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We reflect on the fantastic opportunities our Film Production students recently gained as a result of Catalyst’s partnership with ArteKino Festival 2021: a spot on the festival’s European Youth Jury and an enlightening interview with the winner of the European Audience Award, Karin Heberlein.

He applied, he succeeded, he collaborated, he learned, he networked. That’s how brilliantly first-year Film Production student Tiago Felício’s December panned out after he won a place on ArteKino Festival 2021’s European Youth Jury. The judges – all aged between 18 and 25 and selected from a handful of partnering film institutes, including Catalyst – were given the opportunity to award one film from the competition. 

“The experience has been great!” Tiago tells us. “I decided to apply because I really love cinema and I am always interested in what festivals have to offer because they are usually films I would have no opportunity to see otherwise. So far, the most rewarding part was probably the Zoom call we had with all the members of the youth jury to decide on the winner. It was very interesting to discuss these movies with other passionate people and to listen to everyone's opinion.” 

The sixth edition of ArteKino Festival took place online throughout December, presenting 12 European films in six language versions on the ARTE website and ARTE Cinema Youtube channel. The goal of the festival – an initiative of ARTE France Cinéma, ARTE GEIE, and Festival Scope – is to give greater exposure to original feature films which might otherwise have difficulty finding distribution in European movie theatres, despite critical success and inclusion in festivals. 

SAMI, JOE AND I written and directed by Karin Heberlein                                               produced by Abrakadabra Films, Zurich - 2020                                                          SJI_TLR_DE-EN_PRORES_2.0.mov

SAMI, JOE AND I - Trailer, 115 sec, english

The winner of the European Audience Award – as voted by the public – was Swiss writer and director Karin Heberlein. Her feature film Sami, Joe and I (2020) follows three friends who are ready for a truly epic summer after finishing school. But what is to come is diametrically opposed to their expectations and of a different magnitude then they anticipated. Determined to stand up for themselves, the trio find out how right Leyla’s mom was when she told them: “Always keep more dreams in your soul than reality can destroy.”

Heberlein initially trained as an actress, working for various UK theatres, co-writing and performing in a number of ensembles and touring festivals across the globe. Her focus later shifted to film, after a masterclass and a scholarship ignited her passion. 

What did she learn from creating her first feature film? As part of Catalyst’s partnership with ArteKino Festival this year, a group of our Film Production students were blessed with an hour of Heberlein’s time, in which they were free to fire off all their burning filmmaking questions. 

“The collaborative parts are the best parts, where the magic happens”

First-year student Viktorija Baltusyte led the upbeat interview. “One of the most vital steps of making a truly good film, as mentioned by Heberlein, is to discover and to really solidify its core,” Viktorija gives as her major takeaway. “What is its essence? Once that is defined, you become the ‘keeper of the heart of the film’ and are able to stay true to the message that you want to deliver, whilst still being open to new ideas and spontaneous change.”

Spontaneity, in fact, was one of Heberlein’s favourite parts of the project. When Viktorija asked her what she wished she knew before she started her first feature film, she emphasised the value and beauty of a filmmaker not knowing all the answers when they are starting out. 

“Knowledge comes at the price of innocence,” she said. “When you don’t know how to do things, you just do them because you don’t know what problems can occur. In a way, my first film is a kind of coming-of-age story. I feel very grateful for the experience of having been able to do that.” She stressed that a director should never be embarrassed on set if they don’t know something: “If you don’t know something, ask. If you don’t know, the actor will know. If you both don’t know, try to find it together.”

One thing Heberlein learned about the creative process during the course of the project was the true power of collaboration – our favourite word at Catalyst. “All the people that you meet along the way give so much to that project and I think that didn’t cease to amaze me up to the editing, to the colour grading, to the last sound mix,” she explained. “All those stages, all those different people that come in, and each one has a different perspective on that same thing and adds their knowledge… The collaborative parts are the best parts, where the magic happens.”

Jayden Bailey, who is currently working on his final-year film, Slow Rush, was impressed with Heberlein’s approach to one potentially challenging collaboration: directing children. “Karin’s sensitivity and care for the youth story is an inspiring reminder of our connection to our childhood and furthermore its importance,” he says. “Working with younger actors is a challenge I'm very much looking forward to in future. Karin reminds me of the beautiful possibilities that can surface from that challenge.”

“The more stories we tell, the richer and more inclusive our culture gets,” Heberlein pointed out. Still, “how can you tell stories if you don't have a life?” Indeed, in order to tell great, culture-enriching, stories, it is important to seek out remarkable experiences. At the time Heberlein came up with the idea for Sami, Joe and I, she was leading storytelling and filmmaking workshops for 16-year-olds, which reminded her of her own experience of growing up, whilst also giving her new, inspiring, perspectives on young womanhood. 

“From a writer’s perspective, Heberlein’s question inspired me to explore and experience life around me,” Lior Klein reflects, “and not to be afraid to write about personal and meaningful events in my life, because these are the kind of stories only I can tell.”

In December, our students won a spot on ArteKino Festival’s European Youth Jury and met winning director of 'Sami, Joe and I', Karin Heberlein.

Catalyst Partners With ArteKino Festival 2021

Catalyst Students Get Involved With ArteKino Festival 2021

As part of our recent series of Film Production BA workshops on the business of the cinema industry, TV screenwriters Ava Tramer, of Central Park, and Daniel McLellan, of Lost in Space, joined their good friend, programme lead Malachi Rempen, and his students for a live Q&A. Here’s how they climbed the career ladder. 

TV Screenwriters Ava Tramer & Daniel McLellan Share Their Success Secrets

Want to be a TV screenwriter? Then be prepared to climb the career ladder – unless you’ve got great connections, a shining portfolio or, like Mickey Fisher, your first-time script is so remarkable that it fast-tracks you from competition entrant to Steven Spielberg collaborator. “If you have the stomach for a lot of gruelling assistant work, that is still the most reliable path in,” argues Daniel McLellan, writer on the epic sci-fi adventure Netflix series Lost in Space. He and wife Ava Tramer, comedy writer on such animated series as Central Park and Duncanville, recently joined our Film Production Bachelor students for an insightful Q&A session, where they shared just how they rose to the high rungs. 

Hosted by programme lead Malachi Rempen – one of Dan’s film school roommates – the session was part of ‘The Biz’, a series of 12 workshops which introduced our students to the wider business of the cinema industry, emerging and ancillary technologies, and the peripheral worlds of new media and video art – all the while initiating invaluable professional connections.

Ava’s internship on the wildly popular American sitcom The Office, which she initially saw as nothing more than a fun college summer job, was where she had her epiphany moment. Though she subsequently graduated from sociology and went on to work at a yoghurt company, the culture of the writers’ room was hard to shelf. “I realised you could get paid to sit around and play make believe and make jokes with friends,” she recalls of one of the hottest writers’ rooms of the era.

