Documentary Year Program
| Study location | Czechia, Nové Město |
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| Type | Short duration, full-time |
| Nominal duration | 1 year |
| Study language | English |
| Tuition fee | €17,900 per year |
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| Entry qualification | High school / secondary education (or higher) The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original. |
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| Language requirements | English |
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| Other requirements | At least 2 reference(s) should be provided. |
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| More information |
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Overview
The Documentary Production Program at Prague Film School emphasizes storytelling. Through intensive practical and theoretical work, each student at PFS develops his/her voice as a documentary storyteller and learns the techniques to grab the audience and take them on an emotional journey.
In the first semester of the Documentary Production course, students complete numerous shooting assignments designed to develop critical skills in documentary film language, camera technique and editing. Lectures, demonstrations, screenings, and analytical exercises provide the foundation for the fieldwork.
Students crew on each others’ assignments, gaining extensive practice in directing, producing, shooting, and recording sound. Rigorous critiques are a vital component of the course. In addition to these exercises, each student will produce and direct a 10-minute documentary short film on a subject of his/her own choosing, and crew on his/her classmates’ projects.
Specialized courses in Editing and Cinematography are the other key components of the program. Students learn to edit on Avid Media Composer and learn shooting and lighting theory across a range of formats.
Supplementing the practical component of the course, the documentary program will draw upon a rich pool of international and historical documentaries crossing themes and genres providing the student with a varied palette of documentary styles, techniques and approaches they can apply to their own work.
In the second semester, we focus on in-depth development and pre-production of the diploma film. Students complete weekly assignments for instructor and peer review, and learn to write a compelling Proposal & Treatment. Each student produces and directs his/her diploma documentary film and crews on classmates’ projects. Through extensive brainstorming and pitching sessions, students also leave the course armed with a portfolio of critiqued project ideas to further develop and make a reality after completion of the program.
Students further develop their technical skills through weekly shooting and editing exercises in the documentary workshop. Topics covered may include: Advanced Interview Techniques, Documentary Reenactments, Archival Research, Writing Narration, Music for Documentary and various Cinema Vérité-style shooting scenarios.