ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The programme’s aim is for the students to receive the maximum scientific, theoretical, aesthetical and professional knowledge in the discipline, as in the other fields of film and TV components – like directing, screenwriting, linear and non-linear editing, music and sound, history of world and national cinema art, producing, contemporary visual effects. After the interdisciplinary training in the first year, the priorities are set on the cinematography in the documentary and feature films, TV commercial and music videos, TV shows and TV series and others. The compulsory subjects are supplemented by history of world and Bulgarian cinema, history of plastic arts, history of music, philosophy, mythology and religion, psychology, aesthetics, semiotics, European and Bulgarian literature, sociology, psychoanalysis and others. During their education, the students shoot on film and digital.
GRADUATON
The students graduate with a public diploma defense on a realized project, containing: an audiovisual work, up to minimum 20 min. and a theorical work – minimum 25 pages.
The graduates acquire the educational qualification degree of “Bachelor” with the professional qualification “Film and TV Cinematographer” and the opportunity to work in the field of cinematography, in all screen forms and genres. The graduates can continue their education in the educational qualification degree of “Master”.
ADMISSION
SPECIALIAZED EXAM
When submitting their documents, the candidates are required to deposit a complete portfolio, containing 14 black and white or color photographs – horizontal composition with classic copying negative/positive, format 18/24 cm., and mini lab – 20/30 cm. but no smaller than that. The photographs must be:
- Portrait (closeup), natural lighting – 1 pcs
- Still life, natural lighting – 1 pcs
- A picture of an architectural object, natural lighting – 1 pcs
- Reportage photo – 1 pcs
- Thematically united (theme by candidate’s choice) in series – 10 pieces
In the photographs created digitally, additional computer editing is not allowed. On the back of each photograph must be noted the following technical data:
1 the candidate`s three names
2 Consecutive numbers (from 1 to 4 of the mandatory genres and from 5 to 14 of the theme by choice)
3 Title of the photograph (mandatory for the theme by choice)
4 Place and date of when the photo was taken
5 Camera brand
6 Lens, brightness, focal length
7 Filters and other optical and mechanical addons
The portfolio could also contain – screenplays, essays, poems, short stories, plays, novels, paintings, drawings, photographs, films, music compositions, recordings of songs and music instruments, recordings of musical performances and other creative materials by choice of the candidate. The literary materials must be in PDF format and not be longer than 10 pages. The pictorial materials must be in JPG format. The audiovisual materials must be in MPG-4 format and not be altogether longer than 15 minutes. The audio materials must be in MP-3 format and not longer than 15 minutes. The portfolio`s purpose is to represent in detail the candidates` potential, their interests, creative predilections and worldview. When submitting the documents, the portfolio is enclosed in an envelope with the name of the candidate.
Stage 1 – practical exam (anonymous)
In the presence of all candidates, a topic is chosen, on which every one of them shoots a documentary video material (exterior), in a location chosen in advance (by lot), with a camera and a tripod. The camera could be set on manual or automatic mode by the accompanying questor of NATFA.
It is recommended that the candidates use specific for the cinematic composition cinematographers` means of expression (panoramas, tracking moving objects, different camera shots). The length of the presented raw exam material cannot be longer than 5 minutes. The candidate presents their creative and executive point of view on the chosen topic in 20 shots. Duration of the shoot: 2 hours. The candidates who receive a score lower than Average (3.00) drop out of participation in Stage 2.
Stage 2 – oral exam
The shot video material of those candidates admitted to Stage 2 is watched by the jury in the presence of each candidate. They analyze the results and respond to questions, about the composition, the chosen pictorial implementation and other components. The jury also speaks with the candidates on the materials presented in their portfolio. The purpose of this stage is to get an in-depth notion about the candidates` abilities, interests, overall culture, independent thinking and creative perceptibility. The candidates` received a score lower than Average (3.00) drop out of participation in the ranking.