending cabaret-style music and sharp satire to explore identity and privilege in a fictional contemporary Kazakhstan with royalty, tradition, and unexpected twists.

A heartfelt dramedy that dives into the impact of emotional abuse on friendship, following three roommates as they navigate love, loyalty, and the complexities of female bonds.

A darkly comedic, philosophical solo piece following Zoryana, a self-proclaimed revolutionary, as she battles her own self-destruction while an asteroid threatens to end it all.

A collection of three solo shows that delve into love, pain, and grief within families. Join as we expose these intimate and exciting stories through seamless multiple character work, dance, poetry and a touch of singing. Directed by Adam Ferreira.

Things we inherit by Catinca-Ioana Baldovin

Three generations of women—one losing her memories to Alzheimer’s, one losing herself in her mistakes, and one caught in the middle—navigate the tangled threads of love, pain, and legacy in a fight to hold their fractured family together.

Constricted within the bounds of their arboreal home, Juul and their mom, Annette, wrestle with shame and isolation when Juul discovers a fetish for choking.

A young girl who falls in love with the most extraordinary man in the most unforgettable time in world history. Now she’s trapped in purgatory and has to relive over and over again the highs and lows of their fairy-tale love story.

Spend the night at a family disupte, in a musical escape, a house party and a late night show. Four 30-minute solo shows directed by Adam Ferreira.

A Land of Hopes and Dreams by Ido Raphael

The Wise, The Wicked and The One who does not know how to ask. All parts of Ido as he discovers who he is inside the family after the passing of his father.

What happens when your boss doesn‘t acknowledge your work, when you're trying to online date, you can‘t contact your mom and you can‘t express your feeling? Breaking out into song?

A chaotic night in a small village, where everyone knows everyone, slowly unravels through a series of police interrogations. A comedic one-woman show featuring a bunch of unforgettable characters.

Downward Spiral: The Benji's Mind Show by Felix Jakob Mangold

The Benji's Mind Show is a talk show set in the mind of a young man named Benji. In the course of 30 minutes Benji's Mind will welcome various guests in order to figure out how Benji gets to live a life that's worth living. An existential dark comedy written and performed by Felix Jakob Mangold.

In this collection of 30-minute plays directed by Matilde Keizer, explore the themes of survival, family, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world, all while navigating dark comedy and emotional depth. It’s an evening that balances humor and heartbreak, and we’d love for you to be a part of it. 

The Heart Spaceship Kingdom by Marla Xaviera

Surprise! Climate Extinction has obliterated planet Earth and you're one of the lucky few invited to board The Heart Spaceship Kingdom, where you will go find new life in a different galaxy. Do you accept the Queen of Hearts as your lord and savior? She's a treat but don't be fooled - her temper has a body count.

The greatest family circus show is in town but a dark reality lurks over it. With their mother away battling cancer, two brothers are left behind—one a gifted singer, the other a shy small worker, forced to clean up both the tent and their father’s rage. As their father drowns in alcohol and frustration, the elder son’s voice goes unappreciated, while the younger, too small to shine but big enough to take the blows, suffers the worst of the abuse. Through shifting monologues between the ring and reality, their tragic act unfolds. Will they escape before the final curtain falls?

Lucy in the Sky with Big Dog by Maya Balazs

Heaven has lost another angel, this one being cynical and God’s daughter. We follow Lucy as she desperately tries to find a way to gain the knowledge she lacks as an angel born and raised in heaven; the meaning of human experience.

A night of triple the talent with THREE SOME!!! Directed by Matilde Keizer.

Sleeping Bitch by Patricia Elisabeth Trageser

By day, she is a princess, the perfect woman admired by all; by night, she becomes forbidden desire. In this 30-minute solo performance, actress Patricia Elisabeth Trageser explores the struggle to stay true to herself amid society’s expectations. With captivating dance and evocative music by Christopher Perry Silva, she invites you into a dream where seduction and identity converge.

Who knows what today brings, but lets get some drinks, and we will find ourselves along the way.

A recently deceased Kate’s soul attends her own funeral. But not everything is as she expected it to be. On the stage you will see three different characters filled with sarcasm, humour and irony played by one actress.

