ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The education in the programme “Film and TV Design” provides a wide spectrum of theoretical knowledge, practical skills and the ability to develop professional habits for teamwork. In the curriculum, the students defend projects, which they develop as yearly course works – from the creation of a visual concept and previsualization for film and TV productions of different genres, through their technical realization, to post-production in NATFA’s Training audiovisual complex.
After the interdisciplinary education in the first year, the priorities are set on drawing and painting, previsualization and storyboards, visual dramaturgy and design of documentary and feature films, TV commercials, TV series and programmes, music videos, 2D and 3D visual effects, digital and virtual design, costumography and makeup. The compulsory courses are supplemented by disciplines in: history of world and Bulgarian cinema, history of film and TV design, world and Bulgarian culture, psychology, semiotics, mythology and religion, etc.
FORM OF EDUCATION
The education is full-time only, with duration of 4 years. The students graduate with a public defense of a realized design for film or TV production and a state exam.
QUALIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The graduates of the programme “Film and TV Design” acquire the educational qualification degree of “Bachelor”, with professional qualification “Designer-director”. They have the opportunity to work as designers in all aspects of the production and creative process in the creation of film and TV productions; as experts in the field of film and TV production; experts in other fields of audiovisual production and new media; the graduates could continue their education in the educational qualification degree of “Master”.
ADMISSION EXAM – “Film and TV Design”
When submitting their documents, the candidates are required to deposit a complete portfolio, which could contain: screenplays, essays, poems, short stories, novels, paintings, drawings, photographs, films, original music, performances of songs and music instruments, recordings of music performances and other creative materials chosen by the candidate. The literary materials must be in PDF format and not longer than 10 pages. The visual materials must be in JPG format. The audiovisual materials must be in MPG-4 format and overall not longer than 15 minutes. The sound materials must be in MP-3 format and overall not longer than 15 minutes. The purpose of the portfolio is to fully represent the prospect-students’ abilities, interests, creative inclinations and worldview. When the documents are submitted, the portfolio is sealed in an envelope with the name of the candidate.
Stage 1 – practical exam
Test. Duration: 6 hours. The artistic and graphical abilities of the candidates are being tested, as is their understanding of the specificity of the film set, through tasks, including:
1. Developing a project for a film décor, on the basis of a given synopsis for a film (drawing in a freely chosen technique and graphical plan of the set)
2. Creation of a graphical storyboard in 6 shots on a chosen part of the given synopsis or based on a description, set in advance, used in a directorial book.
3. Graphical representation of two costumes, for two main characters of the given synopsis.
The candidates who receive a score lower than Average (3.00) drop out of participation in stage 2.
Stage 2 – oral exam
The tests of the candidates admitted to stage 2 are examined by the jury, in the presence of each candidate. They analyze the results and respond to questions related to their graphical choices for the set, storyboards composition and the character’s creation through the costume. The jury interviews the candidates on the materials presented in the portfolio. The purpose of this stage is to get an in-depth notion of the abilities, interests, general knowledge, independent thinking and creative reflectivity of the candidates. The ones received a score lower than Average (3.00) drop out of the ranking.