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The latest from Catalyst. From student work and events, to news and think-pieces.

Catalyst news and stories

Citizens of the EU, migrants and refugees can now apply for German state funding. Options for Scandinavian residents are also available via the respective nations’ funding organisations. Here’s everything you need to know about applying for student grants and loans. 

Further opening up our institute to creatives of all backgrounds, eligible citizens of the European Union, migrants and refugees who live (or have the prospect of living) in Germany can now apply for student funding at Catalyst via BAföG. 

Support for residents of Sweden, Norway, Iceland and The Netherlands, via the nations’ respective funding organisations, is also available. 

Read on to find out all you need to know about funding options for BA and MA study at Catalyst. 

A word to the wise: we recommend that you submit your application to Catalyst by 31 March 2023 latest to allow yourself plenty of time to apply for funding or a visa.

1. Germany & EU citizens (non-EU citizens subject to prerequisites): BAföG

BAföG is a needs-based German state funding, granted if a student, their parent, or their spouse, do not have the financial means to pay for living expenses during their studies (tuition fees are not covered). Half of the financial support is usually a grant and the other half is an interest-free loan that needs to be repaid. Successful application of BAföG funding also allows you to apply for an exemption from paying Rundfunk­beitrag (radio tax). See a further breakdown of BAföG financial eligibility and potential funding options for students here. 

Note: the below information is not exhaustive. If you have any questions about BAföG, you can reach out to studierendenWERK BERLIN on 030 93939 - 6000. They handle the processing of applications. For any questions related to Catalyst, please contact Jennifer Vaz at payments@catalyst-berlin.com. 

German citizens studying a full-time Bachelors or Masters course at Catalyst.

EU citizens (including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland) studying a full-time Bachelors or Masters course at Catalyst can also apply, subject to any one of the conditions below:

You have worked in Germany for at least 10 weeks at 12h/week at a minimum (you must hold on to the job during the course of study)

Your spouse or parent is an EU citizen who is currently employed

You are in possession of permanent residence permit in Germany (usually granted after living here for 5 years)

One of your parents worked in Germany for at least 3 of the last 6 years

Citizens of other countries can qualify for BAföG funding if:

You are officially recognized as a refugee or asylum seeker

You are married to a German citizen or the child of a German citizen

You, your parent or your spouse has permanent residence from working in the EU for at least 5 years

You must apply on the BAföG digital portal. To find the unique identifier number of your course, click here and look for Catalyst under AUSBILDUNGSSTÄTTE. 

During the BAföG application process, you will be prompted to search for your desired programme of study. As shown in the picture above, do not search for “Catalyst.” You must instead search for one of the following Catalyst course names:

Electronic Music Production & Performance 

Creative Music Production & Sound Engineering 

(*Although our course is VFX, Digital Arts & Animation, you need to select "Visual Effects")

If you have any questions about the BAföG application process, you can make an appointment with studierendenWERK, here. It takes 2-3 months to process applications, with summer being the busiest season. So do plan in advance, keeping in mind the tuition fee deadlines in August.

Funding options for EU and international students to study in Germany via BAföG, CSN, Lín, Lånekassen and DUO.

Student Funding Options Available at Catalyst

Our Definitive Guide to Student Funding at Catalyst

What is a Master’s Research proposal? What should it contain?

Before filling in your application form we strongly advise you to get an initial overview on terms such as Artistic Research and Practice-based Research. These are contested terms, and not always simple to grasp, but you will understand what is expected  for a Masters level programme such as ours at Catalyst, which is explicitly structured around a practice-based artistic research framework.

In terms of “framework”,  the subject and contents of this framework are up to you to propose and determine, in negotiation with your MA supervisor. 

To guide you in preparing your MA project proposal and application, below you will find some useful definitions and discussions to consider. Feel free to go as far as you like! The discussions get more complex as they go down, but we will discuss such ideas in more depth on the course itself, especially at the beginning, to help you get going, design and initiate your project.

Research is: ‘a process of investigation, leading to new insights, that are effectively shared’.

According to David Gauntlett, practice-based researchers explore their research questions through practice. They have to make things and experiment, and that is a necessary and essential part of the research process. They couldn’t do their research without doing this hands-on creative work. Read more about practice-based research from Gauntlett here.  

In this short introductory video from artistic research specialist Ned McGowan, we dive deeper into the meaning of artistic research and what it means to be involved in this creative practice: 

Here is a quite sophisticated discussion of the methods and approaches you may want to consider with Dr Helen Kara from the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). 

Here are two more detailed discussions from peer-reviewed journals. Do you know what peer-reviewed means? If not, it is time to find out!

When asked about your inspiration we don’t just want to know that you love music or film, that is all fine but it really doesn’t tell us very much about who you are. 

We want to understand your motivation - what do you want to explore and communicate - how might this go further than your own work? 