“To work in this industry, you have to be hopeful, you have to have that blind hope that someday this is going to be worth it.”

As it turned out, cute notes, perpetually sharp pencils and neatly hung laundry were Ava’s tickets to getting noticed. At age 20, she was welcomed back to The Office as a personal assistant, where she traded her extra-mile attitude for the privilege of getting her creative voice heard. When a writer’s assistant role opened up, she was immediately recommended, and thus began her ascent to script coordinator and beyond on a number of acclaimed shows. “To work in this industry, you have to be hopeful,” she said, “you have to have that blind hope that someday this is going to be worth it.”

After film school, Dan worked his way up the production ladder at Fox. Yet, just when he was about to get his name on the door, he realised that the ladder was resting on the wrong wall – a wall that, although much shorter, would never lead him to the peak of his creative potential. His leap of faith to an assistant role at another company paid off: his impressive work acumen and dedication to building relationships earned him a promotion to writer’s assistant, despite not having any relevant experience.

“If you prove yourself as a hard worker at your assistant job and you have a creative mind, eventually you can start pitching ideas verbally, in the [writers’] room, and contributing to the discussion,” Dan explained. “Then if those go over well, a lot of times you will be given the opportunity to write freelance.” In fact, that’s exactly how it panned out for Dan. A freelance opportunity to write one episode of Lost in Space (season two, episode seven) led to his recruitment as a staff writer.

Robot saves Gypsy | Lost in Space - 2x07

One of the many traits Ava and Dan share is an excellent ability to read the room – sensing when it’s appropriate to put forth ideas to their superiors and when it’s best to zip it. One stellar piece of advice they shared is to never show an unfinished or unpolished script. “Never show a script unless you’re happy with it,” Ava advised. “Opinions are formed so early.” Dan added that “you only get a first read once and you have to protect people’s unvarnished opinion.” He also stressed that you should focus on being the best at your job before you even think about stepping outside of your lane or asking for a promotion. Being the perfect writer’s assistant is not just about being a good writer or a fast note-taker. It’s about taking the initiative to offer an ear to the writers and, above all, making life as easy as possible for the showrunner.

“I wish I had known earlier that the things you don’t get make you available for the things you were meant to get.”

It took each of them a good decade to clamber up to their current positions. Naturally, our students were eager to discover any “cheat codes” that might help them skip a few rungs – or at least make for a smoother ascent. Dan made the point that viewing culture, and culture as a whole, have changed greatly over those ten years. As a result, both the career progression and the challenges encountered may be different. One advantage: toxic behaviour in the film and TV industries is on its way out. One potential drawback: TV shows are more plentiful but do not continue for as many series, meaning writers always have to have their eyes on the next gig.

Dan also shared some brilliant advice that he would give to his younger self. “I wish I had known earlier that the things you don’t get make you available for the things you were meant to get. So much of this job is getting rejected,” he revealed. “You need to navigate rejection and not let it bring you down. A lot of what this job is is finding the right fit for you. Secondly, get good at taking notes and hearing feedback in a positive and productive way and don’t push back against people who are giving you constructive criticism. There is no such thing as a bad or false note...all you can do is either chalk it up to taste or you can take the note and...try to address it…You want to be able to hear it and graciously take it.”

Above: Still from the Central Park episode ‘A Decent Proposal,’ co-written by Ava Tramer

Ava would tell her younger self not to compare herself to other people. “Don’t feel bad and beat yourself up about what other people are doing...the main path is working harder than everyone else.” According to Ava, it really is the difference between hanging up the dry cleaning and leaving the laundry bag on the floor; simply checking a script for errors or offering polite suggestions.

Screen Acting tutor Ariane Mason, who sat in on the discussion, asked the duo for their outlook on the future of the industry: “What do you think are going to be the big trends? What are we going to be watching in five years’ time?” Ava suggested that, due to the pandemic, we can expect more uplifting content for the next couple of years, and that the popularity of movie theatres may continue to decline since ‘Netflix and chill’ became the new normal. 

“I think we’re seeing a return to a mid-level, lower budget, lower IP [intellectual property] original feature,” Dan suggested. “If you’re comfortable in that space, you might have a better shot at making an original film. If your goal is to get your work out there and you don’t care about it being a conversation piece [part of an existing movie franchise], it’s a good time for a lot of people.”

Read our round up from screenwriters Ava Tramer & Daniel McLellan's Q&A on the TV writing career ladder with Catalyst Film Production students.

Ava Tramer & Daniel McLellan's TV Screenwriting Success Secrets

The Biz /// TV Screenwriters Ava Tramer & Daniel McLellan Share Their Success Secrets

As part of our recent series of Film Production BA workshops on the business of the cinema industry, director and producer Waheed AlQawasmi  joined tutor Jon-Carlos Evans and his students for a live Q&A. Read our round-up. 

'Jacir' Director Waheed AlQawasmi Shares His Advice to Aspiring Producers

Is filmmaking a chance to live many lifetimes? Or is life a chance to make many films? Emmy award-winning director and producer Waheed AlQawasmi would probably agree with the latter, having invested the past four years of his life working tirelessly on his labour of love, his first indie feature film Jacir, alongside running his production company.

“Everyone expects Mike Tyson to train when he wants to win the world championship, but for some reason they don’t want to apply that to art.”

“Everyone expects Mike Tyson to train when he wants to win the world championship, but for some reason they don’t want to apply that to art,” the former Fox Television creative director told our Film Production Bachelor students in a recent online Q&A session. “It’s like, no, I want to win… You have to put two, three years of working 18-hour days on something you love, to build [something] that’s your own, that no one can take away from you.”

Hosted by tutor Jon-Carlos Evans, the session was part of ‘The Biz’, a series of 12 workshops which introduced our students to the wider business of the cinema industry, emerging and ancillary technologies, and the peripheral worlds of new media and video art – all the while initiating invaluable professional connections.

Jacir explores the unlikely friendship developed between its eponymous protagonist, an orphaned Syrian refugee who settles in Memphis, Tennessee – the city to which Waheed himself emigrated as a teenager – and Meryl, a reclusive opioid addict who is fearful of the local immigrants. Meryl is played by Lorraine Bracco, the Oscar-nominated supporting actress of Goodfellas – one of the movies Waheed grew up watching in his native Jordan in the formative years of his filmmaking interest. 

How did he go from watching Bracco to directing her 20 years later? It would be tempting to talk of fate. Yet, what we learnt in our two hours with the creative powerhouse is that his shining career is built of solid graft, painted with passion and glazed with luck. The Jacir project began with a promising script. What Waheed didn’t anticipate were the many obstacles that lay ahead on his journey to realising it.