Read about our Acting third year's solo shows, and get tickets ahead of the event in our theatre here in Berlin!

Acting Bachelors solo shows 2025

Acting Bachelors students tackle society’s challenges on stage

We're thrilled to share that the latest co-directed film by tutors Filipe Matzembacher (Film Production and Screenwriting) and Marcio Reolon (Acting and Screenwriting) will have its world premiere next Friday 14 February at the 75th Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival). 

The duo are moving from strength to strength as they release their third co-directed feature film. BEIRA-MAR (Seashore) premiered at the 65th Berlinale in 2015. It went on to win Best Film at the Novos Rumos section and the Félix Jury Special Award at Rio International Film Festival. Three years later, HARD PAINT was screened at the 68th Berlinale. It won the Teddy Award for the best LGBTQ feature film of the festival as well as the C.I.C.A.E Award. To date, HARD PAINT has been screened at over 100 film festivals around the world. It has won over 30 awards and earning spots on many "Best of 2018" and "Best of the Decade" lists. 

As they prepare for their next big premiere, we sat down with the superstar duo to discuss their collaborative creative process and what audiences can expect from Night Stage.

Before and after filming Night Stage, you both taught at Catalyst. How did your time teaching influence the film, and how has this latest feature film influenced your teaching?

FM: Talking about cinema always gets us so excited and fires up our passion even more. Before heading back to Brazil we were all about prep for the film and the in class debates and workshops felt like pure energy for us. And now, coming back after this whole process, we’ve changed a lot. We always joke that we’re new people after finishing a film and Night Stage is bigger than anything we’ve done before. Huge crew, big cast, tons of locations, hundreds of extras and so many complex scenes. We’re super proud of how it turned out and couldn’t be happier. So now, going back to teaching, all of this experience really adds to our story, and we’re sharing that story with our students.

MR: I can't separate my filmmaker self from my teacher self. One is connected to the other. I always bring questions that arise in the classroom into my films, and I bring the lessons from my filmmaking process back into my classes.

This is your third feature film working together. How do you find common ground and move forward when your visions are not the same?

FM: The key to that is communication. We talk a lot during development and pre-production, watch tons of films together. Slowly but surely, we start imagining very similar films, so we don't end up with big differences.

MR: Actually, this is a big focus for us. We even did a TED Talk on the topic of collaboration (watchable here, in Portuguese). It’s something we really believe in. And it’s such an important tool to share, especially in an art school like Catalyst. During Berlinale, we'll be part of a talk about co-directing (Organised by the Teddy Awards, more info here).

Over ten years working together is impressive! How did you go about assembling your crew for this film?

FM: We’ve been working with most of our team since film school, which is really cool. We’ve shaped our vision of cinema alongside each other. Our production designer Manuela Falcão, for example, was our classmate and has been with us since our very first film school project. These are beautiful and long partnerships that go beyond the professional sphere.

MR: And of course, over time, new people have joined the team. This is the first time we’ve worked with the incredibly talented musician Thiago Pethit for the original soundtrack and Thiago has added a new dimension to the film And the cast – wow, it’s amazing. We have actors from all over the country, with such different backgrounds and their performances are just beautiful.

NIGHT STAGE International Trailer

The rich cinematography that made HARD PAINT so visceral is also present in Night Stage. What other similarities are there between your co-directed feature films?

FM:  Seashore had a lot of gray tones. Hard Paint was kind of a mix – offline, the colors were more muted, but online, they exploded. With Night Stage, though, it's all about the colors throughout the entire story. They really helped us build this hypnotic world the main character dives into. Plus, the contrast emphasizes the duality of the story.

MR: A strong similarity between all our films is our careful work with the cast. Acting is always an important part of our filmmaking, and with each film we feel more skilled and eager to explore new and more daring paths. In relation to Hard Paint, there is another important similarity, which is a more elaborate script. Night Stage goes for an even more plot-driven narrative. It was an intense scriptwriting process, and we were extremely pleased with the result.

Finally, what should we expect from Night Stage?

FM: Night Stage is an erotic thriller that explores the clash between ambition and desire, identity and capitalism. We can’t wait for everyone at Catalyst to check it out! Oh, and the first three screenings at Berlinale will have a Q&A with the cast and crew.