You can engage with this how you like, but you might for example think of approaching this section as similar to a short Statement of Purpose. Here you will find some successful graduate school statement of purpose examples, expert tips, and strategies to help you create your own effective proposal.

“If you don’t know or understand yourself, your history, and your unique point of view, how can you possibly create work that is meant to explore these same themes in others?”  -Jennifer Jo Stokka, Catalyst MA student

We do want you to be creatively and practically engaged with music, sound, filmmaking or cinematography, but it is important that the project is not purely an artistic project; for example an album, film or a collection of songs. Pure artistic projects are great, but finishing a record is not the same as doing a Master’s degree. Similarly, it should not be purely an academic or technical project. So what else should it contain?

Ideally a question, or a clear point of initial focus. You can’t just say “emotion,” “film music,” "lighting" “finding my vision or sound,” "writing my story", “synaesthesia,” “improvisation”, or “using hardware for performance.'' You would need to tell us, for example, exactly what you mean by these terms, how they are useful to your project, what questions or problems you bring to the table and how you might address these questions via your artistic practice?

A research aspect. Yes, your project may itself already be a kind of research, but you would need to tell us how and why, and how you intend to take it further? 

Some idea of artistic context. E.g. what other artists or artistic currents might have explored similar ideas, can you locate your project in history? 

A broader context, for example, social, technological, philosophical, political. Music is never just music. Film is never just film. How might your project interact with the wider world of ideas? 

A proposed process of investigation - i.e. a method, a research process. Clue, don’t just say you will read a lot. What will you read? Why?

Tell us why you want to do this as a Master’s degree, rather than just something you are interested in. And why at Catalyst?


We hope that you have found these descriptions and ideas helpful! If you missed our Project Proposal workshops, you are welcome to request a recording by reaching out to our Admissions team. Once you submit your application along with your project proposal, you will receive feedback on whether your chosen direction is suitable for the framework we provide. 

Giude for Artistic Research and Practice-based Research within the framework of our Creative Production Masters (M.A) programme at Catalyst.

What is a Master’s research proposal and what should it contain?

Interested in teaming up with Catalyst students or alumni? Got an opportunity you think might benefit our community? Here’s what you need to know.

Reflecting the professional industry, our music, film, acting and VFX institute is oiled by collaboration – from the micro level of group work to the interdisciplinary macro level – keeping ideas flowing, projects turning and connections building. Need a filmmaker for your music video, a soundtrack for your film, an actor to motion detect in our green screen studio? How about crewmates, bandmates, event buddies, or colleagues? Everything is possible. 

You needn’t be at Catalyst to collaborate with our students or alumni. Everyone carries a piece of the puzzle – the more connections we make and the more projects we share, the closer we come, as a thriving creative community, to the bigger picture. 

If you’d like to team up with our students or alumni, or if you have an opportunity you think would benefit our community, read on for more information on how to connect. 

If you’d like to connect with our Film Production, Screen Acting or Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students, you are welcome to join our Catalyst: Crew Call Facebook group. This is a community for support, encouragement, collaboration, networking and constructive feedback (when it’s requested). In order to be accepted, you need to read the group rules and answer the questions correctly.

You have a project (please post the type of project, available/needed positions, shooting dates/locations, contact info, and any other useful information)

You are looking for a project (cast, crew, musicians, composers, producers etc; please post your portfolio/showreel/examples of work plus contact information)

You’d like feedback or ideas on a work in progress

You have a work or work experience opportunity (please make hours, working conditions and payment clear upfront)

You’d like to promote your work or an event that might be of learning or networking benefit to the community

You’d like to share the result of a collaboration formed in this group

Catalyst: Impulse Response is a collaboration hub for all music production, sound engineering and performance students at Catalyst Berlin – and anyone else who would like to connect and work with them. This is a community for support, encouragement, collaboration, networking and constructive feedback (when it’s requested). In order to be accepted, you need to read the group rules and answer the questions correctly.

You are looking for a project (please post your portfolio/showreel/examples of work plus contact information)

You have a work or work experience opportunity (please make hour, working conditions and payment clear upfront)

Interested in teaming up with Catalyst Berlin students or alumni? Got an opportunity you think might benefit our community? Find out more.

How to Collaborate With Our Students & Alumni

Budget-friendly food, accommodation assistance, access to workshops and creative spaces, and more! As of the 1st of April, we’re joining up with StudierendenWERK to give Catalyst students access to a wide range of extra living benefits and cultural opportunities.

We take care of the learning experience, studierendenWERK does the rest. To add even more value to the student experience at Catalyst, we’ve partnered with the governmental organisation for student affairs in Germany. studierendenWERK provides public services for the economic, social, medical and cultural support of students enrolled at German universities. In particular, they run university cafeterias and dormitories, and provide the BAföG program to finance studies with grants and loans (more details about funding here). These benefits – as well as a whole range of exciting training workshops, cultural opportunities, events and more – will be available to BA and MA students from the 1st of April, 2022.