“If I’d have known it would take four years to make that film, I’m not sure I would have gone down that road,” he revealed. Taking on the production and securing the funding was only the beginning of an uphill struggle. Waheed scheduled the shooting to begin in May 2020. When the pandemic hit, he decided to employ his logistics mastery to keep on pushing. That included staggering the schedule of the cast and crew and rethinking entire scenes to eliminate mask-wearing crowds and to comply with hygiene regulations – a huge addition to the workload and to the budget. Jacir is currently in post-production, which Waheed and his team are aiming to complete in under six months. “There are five original songs in the movie that two of the characters sing,” he shared. “That’s a lot of work. That’s like producing an album in addition to a movie, that you have to merge into that world of the movie.”

Above: Jacir starring actress Lorraine Bracco with director Waheed AlQawasmi. Photo from the Jacir Instagram.

“Don’t forget, even if it is your first time as a director, that person still chose to do the project with you… they are already coming to you with respect for who you are, so now you have to earn that respect. And sometimes you earn it by collaborating, and I like to collaborate.”

Just like Jon-Carlos, Waheed has worked in nearly every role on set, allowing him to lead in his various roles with a great deal of empathy and humility. Valuing the experience of his collaborators, he is not afraid to work with their feedback. “Lorraine gives the gift of having worked with directors who shaped the whole industry, so she helps you change that hat,” he said. “It’s really about the people that are around you. If you can function in different capacities and it’s hard to do it all at once on the same day, it’s about the people around you and how they know to get your attention, because they come in with things to solve, not problems, with solutions...I wasn’t intimidated directing Lorraine because, at the end of the day, what I know is this: we’re all human. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen someone on TV or how big of an idol they are...Don’t forget, even if it is your first time as a director, that person still chose to do the project with you… they are already coming to you with respect for who you are, so now you have to earn that respect. And sometimes you earn it by collaborating, and I like to collaborate.”

What was Waheed’s biggest advice to aspiring producers? “You have to put it in your head that you’re there for the movie, and you’re there for everyone else there,” he explained. “You’re the person that builds the table that everyone else is going to stand on... The most crucial part in producing – especially if you’re a creative producer, meaning you really have good creative ideas – is learning how to manage creatives. It’s called herding cats. Herding creative cats? Super hard… And go learn budgeting. Budgeting is very important. You have to be honest with yourself about the numbers. You have to be honest about the capabilities. If you hear a crazy idea, you’ve got to steer and shepherd that whole thing away…”

“That’s my best advice for producing: learn math and learn how to handle different people’s personalities.” He also stressed that having fun with whatever you are doing should be a priority. “When I’m not having fun, I’m not as effective,” he said, revealing that it is by applying his director’s creativity to even the most unexciting production tasks that he gets the most enjoyment out of his work.

When Jon-Carlos opened up the Q&A to the students, Jonah asked what everyone was thinking: how does Waheed juggle so many projects within his marathon workdays without getting overly stressed? Honest communication is key. “As long as you’re calm, everyone else around you will be calm,” he said. It’s something he’s learnt from being on sets – the learning by doing we value above all at Catalyst. “It’s just doing it over and over. It becomes a part of you; it’s like breathing. And you don’t think about breathing.”

Read our round up from Jacir director and producer Waheed AlQawasmi's Q&A on the cinema industry with Catalyst Film Production students.

‘Jacir’ Director Waheed AlQawasmi Shares His Filmmaking Advice in Q&A

The Biz /// ‘Jacir’ Director Waheed AlQawasmi Shares His Filmmaking Wisdom in Q&A

Our second-year Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students present their end-of-year projects: an exciting array of interactive installations which explored one of the most exciting emergent applications of VFX technology.

VFX19 - Second Year Final Projects

Want to become a visual artist tomorrow? Then it’s essential to master the digital tools of today. Fluency in cutting-edge software and cross-media technology not only exponentially expands the palette of creative expression, but it places creators in the optimal position to contribute to the design of future realities. That’s why our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation courses give powerful insight into diverse subject areas – including filmmaking, post-production, motion design, matte painting, 3D animation, digital compositing, visual effects supervising, creative coding, installation and interactive art – all the while fostering the independence, open-mindedness and awareness to become an exceptional artist. 

Our second-year students’ recent exhibition of their interactive installation projects demonstrated one of the most exciting creative applications of VFX technology. Blurring the boundaries between the artwork and the experiencer, such installations focus on active play and experimentation rather than passive spectation – the perfect way to make an impact on today’s engagement-hungry world. 

Though all of the students began their project from the same foundation – taught by programme lead Matthieu Schmit and tutor Paulina Greta – it was thrilling to see where their unique interpretations led them. Diego SanJuan Villanueva combined a laser grid with motion capture technology and sound to explore how the movement of the different participants affected the visuals and frequencies. Leander Blaschke adeptly employed an assortment of cutting-edge software to create a striking VR space game. Freddy Gutierrez beautifully combined laser light sensors with cymatics. And Margarita Govedarska encouraged her participants to guide their projected external bodies with the feelings induced by the dynamic frequencies in their ears. In short, the exhibition was emergent storytelling at its finest.

"This experience was one of the most exhausting and challenging, but first and foremost creatively and emotionally fulfilling, projects I've ever worked on."

"This experience was one of the most exhausting and challenging, but first and foremost creatively and emotionally fulfilling, projects I've ever worked on," says Leander Blaschke about his VR project. "I not only learned so much about efficiency, patience, software and, of course, working with people and their feedback. I was also able to professionally dive into a field that I, as an artist as well as a consumer, have genuinely loved and enjoyed since I was a child. All the  knowledge about myself and the pipeline that I was able to gather makes me very confident going forward on the path as a creative person. And in the end, seeing people's enjoyment playing this small demo of mine made all the work worth it. I really want to keep on working on this project in the future and integrating the feedback I received so I can maybe properly launch it as a game at some point."

Second-year Catalyst Berlin Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students present their interactive visual art installations in this video.

Creating Visual Art Installations with VFX Technology

Step Inside Our Second-Year Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Students’ Interactive Visual Installations

Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation student Tommaso Capruzzi shares what he loves about learning his craft at Catalyst. Photography by our recent intern: designer, photographer and filmmaker Aurélie Nydegger.

What I love about Visual Effects is the absolute freedom. You can create things that exist only in your imagination. You can create stories that you can't tell, you can't see. You have the greatest freedom of imagination and you can create whatever you want. There really are infinite possibilities. 

The first year at Catalyst was an introduction to the craft and art of VFX. In the first semester, we started with the basics of everything, like filmmaking in general, production, directing, post production, flash colours, how the camera works, compositing a set. We are a bit like cinematographers. We don't spend all day in front of a computer building our world in 3D. There are several stages before that.

When a project starts, we meet before we set up and it's always different, unless it's all CGI, like in advertising for example. On a film shoot, I have to be part of the crew to supervise and make sure that everything – camera, shot, lights and all the little electrical things – are in place. It's important for my VFX production that everything is perfectly placed, so that I don't have any problems with realism or perspective when I start editing and special effects on my computer.

