When you read a book, you drift off into strange worlds and form your own picture of the places where the action takes place. This is where the Production Design study programme comes in. Together with the directing and cinematography, the visual concept of the film is determined on the basis of a script. This ranges from realism in seemingly original motifs to the revival of historical epochs and the creation of completely surreal worlds.
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.
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
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.
Postgraduate diploma course - Year 2
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 stage
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.
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 – Merlin 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
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
You can also find more insights into the study programme on Instagram.
Organisation Chart Production Design