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

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

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

My journey began with Jan Lauwers' theatre installation "The House of Our Fathers." During that time, I was working at the Ming Contemporary Art Museum, helping to build part of the installation. Eventually, I became a performer in the installation. There are no stages, only boxes stacked on each other, glass display cabinets, and formaldehyde-soaked human hearts. 

This energy — the energy of theatre and performance art — lit a fire in me, pushing me to explore beyond the traditional boundaries of video games. During a residency in Canfranc, Spain, I used data from the quantum physics laboratory LSC to create an interactive video game theatre piece called Virtual Collision. 

Which visual effects projects by others have sparked your imagination or been especially important to you?

Epic neo-noir science fiction "Blade Runner 2049" (2017) comes to mind immediately. Its stunning visual effects, from its dystopian cityscapes to its realistic holograms, have been a major source of inspiration to me. The film does a great job of translating the original film’s revolutionary vision. Secondly, "Gravity" (2013): the seamless integration of CGI and live-action footage in a zero-gravity environment pushed the boundaries of what's possible in VFX. Last but not least, "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015): the film's innovative use of practical effects combined with digital enhancements created a visceral and immersive experience.

In your own words, what is the key premise of the Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation BA programme and what makes it unique?

As the name suggests, ours is a multidisciplinary programme, covering a range of topics including camera skills, visual effects, practical effects, animation, and creative coding. This broad approach allows the students to develop a comprehensive skill set, and it opens up their view to the possibilities within VFX and digital art. The students are empowered to create projects and a portfolio unique to them. It also opens up numerous professional opportunities for them after graduation.

How does the programme balance practical skills, creative innovation and personal development?

The programme includes modules on professional practices, communication skills, teamwork, and career planning, helping students develop essential soft skills and prepare for a professional environment. Students are given assignments and projects that encourage creative thinking and artistic expression, often involving open-ended briefs that allow the students to experiment and innovate with different styles and techniques.

How does the programme stay relevant to the current demands of the industries it prepares students for?

Our tutors are practising professionals, who actively work across the fields of VFX, film, animation, graphic design, and digital art – so they’re perfectly positioned to share the most up to date information with our students, from within the industry. Also, our emphasis on hands-on learning through real-world projects prepares them for the real-world environments they will be working in. This kind of experience is crucial for developing the relevant skills.

Visual effects is now growing beyond just the medium of film, into a broad range of other artistic mediums and industries. What collaboration opportunities with peers in other creative paths can our visual effects students expect to have?

We encourage our VFX students to collaborate with students from the film and music schools at Catalyst where possible, and one of their assessments involves creating music videos with students from the music school. These opportunities for collaboration with other disciplines have the potential to really enhance the learning experience, as well as help students expand their professional networks.

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

Fostering an interdisciplinary approach – Q&A with Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation's Awu

A good script is the heartbeat of a film, shaping its narrative, characters and our emotional relationship with it. 

The writer of a script takes the role of creating the universe of that film, laying the foundations of the entire filmmaking process, that guides directors, actors and crew. Without a strong script, even the most talented cast and crew may struggle to create a memorable cinematic experience. In essence, a good script is the soul of a film, dictating its success and resonance with viewers.

To celebrate our new Screenwriting courses launching in 2024, we caught up with three tutors in our School for Film & Visual Media. Screenwriting tutor Katerina Gerothanasi, Film Production Programme Lead Leandro Goddinho and Film Production tutor Filipe Matzembacher share their top ten screenplays. Dive into their recommendations of scriptwriting genius.

Mulholland Drive (2001), directed by David Lynch

"A true cinematic experience and deep delve in the subconscious. This film presents a seemingly incomprehensible structure, but once the puzzle pieces are put together, the result is one of the best stories in cinema history."

Watch the trailer for David Lynch's surrealist neo-noir mystery, starring Naomi Watts and Laura Harring.

The Hours (2002), directed by Stephen Daldry

"The film is a beautifully crafted drama that weaves together the lives of three women in different time periods, connected through Virginia Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway." Its non-linear structure and portrayal of complex, nuanced characters captivate me and showcase the power of well-crafted storytelling."

Watch the trailer for Stephen Daldry's psychological drama, starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Nicole Kidman.

Funeral Parade of Roses (1969), directed by Toshio Matsumoto

"The structure of this film is a miracle. Political, clever, metalinguistic, sumptuous and cool. A mastery of writing and cinematic language in every aspect that manages to make a subversive reading of the Oedipus King myth, but this time situated in the queer Japanese underworld."

Check out the trailer for Toshio Matsumoto's surreal queer film, starring Peter (Pîtâ).

Notes on a Scandal (2006), directed by Richard Eyre

"Notes on a Scandal is a gripping psychological thriller that centres on the relationship between two female teachers. The film's sharp dialogues and brilliantly portrayed characters keep the audience on the edge of their seats, challenging our moral values and delving into the complexities of human behaviour."

Watch the trailer for Richard Eyre's psychological drama, starring Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.

Under the Skin (2013), directed by Jonathan Glazer

"An eerie, mysterious and captivating masterpiece from the POV of an alien. This movie describes very well what visual storytelling is!"

Watch the trailer for Jonathan Glazer's science fiction film, starring Scarlet Johansson. You can also check out this video on IMDB to understand some core ideas that went into the filming of Under the Skin and some techniques that bought the story to life.

A Woman Under the Influence (1974), directed by John Cassavetes

"In this essential film in cinema history, Cassavetes writes a mundane and impossible love relationship. Mundane because they are real characters, close to our everyday life, but impossible precisely because of their problems, because of the society they live in. What remains is conflict, love and an unforgettable protagonist."