Sounds perfect for Valentine's day. Tickets go on sale on at 10:00 on Monday 10 February. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the next chapter in our duo’s exceptional work together.

Interview with tutors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon ahead of their latest Berlinale premiere

Collaborative filmmaking Berlinale premiere

A decade of collaboration: our film and acting tutors Marcio and Filipe’s third Berlinale premiere 

We're back with Season 5 of CAP Selects: our weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our second-year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the first semester, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. The brief allows them to explore any concept they choose, with two key requirements: one track must involve collaboration, and another must be a cover or reinterpretation of an original work. Creating a full album marks a significant milestone for our students as they discover and expand the boundaries of their creative potential.

Take a listen to and read about our week-by-week selections below.

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is ÆKAALI's Prime Heifer. Here’s what ÆKAALI said about their project:
"The vision for this album was to create themes for the selected characters from the game “The Sims 2” for Nintendo DS; broadly, I wanted to focus on videogames themes. For this project I didn’t want to create exactly loops, but mainly songs where each piece goes to represent the vibes of one of the figures, telling a small story. In the original game, not all of the characters have their own music, also the compositions are more prompt on being light and cartoonish if that’s the word. In my case, I used these characters as reference and transposed everything into my style, which is a little more serious and darker."
Find out more about the CAP programme here: https://catalyst-berlin.com/music/course/creative-audio-production-sound-engineering

CAP Selects: Albums S5 | Prime Heifer by ÆKAALI by Etikett Radio

"The vision for this album was to create themes for the selected characters from the game “The Sims 2” for Nintendo DS; broadly, I wanted to focus on videogames themes. For this project I didn’t want to create exactly loops, but mainly songs where each piece goes to represent the vibes of one of the figures, telling a small story. In the original game, not all of the characters have their own music, also the compositions are more prompt on being light and cartoonish if that’s the word. In my case, I used these characters as reference and transposed everything into my style, which is a little more serious and darker."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is Emile Champion-Osselin's Notes. Here’s what Emile said about their project:
"With the creation of this project, my vision was one of variety, with elements of post-rock, post-punk, noise and electronic all mixed in. My ambition is to combine a multitude of sounds in a way that feels coherent, different genres channeled through my own style. Emotions are integral to my work, and I hope for the audience to feel the way I want them to feel, or even better, feel a way I don’t even anticipate. Therefore, not to influence your opinion too much, I always prefer for my music to do the talking rather than myself."

Find out more about the CAP programme here: catalyst-berlin.com/music/course/creative-audio-production-sound-engineering

CAP Selects: Albums S5 | Church by Emile Champion-Osselin by Etikett Radio

"With the creation of this project, my vision was one of variety, with elements of post-rock, post-punk, noise and electronic all mixed in. My ambition is to combine a multitude of sounds in a way that feels coherent, different genres channeled through my own style. This contrast of distinct sounds allows me to create dynamic pieces, juxtapositions that hopefully generate tension, discomfort, satisfaction and excitement within the listener.

Emotions are integral to my work, and I hope for the audience to feel the way I want them to feel, or even better, feel a way I don’t even anticipate. Therefore, not to influence your opinion too much, I always prefer for my music to do the talking rather than myself."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is Dripping Sun's Release. Here’s what they said about their project:
My album Release is inspired by the sounds of 80s new wave and 60s psychedelic music. It blends vintage elements with modern production, creating a unique mix of old and new. The process of making this album was a journey in itself. I spent time exploring the music of the late 70s and 80s, diving deep into the new wave movement. As I discovered artists and tracks I’d never heard before, I found myself drawn to the spirit of that era. Their use of synths, basslines and atmosphere sparked my creativity and shaped the sound of Release.


CAP Selects: Albums S5 | Release by Dripping Sun by Etikett Radio

"My album Release is inspired by the sounds of 80s new wave and 60s psychedelic music. It blends vintage elements with modern production, creating a unique mix of old and new. The process of making this album was a journey in itself. I spent time exploring the music of the late 70s and 80s, diving deep into the new wave movement. As I discovered artists and tracks I’d never heard before, I found myself drawn to the spirit of that era. Their use of synths, basslines and atmosphere sparked my creativity and shaped the sound of Release."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is Dripping Sun's Release. Here’s what they said about their project:
I wanted to create something that kept me grounded in what I had already dabbled with while also trying out something new. I accidentally stumbled into one of those nature documentaries where they talked about their use of foley in post-processing and the art of recording sound in the field with microphones. It definitely caught my attention.

