otherOne year intensive program - Cinematography

FAMU International's Cinematography One Year Intensive Program is created to build technical skill as well as the creative vision required of future cinematographers. Utilising a finely adjusted blend of practical training and theoretical education, students learn to handle DSLR, 16mm, and 35mm cameras and achieve mastery of lighting, composition, and camera movement. Developing a rich sense of visual narrative enables students to create powerful images in the service of narrative and emotion. Emphasis is placed on real production experience in the real world – students work on studio lighting arrangements, location filming, and co-productions involving collaborative filmmaking with our Prague and European partners, including director of photography on peer productions. Small-group mentorship provides individual guidance from professionals in the field, enabling students to develop their artistic identity. Backing up theory classes in film history, photography, and aesthetics improves cinematic literacy. By creating a final 35mm film, students demonstrate their control and skills and produce an advanced-level portfolio piece. The last goal of the cinematography program in Prague is to equip students with the confidence, expertise, and knowledge to pursue advanced studies or enter the film business as a professional.

One Year Intensive Program from FAMU graduates are visually educated, technically proficient, and creatively empowered image-makers. With competence in both film and photochemical media — DSLR, 16mm, and 35mm—they are able to shape light, texture, and motion into dense cinematic language. Their training combines technical intensiveness with guidance in the creative process, which cultivates a distinct visual voice and narrative style. With studio lighting design through location-based camera work, graduates possess expertise in all stages of production on their resume. Their portfolios, headed by a final 35mm short film, show a mature command of image structure, visual rhythm, and affect. Experienced both in practice and theory, they possess a keen sense of how the background of history and visual culture goes into the aesthetics of contemporary film. Trained to work under working conditions and accustomed to working under professional circumstances, graduates are able to fulfil the role of director of photography, camera assistant, or lighting designer. Regardless of whether they continue on to graduate school or directly into the profession, they bring with them creative passion and the technical foundation necessary to bring tales to life in rich detail.

One Year Intensive Program does not conclude with the final state examination of the conventional kind, but student assessment occurs on a constant basis throughout the academic year. Development is checked via practical projects, theory exercises, and mentor criticism. Critical components include lighting practice in studio environments, acting as cinematographer on peer-directed short films, and production of a concluding 35mm short film. The 35mm final project is considered the biggest showcase of the student's potential, vision, and capability to lead a camera crew. Furthermore, students learn fundamental seminars in film history, history of photography, theory, and criticism. The credits are awarded based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), which the universities and institutions across Europe recognise as valid. On completion, students receive an official certificate and transcript that help the students apply successfully for BA or MA programs in cinematography, whereas others begin their careers as camera assistants, lighting designers, or junior DoPs. FAMU’s Prague certificate and ECTS transcript help the students pursue academic studies worldwide.

https://www.famu.cz/