Watch the trailer for John Cassavetes' drama, starring Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk. Or (if you've 2 and a half hours spare), you can watch the full film on the internet archive.

All About My Mother (1999), directed by Pedro Almodóvar

"As a fan of Pedro Almodóvar's work, I find both All About My Mother and Talk to Her to be masterpieces of scriptwriting. All About My Mother explores themes of identity, family, gender, and sexuality. I'm particularly passionate about how Almodovar blends elements of drama, tragedy, comedy, melodrama, thriller and all genres in the same story with geniality."

Watch the trailer for Pedro Almodóvar's comedy-drama starring Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan, Penélope Cruz and Rosa Maria Sardà.

First Reformed (2017), directed by Paul Schrader

"A film that is somewhere between a film of overwhelming faith and one of the most blasphemous films of recent years. Written by Schrader (also known for writing Taxi Driver), First Reformed tells the story of a priest who is in crisis with his faith. The priest approaches a couple obsessed with the climate crisis, the outcome is a miracle."

Watch the trailer for Paul Schrader's psychological drama, starring Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried and Cedric the Entertainer (aka Cedric Kyles).

Natural Born Killers (1994), directed by Oliver Stone

"Natural Born Killers is a film that has inspired me with its non-linear narrative and unique stylistic techniques. A controversial satirical take on media culture and violence in America. Its fragmented structure and use of various cinematic techniques create a sense of disorientation and chaos, making it a standout example of unconventional storytelling."

Watch the trailer for Oliver Stone's hallucinatory road-movie starring Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis.

The Lobster (2015), directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

"Lanthimos manages to create a unique and absurd world. A funny, dark and pretty cynical story that touches upon central issues in human relationships."

Watch the trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos' surreal drama, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz.

At Catalyst, you'll learn the tools and techniques to bring your stories to life and apply them to the demands of writing or producing for the media industries. We value the inherently creative process of storytelling, both on the dedicated Screenwriting BA programme and across the programmes taught at all of our Schools. What better place to grow as a creative than one in which you are within arm's reach of broad-minded musicians, talented visual effects specialists, up-and-coming filmmakers and actors ready to step onto the set.

Our specialist screenwriting tutors pick out their favourite ever screenplays in this blog post.

10 best screenplays, selected by our screenwriting tutors

Since it began in 1946, Locarno Film Festival has been a destination to see the boldest, most avant-garde and innovative filmmaking. Every year, the festival's distinctive black-and-yellow Leopard theme imprints on the city for an intensive 11-day celebration of cinema. This year’s 76th edition was a special one. Of 5,520 submissions to be screened at Locarno, 202 were accepted. An astounding three of these films were made by members of the Catalyst community. 

Often regarded as one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, Locarno is committed to showcasing a diverse range of films from various countries and genres and has garnered respect from both the industry and the general public. We’re thrilled that movie enthusiasts, filmmakers and critics from all over the world had the chance to see “Du bist so wunderbar” by Film Production Programme Lead Leandro Goddinho and Paulo Menezes, “On the Go” by Film Production and Creative Production (Film) MA tutor Maria Gisèle Royo and Julia de Castro and “Autoerótica” by Creative Production (Film) MA student Andrea Hoyos Valderrama.

For us, this is huge news. Having the same amount of films being screened as China or the Netherlands – and in fact more films screened than most nations – leaves us dizzy with pride at the amazing work coming from our film school and the directors working within it. As most of the cast and crew of “Du bist so wunderbar” were Catalyst alumni and tutors, we took the opportunity to send the crew along to the festival in Switzerland in August to join the audience of over 145,000 people.

"Du bist so wunderbar" wins a Pardino d’argento

On the final day of the festival, it was announced that Leandro and Paulo’s intimate portrayal of Queer immigrant life in Europe won the Pardino d’argento for the Pardi di Domani International Competition section!

The Queer tragicomedy set in Berlin follows Brazilian gay immigrant Edu (Murillo Basso) who was just kicked out of his place struggles to find a place to live while his personal life falls apart. Set on the day thousands of people are protesting against unaffordable rents in Berlin, the short film follows Edu on a journey through the streets, the chaos of house-hunting and the gay cruising underground culture in Berlin.

Cineuropa described the film as both "a fascinating character study" and an "indictment on the solipsism of much of modern society as well as the disparate and often abusive power structures that still exist. It’s another daring and provocative piece of work that lingers in the mind". Eddie Bertozzi, one of the Locarno programmers and head of Pardi di domani Selection Committee praised the short film as "explosive filmmaking, a tragicomical tour de force following a young immigrant in today's Berlin who, in the heyday of the housing crisis, struggles to exist among social inequalities and cultural stereotypes”. Brazilian press hailed the film as “poised to become one of the most celebrated shorts of the year” with “lots and lots of potential to become an amazing feature long narrative”.

"In the realm of filmmaking, having your movie selected for a prestigious festival like Locarno is already a much-desired opportunity", said Leandro, when we caught up with him back in the Funkhaus corridors. "Winning a Leopard Award is a huge surprise, especially for our very low-budget project and given the presence of numerous high-budget films in the same category.”

"This award is a reminder that storytelling transcends circumstances and budgets. It's a testament to the fact that powerful narratives can emerge from dedication and creativity. This is a message I consistently impart to my students in class: there's no high-priced camera that can create a great film on its own. What truly resonates with audiences is the compelling power of storytelling and the artistic choices we make."

Sign up to our newsletter and we'll keep you updated on screenings of the film. The first ones are unofficially set to be in Berlin during November.