 "It's a group effort, you'll never work alone in a VFX production."

In VFX we learn to use 2D and 3D Photoshop, After Effects, and also the various editing software. We also have to learn how to analyse film footage in order to optimise our work, because in essence we are creating a virtual film, like a video game. Throughout the year we make small projects, both personal and in collaboration with other sections of Catalyst, such as the film and music students, not to mention the actors. It's a group effort, you'll never work alone in a VFX production.

Photographer Aurelie Nydegger presents her portrait of Catalyst Berlin Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation student Tommaso Capruzzi.

Aurélie Nydegger Photographs VFX student Tommaso Capruzzi

A Snapshot of Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Student Tommaso Capruzzi by Aurélie Nydegger 

Our recent intern, designer, photographer and filmmaker Aurélie Nydegger photographs Creative Film Production MA student Leonardo Greco and asks him to chat about his work.

Leonardo Greco was born and raised in Catania, Italy. While studying in “Liceo Scientifico” (scientific high school) he got closer to the arts, with special regard to cinema. After graduating, he decided to follow his passion by enrolling in Catalyst’s Film Production Bachelor. He’s now continuing his journey with us as a Master’s student in Creative Production.  Besides his commitment to school, he has had the chance to work as a freelancer on side projects such as commercials, music videos for local artists and short films. His latest film, You Don’t Know Them, which he wrote and directed, was awarded Best Short Film at the Mexico International Film Festival. Leonardo is currently working on two short films and the script of his first feature film. I asked him to tell us more about his work.

I decided to make films because it makes me happy. It's the thing in the world that makes me smile. We live in a world where you exist through your work. Imagine not being happy when you go to work. I tried a few activities when I was a kid, and film was always the feeling that brought me the most passion, the most joy. So I thought, why not write stories, do something about it, create? I tried it and then I loved it. Every day I'm more excited to go to work. There are a lot of challenges, but it makes me feel alive. It's a way to express myself and make my dreams come true.

For me, film is about telling a story. When we tell it, we decide to mix images and sounds, and we choose the format, the shots, and the actors to tell our story. The story can be anything, because cinema has a lot of freedom, no limitations. You can express your dreams with a film. It's like writing a book but bringing to life what you saw in your head. It's really free as an expression, without limits. It's a new art, without many rules. Before I was a filmmaker, I was a cinephile. I watched a film to lose myself in the story, to feel something. If it was an action film, I was excited, a horror film I was scared, if it was a drama I felt the emotion of the character. When I make a film, I want others to feel what cinema made me feel as a child. Maybe my subconscious wants to send a message through my film.

An example is the story I'm working on. At one moment, two characters meet who were not supposed to. This creates interest and suspense. I like that moment of anticipation when I'm telling and seeing a story, because you didn't expect it and what happens next. I like people's reaction as well as my own. Stories that surprise you and bring you new things, things you didn't expect. That's why I particularly like the writing stage. I write while waiting for a response from the audience. It's always a surprise for me to see the reaction of others to one of my films. I never get tired of it.

"How can we aim for a better future if nobody is leading the way?"

This short film is something I am personally attached to because four years ago I left my home town, Catania, Italy, to come to Berlin to study. After a long time abroad I, for the first time, felt I didn’t belong anywhere. I felt out of place in Berlin, just like I did when I was in Catania. If you don’t have a home, you have nothing, and if you have nothing, what’s left? You. And here we have the big question: who am I? Or worse, who am I expected to be? In my case, the answer seems to be ‘a man’, but what does it mean to be a man? Do I have to be strong? Do I have to be powerful? Do I need to have a lot of women? Am I allowed to have feelings? I’m a bit confused, who could I look up to? Some successful men, like Berlusconi? Weinstein? James Bond? Dirty Harry? It is becoming clear that we are living in a moment where masculinity is having its worst crisis and society is not offering any solutions. Toxic men are hunted down, the idols that have fallen are not replaced, leaving all the boys, myself included, without a hero anymore. How can we aim for a better future if nobody is leading the way? 

Dante, the main character of the short, finds himself in a similar place: he doesn’t have a home, he doesn’t have anybody, he is left alone with his quest, to find where he belongs. What he doesn’t know yet is that first he needs to find himself. I truly believe that who we are is defined by our actions and with whom we decide to do them. I think this is something worth telling, something worth sharing. 

Photographer Aurelie Nydegger presents her portrait of Creative Film Production MA student and freelance filmmaker Leonardo Greco.

Aurélie Nydegger Photographs Film MA Student Leonardo Greco

A Snapshot of Film MA Student Leonardo Greco by Aurélie Nydegger 

Designer, photographer and filmmaker Aurélie Nydegger recently joined us for an internship to shine a light on our students with her stunning photographic content. Read all about her experience and what fuels her creativity.

If human consciousness were a pen, it would never run out of ink. The stories we tell mould us, teach us, inspire us and drive us until the notebook of life is complete. Visual storytelling, a fast-track to the visceral, is arguably the most impactful, and it is in this realm in which Aurélie Nydegger crystallises her dreams. The Swiss designer, photographer and filmmaker’s Instagram handle, philosophique portatif (portable philosophical), encapsulates her deeply narrative approach to her creative media – an approach that stays with the viewer like a negative afterimage on the retina. 

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Aurélie’s outstanding creativity when she joined us for an internship. Creating a striking portfolio of photographic content, she shone a light on our music, film, acting and VFX students. We will be sharing it all over the coming weeks on our social media – so be sure to follow our music and film/VFX/acting Instagram accounts!

Now that Aurélie has returned home to complete her photography degree, we asked her to reflect on her experience and to tell us more about her vision. 

I'm 22 years old and I'm originally from the French side of Switzerland. I started my career with a five-year apprenticeship as a designer, specializing in communication, videography, photography and marketing. I quickly found that I was missing an artistic aspect in my job; working with companies doesn't always leave us the freedom to realize our own personal projects. I wanted to develop my skills via my own visual creations and projects, so I decided to study photography as an artist photographer in the CEPV of Vevey where I experimented for two years on documentary, experimental and social photography as an artist. The training courses were quite complementary and finally a logical continuation in my professional evolution. 

What have you been up to at Catalyst recently?

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Catalyst to produce photographic projects for each section of the school – Acting, Film, VFX and Music – to expand visual communication and offer new opportunities for Catalyst’s networks with documentary projects about individual students, mixing photography and interviews. 

“I really liked the school, I liked the atmosphere and the learning methods, not to mention the artistic universe and open-minded approach.”

Why did you reach out to Catalyst in the first place?

I had the ambition to come and do a bachelor's degree in Film Production at your school this coming year, because I really liked the school, I liked the atmosphere and the learning methods, not to mention the artistic universe and open-minded approach. So I thought why not offer my services, develop as a freelancer and artist inside a school and also see how Catalyst works from the inside. There is nothing more immersive than working for a structure to understand it.