You can find the full range of services on the studierendenWERK website. For updates, sign up to their newsletter. Scroll down for our overview of the benefits that we think will be most appreciated by our students.

Canteens and Coffee Bars ☕️🍽

From Monday to Friday, food trucks drive to studierenWERK’s various halls of residence and canteens all over the city (interactive map here, or download the Apple or Google apps). They’re loaded with delicious meals (including vegan), cakes, drinks, snacks and coffee specialties. Payment is made using studierendenWERK’s MensaCard, which is the payment method in all of their facilities. Other payment options are available for guests (non-students). 

Access to locations for creative projects

We Are Kulturwerk Berlin

Students will have access to several Kulturwerk Berlin locations to use for creative projects, as well as being able to regularly visit events and exhibitions. Kulturwerk Berlin also offers a cultural programme with free events and low-cost workshops. Students are invited to create content and get on stage, as well as make connections through their Get Together programme. Stay up to date with Kulturwerk Berlin’s events by subscribing to their newsletter.

The KUNSTRAUM project offers additional spaces at various locations throughout the city. Students can express themselves artistically with exhibitions, installations, performances and media works. There’s also the opportunity to get involved in international artist residencies, explore virtual projects, and take KUNSTRAUM creative courses.

studierenWERK’s free training workshops offer students the opportunity to deepen existing knowledge, develop new skills and put them into practice, while advisory services provide useful tips on tax, labour law and social security for students. For those who have to work during their studies, training courses are also offered to provide additional qualifications and knowledge and improve chances on the job market. Further easing the transition from study to career, events cover practical topics such as employment law, tax return tips and correspondence training.

Finding an apartment: the dormitory portal 🏙

Though the waiting list for studierenWERK’s affordable student housing can be lengthy, this is a potential option to consider for students who are enrolling in three-year Bachelor courses and wish to plan ahead. Here, you can also find a useful search tool for shared accommodation (WG) and sublets.

Counselling centres and workshops at studierendenWERK BERLIN

studierendenWERK counsels on financing studies, studying with children, academic writing and mental health. The organisation is also supports studying with special needs.

Catalyst Berlin student access to StudierendenWERK university services and benefits in Berlin, Germany

StudierendenWERK: Living Benefits For Catalyst Students

We’ve Teamed up With studierendenWERK on Student Living Benefits

This summer, join us in vibrant Berlin to set your creative career in motion. Find out more about our beginner and advanced short courses taught by industry veterans. 

Did someone say summer? If you’re hearing the call to be in Berlin in its greenest and greatest season – chilling at the riverside, partying in the parks, and connecting with one of the most vibrant communities in the world – then we’ve got the perfect excuse for you to visit. We offer a range of beginner and advanced summer short courses to kick-start or level up your creative career. 

Four intensive and transformational weeks of music production, studio recording, mixing and mastering, filmmaking or screen acting – taking place from the 20th of June to the 16th of July. By the time you pack your bags, you’ll not only be full of good vibes, but the skills and attitude to push forward into the next exciting chapter of your life. 

Guiding you on this exciting journey will be our passionate tutors, all practising professionals in their own industry and veterans of the local creative scene. Combining impressive vintage studios with state-of-the-art spaces and equipment, our iconic Funkhaus campus is the perfect place to inspire the imagination, make connections and, at the end of a hands-on day of learning, enjoy a riverside pizza!

If you wish to progress to a degree programme, but lack the formal educational requirements to apply through standard entry, our free Primer Workshops run alongside the summer short courses. As a bonus, we offer a 500€ discount for taking any short course in combination with a long course.

Don’t wait to create: Apply by our Priority Deadline of the 29th of April to secure your spot. Great news for non-EU residents: for this short stay in Germany, you won’t require a visa. Scroll down for our overview of each course.

Now’s your chance to throw yourself in the filmmaking deep end and shapeshift on set. Budding writers, directors, cinematographers and editors will learn the fundamentals of audiovisual storytelling, pre-production, working with actors and post-production. Begin to build a portfolio as you 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. Our mentors have seen all sides of the industry – from directing experimental short films, commercials and documentaries to working in cutting-edge visual media.

Get in front of the camera, embody your character and grow your confidence in this hands-on crash course taught by our wildly experienced teaching cast of performing artists. From starring in films and theatre productions to voice and choreo, they’ve mastered it. Go deep into the script, hone a variety of techniques, collaborate on set and film a monologue in this contemporary acting springboard. Walk away with recorded material to produce your unique showcase. 

From Berghain regulars to modular synthesis nerds, learn from some of the Berlin scene’s most original veteran artists in this crash course in electronic music production. Covering all of the essentials – including the basic principles of sound, Ableton Live, recording instruments and operating hardware synths – the programme is the ideal launch pad for aspiring producers.