"This award is a reminder that storytelling transcends circumstances and budgets. It's a testament to the fact that powerful narratives can emerge from dedication and creativity."
– Leandro Goddinho

Thank you to this special crew of Film Production alumni for their incredible input into bringing the film to life as well as documenting it in the joyful vlog below. They were our eyes and ears on the ground for the festival, seeing over 13 screenings, two panels, and a couple of parties and red carpets along the way. 

Catalyst Locarno film festival

LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL MENTION

A huge round of applause for Creative Production (Film) MA tutor Maria and co-director Julia, who's film which received a special mention from the Junior Jury. The film questions the choice of motherhood from the perspective of Milagros (Julia De Castro) while Jonathan (Omar Ayuso), seeks solace in Grindr in order to overcome abandonment issues. "On the Go" is a delirious road movie full of music, where a mysterious mermaid (Chacha Huang) with a magic crown will set the course of the journey.

Praising the bold and unconventional approaches to narrative used in the feature length film and it’s “intersectional look at the concept of identity and desire” while avoiding classifications of genre of label, International Cinephile Society gave the film ★★★★½ / ★★★★★. Also holding the "both hilarious and militant" film in high regard, Cineeuropa felt empowered by the queer, feminist road movie "which urges us to tackle life head-on without fear of the future". Spanish speaking Ostro Cines said "Un film estimulante y abierto al descubrimiento. Un descubrimiento que puede llegar, incluso, con la forma de una canción frente a la inmensidad del océano." ["A stimulating film open to discovery. A discovery that can even come in the form of a song in front of the immensity of the ocean".] Since the international premier at Locarno, the On the Go producers Jur and Jur have begun distribution in DACH countries and Taiwan.

Julia De Castro, Omar Ayuso and Maria Gisèle Royo by Locarno Film Festival

“While the story being told is fascinating on its own terms, it is the execution that makes On the Go memorable.”
– International Cinephile Society

Andrea Hoyos Valderrama, who just graduated Creative Production (Film) MA, screened her film "Autoerótica" as part of the Open Doors Screenings selection and followed it with a live Q&A. The film is about Bruna, a teenager exploring her sexuality. Bruna starts a relationship through a dating website that challenges her youthful spirit and confronts the freedom of her body. A huge congratulations to Andrea, a member of the Locarno Open Doors Directors Club, who has been making waves with her productions around the world – as discussed in this recent Variety article.

With a rich history, Locarno festival has presented features and short films by many international directors including Stanley Kubrick, Jim Jarmusch, Ang Lee, Claire Denis and now we’re proudly adding Leandro Goddinho, María Gisèle Royo and Andrea Hoyos Valderrama to this list. We're excited to see what comes next.

Beaming smiles from Leandro, Maria and Andrea at Locarno

We sent a crew of alumni to document the three screenings from the Catalyst community at Locarno 2023. Read the full story.

Catalyst goes to Locarno Film Festival

Last month, the Catalyst community gathered to celebrate the best projects, personal journeys and achievements of 2022/23 within the Film and Acting schools. With over 14 awards up for grabs, and student performances throughout the evening, recognition of our student’s hard work and flair was centre-stage. We brought together a jury of acclaimed professional filmmakers and film scholars including Lillah Halla, Gustavo Vinagre, Harvey Rabbit and Pedro Tinen, who applied their deep industry knowledge and fresh eyes on the projects to give nominees the holistic film awards experience.

Best Film and critical acclaim from the jury

The leading award of the night, receiving the jury’s undivided attention, was Best Film. With five nominations, the award came with a €1,000 Distribution Prize. The fund is to be used in parallel with a mentored distribution plan. The aim of this award is to help the winner cross the sometimes challenging and usually expensive process of having their film screened at upcoming film festivals.

"An authentic and visceral portrayal of mental health" - Pedro Tinen

The resounding winner, with four jury nominations, was Miranda Siegel’s "Ignore your true feelings at your own peril..." – an honest, autobiographical look into a bipolar episode.

Lillah Halla, a guest tutor at Catalyst who recently premiered her debut feature "Levante" at Cannes Film Festival and received the FIPRESCI Film Critics Award, described Miranda’s film as "a film that stays in you and reveals the potential and voice of a future filmmaker… Films require courage from us: the courage to make ourselves vulnerable; courage to aim our cinematic-weapon at what is intimate, at the ‘unsaid’; courage to not only emulate a voice, but to truly and instinctively search for our own, at the risk of failure. This film deals with complex 1000-piece puzzles. But [mainly it deals with] the puzzle of mental health, in an honest and brutal way– until we complete the pieces – and overcome them.” 

Winner of the 2022 Berlinale's Teddy Award, Gustavo Vinagre applauded the film’s “hypnotic power to make me doubt all the time if I'm watching a fiction or a documentary" and its “inventive ways of talking about a mental health issue with pain but also with a lot of humour”. He praised “the vulnerability that the character allows us to see and also her strength” as well as Miranda’s capacity for “telling so much with such concise narrative tools". 

Harvey Rabbit, whose most recent feature film was selected for 2023’s Rotterdam Film Festival and is making waves at film festivals around the globe, also praised the simplicity and rawness of Miranda’s approach. Harvey, who last year led a workshop at Catalyst on making low-budget feature films, said: "With its simple structure and lack of any fancy film magic, this short documentary is brutal in its honesty, as it follows a young woman through a bipolar episode... In its brave disclosure, [the film] is an autobiographical tale of how important it is to take the time to heal."

