Profile

Within the two-and-a-half-year postgraduate diploma course in Production Design, students are taught both creative-artistic and organisational-technical content that prepares them for real production conditions, from research, initial design sketches, concrete production design concepts and their direct structural implementation during exercises/workshops through to theoretical class content such as image analysis, film and television history, costume design and costing.

Professionals from the film industry lead the courses, in which students can try out the latest technologies. Current project reports provide an insight into the productions and working methods of various production designers.

The focus of the  Production Design course is on the realisation of a wide variety of Filmakademie projects. In close collaboration with fellow students from all departments, not only are fiction films are created, but series pilots, advertising and animation films as well.

  • ENTRY LEVEL Postgraduate diploma course
  • STUDY START Winter semester
  • STANDARD PERIOD
    OF STUDY
    Postgraduate diploma course:
    4 Semesters

    plus
    1 diploma semester
  • TYPE OF STUDY
    PROGRAMME
    Full-time attendance programme
  • FINAL DEGREE Diploma from Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg
  • STUDY LANGUAGE German and English
  • TUITION FEES Postgraduate diploma course
    0 € (second course of studies)
    1.500€ (non-EU citizens)

APPLICATION

You can find detailed information on the application process and the entrance exam here. We look forward to receiving your submission!

Application deadline: 15 February

Felicitas Püls

The Filmakademie is a place where you can create not just theoretical castles in the air, but entire worlds. To accomplish this, you not only need personal enthusiasm, but above all a framework in which this enthusiasm is met with both trust and support. I find that framework here in my study programme.

Felicitas Püls

Student, Production Design

Before and after your studies

WHAT SOFT SKILLS SHOUD I BRING WITH ME?

  • Passion for film and dramaturgical thinking skills
  • Comprehensive general education and knowledge of art and culture
  • Creative imagination and a large dose of enthusiasm
  • Spatial imagination and a talent for drawing
  • Good powers of observation / curiosity
  • Organisational and costing skills
  • Basic craft and technical skills
  • Ability to work in a team, communication and motivation
  • Assertiveness and stamina
  • Class B driver’s licence

WHICH PROFESSIONS CAN I WORK IN?

  • Production designer / set designer / scenographer
  • Assistant production designer
  • Art director
  • Set designer
  • Set decorator
  • and other positions in the art department

Julian Wagner

Passion for film – craft for filmmaking.
If I had to write about my studies at Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, that would be the headline.
The technical foundation, the creative scope and a strong network were an incredible enrichment and a solid basis for my path into the art of filmmaking.

Julian Wagner

Graduate, Production Design - Producion designer on THE SWARM

Structure of the study programme

Course of studies

First semester

TSM1 machine course
Introductory weeks

Production design / cinematography workshop in co-operation with Cinematography
All students develop a concept based on a provided script excerpt, which leads to the design of a film set through the characterisation of the characters and the definition of their specific environment. This is followed by visualisation using sketches, models, material collages, patina samples and storyboards. The subsequent elaboration includes technical drawings, selection of props and costumes, coordination of work processes and costing. The selected design is realised in the sound stages of the Filmakademie, and the students' own scripts are filmed.

Seminars
such as location scouting, introduction to CAD and preparation for working on student projects.

Excursion
After the annual presentations, an excursion to ‘film capitals’ such as Berlin or London is organised at the end of the semester in March.

Second semester

Realisation of first project work
The summer semester is mainly reserved for project work. Students work with fellow students from other departments on their first project and are supervised by lecturers.

Seminars
In addition, interdisciplinary events and subject-specific seminars such as production design analysis, costume design, performance methodology, concept art, integration of AI, SFX, style analysis, and project reports by renowned production designers are offered.

Third semester

VFX workshop in co-operation with Cinematography and Animation

In this course, Filmakademie students learn the latest methods for creating visual effects in live-action films by developing and realising a short film with a high VFX component. Both traditional green screens and high-resolution LED screens are used. These enable a new recording technique in which set recordings can be merged with computer-generated images (CGI) in real time.

In addition, interdisciplinary events and subject-specific seminars such as the history of production design, lighting and camera, and style analysis are offered.

Fourth semester

Realisation of second project work
Students work on their second project with fellow students from other study programmes and have the opportunity to ask professionals from the industry for individual supervision.

Seminars/workshops
In addition to the interdisciplinary courses and alternating seminars, which are taken together with the first year, lectures are given on the subject of ‘Fit for Job’.

Diploma project

In the final semester, students work on their diploma project together with fellow students from the other courses of study and are supervised by lecturers of their choice.