Know your way around a DAW, but interested in diving deeper into the nuts and bolts of sound design to develop a stronger sonic identity? Fluency in analog equipment and dynamism in digital make our tutors the perfect mentors for those aspiring to master production technology and go beyond into original artistry. 

Immerse yourself in the highly technical and creative world of sound engineering in this foundational four weeks, taught by sound artists who have rocked the world’s most prestigious studios for decades. Get to grips with the technical basics and discover the art of recording bands, soloists or electronic artists in a professional vintage recording studio environment.

Trust genre-straddling veteran producer Christopher Jarman, aka Kamikaze Space Programme’s pro skills and infectious enthusiasm to demystify the world of mixing and mastering and unveil the potential of sound. Develop a deeper understanding of the tools, techniques and thinking behind a well balanced, professional finished product and apply that knowledge in both commercial and home studio environments.

Beginner and advanced short courses taught by industry veterans: filmmaking, acting, electronic music, sound design, studio recording, mastering.

Learn About Our 4-Week Summer Short Courses

Level Up Your Skills This Summer in Our 4-Week Short Courses

Watch this beautiful video from our 2020 and 2021 graduation ceremony, with music by Electronic Music Production & Performance alumna Chantal Saroldi, aka Pnksand. 

Fond Memories From Our 2020 & 2021 Graduation Ceremony

Double the graduates, double the triumph. On our latest Graduation Day, which took place back in September, we had two sets of achievers to celebrate: the classes of 2020 and 2021. For those who, due to restrictions, had to wait a year to don their gowns and mortarboard hats, the day was also a firm reminder of their enduring place in the Catalyst community, despite the distance of recent times. As students became alumni, old classmates became future colleagues, and creative careers began an exciting new chapter. Press play on the video above, created by Canan Cengel, to relive the wonderful occasion, made even sweeter with music by Electronic Music Production & Performance Bachelor alumna, Chantal Saroldi: Pnksand - ‘Cosmo.’

“I felt so proud seeing all of my peers and friends going up the stage to get their certificates,” Screen Acting Bachelor alumna Milena Rendon reflected after the ceremony. “Knowing that, after that moment, my life and theirs had officially changed after three years was a bit nerve wracking. It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. I am so excited to see what the future brings for all of us and thankful that I now have friends I can call my family. I am happy to start a new chapter full of new experiences and adventures but I will definitely miss all the amazing teachers and people at Catalyst with so much love and creativity to give. ⁠⁠Thanks to everyone! We did it!”

Milena’s former classmate Daniel Straube echoed her sentiment: “And just like that, one phase comes to its end, whereas another one starts. I feel immensely grateful and privileged for these three years of experience and for graduating as a screen actor. We discover the nature of our particular genius when we stop trying to conform to our own or to other peoples’ models, be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open."⁠⁠

To all of this year’s graduates, we wish you the greatest success in the next part of your journey. 

On our latest Graduation Day, which took place back in September, we had two sets of achievers to celebrate: the classes of 2020 and 2021.

Watch Our Graduation 2020 & 2021 Highlights Video

Over 30 live shows, DJs, podcasts, ASMR and live streams, not to mention collabs with local collectives. This year is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet for our community-run radio station, Etikett Radio. Here’s our 2022 show line-up.

Etikett Radio’s eighth year on air promises to be one of the biggest and most diverse yet. This week, a fresh roster of Catalyst students, alumni and staff began broadcasting live from our steeped-in-radio-history Funkhaus location and beyond. Our community-run platform is all about expression, experimentation and evolution. This year, these closely held values are fuelling over 30 shows, including 24 DJ shows, seven podcasts, two remote international shows, one ASMR show and one live performance show. And that’s not all: prepare for regular Twitch streams, student showcases, online events and major collaborations with local collectives like Field Conspiracy, CTM Vorspiel and Threads Radio. 

Ready to join us on a journey of creative discovery? Check out the full 2022 show line-up below.

Find out which shows will be broadcasting live from the Funkhaus this year on Catalyst Berlin's community-run radio station, Etikett Radio.

Etikett Radio 2022 Full Show Line-up

Etikett Radio 2022: The Lowdown on a Huge Year to Come

Yes, leadership is for creatives too! And not just for creative bosses. In fact, it’s essential for creative practices and developing a rewarding career. Here’s why we’re proud to offer a Self-Development & Leadership course to our students – and why you should consider taking it.

Want to get ahead in the creative industries? Allow us to talk about one of the most underrated skills for today’s creatives: leadership. Whether you’re carving out your own business or entering the fiercely competitive employment market, leadership skills are an essential level-up. As Catalyst founder, David Puttick, puts it, “leadership is one of the most important skills you could acquire in order to build yourself a sustainable future.” That’s why our institute is proud to offer a game-changing Self-Development & Leadership course, designed to magnify the potential of everything else you learn at Catalyst. 