Similarly, distribution and film festival strategy expert Pedro Tinen applauded Miranda’s “authentic and visceral portrayal of mental health” for its "raw approach to the self through documentary filmmaking… the film opens the viewer to an unapologetic experience of physical and emotional intensity, by following the protagonist’s relationship with their own feelings”.

Best Director was won by second-year Film Production student Lior Klein, whose film “The Opposite of Helpless” was awarded a total of six awards. The film also depicts a mental health episode, exploring the topics of depression, family, adulthood and trust.

A big thank you to Matthias Schott, who sponsored the Best Performance prize with a €350 voucher to use in his acting studio. Screen Acting second-years Elinor Linusson and Rachel Leong won Best Performance and Best Supporting Performance for their performances in Lior’s film.

"I'm super proud of my incredible cast and crew, who brought their enormous talent to this project, on which we all worked hard and lovingly together." – Lior Klein

The short film, set during Jewish holiday Hanukkah, was also awarded Best Production Design (Lior Klein and Sara Cabezas Molina), Best Sound Design (Lior Klein and Dilinna Ike) and Best Editing (Dilinna Ike). 

Huge thanks to Dilinna Ike for making this brilliant video of the event, which perfectly sums up the joy and community spirit felt that evening. 

Catalyst Film Awards 2023

A special thank you to Dino.Berlin who sponsored the Best Director, Best Production Design and Best Cinematography awards. Best Cinematography was awarded to Leo Bonmati for his role as DOP in the film “Impermanence of Things”.

Film Production student Sophie Giuliani took home the first-years’ Best Film award for her film “Phoebe” and first-year Film Production student Ian Verni won Best Original Music for his short film “Useless People Living and Dying”. Congratulations to Ian, who was in competition with students from the music courses for this award and brought a multi-disciplinary vision to an (almost) entirely self-made film, also earning him the Kid’s Choice Award (chosen by student vote). Miranda, winner of Best Film also won Best Story for her film "Forgive me, Natalija" Third-year Film Production student Alexandros Liossatos won Best VFX for his film “Parallel”. 

Special mention goes to the faculty-selected Golden Gorilla Award and Spirit Award, won by second-year Screen Acting student Melika Rezapour and third-year VFX student Ethan Ho respectively. 

Ethan restlessly collaborated across disciplines and schools throughout his three years studying with us, personifying the Catalyst spirit of collaboration and community. 

The Golden Gorilla Award for the boldest and most adventurous filmmaker was awarded to Melika, whose independent film “One Way Ticket” has been selected for 26 international film festivals and has won awards around the world, including Best Acting Ensemble and Best Producer at the Berlin Short Film Festival and Best Short Film at Morocco’s Souss International Short Film Festival. Melika wrote, directed and starred in the film, which is inspired by “honour killings” in Iran. With strict media laws in Iran, Melika had to write a fake script in order to obtain permission to film, risking the possibility of entering her home country again. It was this bravery and determination that earned her this award, and we’re delighted to see the film earning the international recognition it deserves.

"In Iran we are not allowed to film wherever and whenever we want...  As this is a topic that our government doesn’t want the world to hear about, I had to write a fake script… but I filmed what I wanted to film." – Melika Rezapour

Now in its fifth year, the Catalyst Film Awards is also an opportunity for our community to flex their performance muscles and talents in front of a larger audience. Enigmatic Screen Acting students Rhys Williams and Kristers Ozols hosted the evening and Rhys vogued and spun her way through a dance performance. Many in the audience were wowed (and a bit jealous!) by the ease with which our Screen Acting students could pick up an instrument or sing. Check out this video of Screen Acting third-year Merlina Scheffler and Creative Audio Prod. alumnus Aníbal Caño performing “Tal Cual” for a glimpse into the performances we enjoyed.

Thank you to Kaito Sashihara who captured all the photos of the night.

A special jury judges Best Film at this years awards. Read the full story.

“A film that stays in you": Catalyst Film Awards 2023 and our guest jury’s Best Film

Student showcase exploring interactive visual effects techniques

Today we're celebrating three projects from our Visual Effects, Digital Arts and Animation courses that sparked our imagination. In the showcase video you'll hear from three students and VFX tutor Matthieu Schmit (from GhostRaum), and get a glimpse of how we help students take ideas and develop them into finished and interactive projects.

In his project titled Formula, Oguz Karakose enjoyed learning about real time rendering while exploring the idea of freedom within emotional expression. Formula uses TouchDesigner, a visual development platform that allows you to create stunning realtime projects and rich user experiences such as interactive media systems, architectural projections, live music visuals and more.

Savina Janssen’s Cubic Dream helps reconnect individuals with nature through motion detection technology. Using TouchDesigner and Microsoft Kinect Azure, which allowing users to interact intuitively without any intermediary devices, visitors can play and interact with Savina's dreamy flower based particle system.

Finally, Ethan Ho’s Paths Cross took inspiration from the process of mixing ink and creating paintings. Using TouchDesigner and a projector as a canvas, Microsoft's Kinect sensor maps each body's movement, turning the participants into a brush. Paths Cross allowed visitors to use the installation to collaborate in creating a unique work of digital art together.

Catalyst interactive VFX projects showcase

More on our VFX, Digital Arts & Animation courses

Showcase of 3 VFX & animation projects. Watch a video of how our students learn visual effects and work towards getting a career in vfx.

Visual Effects project showcase

Three student VFX projects that put our wheels in motion

For those asking "is screenwriting a good career", here's eight games where the writing elevates this type of digital art.

