Study programs and courses

The International Film Studies (IFS) department of the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček (FAMO) offers film education taught entirely in English, from a one-semester certificate course to a Master’s degree.

• Taught by working filmmakersAll our teachers are active film and media professionals, recognised in the Czech Republic and abroad.
• Personal attentionOur teachers outnumber our international students, so tuition is truly individual.
• A film every semesterYou work in a crew on at least one film each semester, using school equipment free of charge.
• Industry connectionsOur student films win awards at international festivals, and our graduates have a 100% employment rate.

Programs at a glance

The Certificate and Diploma courses are the first semester and the first year of our Bachelor’s program. You study and shoot alongside our BA students, follow the same curriculum, and can continue your studies at FAMO.

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Semester 1 of the BACertificate Film Course

Who it’s for: beginners, media professionals and anyone who wants a solid grounding in the core film disciplines for professional use.

The Certificate Film Course is the first semester of our Bachelor’s program. It introduces all the major filmmaking disciplines through theory and hands-on exercises, and ends with your first film: the Workflow exercise.

After the course, you can take an idea from script to screen using the fundamentals of directing, production, camera, sound and editing. You can then leave with the Film Course Certificate or continue into the summer semester to complete the Diploma Film Course.

Practical exercise

Workflow 3–5 min · 2 shooting days

A short, clear visual statement that captures the process of a very specific human activity.

• The director presents their own idea or one adopted from a fellow screenwriting student. Once approved, it is developed into a literary screenplay and then a technical screenplay, in consultation with the supervising teacher.
• Shot during the day, outdoors, at one location on or near the school campus, with two main actors. The story is always set in the present day.
• No dialogue or spoken word: only library music, sound effects and ambience.
• No lighting equipment.
• Focus on shot composition: respecting the axis of action, using the full range of shot sizes from extreme close-up to extreme wide shot, and using cinematic ellipsis.
• Running time of 3–5 minutes. Films that are shorter or longer are not graded.
• Post-production: 4 working days of sound work, with the final mix done on school equipment.

Admission requirements

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Year 1 of the BADiploma Film Course

Who it’s for: beginners, media professionals and anyone who wants a solid grounding in the core film disciplines for professional use.

The Diploma Film Course is the complete first year of our Bachelor’s program. After the winter semester (see the Certificate Film Course), the summer semester deepens your theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It ends with the Silent Etude, where you tell a more complex story using film language alone, without dialogue.

After the course, you will have the same core skills as Certificate graduates and an understanding of how all areas of audiovisual production come together into a coherent whole. You can leave with the Film Course Diploma or continue straight into the second year of our Bachelor’s program.

Practical exercises

Workflow Winter · 3–5 min

A short, clear visual statement that captures the process of a specific human activity. It is shot outdoors in daylight, with no dialogue and no lighting equipment, and focuses on shot composition. See the Certificate Film Course for full details.

Silent Etude Summer · 5–7 min · 3 shooting days

An acting étude that tells a story without dialogue, with an emphasis on visual storytelling and shot composition.

• The director presents an idea to the supervising teacher. Once approved, a technical screenplay is developed and production is planned.
• A maximum of three settings and three to four characters.
• Shot in Písek, during the day and outdoors (interiors only in exceptional cases). The story is always set in the present day.
• Sound: library music, recorded sound effects and ambience. Sound editing and mixing are done on school equipment.
• Running time of 5–7 minutes. Films that do not follow the brief (running time, locations, number of settings, etc.) are not graded.
• Post-production: 4 working days of sound work.

Admission requirements

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Multimedia ProductionBachelor of Arts

Who it’s for: secondary school graduates with a school-leaving certificate and a strong interest in the arts and film.

Majors

• Screenwriting
• Directing
• Production (Production Management / Producing)
• Cinematography
• Sound
• Editing
• Documentary Film
• Animation and Special FX

How the program works

• Theory: In the first year, all students study every area of filmmaking together. From the second year, you choose a major and specialise in both theory and crew work.
• Minor subjects: news and journalism, set design, storyboarding, film history, podcasts, pitching, working with actors, advertising and more, plus workshops led by film professionals.
• Practice: Every semester you work in a crew to make a short film from idea to finished product. The school lends all equipment and props free of charge, and you can shoot anywhere in the Czech Republic.
• Opportunities: The academy works with several film and TV studios, and all students can study abroad or take an internship.