“However you measure it and whether you work in music production, sound engineering, film making, visual FX or acting, most of you would like to achieve success with your creative practice,” says David. “From successful completion of a profound artistic exploration all the way through to financial security or a global audience. You will need to develop many skills in order to achieve this success, but leadership is the ‘rocket fuel’ which will help you realise your chosen future. Leadership to complete your creative project, leadership to bring your work into the external world and leadership to attract an audience to share, appreciate and follow your work.”

Still not sure leadership is for you? Scroll down to hone in on some of the most important applications of leadership skills in today’s creative industries.

Welcome to the era of possibility. Thanks to the exponential advancement of digital technology, creatives have more opportunity than ever to carve out their own careers. Social platforms have enabled us to express ourselves in new ways, curate our public image, reach audiences directly and build communities around our creations. The powerful democratisation of the creative industries couldn’t be better demonstrated than through the recent explosion of NFTs and the increased popularity of self-releases. You can cut out the middleman and make a living doing it – but you can’t do it well without some level of entrepreneurship. 

Creative entrepreneurship is driven by leadership. It’s the ability to step back from your project and put on an objective ‘hat’, to find an unclouded or unbiased viewpoint from which to work out the next steps towards your goals. With leadership skills, you can clearly and compassionately communicate tasks to yourself and your collaborators. You can overcome obstacles with the power of self-awareness. Giving full play to your strengths and abilities, you can stimulate your creativity to the maximum extent and increase your profits. You’re not just a creator, you’re the creator of your own success. 

Companies need creatives. Creative skills are in major demand in industries across the board, with artists being called upon to work in consulting, designing services, curating customer experiences and creating content. Filmmakers and actors are no longer confined to the film set, musicians to the stage or studio, or VFX artists to the special effects department. 

In today’s professional environment, it is invaluable to be adaptable and to have transferable skills. Think active learning, problem solving, originality, initiative and – you guessed it – leadership. If you want to score yourself a job, it is no longer always enough to be talented or well educated. In order to differentiate yourself from the others, you’ll do well not only to have leadership on your CV, but to put it in practice to drive innovation within your organisation. 

The four foundational factors of Catalyst’s Self-Development & Leadership course are: integrity; authenticity; being given being and action by something bigger than oneself; and being cause in the matter. During the 10 weekly sessions, you’ll deep dive into what leadership truly means and transform your creative outlook. 

“As a progressive education institution, we believe that providing frameworks for you to develop your human attributes and self-knowledge will be seen as a core responsibility of learning organisations in the years to come,” David adds. “This course has the potential to completely transform your approach to your life and your creative endeavour.” 

Here’s why we’re proud to offer a Self-Development & Leadership course to our students – and why you should consider taking it.

Self-Development & Leadership Course For Creatives

Why Our Leadership Course is More Essential Than Ever

Here’s to the blossoming outside the comfort zone. Join us as we look back on some of our community highlights of 2021.

We all know what they say about comfort zones: life begins at the end of them...they are the enemy of courage…they don’t change you because they don’t challenge you. Well, it’s safe to say that thanks to the big ‘c’ word, we’ve all been out of our comfort zones for long enough to truly experience the accuracy of those statements. While 2020 was a shock to the system, 2021 was the year that we rose, like the lotus flower, from the murky water and blossomed. We looked to the light and made it happen – whenever and however we could make it happen. 

For our community, that concentrated creative energy resulted in some of the most interesting projects, performances and events we’ve seen in the history of our institute – from a live-streamed theatre show to the triumphant latest edition of Signals Festival. And there’s one powerful factor that underscored the success of them all: collaboration. 

Before we turn the page to an even fiercer, go-getting, new year, join us below as we look back on some community highlights of 2021. 

Header photo: Behind the scenes of 'Rabbitfolk,' photographed by Olesya Fedulova

Member State - Promo

In January, our third-year Screen Acting students launched their crowdfunding campaign for their feature film Member State, directed by programme lead Adam Donald. Member State explores how a crumbling European Union begins to wreak havoc on the interpersonal relationships of a group of young expats in Berlin. The cast even had a hand in shaping the plot! By February, the talented troupe had finished shooting it. We can’t wait to see the final product. Keep up with their journey on Instagram.

Patch Notes: Soft Crash ft. Imaginaria

Amplify Berlin February mentor Phase Fatale was so impressed by our Funkhaus studios that he decided Catalyst was the perfect place for he and Pablo Bozzi to perform their Fact Magazine live set as the duo Soft Crash. They made it extra special by commissioning Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation tutor Paulina Greta, aka Imaginaria, to provide some cool visuals – which she created with the assistance of her student Freddy Gutierrez. What’s more, Film Production students Alfredo La Corte, Dico Baskoro and Jur Kunaver filmed the set.

