Be a Master of Film. Direct or DP a 35MM sync sound film or Produce one to two international 35mm films in the Czech Republic.
Carry out the vision for your story in a city whose cinematic history stretches back to the early days of the art form itself. From the late 1800s, when the first Czech films were made in the region of Bohemia, through the political struggles of the 1960s that spawned the Czech New Wave, the film heritage of this country will give you a rich tapestry of material to draw from.
There is no match for the beauty of an image captured on film. The incredible dynamic range and fine grain offered by film stock make it the medium of choice for directors such as Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan, despite the convenience and low cost of digital formats. Learn to harness the visual power of 35mm and broaden your talents as an aspiring director or director of photography. You’ll have the opportunity to complete your project in a supervised post-production session where you color correct and transfer your original 35mm negative.
"When you work with film, every little detail in the frame matters. There is no nonchalance or affordability that permits a third or fourth take, so you rarely press record until what you see on camera is bordering perfection: there is no room for error. To endure this, you adapt. You begin to focus more, to look at light and color with greater precision - things you are taught to do when working with digital but can sometimes become negligent about due to complacency and it’s flexibility as a medium.
When you are stripped off this privilege, you are suddenly forced to reckon with sublimity - there is no other option. As a result, your skills as a filmmaker are strengthened if not tested, and you return to digital filmmaking with a greater reiteration and appreciation of the fundamentals of cinematography."
— Farah Jabir, 35mm Filmmaking in Prague, summer 2018
Program Overview
The Tisch School offers this program in collaboration with one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious film schools, the Film and Television School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU). FAMU is an independent academy which focuses on audio and visual media. Their alumni include Jiri Menzel (Closely Watched Trains), Milos Forman (Amadeus and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) and Agnieszkha Holland (Europa Europa). The FAMU faculty are active members of the Czech filmmaking community (including established cinematographers, directors, editors, scholars, and writers). Under their expert guidance, you will have the opportunity to branch out and study 35mm sync-sound filmmaking from an entirely different tradition and culture.
Note: The Prague academic year program varies slightly from the summer program. In summer, you must indicate your preference for one role: director, director of photography, or producer. Students will be accepted into the six-week program in one role. In summer, all films are exterior projects.
Curriculum
Students will enroll in the following two courses for a total of 8 units.
Please Note: Students studying abroad on a Tisch track are not eligible to pursue an internship (except for Theatre in Ghana and Television Writing in London). Tisch programs do not provide work visas.
IFMTV-UT 1200 | 4 units | Instructor: FAMU Faculty
This is an intensive program, taught by world-renowned faculty of FAMU, including master teachers who are industry professionals. Students receive hands-on training exploring essential elements and tools of advanced sync-sound film production through 35mm filmmaking. Course work covers a detailed overview of screenwriting, directing, and editing, including workshops in 35 mm motion picture camera and lighting techniques. Rushes are screened with intensive critique sessions. Participants finish the course with a final off-line group edit.
Note: Students should bring their own laptops and can access their Adobe Creative Cloud via their NYU Net ID.
Note for NYU Tisch Undergraduate Film and Television Majors: The maximum length for an intermediate film to be eligible for NYU Tisch Film festivals is 8 minutes.
IFMTV-UT 1040 l 4 units | Instructor: FAMU Faculty
Emphasizing one of the most influential movements in the post-World War II era, the cinema of the Czech New Wave, this course explores the history and development of Czech and Slovak cinema and its impact on contemporary culture. Lectures are supplemented with screenings and field trips.
All students take the two courses (Master Class in 35mm Filmmaking and Seminar on Czech Cinema and Culture) together. Embedded in these courses are producing lectures focused on producing films in Europe. You will produce one to two films and work with FAMU production managers on budget, location, casting, scheduling, call sheets, etc.
Student Arrival: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Student Departure: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Arrival and departure dates are subject to change.
Admissions
Summer 2025
Application Deadline: Monday, February 24, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET
Prerequisites:
Collaborative Arts majors: Cinematic Narratives (COART-UT 4) and Fundamentals of Digital Filmmaking II (OART-UT 561) and Production Safety & Set Protocol (FMTV-UT 101)
Film/TV majors: Sight and Sound Filmmaking (FMTV-UT 43) and one more Sight and Sound of your choice (FMTV-UT 51 or FMTV-UT 80), Production Safety & Set Protocol (FMTV-UT 101). No exceptions will be made for the prerequisites. Prerequisites will not be waived.
For Tisch Film majors in the cinematography concentration, it is suggested that you participate in Prague after taking Camera I.
NYU Students:Fundamentals of Digital Filmmaking (OART-UT 560) and Fundamentals of Digital Filmmaking II (OART-UT 561) and Production Safety & Set Protocol (FMTV-UT 101) or equivalent.
Visiting Students: College-level experience in narrative film production
Application: Please read the following application requirements before starting your application.
Note: Students should wait to receive their admissions notification and confirmation that the program is running prior to purchasing airline tickets. Students accepted to the program should purchase refundable airline tickets and/or travel insurance in the event the program is canceled or program dates are changed due to world events. It is strongly recommended that students purchase insurance for trip cancellation, flight cancellation, luggage loss or damage, as well as medical and accident coverage.
Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to/from the program.
*Estimated, based on summer 2024 rates
Students are responsible for any COVID-19 testing required to travel to the program location and to return home. For the length of the program, students will be enrolled in GeoBlue Health Insurance. Students traveling beyond the dates of the program are encouraged to enroll themselves in GeoBlue Health Insurance.