CAP Selects: Albums S5 | RingBahn by Placeholder by Etikett Radio

"I wanted to create something that kept me grounded in what I had already dabbled with while also trying out something new. New techniques, maybe put my hands on a new piece of technology, try things not a lot of people use, for good or for worse. I accidentally stumbled into one of those nature documentaries where they talked about their use of foley in post-processing and the art of recording sound in the field with microphones. It definitely caught my attention as I ended up using a lot of foley and field recordings in my production throughout."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is She noise's instant. Here’s what they said about their project:
Modern technology has made life incredibly convenient, but this ease comes at a cost. With endless choices in the digital world, society has grown detached from real experiences and emotions. Our mini record highlights the overwhelming nature of modern consumerism and how it shapes our lives, leaving us with a lot of places we can escape to at the touch of our fingertips.



CAP Selects: Albums S5 | instant by She noise by Etikett Radio

"Modern technology has made life incredibly convenient, but this ease comes at a cost. With endless choices in the digital world, society has grown detached from real experiences and emotions. Our mini record highlights the overwhelming nature of modern consumerism and how it shapes our lives, leaving us with a lot of places we can escape to at the touch of our fingertips. Using only analog instruments and avoiding overproduction, our project reflected on how this saturation has made it harder for society to find joy and meaning beyond the digital realm. With this in mind, I put a lot of thought into the pre-and post-production process of this recording, carefully selecting the right gear, mics, and mixing techniques to fully convey the message behind this project."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is orvokki's . Here’s what they said about their project:
Horros EP (english translation examples: hibernation, stagnation, lethargy) is an exploration of my identity as a musician and as a person. The themes for the EP circle around neurodivergence, sexuality, privilege and national heritage by using metaphors from Finnish folklore tales intertwined with my own personal experiences. The tracks vary from fun lighthearted poppy sounds to more abstract and heavy noises symbolising what it means to be a sensitive individual in this performance-driven society.

Find out more about the CAP programme here: catalyst-berlin.com/music/course/creative-audio-production-sound-engineering

CAP Selects: Albums S5 | Horros by orvokki by Etikett Radio

"Horros EP (english translation examples: hibernation, stagnation, lethargy) is an exploration of my identity as a musician and as a person. The themes for the EP circle around neurodivergence, sexuality, privilege and national heritage by using metaphors from Finnish folklore tales intertwined with my own personal experiences. The tracks vary from fun lighthearted poppy sounds to more abstract and heavy noises symbolising what it means to be a sensitive individual in this performance-driven society.

I challenged myself to not take the easy route when it comes to sampling. I scoured the streets of my neighborhood and went through every “zu verschenken” (“to give away”) pile/box I found and ended up with close to twenty random CD’s and an interesting looking seashell which I used as the cover. I compiled a large sample pack full of different textures, one-hits, drums, instrumental loops and vocal chops and used them while producing this EP. The end result is a very personal and unique compilation of genres, ideas and atmospheres that invites the listener to get immersed in the textures and spaces without necessarily having the need to understand the lyrics for one to understand the music. The feeling of a song is what matters the most to me."

About CAP Selects
Season 5 of CAP Selects is a weekly series showcasing the exceptional work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. During the second-year of study, students are tasked with writing a five-track album from scratch that realises a creative vision. An opportunity to explore any idea they choose – the only limitations to this brief is that one of the tracks must be collaborative and another must be covers or reinterpretations of original work.

This week is Laura's SHADE. Here’s what they said about their project:
“SHADE” is an experimental and eclectic compilation that merges electronic and organic sounds. It’s a homage to nature and the divine feminine. Laura’s mission is to create a balance between complimentary energies through sound and emotion. Natural/electronic, feminine/masculine, soft/harsh, dark/light, mind/body. Laura fuses musical influences with field recordings of nature and organic/virtual instruments that emulate it. As a whole, it is covered by a veil of dreaminess that gives the listener a chance to disconnect from this reality for a few minutes and immerse in a different one. 

