Lights, camera, action let’s get rolling on the 10 best film schools in Europe.
I was on a film set last weekend. It was for a short film on which someone I know is helping out. It transported me right back to my days in film school. Before that I hadn’t heard someone scream “speed” unless we were playing Keanu Jeopardy, a weird version of Jeopardy invented to help people drink alcohol and/or a game I just made up right now–spoiler alert every answer is “Speed.“
Film school is a great way to watch movies and a terrible way to save money. My parents were kind enough to be supportive of this creative endeavor, likely because a) I had already been to college and b) I was paying for the majority of it myself. I remember one Professor who looked remarkably like a marionette telling us that she thought the prevalence of digital video opened the door to too many filmmakers. This kind of sounded like when teenagers start hating a band they liked because they got famous. Regardless, film school is where I learned… many things I’m sure, and even if nothing applicable to my current life is jumping to mind–I still feel more culturally and artistically informed, with a more honed writing ability, more toned work ethic and more feverish love of comedies of remarriage than I thought possible.
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The origin of the film goes far back when motion cameras were invented in the 1890s. Because of the limited technology people had then, films were less than a minute long. Early film was silent until 1927 when some of the first sound motion pictures like The Jazz Singer were produced. Today there are hundreds of studios, but do you know when was the first studio built? With building the first studios in 1897, special effects were also introduced where the film industry continued its development.
If you take a look at movies from decades ago, compared to today’s you can notice the huge improvement in sound and visual technology and the ability to give the fantastic a quality of realism. Producers and directors know how to play with weather conditions and implement them on the screen and how to shoot from the right angle. Also, we have all kind of drones and cranes, which makes the recording from previously unheard of, or overly expensive angles, easier.
Today, 3D technology even plays a role in the film industry. Although I saw Avatar in the first row in 3D and spent the entire movie with my eyes closed so I wouldn’t puke, I found out days later that the Navii were blue. Yet, people purchase 3D TVs for their homes. What would you want to support this kind of madness? America is a mysterious place.
If you are looking to find out which are the 10 best film schools in Europe, you probably are considering film school and, if you are rich or lucky, go for it! Everyone else, make sure you consider carefully before jumping into the biz. Film is harder than you think and it takes a great deal of perseverance. Don’t mistake a love of WATCHING movies for a love of MAKING them. Get as much experience behind the camera and on sets as you can, before you make the investment–especially if you are thinking about incurring the adding costs of going to school abroad. However, somebody has to be the next Fellini, Varda, Truffant, Hawkes, Nair, and Scorcese, and it could be you! This is very important in today’s films and if you want to learn how to make it you probably want to go in one of these 10 best film schools in Europe. You should also check out the 7 Best Film Schools In Canada.
Some countries aren’t the most developed which means the buildings and the technology wouldn’t be on the priority list, and why would someone go to a school without the proper technology to learn something where technology is the most important? These 10 best film schools in Europe have it all: from the best cameras for you to experience and learn what kind of cameras you should work with and why, software, drones and green screens in order to learn how to use the given technology and tools to create something unique and attractive to people.
In order to create the list of 10 best film schools in Europe, we were helped by The Hollywood Reporter and Video Blocks Education, pulled the average and sorted them by how many people are interested in them, and how good they are.
10. London Film School
London film school is one of the finest; located in the heart of London which offers a 2-year course. Students will finish this course and leave with a portfolio of producing, editing, and directing more than 10 films. One of their advantages is that the course is in English compared with many others which offer the course only in their native language.
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9. National Film School of Denmark
The National Film School of Denmark has available seven studies to choose from: script writing, fiction directing, editing, animation and games directing, documentary directing, film producing as well as cinematography. They have a place for 100 students, but if you want to be one of them you will have to pass an entrance test which includes both practical exercises as well as interviews.
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8. Norwegian Filming School
The Norwegian Filming School opened back in 1997 and it offers bachelor as well as master education in filmmaking. The Norwegian Filming School’s education is financed by their state and it is free of charge for all students. Here you can work with the most professional teaching stuff and you will get the chance to see a lot of guests.
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7. Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia or Experimental Cinematography Centre Foundation is located in Italy and it is divided into two sectors. The first sector is Cineteca Nazionale or National Film Archive. This sector has the most important movie archive in the whole world. The second sector is Scuola Nazionale di Cinema or National Film School which has been providing high standards of training, teaching, and training for professions for more than 75 years.
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6. Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography
The number 6 on our list of best film schools in Europe is the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography that has its own studio where you can practice shooting as well as preparing your graduation film. The teaching is in Russian, but for those who don’t understand it are offered a preparatory Russian Language Program. For foreign students, the education Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography is financed by the federal budget if they are fulfilling some of their criteria.
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5. Lodz Film School
Halfway through the 10 best film schools in Europe is one of my favorite. Located in Poland, in Lodz Film School you can choose whether you like to study Film and TV Direction Department, Direction of Photography and TV Production Department, Acting Department or Film Art Organization Production. There are full-time, but also part-time studies available.
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4. University of Television and Film, Munich
In September 2011, the University of Television and Film moved to a new building in the heart of Munich, Germany, where all studies and talents have been united under one roof. The University of Television and Film has three screen movies and all the needed equipment for you to become one of the most successful filmmakers.
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3. La Femis
La Femis, one of the best film schools in Europe, is located in Paris, France and it is also part of the PSL Research University. Its alumni have won a lot of world’s prestigious awards. They have trained more than 700 students in the area of directing, screenwriting, producing sound engineers and editors among other professions.
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2. The National Film And Television School
The National Film And Television School is located in Beaconsfield, England and it operates from its own historic studio which has the most specialist MA’s than any other school in the world. They have opened their doors to every non-UK as well as non-EU citizen to apply to their Scholarships. The National Film And Television School has it all and it would be the perfect fit because the course is in English.
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1. The Film And TV School of The Academy Of Performing Arts (FAMU)
The Film and TV School of The Academy Of Performing Arts (FAMU) is located in the most beautiful city Prague, Czech Republic. FAMU is opening their doors to international students who want to become part of their Academy and who want to convert their talent into their profession. It is divided into 11 departments and it has a special international department which is focused on teaching film disciplines on English.
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Have you decided yet on which of these 10 best film schools in Europe you want to study? All of them offer great studying and working conditions, regardless which one you choose you won’t regret it.