The Sickening - PROMO

Is it possible to sing and dance your way through a global pandemic? This is the question Film Production student Jur Kunaver asked in his final-year filmThe Sickening, a 30-minute musical comedy which he began shooting back in March after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The film tells the story of two performers, a clairvoyant, an office worker and the Devil. What could possibly go wrong?!⁠⁠ 

CAP Selects is a series dedicated to showcasing the outstanding work of our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering students. The original singles featured were created from scratch by students from both our one-year Certificate and three-year Bachelor courses.

Find out more about our Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering courses at catalyst-berlin.com

CAP Selects: Singles S2 by Etikett Radio

Throughout the spring, we spotlighted some of our second-year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering Bachelor students' inspired singles and albums in our second season of CAP Selects. The tracks were created as part of an assignment to write a seven-track album towards a creative vision. The only prerequisite: two of the tracks should be collaborations and another two tracks should be covers or reinterpretations of original work. 

Creative Production (Music) Masters Projects

VIBKO - 3 tracks live set in the studio. Pulsar 23, Easel Command, Digitakt, Digitone, Continuum

In April and May, we spotlighted two brilliant Creative Production Music MA projects. Ole-Jacob Sand, aka VIBKO, explored the possibilities of improvised live performances in his practice-based research, resulting in a super-interesting final paper and a masterful collection of accompanying musical pieces. 

Shehryar Ahmad, aka Outlier, deep dived into the subconscious effects of ambient sound, in order to investigate how it might introspectively affect one’s peace of mind, mental wellbeing and imagination. His fascinating work utilised the cutting-edge 4DSOUND equipment of our neighbouring venue MONOM to measure levels of sonic immersion.

UJT Podcast episode 1 

In one of their first assignments of the year, our Screen Acting second-years decided to write, film and star in a six-part miniseries, with each episode addressing an area of toxicity they see in action in the film industry. Since they were unable to film the miniseries due to COVID, they thought on their feet and recorded six awesome podcasts on the topics instead, under the banner of Uncle Jerry is Toxic. They were so passionate about the subject that they took the initiative to crowdfund and shoot the miniseries over the summer break!

Lemonade Sorbet

When life gave them lemons, our Screen Acting Certificate students didn’t settle for making any old lemonade. They wrote, directed, starred in, promoted and presented Lemonade Sorbet, a tantalising online menu of 11 live performances which mixed the fizz of theatre with the sharpness of creative technology. Hundreds of viewers tuned into Lemonade Sorbet on the evening of the 7th of May to discover the up-and-coming international talents. And, wow, was the audience impressed with the diversity, range and creativity they were served.

VFX19 - Second Year Final Projects

In July, our second-year Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students presented their end-of-year projects. The exciting array of interactive installations explored one of the most exciting emergent applications of VFX technology. Showcasing the possibilities of everything from motion-capture technology to VR to laser light sensors to cymatics, the exhibition encapsulated emergent storytelling at its finest.

We’re thrilled to unmask the second edition of our collectible cassette series, Volume One, which documents an unprecedented year of music production at Catalyst. 

Whether you choose to load it into your tape deck or listen online, this remarkable and eclectic selection of tracks created by our students during the pandemic will fill your ears with the sound of creative triumph.

Tracklist:

Side A

Neublau / Your Turn to Run (By Malaria!)
@darkatthree / Heathen
@naviekk / Rackt 4
@parallel_processing ft. Duhne / Tĕta-Lenvers
@daniel-rudolf-418711152 / Outbreak
@schwarzbild_condition / Introspection
@jackstripmusic / Psysolation
@misterbloo / The Others 
Luvz @user-3775345 / Misplaced Ace

Side B

@loud-lemons / Dub’s On My Team (dub)
@misterbloo & Luvz @user-3775345 / Golazo
@morelmusiq / Floyd Von Waak
@harianthe-theohare / Back & Fill
@mo_e & @critical_p / Slasher Flic
@reynadeyna / Heavy
@pondermars / About The Boy Who Woke Up In a Forest
@nicolozilocchi / Quantize
@egillgun / Far Heimur Far Sæll
@burnside-music / Strangers (Alone Mix)

Read more about the individual tracks on the blog: https://catalyst-berlin.com/stories/catalyst-cassette-volume-one

Tracks mastered by Eve Tera(soundbetter.com/profiles/341877-eve-tera)
Artwork designed by Victor Yrigoyen (yrigoyen.me)
Berlin, summer 2021

Catalyst Volume One / Unmask an Unprecedented Year of Music Production by Etikett Radio

In the summer, we were excited to unmask the second edition of our collectible cassette series: Volume One. While the inaugural Volume Zero celebrated our school’s transition from dBs Berlin to Catalyst, Volume One documents an unprecedented year of music production. The remarkable and eclectic selection of tracks created by our students during the pandemic filled our ears with the sound of creative triumph.

