"Film editing is the only new art form that the twentieth century has produced."
Alfred Hitchcock
In the Editing study programme, we, as editors, confront the chaos of the raw material, giving it structure to form a story. The real power of a film narrative begins in the search for what lies between the images and sounds. When an association, an emotion arises from what is seen and heard, then the film editing has worked its invisible magic.
On the one hand, editing is a central category in the theoretical examination and analysis of film design; on the other hand, it also refers to the technical aspect of film editing.
In the course of their studies at the Filmakademie, students experience the effect of images, sounds and edits using their sense of seeing, hearing and feeling. In the seminars and workshops, students engage in a theoretical and practical examination of what they have learnt. The joint project work with students from other disciplines allows them to try out various film production formats and apply what they have learnt so far. The aim is to develop and expand students' editorial skills in technical, dramaturgical, formal, aesthetic and social terms.
To be able to assert themselves in a constantly changing discipline, graduates are taught qualifications that enable them to meet the narrative challenges of a story as well as the technical aspects of post-production of series, TV films, cinema films, documentaries or film essays.
Graduates should be able to communicate confidently and effectively with directors, clients, editors and producers in order to work with them to achieve the best possible outcome for the project.
“Editing is the criticism of the film footage, just as shooting is the criticism of the script.”
Francois Truffaut
First year: undergraduate studies
The first year of the undergraduate studies programme is similar to the first year of general studies at the Filmakademie (see courses of study).
Second year: undergraduate studies
The second year focuses on documentary and short fiction formats. Theoretical seminars, workshops and the term paper are aligned with this. Lecturers provide an initial overview of technical processes and dramaturgical contexts and supervise the projects during the editing phase.
Students go through the various stages of editing: digitising, sampling, first assembly and fine editing, and are also involved in sound design, dubbing and mixing as post-production progresses.
Collaboration with other departments from the second year is mandatory as part of the project work.
Third year: graduate studies
Following the ‘mobility year’, the graduate studies programme consists of seminars, workshops and lectures that aim to deepen the skills and knowledge acquired so far.
All of the lecturers are freelance editors or specialists from other crafts and trades who work in their respective professions and can therefore report on their practical experience. Whether editing a comedy or scenes from a documentary film or VFX editing – the classes are as diverse as the world of film.
For the film projects, the editing students join together with students from other departments in teams to work on their production in a responsible position as editor. The resulting films are supervised by the lecturers with regard to content and organisation. The wide range of works from the various departments (series, advertising film, documentary film, fiction film, animation, ...) opens up a broad spectrum.
Fourth year: graduate studies
The fourth year of study focuses on analysing what the students have learnt so far and developing it further. The seminars and workshops are dedicated even more intensively to the wide-ranging possibilities of dramaturgy and film editing; boundaries are explored and redefined. T
he students' own projects become longer and more complex and demand more time and attention, the portfolio of film work is expanded.
Diploma project
The diploma project, the final part of the study programme at the Filmakademie, serves both as a test of the students’ own abilities and as a door opener to professional life.
Undergraduate studies
First year: undergraduate studies
The first year of the undergraduate studies programme is similar to the first year of general studies at the Filmakademie (see courses of study).
Undergraduate studies
Second year: undergraduate studies
The second year focuses on documentary and short fiction formats. Theoretical seminars, workshops and the term paper are aligned with this. Lecturers provide an initial overview of technical processes and dramaturgical contexts and supervise the projects during the editing phase.
Students go through the various stages of editing: digitising, sampling, first assembly and fine editing, and are also involved in sound design, dubbing and mixing as post-production progresses.
Collaboration with other departments from the second year is mandatory as part of the project work.
Graduate studies
Third year: graduate studies
Following the ‘mobility year’, the graduate studies programme consists of seminars, workshops and lectures that aim to deepen the skills and knowledge acquired so far.
All of the lecturers are freelance editors or specialists from other crafts and trades who work in their respective professions and can therefore report on their practical experience. Whether editing a comedy or scenes from a documentary film or VFX editing – the classes are as diverse as the world of film.
For the film projects, the editing students join together with students from other departments in teams to work on their production in a responsible position as editor. The resulting films are supervised by the lecturers with regard to content and organisation. The wide range of works from the various departments (series, advertising film, documentary film, fiction film, animation, ...) opens up a broad spectrum.
Graduate studies
Fourth year: graduate studies
The fourth year of study focuses on analysing what the students have learnt so far and developing it further. The seminars and workshops are dedicated even more intensively to the wide-ranging possibilities of dramaturgy and film editing; boundaries are explored and redefined. T
he students' own projects become longer and more complex and demand more time and attention, the portfolio of film work is expanded.
Diploma stage
Diploma project
The diploma project, the final part of the study programme at the Filmakademie, serves both as a test of the students’ own abilities and as a door opener to professional life.
Our lecturers are freelance editors or specialists from other trades and crafts who work in their profession and thus create courses that deal with the most diverse theoretical and practical aspects of film editing and extend to the latest developments in the industry. The contacts made during the course of studies provide additional information about the profession itself and, as has been shown, the opportunity for future co-operation.