Who said you have to have a boring job? On our 1- and 3-year Higher Education Screenwriting courses we set you up for success, ready for the full range of media industries requiring aspiring writers like you. Today, more than ever, the film and TV industries are capable of setting new fashion trends and igniting social discourse. However, screenwriting doesn’t end when the credits of your favourite film or series start rolling. Today, we’re taking a moment to celebrate a media blossoming into its own, video games. 

Video games may have started as graphics and gameplay but in the modern age, the scripts behind them are crafting beautiful storylines, providing characters of depth and giving us language with which to discuss challenging topics. By any measure, video games are transforming the film industry. That’s why we’re taking inspiration from the Catalyst Film Awards, and giving due praise to some brilliant games. The only entry requirement for these awards - the games have to implement great writing or use of words that sparked the imagination of those that played the games.

Disco Elysium is one of the highest-rated games released during the 2010s, with the game centred entirely around dialogue. A role playing game with excellent writing, Disco Elysium is a murder-mystery with an amnesiac police officer as the protagonist. The way in which language leads this game sets it apart from other competition, and the narrative is widely compared to classical literature rather than other video games. Written by Estonian novelist Robert Kurvitz, the storyline explores everything from disco, drugs and sex through to politics and dystopia into a well thought out and in-depth role playing mechanic.

Don’t just take our word for it, Disco Elysium won many awards, including Best Narrative at The 2019 Game Awards, and Best Narrative at the 2020 BAFTA Game Awards.

This award raises the interesting debate gaining traction in entertainment - how video games are transforming the film industry. Using the performance capture technology that brought us Andy Serkis’ Gollum in The Lord of the Rings (and later Benedict Cumberbatch’s Smaug in the Fellowship of the Ring) an entire performance can be recorded and mapped onto your favourite video game characters.

While Death Stranding earns an honourable mention for its star cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen and Léa Seydoux, it is Christopher Judge’s performance in God of War Ragnarök that takes home the prize. Writters Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert, Cory Barlog also received awards for Best Videogame Writing Category at the WGA for God of War in 2019. This short behind the scenes video gives an glimpse of how Judge gives every bit of himself to the role, elevating the God of War series from what was once a basic platform game, in which progression was measured by the size of the monster being battled, to an insightful tale of growing up that many teenagers will relate to on a personal level.

VFX, Digital Arts & Animation LABS - 2nd year workshops (2021)

An absolute masterpiece that revamps post-apocalyptic zombie survival, adding an immersive narrative that players can not help but be pulled into - The Last of Us doesn’t just create relationships between characters, but also with the player themselves. The emotional core of the game is based around the evolving link between the two main characters - Joel and Ellie. It is the plot that puts this game in a league of its own, with Joel’s father like protection serving as a narrative cornerstone.

In 2014 Neil Druckmann, now co-president of Naughty Dog, accepted an award from Writers Guild of America for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for Video Games. Three and a half years in the making, many fans throughout the web believe this game deserved much more recognition for the writing.

In 2023, perhaps it will get the Oscar that many claim it deserves, as it is released on HBO in TV series format, staring Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel.

While Silent Hill 2’s abstract monsters, designed by Takayoshi Sato - which you could be forgiven for thinking were generated by AI software that doesn’t understand how many limbs a human has - are a intriguing feature, the game tells a haunting story of a world manifesting off the protagonist’s inner demons.  As with The Last of Us, the best horror games are those with realistic characters, who’s flaws or imperfections aid in portraying them as genuine human beings.

Written by Hiroyuki Owaku and Sato, Silent Hill 2 is a psychological horror rather than all gore and fright, the narrative led game with multiple endings was at odds with the trends in video games at the time. This approach came to define the possibilities of game narrative for future titles in the genre.

College dropout Mae Borowski returns home to the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs, seeking to pick up her directionless former life. But her hometown has changed dramatically. Mae is sucked into an unlikely adventure, rekindling former relationships and creating new ones. Night in the Woods also concerns itself with serious topics, such as stages of early adulthood, the challenge of a loss of a relationship or mental health issues like depression. Mae works through her issues through the relationships she forms. Written by Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry, this game will make you laugh, cry and if you have anything in common with the protagonist, may lead to some deep introspection.

The Sims, and it’s internal language Simlish, has a special place in our heart. The language was born out of technical needs, as developers would need 6 discs of dialogue per language to fill the game, and the makers still believed it would get repetitive. Will Wright's creative solution was to making their own language captured the imagination of many players.

In 2023, Simlish is making a comeback, with some trending online making renditions of early naughties pop tracks in the gobbledygook language - #simlish.

Matt DesLauries' online game Wayfinder is highly impressive from a technical perspective, and the digital wizardry is celebrated widely through multiple awards. Wayfinder gets a special mention here, because it puts the words in the hands of the player. The game is “an expression of our connectedness to the natural world”. It allows us to explore the poetry of nature while renewing a damaged ecosystem . Released by National Film Board of Canada, the game uses generative art and highlights the action/reaction relationship we have as humans with nature.

The back end's use of cutting edge technology like machine learning is paired with a beautiful hand-drawn aesthetic. In this game you can explore and create poetry, generated algorithmically and individual to each visit with near infinite possibilities.  Or find some respite by simply float aimlessly through a world and listen to the birds singing through your speakers, reconnecting you with the natural world through a digital portal. Wayfinder has received nine awards, including two Awwwards 

Final Fantasy XII is set in a fantasy world in which empires wage endless wars, later re-released as Final Fantasy XII - the Zodiac Age. A quintessential underdog tale, small-time protagonists go on to become champions of their kingdom. Originally, this chapter of the Final Fantasy series was a close call for receiving the Best Dialogue award - reflecting the incredible graphics and art direction based on the Classic Era, the dialogue in this game progresses like a classical play. Character interactions don’t take a back seat in this game, but rather drive the game forwards.