Postgraduate diploma course - Year 1

First semester

First semester

TSM1 machine course
Introductory weeks

Production design / cinematography workshop in co-operation with Cinematography
All students develop a concept based on a provided script excerpt, which leads to the design of a film set through the characterisation of the characters and the definition of their specific environment. This is followed by visualisation using sketches, models, material collages, patina samples and storyboards. The subsequent elaboration includes technical drawings, selection of props and costumes, coordination of work processes and costing. The selected design is realised in the sound stages of the Filmakademie, and the students' own scripts are filmed.

Seminars
such as location scouting, introduction to CAD and preparation for working on student projects.

Excursion
After the annual presentations, an excursion to ‘film capitals’ such as Berlin or London is organised at the end of the semester in March.

Second semester

Second semester

Realisation of first project work
The summer semester is mainly reserved for project work. Students work with fellow students from other departments on their first project and are supervised by lecturers.

Seminars
In addition, interdisciplinary events and subject-specific seminars such as production design analysis, costume design, performance methodology, concept art, integration of AI, SFX, style analysis, and project reports by renowned production designers are offered.

Postgraduate diploma course - Year 2

Third semester

Third semester

VFX workshop in co-operation with Cinematography and Animation

In this course, Filmakademie students learn the latest methods for creating visual effects in live-action films by developing and realising a short film with a high VFX component. Both traditional green screens and high-resolution LED screens are used. These enable a new recording technique in which set recordings can be merged with computer-generated images (CGI) in real time.

In addition, interdisciplinary events and subject-specific seminars such as the history of production design, lighting and camera, and style analysis are offered.

Fourth semester

Fourth semester

Realisation of second project work
Students work on their second project with fellow students from other study programmes and have the opportunity to ask professionals from the industry for individual supervision.

Seminars/workshops
In addition to the interdisciplinary courses and alternating seminars, which are taken together with the first year, lectures are given on the subject of ‘Fit for Job’.

Diploma stage

Diploma project

Diploma project

In the final semester, students work on their diploma project together with fellow students from the other courses of study and are supervised by lecturers of their choice.

Cosima Vallenzer

Through my Production Design studies at the Filmakademie, I was able to get to know many creative people who still accompany me in my professional life today. It is a great gift to be able to continue making films together, to grow with them and even to celebrate success with them. A bit like making films with the ‘family’.

Cosima Vallenzer

Graduate, Production Design - Production designer on THE UNIVERSAL THEORY

Lecturers

Lecturers

Birgit Kniep-Gentis

Senior Lecturer

Lecturers

Christian Strang, graduate engineer and architect

Senior Lecturer

Lecturers

Bettina Marx

Lecturer

Lecturers

Thomas Stammer, graduate engineer and architect

Lecturer

Lecturers

Wiebke Trunk (M.A.)

Lecturer

MENTORING PROGRAMME

From the second year of studies onwards, students in the postgraduate diploma course in Production Design may request individual mentoring for their projects from professionals in the industry via the department.
Here is a selection of the supervising lecturers:
                                                                                                                                 

Sophie Becher - Susann Bieling - Marco Bittner Rosser - Stephanie Brenner - Silke Buhr -- Daniel Chour - Christian M. Goldbeck - Uli Hanisch - Bader El Hindi - Prof. Lothar Holler - Susanne Hopf - Hucky Hornberger - Evelyn Hribersek - Andreas Hycade -  Jana Karen - Birgit Kniep-Gentis – Christoph Kanter - Udo Kramer - Sebastian Krawinkel -  Tamo Kunz – Maximilian Lange Josefine Lindner - Knut Loewe -  Renate Martin - Matthias Müsse – Merlöon Ortner - Prof. Klaus-Peter Platten

Erwin Prib - Frank Prümmer - Olaf Rehahn - Jenny Rössler - Josef Sanktjohanser - Janina Schimmelbauer - Anne Schlaich - Bettina Schmidt - Oliver Scholl - Jill Schwarzer  - Sebastian Soukup – Thomas Stammer - Uwe Stanik – Johannes Sternagel - Eve Stewart - Christian Strang - Jürgen Stasser - Charlotte Tamschick - Harald Turzer - Julian Wagner - Götz Weidner - Simon Weisse – Nancy Vogel -  Regine Witzig - Anne Zentgraf

Impressions

To get an impression of the work and processes involved in the Production Design study programme, interested parties can participate in our students' current projects at any time. Just send an email to: szenenbild@filmakademie.de

SOCIAL MEDIA

You can also find more insights into the study programme on Instagram.

Application information and documents

APPLICATION

You can find detailed information on the application process and the entrance exam here. We look forward to receiving your submission!

Application deadline: 15 February

Do you have further questions about the programme?

The Office of Student Affairs will be happy to answer your questions.