Oneiro Hiraeth - An Audiovisual Project by Maya Rain and Olívia Mamberti | INTERFACE 2.0 WINNER

For the second year running, we joined forces with fellow renowned audio production school, Spirit Studios, to facilitate the Interface Project, an exciting multidisciplinary collaboration between four pairs of our students. The winning project of Interface 2.0, an audiovisual work by Catalyst Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student Olívia Mamberti and Spirit Studios student Maya Rain, was presented as an installation at Signals Festival in October.

Mo Van Zandt ✧ hurt.heal

After launching their all-female collective Ora Berlin back in July with some impressive debut releases, fellow second-year Electronic Music Production & Performance students Alicia Miquel, Harianthe and Mo Van Zandt kept expanding their creative horizons in collaborations with other artists. In October, this spirit culminated in Mo Van Zandt’s powerful choreographed music video, filmed in collaboration with a talented group of Film Production students. 

The official trailer for my short folk horror, Rabbitfolk.

ʟᴜɴᴀ ᴛʀɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛs ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ ɪs ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴏᴅs.

RABBITFOLK OFFICIAL TRAILER

In November, Film Production Bachelor alumna Cleo Spiro released the trailer of Rabbitfolk, the film she completed in her final year of study. The horror folk short is about a young woman named Luna who lives an isolated life with her protective father in a small cabin close to the woods. A painful secret begins to unfold and it all comes back to a mysterious rabbit.⁠ The film stars Screen Acting Bachelor student Julie Kjaer as the protagonist and was crewed by some of Cleo's fellow students. ⁠Rabbitfolk is currently being submitted to festivals so stay tuned on Cleo's Instagram to find out where you can watch it on the big screen! ⁠

“In a connected world, we are all alone.
There are those who suffer from it, those who make it their strength, and those who do not think about it at all.”

Director/DoP/Editor: Giulia Lomuscio 

Sound Editor: @damiandhaeur 

Actress: @crunchsalat 
Actor 1: @damiandhaeur 
Actor 2: @toomanycam 

Styling: @homefullofclothes 
Technical support: @catalyst_film_acting 

Music by: EMI Music / David Bowie - Modern Love 

#modernlove #shortmovie #blackmagic6kpro #filmmaking #bymyself #ubahn #davidbowie #colors #underground #film #berlinstyle

MODERN LOVE

We fell in love with this short film by Creative Production Film Masters student Giulia Lomuscio when she released it in November, which beautifully explores the concept of connection in Berlin. If you’ve ever romanticised that ‘Berlin feeling,’ you’ll fall for it too.

Fishnet Collective, founded by a group of Catalyst students, dropped its first breakbeat, electro and techno release in October, Fishnet Records VA 01, from which seven tracks were created by students or alumni. A month later, they joined the nostalgia wave and released it on cassette! We’re looking forward to seeing what this collaboration-focused collective gets up to next.

Join us as we look back on some of Catalyst Berlin music, film, acting and VFX students’ creations of the year.

Celebrating Some of Our Favourite 2021 Moments

We Celebrate Some of Our Favourite Moments of the Year

Applications for the 2022 course year are now open. Here’s everything you need to know.

“Next year is going to be my year.” The last couple of years made it pretty hard to keep faith in that statement. Yet, if you ask some of our thriving current students, who plunged head-first into courses at Catalyst despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, 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: 2022 applications are now open!

If you’re ready to kick-start your career in audio or music production, filmmaking, visual effects, digital arts and animation, or screen acting, apply by our Priority Deadline of the 29th of April, 2022, to secure your spot. Read on for more information.

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

Now is the time to apply for Catalyst Berlin's 2022 course year . Here’s everything you need to know about the process.

Information About the 2022 Application Process

Make 2022 Your Year: Applications Now Open

Signals Festival, our annual community showcase, took place on the 15th and 16th of October at Catalyst’s Funkhaus campus. Revisit selected live streams and photography by Rita Couto and Ian Margio in our recap of the utopia/dystopia themed event.

The word ‘utopia’ is a pun. It was coined from the Greek ou-topos, meaning ‘no place,’ which is almost identical to eu-topos, translating to ‘a good place.’ Though we have come to define utopia as a perfect world, the word itself suggests that such a state of perfection can never exist. The same can be assumed for its inverse, dystopia. But as art and technology continually blur the lines between the real and the imagined, in the future, what’s to say that we won’t find ourselves in one place or the other? 

