Filmakademie Görlitz takes shape
A joint concept was developed at yesterday's workshop in Görlitz.
What are well-known figures from the film industry—such as producers, cinematographers, and film scholars—along with the Rector and the Vice President for Education and International Affairs at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences doing at a joint workshop? They’re further developing the vision for a film academy in our region!
On August 20, 2020, a productive workshop on the development of the “Görlitz Film Academy” took place in the workshop space at Jakobs Söhnen in Görlitz—which, incidentally, previously served as a filming location for the Oscar-winning film *The Reader*.
The focus was on developing a joint concept to address the demand for qualified and competent personnel in film and TV series production. According to Stefan Arndt, a founding member of the German Film Academy and co-producer of the series “Babylon Berlin,” there are many film projects, but unfortunately far too few qualified professionals.
That is now set to change quickly, and so a workshop organized by our university—which served as the driving force behind the initiative—resulted in a concept for a film academy that, as a first step, will focus on continuing education for professionals in the fields of “production,” “cinematography, lighting, and sound,” and “set design.”
Vice President for Education and International Affairs, Professor Sophia Keil: “We are, of course, very pleased that the initiators want the specialized staff to be based here in Görlitz. We have the opportunity to leverage our strengths as a university and view this task as an opportunity for the entire region as well.”
In addition to topics such as the fundamentals of filmmaking, the program also covers communication, project management, IT skills, workplace safety, as well as the basics of business administration and logistics, intercultural understanding, and much more.
In summary, the Rector, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch, commented on the successful workshop: “It’s simply a wonderful and rewarding challenge all at once. Filmmakers know what’s needed, and we know exactly how to meet those needs. Our university offers good conditions for providing optimal opportunities for future filmmakers.”
The next steps planned for the coming days include further interviews with experts and producers from the national and international film industry in order to further differentiate the concept and develop a well-founded curriculum on the topics mentioned.
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