You are a multi-talented creative, with a stunning portfolio of photography, graphic design and film. What would you say is the style or approach which unites all of your work?

For me photography and film are two very similar mediums. The difference is that in one medium we have moving images and in the other we have still images. When I create a photographic project I make it from A to Z like a film. The images make up a story accompanied by narrative or descriptive text in the same way as a storyboard and a script. The design and artistic production is very similar, except that I work alone with my models without a film crew behind me. Photography is an incredible medium for storytelling in the same way as film. These two mediums meet later in the conception into the design graphic part where I compose a photographic book. I put the script and the visuals in order to compose the storytelling.

“It's like a piece of music; it's always composed from the same notes, it's simply their placement that will change the nature of the project.”

How were you able to put your knowledge and skills into practice throughout the different shoots you organised with our students? 

I like to relate people's stories through photography, to show their personalities and mine in a simple portrait or landscape. My approach as an artist photographer is very documentary. I organised meetings with each student and we created a world together by simply sharing thoughts or small anecdotes. Then the machine started and we followed our instinct to make the project. Everyone invested personally to create a common magic. For me, my knowledge and skills are a medium, a working process in itself, which I repeat for each of my projects. It's like a piece of music; it's always composed from the same notes, it's simply their placement that will change the nature of the project. It was quite natural for me to mix scriptwriting, photography, communication and art together. 

How were you able to overcome the challenges set by Covid?

To be honest, Covid was not an obstacle for me. On the contrary, I have never done as many projects and travelled than during the Covid period. You just have to know how to adapt to the technical or political problem. I'm also used to it because with my school I have to carry out projects at a distance, which gives me more time to organise them and think them through properly. The covid period has given me more time and strangely more opportunity.

The constant diversity in my photoshoots, the variety and different inspiration from the students which allowed a multitude of ideas and compositions. The school environment was also very inspiring and full of places to capture! I also particularly liked the trust they gave me. During this month I was really independent. The kindness of the Catalyst team and their advice and caring was really important to me. I think especially of Christina who was adorable and with whom I shared a matcha before my departure!  

L'Apogée is a biopic film project about the German Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

In an new cinematographic project, discover or rediscover the hidden stories of the general public under the apogee of the future Chancellor of Germany.

Drama | Biopic | Cinematographic project
Swiss - German Production |

Production: Aurélie Giovannoni - Laurent Mohr - Andreas Reuther ( French - German)

Distribution:
Adolf Hitler: John Ludwig
Geli Raubal: Aurélie Giovannoni

Director of photography: Andreas Reuther
Gimbal operator: Kevin Bose

Light engineer: Daniel Errey - Adrian Angehrn
Sound engineer: Thomas Young

Photographer: Anastasia Chernykh
BTS Photographer: Yanina Isla - Kinwah Lok

Makeup artist: Jade Turrian
Making - of: Nicolas Turrain

Editor: Joe Marmy

Light assistant: Jan Merchant

Partners: Studio 25 am Holzmarkt - Epic Militaria - Soldier of fortune

Music: Archive.org - Museopen.org
The Requiem Mass in D minor (K.626) - I. Introistus Requiem aeternam - Mozart (Herbet von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker) from archive.org. // 

Social networks:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lapogeefilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lapogeefilm

L'Apogée - Short Film

We were totally impressed by your 2020 short film L'Apogée, a biopic about the young Adolf Hitler. It was your first experience as a director and a producer, and you also performed in it. How did you navigate such a controversial figure and what was your creative process in all of these roles?

In my approach and my artistic career, I am interested in the problems of collective memory. My projects retrace the memory of places, of people in their frozen temporal state. This setting of time is expressed by a duality mixing nostalgia, social and conceptual documentary, investigation, fiction and history. I am particularly interested in scabrous historical figures, as well as forgotten and controversial men and women of our society, working on different periods to question time and space.

I had been studying the Second World War for some years now and particularly Hitler as a man and not just as a politician. I found so many fascinating stories that were never mentioned once in the history books and that explained a lot of the public history that we know. I'm thinking in particular of the relationship he had with Emil Maurice and or Geli Raubal, his niece whom I play in this film. She is undoubtedly a person with whom I identify myself a lot, as strange as it may seem... I would add that this theme is also important on a personal level. Since I was young, I have been concerned by the tormented past of this war. Although I did not experience it personally, I experienced it through my family, through third parties, through testimonies, through collective history and my own, forging who I am today.

“At that time I had learnt filmmaking through my first training course and I thought why not try it. It was cheeky, but it could work. We learn by doing and not only through theory, right?”

The initial project was not about Hitler and was a photographic project that I did with John Ludwig, a German actor from Berlin. After the first version which was about a simple German soldier. I wanted to make a short film, however, without any bad puns, John had something special that made him appear as Hitler in the picture. At that time I had learnt filmmaking through my first training course and I thought why not try it. It was cheeky, but it could work. We learn by doing and not only through theory, right?

This project is my first film as an independent writer and director. I organised and financed this film from start to finish in only three months to be able to shoot in April 2019.  L'Apogée is a short film about the psychoses of Chancellor Adolf Hitler. This film project was co-produced with Andreas Reuther, a Berlin-based cinematographer and John Ludwig,  who plays the lead role. The filming, carried out on a small budget of 3,000 Swiss francs and involving a reunion between history lovers. I would say that my training helped me to organise all this. I had as much the foundations of a producer than of a filmmaker, which made me very independent at its creation. I think that this common passion for history is what made this project happen. Without this passion the result would probably not be the same! 

Who or what are your greatest inspirations?

I find a lot of inspiration in music and not so much in my peers. I think in particular of Woodkid for the Apogee project, otherwise I listen mainly to film soundtracks and classical music when I create. They are what forge my work. By listening to music, I invent a mental world for myself and all the rest is simply built without any effort: the scenario, the images, the characters... Each piece of music has a scene and all the music creates the film or the photographic project. 

As an inspiration, I would say that I identify myself with Virginie Rebetez, who is also a Swiss photographer, or Elina Brotherus whom I admire a lot for her audacity. In the classical field, Bertolt Brecht or Sophie Calle.

Now that you’re back in Switzerland, what’s next on your journey?

I plan to graduate as a photographer at the CEPV and then go on to study for a bachelor's degree in visual arts at the HEAD in Geneva, where I will develop my documentary and experimental projects on the memory of war and also make a new short historical film on the same subject. This is the idea for the next three years. 

Designer, photographer and filmmaker Aurelie Nydegger recently joined Catalyst Berlin's community as an intern. Learn about her creative vision.

Interview With Swiss Visual Artist Aurélie Nydegger

We Chat to Visual Artist Aurélie Nydegger About Her Striking Creative Vision

As part of our recent series of Film Production BA workshops on the business of the cinema industry, filmmaker Carman Ho joined tutor Jon-Carlos Evans and his students for a live Q&A. Read our round-up.  

