Summer Film Camp

Photo: Manuela Clemens

The Film Camp is a twelve-day intensive program for international film enthusiasts who want to receive and in-depth introduction into the theory and practice of filmmaking.

Date: 26 August - 7 September 2024 (Mon. - Sat.) Language: English
Number of participants: 12-15 persons (from 18 years) Location: Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF
Costs: 1.078 EUR* Early Bird until 15 April 2024: 1.028 EUR

* Students and pupils receive a discount of 10% of the regular price.

Filmmakers Jean Boué and Cosima Lange will illustrate a wide range of storytelling possibilities and share their strategies for translating ideas into film language. The Film Camp is the ideal workshop for people who would like to get hands-on knowledge at the Film University or who are considering pursuing a career in film. In addition to storytelling, the focus is on teamwork in the area of script development.

Participation in the Film Camp does not require any previous filmmaking knowledge.

Registration is now open. You can register here (registration deadline: 30 June 2024) - ONLY WAITING LIST

Content & Objectives

The participants will learn a wide range of storytelling possibilities in film through the analysis of film examples, case studies and practical exercises. Through these lessons participants will learn to translate their ideas into film language within the complex collaborative system of a film production. The course instructors, Jean Boué and Cosima Lange, will accompany participants through all theoretical and practical units. 

Filmmaker Cosima Lange will present her documentary feature film “Hello, I am David!”, a journey into the world of renown pianist David Helfgott. She will break down all of the film’s production steps, from development to financing, producing, directing, editing, postproduction and finally to distribution. The group will then watch “Shine”, an Oscar-nominated feature film that translates the same topic into a fictional story. Both films will be discussed in the group.

Alongside the case study, the preparation of the practical project begins with introductions in cinematography, editing and sound. At the end of week one, the participants will present their film ideas in a pitch session, collectively select three ideas, and then split up into teams. Each team will create a short film sequence. In week two they will prepare, shoot, edit and produce sound design for their project together. Jean Boué and Cosima Lange will accompany the teams and support them in each step of the process. At the end of week two, the teams will present their projects followed by a feedback session with the course instructors and the whole group.

Instructors

Course Instructor | Cosima Lange

Cosima Lange studied film production at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg. In 2005 she founded "fliegende fische filmproduktion" and has since been making documentaries and feature films as a writer, director and producer. For ten years Cosima worked as a production manager for short film at ARTE as part of the international advanced training program "Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris". Since 2012, she has been teaching "Documentary Film" and "Language of Film" there. In addition, she works in the selection committee at international film festivals. Since October 2020, she has been an academic staff member in the film and television production program at the KONRAD WOLF Film University. Filmography (selection): HELLO I AM DAVID!, D 2017, 104 Min. (Screenplay, Director, Co-Producer) DIE WELTBÜRGERIN, D 2012, 30 Min. (Screenplay, Director) CHAMAMÉ, D 2007, 110 Min. (Screenplay, Director, Producer) VAKUUM, D 2004, 70 Min. (Screenplay, Producer)

Sound | Lambert Regel

Lambert Regel was born in 1994 and began his studies in sound at the Film University in 2016. He worked at Rotor Film for one and a half years and was involved in projects such as "Deutschland 89" or "Bad Banks" season 2. As a freelance sound engineer, he mixed the music for "Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush" and edited the dialogue for "Knochen und Namen", among others.

Course Instructor | Jean Boué

Jean Boué is an author, director and producer of documentary formats for public television and cinema. Many of his films have been broadcasted internationally and shown at festivals. His films have been awarded the German Grimme Prize and the European Civis Award, among others. He holds scholarships of the DEFA and of the Robert Bosch Foundation. In 2000, Jean Boué founded the production company JABfilm. He is a member of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm and the European Documentary Network. Since 2013, he is a regular lecturer at Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. Filmography (selection): THE LAST REPORTERS, D 2020, 95 Min. (Screenplay, Director) REFUGEE 11, D 2017, 90 Min. (Screenplay, Director) 911 ADAMSHOPE, D 2014, 70 Min. (Screenplay, Director) BEING KOHL, D 2009, 88 Min. (Screenplay, Director)

Editing | Brigitte M. Schmidle

Brigitte Maria Schmidle is a film editor and completed her Master of Fine Arts at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. After engagements in London and Berlin, she now works on internationally awarded films in Leipzig. In addition to her independent work as a film editor, where she edits unformatted documentaries, short and feature films as well as animations, she lectures as a guest lecturer.
Smina Bluth was born in Wuppertal in 1980. In 2011 she graduated with a diploma in cinematography from the Hochschule für Film & Fernsehen 'Konrad Wolf' in Potsdam-Babelsberg. In 2010, she was nominated for the Cinematography Award of the IFFF Dortmund Cologne for her work on "The Multitude Is Feverish" by Vika Kirchenbauer. "Schicht" by Alex Gerbaulet wins, among others, the main prize German Competition at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 2015 and the Prize of the German Film Critics 2015. Her debut feature film NEUBAU wins in the category "best feature film" and the prize for the socially relevant film at the Max Ophüls Festival 2020. In 2021 NEUBAU receives the Prize of the German Film Critics for "best feature film debut". Since 2018 she has been a guest lecturer at the Met Filmschool Berlin.”

Registration and Participation

The Film Camp is directed at participants aged 18 or older who have a strong interest in film and would like to explore the theory and practice of filmmaking in a workshop setting.

Participants are asked to register online using our application form. Please include a CV and don't forget to let us know your motivation for participating in the Summer Film Camp. Spots are limited and will be awarded based on registration date after assessment of the application and receipt of the participation fee.

The fee covers the participation in the course, materials, technical equipment and the use of the studio. Meals and accommodation expenses are not included and must be covered by participants. We will happily provide you with recommendations for accommodation options in the vicinity.

ECTS-credits

This course includes 78 hours of in-person instruction as well as 12 hours of independent study, which corresponds to a total of three ECTS credits that are recognized by the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. In order to receive these credits, the participants must complete a film exercise in a group, where they collectively create a short film. They then present and critically reflect on their work (without grading). Upon successful participation and attendance of 80%, the participants receive a certificate confirming the award of the ECTS credits. Please verify with your university whether it recognizes these credits before registering for the course.