Final Fantasy XII received several awards and nominations, but what ignited our fires the most here at Catalyst was the diversity of awards, including two nominations for Best Original Score, written by Hitoshi Sakimoto - one of the most sought out composers in the video games industry. The Final Fantasy series brings a highly collaborative and holistic approach to their storytelling - whether that means employing orchestras to make the soundtrack or developing their fantasy world to feature length films.

Our new Music and Sound Design for Visual Media courses prepare students in the music school for exactly this variety of projects. As your peers learn to become audio storytellers, on the Screenwriting courses you will be suppling the narrative and structure that defines those audio stories. In our creative production powerhouse, you'll learn within a curriculum that pushes for community and collaboration.

At Catalyst we'll provide you the tools and understanding you need to apply yourself to the multifaceted demands of writing for media industries. What better place to learn than a school in which you'll be within arms reach of up and coming visual effects specialists, broad minded musicians, film production students and actors ready to step onto the set.

We've come a long way since Mario first saved Princess Peach. In today's industry, it takes clever visual thinkers to come up with dialogue and scenarios that will keep gamers engaged for hours at a time. Thrilling action, adventure and interactive games can all be elevated from a fun way to spend time, to a classic that will live in the minds of those that played the game for years to come. Often that difference is crafted story.

Study Screenwriting at Catalyst - Ideate and deliver scripts that transcend

We’ll teach you how to become a screenwriter and career paths in screenwriting. Keep reading the Catalyst top 8 Screenwriting for Games Awards

Screenwriting for Games; Best Acting, Narrative, Script & More

Our top picks for writing excellence in the video game industry

During Fall 2021 Catalyst acquired a collection of Super8 equipment for specific workshops in the first year of Film Production. This includes a Super8 projector, Super8 cameras and some basic Super8 development equipment. We caught up with Juli Saragosa, Certificate Lead for Film Production, who talked us through some finer details of Super8 at Catalyst.

Super8 is motion recording technology which has now been superseded. At one time however, they were ubiquitous. So what is Super8? The “8” in Super8 refers to the width of the film. While the 8mm format has existed since the 1930s, and was much more affordable than its predecessor 16mm, the Super8 film was introduced in 1964. It was designed to remove barriers for everyday filmmakers. While 8mm film requires manual rolling, Super8 is packaged more conveniently. Increasing accessibility was an essential aspect of the Super8 product design. More often than not, software is designed to replicate physical realities. By engaging in the technology that defined these realities, makers can uncover new insights into their craft.

How wide is 8mm? see in the photo above, as some film students inspect their freshly developed film. One is holding it up to the light to see the recording better, another is using a magnifying glass to see their recording.

What do we stand to gain from engaging with analog film processes?

The fact that we can touch the film with our hands, and see the frames by holding it up to the light, gives students a deeper understanding of how moving images work - the concept of frames per second becomes material, less abstract. Digital editing can function much like online teaching. Everything is two-dimensional and disconnected from the body. Working with film is a tactile process that involves the whole body. The filmmaking process is alive and in person.

Can you tell us a bit about the history of analog video?

Filmmaking started out with celluloid material in the late 1800s. In the 1970s, analog video made filmmaking and video art much more accessible to lower income groups. Those who felt disenfranchised or oppressed were enabled to get their voice heard through a less cumbersome, more affordable medium. In the late 1990s, digital video took over the analog video practice and became even more accessible - finding wide use with smartphone technology. 

Working with celluloid film was - and still is - expensive compared to analog and digital video. 

So does Super8 use analog or celluloid film?

What people call “analog film” is technically not analog. Analog refers to “information represented by a continuously variable physical quantity such as spatial position.” Celluloid film does not have a continuous stream, there are frames and within those frames individual grains of silver halide (which is the magic of photosensitive image making). Analog video, on the other hand, does transmit and record a continuous electromagnetic stream to and from magnetic material.

Sounds like there is a whole world to explore. Where can I meet like minded people?

Filmmaking of all kinds exists all over the world. As digital video is more affordable and accessible, the use of celluloid material has become rarer and therefore even more expensive - both the material and the processing of it. Access to celluloid material is limited to areas of the world where hobbyists can afford it, and artists with DIY practices share skills and resources.

For instance, here in Berlin there is a collective of filmmakers called Labor Berlin that share resources in working with celluloid material - processing and re-printing their own film. There are numerous artist-run collectives such as this one. On this site you can see how they are spread throughout the world.

What do I need to record and develop Super8 films?

We have a couple of Super8 cameras and some hand-processing supplies in the Film Tech shop. Super8 camera models are not like digital cameras. They were invented for ease of use for hobbyists, those filming family vacations and home movies, so the cameras range from having very automatic to more manual functions. The brand does not always reveal anything about what the camera’s functions might be. The camera itself doesn’t tell you much about the quality of the images you will get. The lens, sometimes more, but it also depends on how well maintained the cameras are. They stopped making Super8 cameras in the 1990s. There is one that Kodak has released that is half-digital, but it’s not that popular amongst DIY artists. They use it in Hollywood as a gimmick.

Catalyst film tech shop is well equipped for experimenting with this media. We have a Bauer C Royal 6E, a Braun Nizo s560 and an Elmo 103T to make use of. We also have two film stocks to experiment with and during the induction, students will learn DIY film processing techniques as well as how to properly handle the necessary chemicals.

How has the experience of Project8 informed your teaching practice, given how the place of Super8 has changed radically since then (along with other celluloid film technology)?

