HFF Munich Summerschool
2023
The Summer School of the University of Television and Film (HFF) Munich is going into its sixth round this late summer 2023 – due to the great demand again with five courses and in a mixture of proven and new course formats.
! Please note: all courses will be given in English – unless otherwise agreed among all course participants.
Workshops
OPEN TO EXTERNAL PARTICIPANTS. THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IS LIMITED.
COURSES OFFERED IN ENGLISH.
SCREENPLAY IN 23 DAYS
19th July – 21st July + 4th September – 29th September 2023
Max. 10 Participants
Fee: 1250€
Application deadline: July 1st, 2023
Screenplay in 23 days
From concept to first draft in 23 days:
This intensive seminar guides you from your first idea to the first draft of your feature film screenplay in 23 days. It is divided into two modules: 3 days to test and deepen your concept, as well as find the structure of your screenplay, followed by 20 days of writing the screenplay.
The seminar introduces and elaborates essential writing tools and offers hands-on advice from two seasoned professionals, who help you navigate your writing journey all the way to the first draft.
Important: The seminar combines theory with writing sprints and writers’ room feedback every day – attendance is therefore absolutely necessary during the whole 23 days.
Suitable for beginners and professionals. For brand-new ideas as well as for concepts you’ve wanted to write for a long time.
Application requirements:
1. Letter of agreement (available for download under the “Application” tab)
2. Current CV with filmography
3. An idea for a feature film / exposé, summarized on a maximum of 1-2 pages
Workshop Leader: Robert Krause, Florian Puchert, Benedikt Schwarzer
Application form coming soon.
Declaration of Consent
VISUAL STORYTELLING: HOW TO BREAK A SCRIPT INTO SHOTS
4th September – 9th September 2023
Max. 14 Participants
Fee: 500€
Application deadline: July 31st, 2023
This workshop is about telling stories through moving images – it means that we will concentrate on everything that happens when our scripts, our ideas and feelings are being transformed into images, shots and scenes of our films. This workshop programme starts with simple things concerning space, shots and images. Then it deals with characters and relationship between them and at the end of the workshop we will concentrate on the narrative.
In the first part of the workshop we will talk about the special task of film beginnings and analyze examples. The second part will be about communication with the audience (The Deal with the audience). Why and how we need to communicate with the audience ( Breakdown, how to break a scene in to shots). This will be explained in the analysis of key scenes.
Application requirements:
1. Letter of agreement (available for download under the “Application” tab)
2. Current CV with filmography
3. Write half a page about your motivation for this course
Workshop Leader: Hagen Keller
Application form coming soon.
Declaration of Consent
INTERNATIONAL SERIES DEVELOPMENT POWERED BY AI – “I’M YOUR STAFF WRITER”
11th September – 21th September 2023
12 Participants
Fee: 750€
Application deadline: July 31st, 2023
INTERNATIONAL SERIES MEETS AI is a 10-day masterclass by independent screenwriter and producer Prof. Taç Romey and cross-media professional Markus Walsch. The focus of this course is the development of 4-6 episodes for a mini-series, which will be pitched to film industry representatives at the end of the course. Likewise, a large component of the course is also the use of AI tools that can and are supposed to assist in this development. Also, previsuals for the individual pitches will be created with the help of AI generated images. How can artificial intelligence be used for creative work without losing one’s own style?
The course is about working on the perfect pitch with the support of mentors Taç Romey and Markus Walsch, learning about the link between creativity and AI, exchanging ideas together, making connections and finally presenting the material in front of a professional audience.
Application requirements:
1. Letter of agreement (available for download under the “Application” tab)
2. Current CV with filmography
3. Write one page about “Something Worth Fighting For”
Workshop leaders: Prof. Tac Romey, Markus Walsch, Ronit Weiss, Agnieszka Kruk, Prof. Sylvia Roth
Application form coming soon.
Declaration of Consent
WOMEN WRITING LAB
18th – 27th September 2023
12 Participants
Fee: 500€
Application deadline: until July 31st, 2023
- on -site
WOMEN WRITING LAB is a workshop by award-winning and Oscar®-nominated writer & director Robin Swicord, who has written the books for THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, or LITTLE WOMEN, among others. In a week-long workshop setting, you will learn practical tools for creating compelling stories that are well-founded in the essential elements of drama. We will address the development of strong original characters, and how all story rises from character. We will explore the use of themes to ground every story in universal meaning. Through guided exercises, you’ll develop your own instincts for story, character, and powerful, visual scenes. During daily writing hours, you will expand and develop your own story ideas, and refine your ideas in individual mentoring sessions with the workshop leader, Robin Swicord.
The goal of the workshop is for each participating writer to develop a full story as a detailed treatment for a feature film or a multi-part episodic TV story, which will become the immediate blueprint for your screenplay. This is the workshop that will launch you into your first draft, or your next draft.
Lecturer: Robin Swicord
Application requirements:
1. Letter of agreement (available for download under the “Application” tab)
2. Current CV with filmography
3. A one-pager with your dramaturgical concept for a feature-length film
Workshop Leader: Robin Swicord
Application form coming soon.
Declaration of Consent
Comic Toolbox Masterclass
25th – 27th September 2023
14 Participants
Fee: 350
Application deadline: until July 31st, 2023
Workshop Leader: John Vorhaus
Application form coming soon.
Declaration of Consent
In our SUMMERSCHOOL 2022, we are also relying on a mix of proven and newly designed modules The WOMEN WRITING LAB with Oscar®-nominated writer & director Robin Swicord is now in its fourth round, which makes us incredibly happy. And we are also continuing the success story of the DIRECTING DRAMA SERIES workshop – exactly how remains exciting with new instructors and of course participants every year. TREATMENT IN FIVE DAYS is going into the second round this year, and the module CONCEPTUAL DESIGN IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING with our montage professor Beatrice Babin is brand new in our program. In general, the commitments of our lecturers, whose films and series are known and successful worldwide, are a great honor and confirmation for the SUMMERSCHOOL. I am very much looking forward to this year’s edition and can highly recommend it to anyone who wants to continue their education or perhaps reinvent themselves!