Filmmaker Carman Ho on the Importance of Chemistry on Set

Honesty, vulnerability, interaction, disconnection and grief. If you are inspired to research any of these ineffable concepts, film is arguably the best medium in which to do it. A visualisation of the visceral, it has the power to draw in the spectator like no other, to stir deep emotion at the very moment it is experienced. It is precisely these five concepts that drive Canadian filmmaker and photographer Carman Ho’s fascinating work. Her award-winning short film, Undertow, is just one example – an incredibly moving portrayal of a couple’s mounting struggle with depression. 

Exhausted and depressed, Lydia finds it more and more difficult to find reasons to get through each day even with the patience and support of her girlfriend, Emily. Seeing how much Emily is struggling for her, she makes a devastating choice.

Undertow was created as part of the Cinegate Short Film Slam.

Cast: Simone Geißler, Stephanie Marin

Director/Writer: Carman Ho
Cinematographer: Diego Gardo
Producer: Rike Lange
1st AD: Maria M. Burghi
Set Manager: Martin Herrmann
Editor/Gaffer: Felix Jentzsch
Script/Continuity: Patricia Gusovius
1st AC: Jens Schiweck
2nd AC: Dorothea Pilz
Best boy: Alfred Vidal
Lighting Assistant: Juan Sebastian Jimenez Ramirez
Dolly/Grip: Haroun Ricardo
Sound Recordist: Ludwig Bestehorn
Boom Operator: Gero Renner
Hair/MUA: Makeup by O Berlin - Paphawarin Rattanapuree
Costume/Set Design: Simone Wildt
Set Design: Hendrik Apfel
Costume/Set Design Assistant: Tamar Taibo Palomares
Composer: Martina Colli
Sound Mixer: Valentin Finke
Set Assistant: Fabian Zantz
BTS: Thomas Bonjernoor
Set Photography: Roy Stoltz
Color Grader: Delfina Mayer
Film Poster: MoralCloud Chen

Undertow - A Short Film

“We live in a world where we’re connected in so many ways...but at the same time we’re disconnected,” Carman told our Film Production BA students in a recent internal online Q&A session. “For me, it’s interesting to explore the different ways of disconnection and the relationships between different people… Mental health is very important because we don’t talk about it enough, and it’s always shown in a negative way.”

Jon-Carlos once told us that he “worked in almost every position on the film set, in order to become a more understanding, creative and diplomatic creator.” Carman took a similar path, cutting her teeth in lighting and assistant direction. During the session, she was kind enough to share a great deal of the wisdom she’s acquired over the past several years on set: advice on finding inspiration, working within creative and financial limitations, building a network, negotiating collaborations, setting boundaries, seeking feedback and more. She also talked about her creative process and personal inspirations.

“It’s important to have chemistry. You could work with the best, but if you don’t connect, it’s not a fun time at all.”

Touching on one of our favourite topics at Catalyst, collaboration, Carman said, “It’s important to have chemistry. You could work with the best, but if you don’t connect, it’s not a fun time at all. The most important thing is having a good atmosphere, building a team that you trust and understanding each other’s skills.” 

Carman spoke about one topic most fledgling creative professionals struggle with: payment versus exposure. “Figure out your boundaries,” she suggested. “In the beginning, doing a lot of projects helps you figure out what you’re interested in, or to build connections. But before you take on a project, you should consider what it gives you. Will it enhance your career, help you to build connections or to try something new, or earn you money?”

Above: Still from 'Love Lucy', writted directed and edited by Carman Ho. "After the death of her childhood friend, Lucy, Tess visits Lucy's grandfather to get closure but he has alzheimer's and confuses her with Lucy."

When Jon-Carlos asked Carman what inspired her to become a filmmaker, she said that she was most influenced by storytelling and the process of translating it to the screen. “The thing with humans is that we’ve been telling stories since the beginning of time,” she explained. “The cave people painted on the walls, a lot of indiginous people passed on stories orally. For me, I really liked this idea of passing on stories. It just felt natural to kind of combine the visual aspect and the oral aspect.” 

“Think about what exactly you are trying to tell and whether it will connect with someone.”

Carman also finds a great deal of inspiration in the work of other filmmakers. Pablo Larrain and Chloe Zhao were two names that came to mind. “When it’s possible, it’s important to attend film festivals because you see all these fresh voices from all over the world,” she advised. She also stressed the importance of finding stories that you want to tell. “A lot of filmmakers forget about that,” she continued, “they get distracted by tech… Think about what exactly you are trying to tell and whether it will connect with someone.”

Read all about our Film Production BA students' Q&A session on the business of the cinema industry with Berlin-based filmmaker Carman Ho.

Filmmaker Carman Ho's Industry Advice to New Filmmakers

The Biz /// Filmmaker Carman Ho Shares Her Film Industry Advice in Q&A

As part of our recent series of Film Production BA workshops on the business of the cinema industry, cinematographer Kevin Klein joined tutor Jon-Carlos Evans and his students for a live Q&A. Read our round-up.  

Cinematographer Kevin Klein's Advice to Fledgling Filmmakers

“I have been many places – but it's never enough. Let's go somewhere together.” Cinematographer Kevin Klein’s website about text perfectly captures the spirit of filmmaking. Not only does it say so much with so few words, but it alludes to three of the fundamental cornerstones of the art form, all of which fuel our creative courses at Catalyst: knowledge, curiosity and collaboration. The final, unmentioned, cornerstone? Vision – the vision of the individual creator.

A selection of moments throughout my film life.

Music by Kites Sail High
Sound Design by Kevin Klein, Tobias Feltes
Edited by Kevin Klein

Kevin Klein - Cinematographer - Reel 2020

Kevin’s vision led him from California to Berlin, where his knock-on-doors initiative saw him quickly climb the ranks from graduate filmmaker to director of photography. Now he works between the commercial and indie worlds as a renowned freelance cinematographer. His portfolio sits visually delicious ads for mega brands such as Nike and Audi beside beautifully thought-provoking documentaries like What Difference Does It Make?, a film exploring the process of making music. 

What Difference Does It Make? | TRAILER | A Film About Making Music

Recently, our Film Production BA students were lucky enough to spend a couple of hours soaking up Kevin’s wisdom, in an internal online Q&A session hosted by tutor Jon-Carlos Evans. It was part of ‘The Biz’, a programme of 12 workshops which introduced our students to the wider business of the cinema industry, emerging and ancillary technologies, and the peripheral worlds of new media and video art – all the while initiating invaluable professional connections.

During the session, Jon-Carlos asked Kevin a broad range of questions about his career progression and network development, his experience of straddling both the commercial and indie worlds, and his creative process behind a couple of his inspiring recent projects. We loved his advice to our fledgling filmmakers on starting a freelance career in Berlin.

“The oldest cliche is kind of true: it is about who you know.”