In addition to teaching at media arts schools, I’ve given a few DIY filmmaking workshops at various community-run spaces before I started working at Catalyst. I also teach some workshops at the FilmArche eV, a self-organized film school here in Berlin. I try to approach all of my teaching without assumptions of what resources people have access to, and encourage people to tell stories that are underrepresented by the mainstream.

The expertise and approach that Juli adds to Catalyst adds directly to an idea we weave throughout Catalyst, building it from the ground up as a safe space to dream big. You can find more information about super8 on this expansive wiki, or nerd out on this super8 database hosted on filmkorn.org. To finish off this article, we’ve added a few projects Juli believes to be exemplary.

Photos by “Toronto Super8 legend” John Porter of “Splice This!” Super8 festival. Juli was commissioned by Splice This! on various occasions. 

"I feel that community spirit and fun we had in making it comes across in the film and for me, that's what Super8 filmmaking is all about."

The film Juli made for the 2005 festival is a silent remake of “The Outsiders” played by all women.

Foundational filming techniques on the Film Production course

Super8 at Catalyst

Super8 at Catalyst: analogue techniques in modern filmmaking with Juli Saragosa

Rising stars from all schools at the Catalyst Film Awards

The inside scoop on who took which prizes home at the fourth Film Awards

Sure, you’ve heard of the Oscars. And if you’re reading this, you’ve most likely also heard of the Golden Globe Awards and the BAFTAs. Hopefully you’re familiar with the Razzie Award in the States and Berlin’s very own Teddy Awards. Another that needs no introduction: Catalyst’s very own Annual Film Awards, which returned in June 2022 for its 4th edition. The night was an opportunity to dress smart and indulge in some red carpet activity. But above all, it was a celebration of another year of really astounding talent training their creative muscles in our Film Production, Screen Acting and Visual Effects, Digital Arts & Animation degree courses at Catalyst. 

Some of the Catalyst Film Awards were prestigious, such as Best Film (3rd year BA & MA courses category), which landed a €500 distribution prize from Catalyst - awarded to Álfgerður Malmquist Baldursdóttir’s “Guts”. Baldursdóttir was also awarded Best Director, which landed a one year VIP subscription to MUBI 

Best Film (1st & 2nd year category) was sponsored by 25p Cine Support, a digital film equipment rental here in Berlin. This award came with a €500 equipment voucher to use in their Prenzlauer Berg store, and was awarded to “Il Profumo di Casa - The Scent of Home”  by Francesca Rotundo. Rotundo’s film also received a nomination for Best Documentary. 

The Distribution prize is not just the money. It is also special guidance on the process of how to submit the movie to relevant Film Festivals worldwide.

Other awards, such as the Golden Gorilla Award, celebrated the profound - given to the most adventurous, audacious or bold film maker. It was awarded to Karun Gill. Special thanks to Dino Berlin, a Kreuzberg based film equipment rental service, who granted three 50% discount vouchers. The Golden Gorilla Award, Best Producer was awarded to Miranda Siegel and Best Cinematographer, to Emma Guiliani for “The Birdcage”. “The Birdcage” also took home the award of Best Experimental Film, which came with a year subscription to Celtx - a cloud based collaborative and project management software for creative films. “The Birdcage” also received nominations for Best Film (3rd year & MA category), Best Director, Best Editor and Best Original Music. 

Freelance photographer Caroline Wimmer bestowed the Best Lead Performance winner a €250 headshot package, which was awarded to Ruut Ahonen for “The Tale of Vasalisa”. Former Catalyst Film programme lead Malachi Rempen provided a copy of his “Roll Camera Board Game” as a prize for the Spirit Award, given to Viktorja Baltusyte for personifying the Catalyst spirit of collaboration and community. 

"Making a movie is not enough. It’s not the end of a process, it’s just the beginning of the journey. You are not an artist until you have an audience, and the festival recognition is the first step to starting a filmmaking career. Alfie and her movie “Guts” are also a great example of the level of artistic quality we want in our Film school and we are proud to have this beautiful piece of work representing Catalyst," said  Leandro Goddinho, Programme Lead of Film Production. 

While the Spirit Award, Best Producer and Kids Choice Award were decided by a student vote, a Guest Jury of 11 Film Industry hotshots deliberated over who took home which award. Many thanks to Easton West, Dominga Ortuzar, Renee Coulombe, Elinor Lewy, Gaby Szambelan, Silvia Cannarozzi, Adam Munnings, João Pedro Prado, Yosuke Hosoi, Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon who devoted time, effort and energy to choosing the 2022 winners, who may go on to define the Berlin film scene in the coming years.

Woven throughout the night were performances and entertainment by a curated selection of Catalyst alumni and students. The opening act was singer songwriter Olivia Mamberti , who gave a live performance of acoustic sweetness and depth.  Olivia was also present for a nomination for Best Original Music.

Across 23 awards given that night, students were recognised for outstanding music & sound, direction & performance, storyline & script and Best Death. Long after the gold champagne bottle that each winner received is drunk and gone, the glory will remain. The rights to the films remain with the makers, so to see the films first hand, keep an eye out at film festivals, and of course Catalyst will relay any future premieres or screenings nearby. 

To learn more about our hands-on and collaborative film, visual effects and acting courses in Berlin, join any one of our taster workshops or Virtual Open days!  

A run down of the evening events. Find out who won which prizes this year.

Catalyst Film Awards 2022

We reflect on a powerful recent Creative Production MA guest session on Gender Dynamics in Cinema, led by award-winning Brazilian director of Êxtase, Moara Passoni. 