Graduates understand how an artistic work is built and have both theoretical and practical knowledge of multimedia production. They work in creative production teams, production companies and centres, radio, dubbing and other studios, theatres, and across television and film formats.

Practical exercises

Year 1

Workflow Winter · 3–5 min

A short, dialogue-free visual statement capturing a specific human activity. It is shot outdoors in daylight without lighting equipment and focuses on shot composition. Full details.

Silent Etude Summer · 5–7 min

An acting étude that tells a story without dialogue, with up to three settings and three to four characters, shot in Písek. Full details.

Year 2

Short Documentary “Písek Margins” Winter · up to 12 min · 3 shooting days

• A documentary about a personality from Písek or the surrounding Prácheňsko region. The subject can be living or deceased, or a group portrait such as a band, a foundation or a hobby club.
• Documentary students each submit three ideas in the previous semester, and the supervising teacher approves the final choice. The school can provide a list of suggested subjects.
• Explores the documentary genre with production sound and simple scene lighting.
• Post-production: 7 working days of sound work on school equipment.

In Flagranti (Caught in the Act) Winter · 4–6 min · 1 shooting day

• A studio exercise: an acted scene in which someone is caught in the act of doing something forbidden, whether morally (e.g. infidelity) or legally. Any genre is allowed.
• Shot in the school’s large sound stage, on a single set shared by the whole year group. Only props and small furniture may be changed.
• Focus on shot composition and lighting: all four lighting atmospheres must be used (night, small lamp, reflected light and main light).
• Production sound is recorded and used in the film.
• Post-production: 3 working days of sound work on school equipment.

Real Exercise from the Present Summer · 12–15 min · 5 shooting days

• A narrative film using precise film language and every available means to create a compact work.
• Day and night scenes, in exteriors or interiors.
• Up to five main characters and up to seven settings.
• Post-production: 10 working days of sound work on school equipment.

Year 3

Commercial Winter · client commission

• A commissioned work for a real client selected and approved by the school, giving students experience of working with a client. It is usually a short format such as an advertisement, spot or trailer.
• Narrative film students: two versions, one of 3–5 minutes and one of 30 seconds. 2 shooting days and 5 working days for editing and sound.
• Documentary students: a short documentary (portrait or social documentary) of up to 15 minutes. 3 shooting days and 5 working days for editing and sound.
• Animation students: production conditions are set individually for each commission.
• The school producer approves budget, location and equipment and handles all financial matters with the client.

Graduation Film Summer · 15–20 min · 6 shooting days

• The bachelor’s graduation film: a final work that shows the filmmaker’s clear message in both content and form.
• Day and night scenes, with production sound or post-synchronisation where needed.
• The school contributes financially according to the approved budget. Students may also apply for grants, as long as production deadlines are met.
• Films in a language other than English must also be submitted with English subtitles.
• Post-production: 12 working days of sound work on school equipment.

Admission requirements

Czech-language pathway

After the first year, Bachelor’s students can transfer to our Czech-language Bachelor’s program if they pass an assessment of their general and specialist Czech language skills at the end of the year. Transfers also depend on the number of students already enrolled in each program and specialisation, so the school may decline a transfer.

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Multimedia ProductionMaster of Arts

Who it’s for: holders of a Bachelor’s degree in film or in media and the humanities from a school abroad.

Majors

• Screenwriting
• Directing
• Production (Production Management / Producing)
• Cinematography
• Sound
• Editing
• Documentary Film
• Animation and Special FX

How the program works

• Year 1: The focus is on practical skills in your chosen field, built through individual exercises, consultations with working professionals and supporting lectures. You also prepare your graduation project.
• Year 2: You work entirely on your graduation film. You put together your own crew and take the project from pre-production to post-production. Professional placements at film studios, post-production houses and TV stations are available.
• Opportunities: The academy works with several film and TV studios, and all students can study abroad or take an internship.

Graduates build on their Bachelor’s-level knowledge to work confidently as professionals, develop their own artistic voice and keep up with new technology. Production and producing students also learn the economics of multimedia production, how to analyse a project’s financial viability, and how to present projects to co-production partners and sponsors.

Practical exercises

• Year 1: Studio project and commercial exercise
• Year 2: Graduation film: a narrative, documentary or animated film of 20–30 minutes

Admission requirements