“The oldest cliche is kind of true: it is about who you know,” he said. “But that shouldn’t be something that scares you. It’s just how people work. It’s about communication. It’s about trust. That’s really it. Just imagine being on a project and you need someone that you trust. You’re going to go for someone, most likely, that you’ve worked with before, that you know is capable and trustworthy, that’s going to show up, and you know what to expect.” 

We have to agree! It’s exactly the reason we consistently see student collaborators at Catalyst working together on professional projects after graduation. Though that’s not to say that it’s impossible to get on a film set with people you don’t know. Kevin reassured our students that everybody starts somewhere. 

 “Work towards getting that confidence to make decisions for yourself and to think ahead.”

“My biggest advice is that if you show up on set,” he continued, “just learn how to be aware, and work towards getting that confidence to make decisions for yourself and to think ahead. Try not be the person that has to only be told what to do and waits around.” He cautioned that the right attitude is a fine balance between showing initiative and knowing when to step back. Another fantastic piece of advice: always keep your call sheets! He described the call sheet as a “golden document” full of contacts you can harness in the future.

When Jon-Carlos opened up the session for our students to ask their own questions, they covered everything from technical advice to personal inspirations to technological advancements. Kevin’s answer to Zac’s question on how he aims to move the audience with his work particularly stood out.

“What I’m searching for is really an honesty in what I’m doing,” Kevin explained. “I want people to feel that there’s an intimacy and a connection with the people that I shoot. I’m looking for a beautiful middle point between having something that’s planned and something that’s very raw, unexpected and vulnerable... It’s about setting the stage...I want people to feel that there is love behind that image...there is a kind of magic happening on that film.”

Read all about our Film Production BA students' Q&A session on the business of the cinema industry with Berlin-based filmmaker Kevin Klein.

Cinematographer Kevin Klein's Industry Advice to New Filmmakers

The Biz /// Cinematographer Kevin Klein Shares His Film Industry Advice in Q&A

As part of our NoBerlinale student festival, film director Craig Murray gave a guest session on practical FX for narrative, music, commercial and experimental videos. Find out what fuels his creativity.

As our Film Production students learn from year one in their ‘Microfilm’ assignments, short films are like elevator pitches. You only have a few minutes to ‘sell’ your creative vision, so that the viewer craves to see more after the ride is over. In the case of music videos and commercials, making an impression is more important than ever. In the oversaturated media environment, it’s easy to miss a good artist or product. Connect a compelling visual narrative and you can not only garner attention, but create a sensation. Add hand-crafted visual effects to the picture, and you've got a sure-fire explosion.

Selected work 2008 - 2020

Short form is where film director Craig Murray is in his element. Check out his wow-worthy Vimeo showcase (above), and you’ll get lost in visceral FX-infused music videos, atmospheric analog camera experiments, beautifully macabre hand-drawn pencil animations, and more. His original approach has seen him work with the likes of the post-rock/metal bands Mogwai and Alcest, as well as high-calibre companies like Samsung. Not relying on computer-generated special effects, he works with real elements in order to encourage a greater potential for connection. The visceral, emotive and otherworldly result could galvanise anyone out of content fatigue.

Hosted by our Visual Effects lead Matthieu Schmit, Craig graced our NoBerlinale programme with a guest session on practical FX for narrative, music, commercial and experimental videos. Our NoBerlinale festival was our response to the cancellation of this year's Berlinale in February. With the help of our film team, events and student experience lead Hannah Deans filled our students’ calendars with an exciting line-up of alternative events, from guest sessions to remote filmmaking to exclusive screenings.

Taken away by Craig’s exceptional art, after the session, we asked him what catalyses his creativity. Here’s what he told us.

“If it doesn’t work with their music, it generally doesn’t go in, even though it’s always for another band or client."

“Probably the band Godspeed You! Black Emperor…I build and initially edit most of my films listening to them. If it doesn’t work with their music, it generally doesn’t go in, even though it’s always for another band or client. I guess it creates another layer and tone for me? I also don’t have a dream to work with them. They already have a long-time collaboration with a person who does their live 16mm projections. But perhaps that’s also because in some way I already do work with them.”

As part of Catalyst Berlin's NoBerlinale, short film director and FX artist Craig Murray gave our students a window into his wildly creative world.

A Guest Session on Practical FX With Film Director Craig Murray

Short Film & Practical FX Sensation Craig Murray Shares What Fuels His Creativity

Third-year Film Production student Jayden Bailey talks about his short film ‘Not Olives,’ which was selected for Portugal’s FEST New Directors Film Festival in 2020. 

“Within two weeks of being gifted the olives, I had shot the film.” Sometimes life drops ideas into your lap without you having to lift a finger. For Film Production student Jayden Bailey, the creative serendipity started with the taste of an olive and ended in a witty short film starring said olives, which was subsequently selected for FEST 2020. What’s not to o-love?

For Business Inquiries (EU): jaydenbaileyjab@gmail.com

Logline: Roommates set out for a jar of very special olives, meanwhile their apartment is robbed.

Specifications: Shot on Sony A7s

Featuring || Adam Donald as Thomas, Samantha Lee-Kroll as Marie

Director / Writer / Editor / Sound Design || Jayden Bailey
Producer / Sound Recordist || Agostina Cerdan Niell
Director of Photography || Sidney Mandros
AC / Assistant Editor || Dico Baskoro
AD / Catering / Special Effects / Grip || Matthias Neumeister
Grip || Zac Yeates

Not Olives (2020)

“Not Olives was inspired by the real, on-screen, jar of olives that was gifted to me!” says Jayden, who is now in his final year of the Bachelor course. “I was down in the south of Germany for another film project and, following the shoot's wrap, we went to a friend's cocktail bar. I got to know the owner and I told him he had great olives, which he served with his drinks. Olives at this point were just a hated food of mine, but his olives were a sure winner! Then he surprised me and gave me a whole jar as a gift. As the conversations around me returned back to German, I was left daydreaming... this led me to a film idea, and then the very next day I told him I would make a film about a childish man being picky about a jar of olives. The childish character Thomas, went on to share the same name as the real 'non-childish' bar owner!” 

Screen Acting programme lead Adam Donald and Samantha Lee-Kroll play two spatting roommates who set out for a jar of very special olives. Their relatable dynamic immediately sucks you into the narrative, which wraps humour, tension and surprise into a delectable four and a half minutes. Jayden’s storytelling is as moreish as said olives. That’s why we’re thrilled to hear that he’s planning on upping the game with his next film, which is currently in post-production. Scroll down to find out how you can get involved!

"Little did I know that this would start a chain of unrelated events that gave me many film opportunities."