At Catalyst, we believe storytelling is one of the most powerful means to inspire, influence, teach, connect and ultimately drive change. And there are few storytelling mediums that can transport us into the moment and leave a lasting impression like film. Êxtase, the award-winning film by Brazilian director Moara Passoni – the co-author and producer of Petra Costa's Academy Award-nominated film The Edge of Democracy – is a striking example of how weaving personal stories into the wider societal narrative can encourage, en masse, important new perspectives on often misunderstood topics. 

Êxtase is an elliptical essay portrait of a young girl experiencing both rapture and torture, starving herself as a way to find a place in a brutal uncertain world. Moara Passoni “transmutes a young Brazilian woman's experience of anorexia into images and thoughts of almost ecstatic beauty. Against the backdrop of political and social upheaval in 1990s Brazil, and interweaving memories of her own adolescence with those of other women, Passoni goes beyond pop-culture conventions and the sensationalizing of eating disorders to meditate on the dissolution and perfection of the self, the modernist architecture of Oscar Niemeyer's Brasilia, the meaning of Humpty Dumpty, and what she calls ‘the geometry of hunger’.”

We were honoured to host Passoni for a guest session on Gender Dynamics in Cinema, as part of our Creative Production MA Modern Cinematic Perspectives Workshop. Students from all of our film courses, as well as alumni, were invited to view Êxtase and take part in a Q&A with the director. 

“Moara's film, and the discussion we shared about the film after viewing, shattered my preconceived notions and the stereotypes around women who have experienced Anorexia,” reflects MA student Jenny Jo Stokka. “Her film beautifully explores the psychological and emotional complexities of a condition that most of society overlooks as merely a problem of vanity. The way Moara wove together real-world stories of women who have lived with Anorexia –  along with her own personal story – helped to highlight the unique and varied ways that one can experience and process the trauma of an eating disorder.” 

First-year Film Production student, Mia-Maria Schanz, learnt from Êxtase how architecture can play a big part in the character’s narrative. “It was also nice to hear how the team managed to produce a hybrid documentary while still using an organic filming process,” she says.

“Passoni’s art brings a fresh way to produce, teaching us how to write not only with words but with images in a very courageous and modern way,” reflects Patricia Gomes, senior foreign correspondent at Wall Street International Magazine. “Through this session, Moara, ‘provoked’ me, woke me up and invited me to leave my comfort zone. The session was a great encouragement to restart and pursue my goal to produce and to film.”

We reflect on a Film MA guest session on Gender Dynamics in Cinema, led by Brazilian director of Êxtase, Moara Passoni. 

Gender Dynamics in Cinema With Filmmaker Moara Passoni

Exploring gender dynamics in cinema with filmmaker Moara Passoni

Just as photography is said to capture souls, film, as a moving, multi-angled, image, has the power to peer into the centre of a subject’s personality, revealing both the seen and the unseen. As Creative Production Film Masters student, Jennifer Jo Stokka, puts it, “Cinema allows the audience a direct view into the psyche.” What better way to explore the conscious and unconscious realms of the Self than through a combination of documentary and fictional film?

In her practice-based research project, Jennifer aims to capture an original version of character studies in a hybrid documentary film, by utilising Jungian methods of analysis. The project will examine three unique individuals and how they navigate their everyday realities using the documentary observational mode. Meanwhile, fictional sequences will showcase unconscious elements of each subject’s psyche – namely, dreams, fantasies and spirituality. The goal of the film is to ask the audience to reflect on their own psyches and forms of Self-expression. Jennifer is harnessing the creative autonomy afforded by our unconventional MA programme to explore her vision to the fullest.

Are you currently putting together your MA project proposal to apply to Catalyst this year? Read on to learn about Jennifer’s experience of the programme, and how she’s developing her fascinating project. 

Need some guidance on how to put together your project proposal? Reach out to our Admissions team for a recording of our latest online workshop with programme lead, Jon-Carlos Evans.

How did you come up with the idea for this project? 

I have always been interested in documentaries, as well as character studies. However, in early 2020, I happened to see two films within the same month that set me on the path to this project: Close Up by Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami; and, Whose Utopia? by Chinese visual artist Cao Fei. Viewing these films and, subsequently, learning about their constructions, presented to me a new way of seeing the documentarian-subject relationship. I was inspired by the level of autonomy given to the subjects in each film, and the ways in which the directors allowed the subjects to express themselves. I knew I wanted to make a film that followed similar principles, and I also had a strong desire to make an intimate character study. Finally, I settled on the hybrid film format, as: 1) It would give me the freedom to show the subject in various lights and facets; and, 2) it would allow me to flex multiple filmmaking muscles, as many skills are required to complete the different parts of the hybrid film. 

Why do you think that film is a good medium to explore psychological themes?

The struggle to understand one’s Self is a universal truth – every human experiences this for at least part, if not all, of life. Cinema (and I would also argue Theatre) allows the audience a direct view into the psyche of another for (roughly) two uninterrupted hours, whether it’s a real human subject in a documentary or a character in a fictional film. We all become psychologists and anthropologists when we sit down to watch a film. 

What are your influences within documentary and fictional filmmaking?

So many! To name a few: Abbas Kiarostami (doc & fiction), John Cassavettes (fiction), Agnés Varda (doc & fiction), William Greaves, (doc), Kirsten Johnson (doc), Kelly Reichhardt (fiction), and basically anyone who is trying to do something original in order to uncover a new facet of truth. 

How have you planned out your creative process?

Catalyst Berlin Creative Production Masters in Film student Jennifer Jo Stokka shares her ideas for her Jungian character studies inspired MA project.