Find out more about the CAP programme here: catalyst-berlin.com/music/course/creative-audio-production-sound-engineering


CAP Selects: Albums S5 | SHADE by Laura Mainard by Etikett Radio

“SHADE” is an experimental and eclectic compilation that merges electronic and organic sounds. It’s a homage to nature and the divine feminine. Laura’s mission is to create a balance between complimentary energies through sound and emotion. Natural/electronic, feminine/masculine, soft/harsh, dark/light, mind/body. Laura fuses musical influences with field recordings of nature and organic/virtual instruments that emulate it.

As a whole, it is covered by a veil of dreaminess that gives the listener a chance to disconnect from this reality for a few minutes and immerse in a different one. 

"I aim to connect people through my musical dreamscapes and poetry. Born in Santiago, Chile, I grew up in a vibrant artistic environment intertwined with nature, my greatest muse. Berlin's vibrant atmosphere and rich cultural scene provide me with the opportunity to expand my musical horizons. Here, I draw inspiration from dreams, the natural world, nostalgia, and my personal journal entries. My music explores the sensory world by playing with textures, layers, samples and harmonies."

Listen to a series of selected albums created by our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students.

CAP Selects Season 5: listen to our student albums of the week

Everything you need to know when applying to the 2025/26 academic year:

“This year is going to be my year.” We couldn’t agree more. You just need to ask some of our thriving students who plunged head-first into courses at Catalyst. They’ll tell you that next year can always be your year – if you make it happen. So allow us to add a huge opportunity to your horizon: 2025 applications are now open!

Ready to kick-start your career in audio or music production, sound for visual media, filmmaking, screenwriting, visual effects, acting or creative leadership? Apply by our priority deadline on Friday 4 April 2025, to secure your spot. Keep reading for more information.

[Header photo: Acting alumnus Daniel Straube by Aurélie Nydegger]

Find out more about our Access to Higher Education Course

Applications are now open for Catalyst's 2025/26 academic year. Here’s everything you need to know about the process.

Make 2025 your year: applications now open!

As our Creative Production (Film) and Creative Production (Music) MA students approach the end of their second semester, we provide them with a platform to present their work-in-progress to a wider audience. Our annual two-day symposium showcases some of the best work by our MA students as well as insights from industry-acclaimed guest speakers working in Berlin. This year, we welcomed artist Satch Hoyt, composer and sound designer Aimée Portioli (Grand River) and multidisciplinary artist Kris Limbach to deliver keynote talks and panel discussions. This year’s symposium also opened up space for master’s students from other Berlin institutions to present their projects.

Our keynote speaker this year was Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist Satch Hoyt. Born in London, with British and African-Jamaican heritage, Satch makes sculptures and installations often accompanied by sound. Satch presented two inextricably linked projects: “Afro-Sonic Mapping” and “UnMuting”. 

“UnMuting” is the process through which Satch brings phonogram recordings and instrument collections captured during the European colonial period back to life. His practice intervenes with those collections and awakens their sonicity, releasing them from museological silence. Satch’s sonic interventions have so far been performed at The British Museum London, The MARKK Museum Hamburg and the Brücke-Museum Berlin, on instruments primarily from the Congo region.

“The sonic opens a portal to the acoustic mappings of history – testimonies of enslavement, resistance, empowerment and liberation, and also the amalgamations of today and the future”

Three Creative Production (Music) students and two Creative Production (Film) students presented installations at the symposium. Ecological thought fed into three of these projects, some more explicitly than others. Charlie Black’s “Dirtscape” translated the voice of a city crying out. Through foley, field recordings, image projection and installation, “Dirtscape” used image and documentation to reframe the urban landscape as part of nature rather than beside it. Connor Oman’s "Co_evolve" project gets down to a molecular level – fusing biology, technology and art to create a multisensory experience that points towards data collection and privacy in our increasingly digital world.

Karo Pelc’s photographic installation, “Land Mother”, explored the relationship women have with their motherland and the similarities to their relationships with their mothers. The project engages all senses to explore our relationship with land, memories and the connection with our home countries.

