HFF München Summerschool
2025
Open for Applications now until July 20
The Summer School at the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF) is entering its eighth round in late summer 2025 – this time with five courses and a mixture of tried-and-tested and new course formats due to popular demand.
! 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.
COURSE OFFERED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
CANCELLATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE UP TO TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE START OF THE COURSE. THEREAFTER THE FULL FEE WILL BE CHARGED.
SCRIPT IN 23 DAYS
July 28 – July 30 + September 1 – September 26, 2025
on-site and online
Max. 10 participants
Fee: 1500€
EARLIER APPLICATION DEADLINE: JUNE 25, 2025
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 three experienced professionals, who help you navigate your writing journey all the way to the first draft.
To make it easier for participants from outside Munich to take part in the course, it will be held on a hybrid basis:
July 28 – 30: The first three days will take place at the HFF, but there is also an option to attend via Zoom. However, on-site attendance is definitely recommended.
September 1 – 19: The first 15 days via Zoom.
September 22 – 26: Final week at the HFF (in person).
Important: The seminar combines theory instruction with writing sprints and Writers’ Room feedback in the group each day. Attendance is essential for all 23 days – via Zoom and on-site.
Suitable for beginners and professionals. For brand-new ideas as well as for concepts you’ve wanted to write for a long time.
Application materials:
1. Declaration of Consent (available for download down below)
2. CV including filmography (if available)
3. Idea for a feature film / exposé, summarized on a maximum of 1-2 pages
Workshop Leaders: Florian Puchert, Romina Ecker
Declaration of Consent
WOMEN WRITING LAB
September 1 – September 12, 2025
on-site
max 12 participants
Fee: 600€
Application deadline: July 20, 2025
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.
Application requirements:
1. Declaration of Consent (available for download below)
2. CV including filmography (if available)
3. Writing sample (maximum of 5 pages)
4. Feedback on a list of questions (available for download below (Feedback on Women Writing Lab Topics))
Workshop Leader: Robin Swicord
Declaration of Consent
Feedback zu Women Writing Lab Topics
AI-ENHANCED DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING
September 9 – September 12, 2025
on-site
Max. 16 participants
Fee: 750€
Application deadline: July 20, 2025
This 4-day hands-on workshop lead by Oscar winner Ruby Yang and Lola winner Uli Gaulke from Hongkong University invites participants to explore how Generative AI can support documentary storytelling—especially when visual material is missing or incomplete. Each participant will create a short (3–5 minute) documentary portrait of a real person, drawing from interviews, personal memory, letters, or public records.
The focus lies on portraying individuals whose stories include past events, memories, or emotional experiences that lack visual documentation. Using Generative AI tools, participants will learn how to fill these visual gaps creatively and ethically:
- Still photos can be animated to represent memories or moments being described by the person
- AI-generated reenactments can visualize events, environments, or scenes that were never filmed
- AI animations inspired by films like Waltz with Bashir can be used to depict internal states, trauma, or subjective truths
- Synthetic voiceovers can bring written material (e.g. speeches, letters, testimonies) to life or reconstruct the voice of someone no longer present
Through this process, participants will explore how AI-generated visuals and sound can open new storytelling possibilities in nonfiction filmmaking, while also critically engaging with the ethical and artistic questions these technologies raise.
Prerequisites:
- Basic editing skills; participants should bring a laptop and headphones
- Idea for a documentary short film on the themes of family, portrait, first-person doc: the idea should include AI reenactments and/or AI visuals
- any kind of material related to the idea (family pictures, super 8 video, found footage) as reference for the AI
Application materials:
1. Declaration of Consent (available for download down below)
2. CV including filmography (if available)
3. Motivational letter: half page why you want to participate in this workshop
4. Idea for a documentary short film, summarized on a maximum of 1 page
Workshop Leaders: Ruby Yang, Uli Gaulke
Declaration of Consent
HOW TO BREAK A SCRIPT INTO SHOTS
September 15 – September 20, 2025
on-site
Max. 20 participants
Fee: 600€
Application deadline: July 20, 2025
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 materials:
1. Declaration of Consent (available for download below)
2. CV with filmography (if available)
3. Motivational Statement for this course (half a page)
Workshop Leader: Hagen Keller
Declaration of Consent
FROM IDEA TO PILOT USING AI
September 15 – September 19, 2025
on-site
max 12 participants
Fee: 750€
Application deadline: July 20, 2025
Guided by the creators of the succesful AI writing workshop I’m Your Staff Writer, you will be taking the next step in this five-day workshop:
You’ll learn how series are developed today – in a collaborative Writers’ Room setting, with AI as your creative sparring partner. Together, we’ll create a fictional series from scratch: From the initial pitch deck to laying the foundation for a pilot episode – including the structure of the first act.
What you’ll learn:
- How to craft a compelling pitch deck
- How characters, worldbuilding, and story structure work together
- How to use AI meaningfully in the Writers’ Room
- How to structure and begin writing a pilot episode
- How collaborative teamwork drives the series development process – agile, creative, and focused
Technology is evolving rapidly. Workshop content and methods may be adapted and further developed accordingly.
This workshop is aimed at writers, creatives, and storytellers who:
- Have some experience with serial storytelling (TV, streaming, audio, etc.)
- Enjoy collaborative writing and dynamic group work
- Are curious about integrating AI into their writing workflow
- Are ready to explore and experiment in a professional-level development process
Prerequisites: Participants must bring their own laptop. This must support browser-based AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT)
Application material:
1. Declaration of Consent (steht weiter unten zum Download bereit)
2. CV including filmography (if available)
3. Motivational statement: Why do you want to take part in the workshop? What experience do you have with serial storytelling? How do you see the use of AI in the creative process?
4. Optional: Project idea (max. 1 page). Focus on the theme of the series, not the plot. Choose an idea that is worth telling NOW and why. This is not required, but can help with team building.
Workshop Leaders: Taç Romey, Markus Walsch
Declaration of Consent
“In 2025, our SUMMERSCHOOL will once again be a meeting point for creative minds who want to network internationally and start the fall with fresh inspirations. With five new courses, we have once again expanded our offering – including two formats dedicated to writing and filming with the support of artificial intelligence. We see our SUMMERSCHOOL not only as a place for excellent teaching, but also as a laboratory for future topics in the field of film. I am delighted that Oscar winner Ruby Yang and Lola Award winner Uli Gaulke (both Hong Kong University) are joining the team this year, as well as the confirmation of many other inspiring lecturers who will guide our participants with knowledge, connection and enthusiasm.”