At our annual community showcase, Signals Festival – which took place at Catalyst’s Funkhaus campus on the 15th and 16th of October – our diverse artist line-up explored this fascinating question through live performances, audio and visual installations, film screenings, workshops and in-depth dialogue. Having honed their talent in our vibrant corner of Berlin, a melting pot of culture and creativity, our roster of emerging artists showed us a flash of the future they are shaping. 

Signals Festival co-organisers Hannah Deans and Suzana Benesova once again encountered the hurdle of COVID, but the exciting hybrid event succeeded in making the whole pandemic situation feel much less dystopian. The festival was a breath of fresh air and, above all, a testament to the creative resilience of our students, alumni, staff and special guests. The most amazing part (other than the exceptional work, of course) was that we got to dance! A huge thank you to all who were part of the occasion.

Want to relive some of those special, bordering on perfect, moments? Watch selected live performances and dialogue below.

BoLs/sLoB presents 'THE SLOB SHOW' /// Signals Festival 2021

BORA, ROMEO & HELLION /// Signals Festival 2021

Gina Lo & Felipe Vareschi 'A Temple in Space' /// Signals Festival 2021

Sarah Kivi /// Signals Festival 2021

Solving Mazes /// Signals Festival 2021

Ytotiany & Shoro /// Signals Festival 2021

elisanyhm /// Signals Festival 2021

Imaginaria + Alessandro Adriani present 'IGNES FATUI /// Signals Festival 2021

Richard Scott /// Signals Festival 2021

Signals x Videophilia - conspiracies, psychedelia and the virtual end-times

Watch selected performances, dialogues and photos from Catalyst Berlin's annual Signals Festival at Funkhaus Berlin.

Signals Festival 2021: Revisit Our Community Showcase

Signals Festival 2021: We Look Back to the Future of Art & Technology

For the second year running, Catalyst joined forces with fellow renowned audio production school, Spirit Studios, to facilitate an exciting multidisciplinary collaboration between four pairs of our students. Learn all about Interface 2.0 and the resulting projects, one of which will be presented at Signals Festival this October. 

Two of Europe’s most progressive musical cities. Two renowned audio production institutes. Two unique creative perspectives. Connect these things and not only do you get a convergence of ideas, but an explosion of creative possibilities. 

Catalyst and Manchester’s Spirit Studios joined forces to launch the Interface Project in 2020. We gave a group of students from each of our schools the opportunity to pair up and remotely collaborate for 12 weeks on a project of their choice – be that creating a film score or shooting a music video. The goal: to creatively cross-pollinate and mutually push for innovation, despite the limitations of the COVID lockdown situation. 

The project was such a success that this summer, we went for another round: Interface 2.0. This year’s point of creative exploration was the dichotomy between the utopia and the dystopia, which as you’ll soon find out, resulted in some absolutely stunning work. 

Just like last year, the four selected pairs were competing for a slot to exhibit their work at our annual community showcase, Signals Festival – taking place on the 15th to the 16th of October, 2021 – plus additional support to realise their project in the real world. The two students who won second prize would each receive a piece of tech relevant to their course. Catalyst’s Charlie Baldwin and Spirit Studios’ Damion O’Brien, both electronic music production tutors, mentored the students throughout the project.

First-year VFX and Digital Arts student Ethan Ho brought his 3D skills to his collaboration with chiptune extraordinaire Matthew Creighton, aka Copilot Claude, to create a deep sea-inspired audiovisual piece. Second-year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student Olívia Mamberti, whose talents include singing and songwriting, film composing and video making, teamed up with vocalist, composer and sound designer Maya Rain on an immersive audiovisual experience. First-year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student Freddy Corazzini collaborated with fellow musician David Pani on a ‘90s inspired, percussive synth track and accompanying skateboarding video which, in keeping with their pre-internet concept, were processed and recorded on cassette. First-year Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering student Anton Líni Hreiðarsson combined his soulful vocals with Ana-Maria Chipaila's EDM elements to create an upbeat pop song, accompanied by nostalgic video clips from their journey together. 

Above: Spirit Studios team at Interface 2.0 Zoom presentation

Read about our audio production institutes' collaborative student audiovisual projects and who won a slot at Signals Festival 2021.

Read all about it

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We Celebrate Some of Our Favourite Moments of the Year

Make 2022 Your Year: Applications Now Open

Signals Festival 2021: We Look Back to the Future of Art & Technology

Interface 2.0: We Announce the Winners of Our Collab With Spirit Studios

Application & Funding Information For Sweden, Iceland, Norway & The Netherlands

Coming Soon to Catalyst: What to Expect From Signals Festival 2021

We Look Back on Some of Our Students’ Outstanding 2020 Creations

Everything You Need to Know About Our Tech Services

Kick-Start Your Creative Future: 2021 Application Information

Here’s Why Germany is One of the Safest Places to Study During Corona

We Relive 2 Days of Unbound Creativity at Signals Festival 2020

The History of Catalyst: We Look Back on Our School's Epic Evolution