Gaining a deeper understanding of the context surrounding your project is a key aspect of the MA programme. To reflect this, and to facilitate further discussion, we set up three panel discussions during the symposium. Guest speakers Satch Hoyt, Aimée Portioli and Kris Limbach sat on one panel, moderated by Emma Lo, discussing the question: “Can artistic research define the undefinable?”

Watch a recording of the panel discussion here:

"Can artistic research define the undefinable?" panel discussion

The panel discussion titled “Artistic practice within installations” explored the intricacies of spatial storytelling and the creative processes behind installation art. Featuring University of Europe student Marta Torres, Creative Production (Film) student Charlie Black and Creative Production (Music) student Yuxin Mei and moderated by Film Production Certificate Lead Juli Saragosa. Mei focused on the politics of surveillance, sharing her experiences during the pandemic lockdowns in China, while Charlie centred her responses around the Berlin experience.

Our third panel discussion was titled “Artistic practice within performance”. The discussion dug  into the unique experiences, challenges and perspectives panelists brought to their art, particularly the role of gender and how this has impacted their performative practices. Featuring Creative Production (Film) student Evgenia Papazisi alongside Creative Production (Music) students Maria Mondragón and Poma and moderated by Creative Production (Music) tutor and dissertation advisor Ricardo Mateus Tovar, they examined the impact of gender on their performative practices and shared insights into how these factors influence their art.

Read about our speakers, installations and works-in-progress presented by current students

MA Symposium 2024: Art/In.formation

Two of our Acting students and one of our tutors will perform this year at the world's largest performing arts festival – Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Every August, the open-access festival takes over the Scottish capital, and featuring on this year’s official Fringe programme are soon-to-graduate Acting students Salome Topuria with her show Vera’s Truth and Rhys Williams with her show The Queen’s Head, both produced as part of their studies here at Catalyst. On a significantly larger scale and at the iconic Udderbelly in the centre of town, you’ll find Sarah Bleasdale and her company The BARBAREN BARBIES performing their incredible BARBAREN BARBIES – A Wild Women Circus (seen above, image © Bernadette Fink).

We can’t big this up enough. Edinburgh Fringe has a long history of being the starting point for many actors, theatre-makers and comedians. Household names like Robin Williams, Rachel Weisz, Alan Rickman and Eddie Izzard all had their breakthrough performances at Edinburgh Fringe. In 2013, Phoebe Waller-Bridge performed her one-woman show that went on to become hit comedy-drama Fleabag. Our Acting Programme Lead – and director of Salome's and Rhys' pieces – Adam Donald Ferreira is prouder than ever, and said “we are a course that produces world-class actors and world-class work. Now there is a very real pathway for our third-year students to launch their careers in powerful ways.”

We interviewed all three of our superstar performers for a deep dive into their practice, their projects and their path to success.

How does it feel to be performing this show at Edinburgh Fringe?

The prospect of being immersed in art for an entire month, witnessing continuous performances and observing talent from around the world is what excites me the most. When writing my theatre piece, I already knew I wanted to present it to the world and reach wider audiences, but I never anticipated that my work would transition from the Catalyst theatre to the Edinburgh Fringe so quickly. 

What are you most looking forward to about this experience? 

I will be performing my piece twenty-five times at the festival! I’m acutely aware of how much it will change and evolve throughout the month, and this evolution is what I am most looking forward to. The different audiences each night will influence my performance, and their interpretations will alter my vision and perspective of the show. The concept of an ever-evolving piece is intriguing to me and I am committed to delivering a better performance each day. Having only performed it within our Catalyst community, I had some anticipation of the audience's reactions. At the Fringe, the responses will be spontaneous and that is thrilling.

Why did you want to play this character, at this time in your career, when you are just starting out as a professional actor?

I was very frustrated by the ongoing political situation in the world. The feeling of indifference that I felt from society and the feeling of being “useless” in chaos is what led me to create the iconic and unapologetic TV host Vera Ballero and endow her with the power to articulate the things I needed to express.

