PrepClass

Preperation class for international applicants — Photo: Grzegorz Karkoszka

The PrepClass prepares prospective international students for their application at the Film University.

Dates: several dates from May to July 2022	Language: English
Number of participants: 6 We will be able to accept more applicants for the Orientation and Mentoring module.	Location: Filmuniversität Babelsberg and online*
Cost: Participation is free of charge

*The excursion to Brandenburg in June is planned as an in-person event. The storytelling workshops and final presentation will take place online or, depending on the development of the pandemic, in person at the Film University.

In the PrepClass, international prospective students learn about the diverse study opportunities at Babelsberg Film University - from Bachelor to Master. If you would like to apply for an artistic degree program, we will help you with your application. This offer is aimed in particular at prospective students with a refugee background.

The PrepClass takes place every summer semester and consists of two modules: Orientation & Mentoring and an experimental short film workshop.

Application for this year`s edition is closed

Orientation & Mentoring

Participants will learn about the variety of study opportunities at the Film University in Babelsberg – from Bachelor to Master Degree, artistic study programs. If you are interested in our study program, we will support you with your application.

Alumni of the Film University will deliver insights into practice and talk about their experiences with the application process as well as the study program and their professional career. This way the PrepClass participants learn from former students and get valuable input and feedback for their own start into the film industry.

Current students of the Film University will accompany the PrepClass participants until the application process is finished. They will help with individual and personal counseling and support the participants with the preparation of the application and the application film.

In addition to that, the participants will get individual counseling meetings with lecturers from different study programs to clarify individual questions regarding the application.

‘Die Insel’ – with Jean Boué

‘Die Insel’ is an experimental short film workshop in which international applicants and students of the Film University will develop a short film idea from script to screen.

In three storytelling workshops the participants will develop an idea for a short film which will be realized on an excursion in Brandenburg. Participants may choose a subject to inspire their film, or participate in the suggested theme of arriving in an unknown surrounding. The goal of this workshop is to connect PrepClass participants with students from the Film University by working hands-on as well as gaining experience with student film productions.

The Summer School will cover the costs of accommodation for the excursion. Travel and meals will be paid by the participants themselves.

Past Run

A couple of projects which were finalized during the PrepClass since 2017: The audio play "Damascus Requiem" and two movies. „The Letter“, „A Piece of German History“, "Berlin Disappears", "Erdbe" and "Light", which were all shown in an open university context. "Damascus Requiem" was awarded the AMIKO Award 2018.

The PrepClass will be held for the sixth time in 2022.

16 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (online)	Opening event
17 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (online)	Insights into practice with Duc Ngo Ngoc (Directing)
18 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (online)	Insights into practice with Brigitte M. Schmidle (Editing)
19 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (online)	Insights into practice with Aleksandra Medianikova (Cinematography)
20 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (online)	Insights into practice with Luisa Laute (Production)
24 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (on-site)	Storytelling Workshop „Die Insel“ with Jean Boué and students of the Film University
31 May, 2 pm - 6 pm (on-site)	Storytelling Workshop „Die Insel“ with Jean Boué and students of the Film University
07 June, 2 pm - 6 pm (on-site)	Storytelling Workshop „Die Insel“ with Jean Boué and students of the Film University
12 - 17 June (on-site)	Field trip and film shoot „Die Insel“
28 June, 2 pm - 6 pm (on-site)	Storytelling Workshop „Die Insel“ with Jean Boué and students of the Film University
05 July	Closing event and project presentation, feedback and review, next steps in the application process

PrepClass | Brigitte M. Schmidle — Brigitte Maria Schmidle studied media and information at the Offenburg University of Applied Sciences specializing in film editing. After engagements in London and Berlin, she worked at the Leipzig-based production company Accentus Music on internationally awarded films. Brigitte Maria Schmidle is currently studying at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF Montage (MFA) and has so far edited over twenty documentaries, short and feature films as well as animations. Among others, the documentary "Barbara Hannigan - An Opera Star on New Ways" and "Silvia is my Name".

PrepClass | Duc Ngo Ngoc — Duc Ngo Ngoc is a Vietnamese-German film director. He completed his bachelor's degree in media design/media art at the Bauhaus University Weimar with distinction and his master's degree in film directing at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. His graduation film "Trading Happiness" was awarded the Max Ophüls Prize (Audience Award), the First Steps Award (NO FEAR Award) and the Golden Rider of the Filmfest Dresden 2020. As a freelance writer and director, he realised radio features, films and serial formats telling stories of Vietnamese in Germany and Vietnam for public broadcasters, among others. Since 2020, he has been leading the film workshop "DREH'S UM", which aims to motivate young people with migration biographies to tell their personal short films from a German-Vietnamese perspective.

PrepClass | Aleksandra Medianikova — Aleksandra Medianikova studied cinematography at the Film University (Bachelor and Master). Her graduation film "Rå" won the German Short Film Award, Studio Hamburg Young Talent Award and was nominated for the Michael Ballhaus Award at FIRST STEPS. With the long documentary "Beyond the White" Aleksandra was nominated for the German Camera Award. As a cinematographer Aleksandra works for television (BBC "FROZEN PLANET II", ZDF "SOKO Köln") as well as for cinema worldwide ("MILK TEETH" Wyedemann Bros /Sweden -Switzerland - Germany Co-Production, "MY BIRD" Kurhaus Production / Germany).

PrepClass | Luisa Laute — Luisa Laute started as a set runner for an ARD fairy tale film production and worked as a set recording assistant on over twelve TV and cinema productions, including international projects, until December 2014. In spring 2015, she lived in Santa Barbara, California for 6 months and studied film production and film history at the college there. In October 2015 she started her studies at the Film University in Film and Television Production and worked on several short films during her studies. Since October 2019, Luisa has been working as a producer at UFA Fiction, developing material for cinema and television together with producer Tommy Wosch. She worked on projects such as the feature film Gott, Du kannst ein Arsch sein! or the RTL sitcom Schwester, Schwester. The series Faking Hitler, starring Lars Eidinger and Moritz Bleibtreu, on which Luisa was also a producer, was released at the end of 2021.

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 from DEFA and the Robert Bosch Foundation. In 2000, Jean Boué founded the production company JABfilm. He is a member of the German Documentary Association Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm and the German Filmakademie. Since 2013, he is a regular lecturer at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.

The PrepClass particularly addresses immigrants who live in Germany as prospective students. Whether you are interested in a bachelor or master degree, during the PrepClass the participants will get to know the different artistic study programs as well as their entrance requirement.

Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age and have already gained practical experiences.

After your successful online registration you’ll receive an application form. Please fill out the form and send it back to us.

Based on that application form we will invite you to a personal interview, which will take place between 21-25 March 2022.

The PrepClass is supported by the State of Brandenburg within the network ESiSt - "Erfolgreicher Studieneinstieg für internationale Studierende im Bundesland Brandenburg" and by the German Academic Exchange Service and its programme Welcome – Students Helping Refugees, financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

PrepClass

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Dates

Mentors

Workshop instructor

Application and Admission