“FEST 2020 was my first selected short film,” he continues. “I remember it being one of the highlights for me during the COVID lockdown of last year. I was unable to attend the Portugal film festival, which was a real shame, but that's when I decided on the next best thing. I'll direct and write an even better film and go again in the next edition. Little did I know that this would start a chain of unrelated events that gave me many film opportunities. Fast forward to now and my latest film is being edited. It's a story of three friends on a camping trip. The night takes a big turn when the fire starts to spit out memories of the past.” We can’t wait to see it.

Want to get involved in the post-production of the film – editing, music, colour etc.? Don’t be shy! Jayden invites you to contact him at jaydenbaileyjab@gmail.com.

Third-year Film Production student Jayden Bailey talks about his short film ‘Not Olives,’ which was selected for FEST Film Festival in 2020. 

Filmmaker Jayden Bailey on His FEST 2020 Selected Film ‘Not Olives’

Brazilian filmmaker Lillah Halla recently inspired our student community with a guest session on feminist film theory, as part of our very own noBerlinale festival. Find out more about her vision.

At Catalyst, we believe disappointment is synonymous with innovation. That’s why, when the 2021 Berlinale Festival was cancelled, our events and student experience lead Hannah Deans didn’t settle for a sinking feeling. She and the film team pulled out all the stops to provide an equally enriching and even more engaging online programme of exclusive screenings, remote filmmaking, project presentations, guest sessions, film reviews, and more, to our Film Production students. To top it off, there was even a Zoom screening and awards party!

Trailer MENARCA dir. Lilla Halla

Lillah Halla was one of our noBerlinale special guests. Hosted by a fellow Brazilian filmmaker, Film Production programme lead Leandro Goddinho, Lillah joined us to give a lecture and Q&A on feminist theory. Speaking from her experience of the film, she gave a brief talk on the process of scriptwriting female characters that subvert foundational archetypes and cultural stereotypes, centred around cinema as a tool for subversive perspectives.

Lillah studied Directing and Scriptwriting at the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de Cuba. Her latest short film, Menarca, was one of the ten shorts selected at Semaine de La Critique Cannes 2020, awarded in Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2020. Lillah is also the co-founder of the São Paulo-based film collective Vermelha, a political project for women and queer filmmakers in Brazil.

Lillah Halla presents MENARCA

Menarca is a reinterpretation of the myth of the vagina dentata (“the toothed vagina”), and as film critic Léo SeoSanto wrote at Cannes 2020, a welcome feminist call to arms. “The poison of toxic masculinity threatens Nanã and Mel,” he writes, “who are saved by a fish and a woman: Lillah Halla’s perfect high-wire act between the magic realism of a fairytale and a realistic, stifling atmosphere (ageless, though it echoes present-day Brazil) infers the very essence and turns up the heat before the punk explosion finale.”

“You can choose to look at things differently. You can choose to try to give a voice to people who haven't been heard... I think what we're doing is giving space for reflection and to dream, and to feed the power of imagination, which is the strongest tool we have.” 

Like us, Lillah puts storytelling at the centre of her creative practice. Her use of narratives and symbols probe deep into the subconscious of the viewer to create a truly captivating and influential experience. “You can choose to look at things differently,” she says in the inspiring DW Berlinale Talents feature below. “You can choose to try to give a voice to people who haven't been heard... I think what we're doing is giving space for reflection and to dream, and to feed the power of imagination, which is the strongest tool we have.”

"Menarca is on every level a biting film. It is a reinterpretation of the myth of the vagina dentata ("the toothed vagina") and a welcome feminist call to arms.” written by Léo SeoSanto, Semaine de La Critique Cannes 2020

Lillah Halla is a Brazilian director and screenwriter. She studied Directing and Scriptwriting at the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de Cuba.

Her most recent short film, Menarca, is one of the 10 shorts selected at Semaine de La Critique Cannes 2020, awarded in Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2020.

Lillah is also the co-founder of the São Paulo-based film collective Vermelha, a political project for women / queer filmmakers in Brazil.

“I have quite a trajectory in researching narratives, speaking about female contexts in filmmaking. I have a collective in Brazil called Collegeville Familia, which is a collective of women filmmakers who have been organizing debates, actions, encounters, courses, workshops. And that is, on one hand, that it's beginning when it was more important to talk about representation and just having access to funding, having access to work positions.

(…) This is what we're speaking about, and every word counts. So grammar counts, words count and... And the way we're telling stories not only what we're speaking about, but the way we're telling them is also either reproducing those stereotypes, those archetypes or you're changing them.”

Berlinale Talents 2021: Lillah Halla

Brazilian filmmaker Lillah Halla inspired our Film Production students with a guest session on feminist film theory, as part of our noBerlinale festival.

A Guest Session With 'Menarca' Filmmaker Lillah Halla

'Menarca' Filmmaker & Catalyst NoBerlinale Guest Lillah Halla on Feeding the Power of Imagination 

Our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation students have full access to a curated selection of over 50 bonus online classes to further unlock their creative potential. Find out more.

If education is a passport to the future, then Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation  education will get you there the fastest. Every day at Catalyst, we’re blown away by the skills our specialist tutors share with our students – from ways to model new realities to breathtaking effects. From the first year of study, the knowledge acquired by our students is extensive – allowing graduates to confidently enter the broad and competitive VFX industry with a honed creative mindset and blaze a trail as the next generation of artists. 

Our students’ success is in their own hands. The clue is in the name of our institution – we are only a catalyst to YOUR creative potential. Our course gives students the keys to self-learning, instilling an autonomous mindset which enables them to tread their own path in the creative and technical fields of visual effects. More importantly, these adaptable skills allow them to find out which approach best suits their style, so that they can evaluate the unique requirements of every incoming project.

Our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animationstudents have full access to over 50 bonus online classes to further unlock their creative potential.

Read all about it

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Step Inside Our Second-Year Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Students’ Interactive Visual Installations

A Snapshot of Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Student Tommaso Capruzzi by Aurélie Nydegger

A Snapshot of Film MA Student Leonardo Greco by Aurélie Nydegger

We Chat to Visual Artist Aurélie Nydegger About Her Striking Creative Vision

The Biz /// Filmmaker Carman Ho Shares Her Film Industry Advice in Q&A

The Biz /// Cinematographer Kevin Klein Shares His Film Industry Advice in Q&A

Short Film & Practical FX Sensation Craig Murray Shares What Fuels His Creativity

Filmmaker Jayden Bailey on His FEST 2020 Selected Film ‘Not Olives’

'Menarca' Filmmaker & Catalyst NoBerlinale Guest Lillah Halla on Feeding the Power of Imagination

Binge-Worthy Extras For Our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Students

Meet Our Roster of Specialist Guest Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Tutors

Soft Crash Collaborate With Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Tutor Imaginaria on a Fact Mag Live Set

VFX Tools & Techniques /// Substance Painter 3D Asset Texturing With Anton Egorov

Shape the Future of Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation With These Careers

Watch the First Semester of Work by Our Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation Students

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VFX Tools & Techniques /// Matte Painting with Anton Egorov