As a young artist coming from Georgia, where our freedom of speech is constantly suppressed and censorship is a significant issue, I felt that this theme would be the right starting point to transform my frustrations into art. Working on this piece has been cathartic, allowing me to say and do everything I aspire to in life, but on stage. Let’s say this is a tribute to my angry 21-year-old self, who desperately wishes to make a change in this world.

Think of yourself at the beginning of your training three years ago before you began studying at Catalyst, and then who you are now. How have you evolved and grown as a performer? And how has this show helped in that evolution to who you are today?

The past three years of Catalyst training have significantly enhanced my awareness of who I am as an artist and the kind of art I aspire to create. They have provided me with the freedom to explore my artistic self, becoming a unique and independent artist with my own perspective and goals. Through this piece, I have proved to myself that it is possible to create your own work as an actor. To keep yourself engaged and inspired, and not wait for the phone to ring! I feel more confident and I have grown as a performer as well as a writer, director and producer, because I had to embrace those roles in order to realise my vision to the fullest.

Soon, I’ll be performing a theatre piece solely written and performed by me at the world’s most prestigious theatre festival. Everything is possible – the sky’s the limit!

“There is an ignition that happens within a performer when they see their peers or those ahead of them in their acting training doing exceptionally well. If they can do it, then I can too.”

– Adam Donald Ferreira, Acting Programme Lead

Rhys Williams’ “The Queen’s Head”

Edinburgh Fringe has a worldwide reputation, and I have heard about its vast opportunities and range of theatre since I was a child. So I’m still in disbelief that I am actually performing my own one-woman show at the Fringe!

I am feeling grateful to everyone who motivated me during the process – without their encouragement, I would not have applied. Otherwise, I am just doing as much as I can to be prepared. Performing every single evening for a month is new territory for me, so I just want to be open to whatever challenges the Fringe throws my way.

What are you most looking forward to about this experience?

“The Queen’s Head” is a depiction of gender expression, sexuality, emotion and trauma – as well as being a world of fun, it is also very personal to my truth as a transgender artist. When I perform for an audience, I am letting them into my world and we become partners on a journey together. I’m excited to meet a different audience every night, to play off their energies and entertain, shock and confuse them by presenting who I am and what I can do.

I’m also looking forward to the physical and emotional journey I will go on with my show. I will find new depths and possibilities in every nuance of each character and moment within the piece and have enough time to fully embody them. 

Theatre is just one part of your repertoire. Which other types of performance have you developed skills in?

Aside from performing on stage, I specialise in acting for the camera. I came to Berlin to focus on this skill and I’m now much more capable of expressing a story on screen. I also love to change my voice with accent, tone and character and to sing. This is a significant feature of “The Queen’s Head”.

I’ve also developed my movement and dance skills a lot since arriving in Berlin – specifically in pole dancing, yoga and contemporary dance. I learnt a lot from our movement tutor Sarah, who always put emphasis on being present in your body. As a part of the Berlin ballroom scene that centres BIPOC trans and queer people, I have learnt how to vogue – a style of dance that comes from 1970s black trans culture in New York. It’s through the community and friends I have made in this slice of Berlin that I’ve stepped into my true self and have made this city my home.

What are your next steps within the industry going to be?

I’m already in contact with venues in Berlin and the UK about performing, so watch this space if you can’t make it to Edinburgh. I’m currently inviting agents, directors and people in casting to my show – so I’ll use the Fringe to get my name out there and find agency representation for work in screen and theatre, both in the EU and UK. Since working on the film “Mamántula”, which premiered at Rotterdam this year, I’ve been in contact with a few production companies and already have some shooting days confirmed for September.

After graduation, I will get my freelance artist visa and then my career in the real world will begin! Of course, I always self-initiate work rather than wait around for someone to give me a job. This is a quality that was hammered into me by my acting teacher at drama school in Liverpool and I am grateful for that.

How has the Acting programme at Catalyst helped you express yourself?

The acting programme at Catalyst was what I needed because it was fresh and unique, unlike most drama schools in the UK. I love classical techniques but I did not want to do another course that has been around since the 1700s. That’s why Catalyst was the best choice for me. From the very first semester, my eyes were opened to the possibilities of cinema and how many roles within film I actually see myself doing.

I learnt how to write scripts from Katerina, which is now a huge part of my practice. The “Films that changed us” classes gave me so much knowledge of cinema history that I never would have known before. Finding obscure films and diving into their context has become something I really enjoy and thrive on. The focus that Catalyst places on impulsive acting and “showing” instead of “feeling” has completely changed the way I approach a scene and I am very grateful to the tutors Marcio, Ariane and Greta for implementing this.

Of course, the solo theatre module in third year is all about self-expression and I would not have “The Queen’s Head” without my time here. Catalyst showed me the freedom you can have as an actor and artist.

BARBAREN BARBIES – “A Wild Women Circus”

When she’s not teaching our Acting students movement and stagecraft, Sarah Bleasdale is a member of the BARBAREN BARBIES – a Berlin-based international circus company. Since bursting onto the Berlin scene in 2022, the company of five have performed together over 100 times, touring throughout Germany, Austria and Poland and receiving standing ovations left, right and centre. Audience feedback has included “This is the best show I have ever seen”. Off the back of this success with both audiences and critics, they’ve been offered a place at the Fringe’s Udderbelly.

“What unites these five women is not only their virtuosic skills but also their wicked sense of humour.”
– Berliner Morgenpost (translated from German)

BARBAREN BARBIES - A Wild Women Circus - Teaser

What does it mean to you to be performing at Edinburgh Fringe? How are you preparing for it?

It’s a very special and important moment for each of us. It has been an individual dream of all of ours for many years in our various art forms and disciplines. Now we get to do it together for the first time. Our preparation has included reducing our two-hour show to a one-hour version. This has been quite an undertaking, especially as the two-hour show had a tried and tested dramaturgical arc! The exposure to an international market is an important part of our Fringe experience. We are hoping for bookings in both the UK and further afield.

Preparation for the Fringe is no mean feat – it requires a lot of work and is not without risk. Ultimately, I hope at the Fringe we can continue to touch people with what we have created, to create a lot of joy and laughter.

What is your role within the company and its show 'BARBAREN BARBIES – A Wild Women Circus'?

On stage with the BARBAREN BARBIES, I am a dancer, Drag King and physical theatre performer. I also play some live music. We work with a devising model, collectively pooling our expertise in creating, writing, dramaturgy and direction, and on top of that I contribute choreography and movement direction.

The show strikes a brilliant balance between entertainment and sparking meaningful conversation around feminism. Was this challenging to achieve?

We did not set out to make a ‘feminist show’ per se. Unfortunately, putting five strong women on stage together in a circus show (or any kind of show for that matter) is already read as a ‘statement’ as it is not the norm. This is more a comment on where we are as a culture, than a statement we ourselves are consciously setting out to make. We set out to spark joy, have five grown women on stage having fun, playing and poking fun at everyone, ourselves included. 

We all have our own sense of humour, and are trained in many different disciplines. We devised this show together so it’s a very authentic combination of all of our voices and points of views. The fact our show is richly layered is a testament to all five of us having varying perspectives and opinions.

At Catalyst, how do you help our Acting students build confidence on stage?

My movement curriculum is entitled ‘How to inhabit your body’. I often quote Moshe Feldenkrais of the Feldenkrais Method who says “If you know what you’re doing, you can do what you want.” At face value it appears simplistic, but ultimately it is rather profoundly referencing infusing consciousness into one's body – which is the actor's tool. The more consciousness one has, the more options and freedom is available to an actor. Fostering this consciousness is a building block to growing an actor's confidence on both stage and screen.

Performance presence is also something I care deeply about and am passionate about nurturing in others. Live performance is a very specific beast, and my wealth of stage experience over the last 15 years has informed how I work to empower students with this ability. 

Support The BARBAREN BARBIES and their run at the Fringe by donating to their GoFundMe page.

Read about our third year actors and movement tutor bringing their projects to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Our actors at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 

Our actors perform three shows at the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe 

We're excited to welcome Awu (Yuhua Li) — artist, video game developer, film director and theatre producer — as our new Programme Lead for our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation programme. 

We caught up with Awu to ask her about her vision for the programme, what makes it unique, and her own creative journey and inspirations.

Tell us about your own professional journey within the creative industries.

Our new Programme Lead, Awu, shares her inspirations and vision for the programme.