19th Filmtett Workshop – Call for Applications (2023)

Filmtett Association announces the call for applications for this year's filmmaking camp for all eight departments. The main location of the workshop (camp) is the Pásztortűz Guesthouse in Sânvăsii (Mureș county), from July 30 to August 10, 2023. The minimum age for applicants is 18 years, the maximum is 30. Previous film experience is not an exclusive application requirement.

Which department would you like to apply for? Click on the department name for details and requirements:

The names of the mentors for each department will be made public in the forthcoming weeks. You can find our previous mentors’ list here.

You can apply by filling in the form on the Filmtett Workshop website (i.e. this website) and attaching the necessary documents (see below). Before filling in the forms, we recommend that you carefully prepare the department-specific application attachments.

The application deadline is March 12 midnight. The results will be announced on April 19. The list of winning candidates will be published here, on the Filmtett Workshop portal (filmtettworkshop.ro). All candidates will be informed by email of the outcome of the selection process.

To apply you need (documents required for each department):

  • Professional CV (to be uploaded)
  • letter of intent (max. 4,000 characters, to be copied onto the form)
  • links for previous short films, portfolio (optional, can be specified on the form)

Department-specific application materials:

  • for the screenwriter-director department: a screenplay. It should be of maximum 7 pages, and written with consideration to the location of the camp (to be uploaded on the form, the length limit strict!). Also needed: a directorial concept (max. 4,000 characters – to be copied onto the form).
  • for the animator department: screenplay or synopsis (to be uploaded on the form) and drawings, sketches (optionally – to be uploaded on the form).
  • for the actors’ department: 1 close-up + 1 full body photo must be attached as part of the CV.

Before attempting to complete the application form, we recommend that you carefully prepare the attachments!

Careful! If an applicant has not been selected in their first targeted department, they can still be selected in another department depending on the remaining places and if they have such a preference (this can also be noted on the form).

There is no registration fee, participation in the camp/workshop is free. This applies to accommodation and meals as well as all education expenses and fees. We also reimburse travel expenses up to a certain sum (depending on travel methods). Th organizers we will be asking for a deposit fee, which will be refunded at the end of the workshop.

This year, for the first time, Filmtett Workshop is organized as an Erasmus+ mobility project. Filmtett Association’s organizing partners Transsylvania Film Foundation (Budapest, Hungary), Primanima Kft. (Budaörs, Hungary), Cinema Film Workshop (Kanjiža, Serbia) and MPhilms (Bratislava, Slovakia). To participate in the camp/workshop, a basic knowledge of English at a communication level is required.

Downloadable infopack here. Additional information can be requested at tabor@filmtett.ro or at phone number: +40-728-262023.

 

1) Call for applications for the screenwriter-director department

Activity at the workshop: directors shoot their short films based on their own scripts, recruit a crew from other camp residents, cast actors from the respective department, and complete their short films during the post-production period. (This application is aimed at young people with both screenwriting and directing ambitions!)

Application process: The organizers check the submitted projects if they meet the application requirements and if they are feasible in local conditions, then hand them over to the head (the mentor) of the directors’ department. The mentor makes the final decision about the applicants who can join the workshop and realize their screenplays.

A good screenplay is…

  • …original. There are no genre restrictions, it can be a light comedy, a crime drama or a genre parody. We are looking for stories that are closely related to everyday life, the thoughts and feelings of young people.
  • ...can be shot and edited in 11 days. This means one day of shooting and two or three locations at most; by the end of the workshop a 5-7 minute film is complete.
  • ...can be done in camp conditions. No car chases, no spaceship interiors.
  • ...adapts to available locations: the story takes place in a rural/small town or natural environment, not a metropolis.
  • ...props and other special needs are simple and can be purchased locally.
  • ...most of the protagonists are between 20 and 30 years old. The actors protagonists are the participants of the workshop’s acting department. If needed, you can cast an older or younger supporting character locally.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

2) Call for applications for the animation department

Activity at the workshop: animators develop their own scripts and storyboards, then make an animated short film based on said script by the end of the camp. The film is 1-2 minutes long at most. In addition to digital animation, it is possible to use analog techniques too– there will be exercises to learn traditional, hand-drawing or other animation techniqes as well.

Subject can be freely chosen, but it can also be connected to the concept of future or/and shadow (in this case, the films made by the animators can be connected to each other playfully and loosely at the end of the camp).

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

3) Call for applications for the assistant director (1st AD) department

Activity at the workshop: Each of 1st ADs serves as assistant director on one of the productions to help the crew shoot the camp’s short film thus acquiring assistant directorial skills. Our view is that being a 1st AD is an independent profession and we would like to emphasize both the theoretical and the practical of this field, both in pre-production phase and during shooting. The 1st AD helps with script breakdown, location scouting, scheduling, call sheets and other tasks.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

4) Call for applications for the cinematographer (d.o.p.) department

Activity at the workshop: d.o.p.s photograph the short films made during the camp. Every d.o.p. shoots one short film working closely with the directors. Additionally, d.o.p.s collaborate on a collective cinematographic etude by the end of the camp. D.o.p.s have the opportunity to participate in a shooting process under professional conditions, using professional gear.

Topics: knowledge of various gear elements, using grip and other equipment, lighting exercises, discussion of appropriate aspects of the location, coming up with the visual world of the short film, preparing for shooting, the filming itself and image post-production.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

5) Call for applications for the editing department

Activity at the workshop: editors acquire the theoretical and practical skills for editing and script supervision. During the first few days (without shooting) the department’s students acquire theoretical knowledge about shots, continuity, script supervision, different editing techniques. During shooting they work as clapper and script/continuity supervisor, then edit the films in a professional software with the mentor’s supervision.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

6. Call for applications for the sound department

Activity at the workshop: members of the sound group acquire the skills of on set and post-production sound recording, sound editing and mixing, foley work etc. The camp also provides a good practice opportunity for those who already have experience in such activities.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

7. Call for applications for the production manager-producer department

Activity at the workshop: acquiring the necessary skills for pre-production (budgeting, scheduling, crew assembly etc) and production management. The attendants work as production managers for the short films made during the camp. These practical skills will be complemented with theory as well, illustrated by watching films and “making-of” films.

Main topics: production preparation (production scheduling, budgeting, crew assembly, casting and location scouting, rehearsals, etc.); funding, formats (feature film, TV film, documentary, commercial, short film, etc.); domestic and international grants and applicatons, forums, institutions, learning opportunities; duties during and after filming; distribution, marketing, film festivals.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

8. Call for applications for the actors’ department

Activity at the workshop: the group’s members participate in film acting exercises, and appear on-screen in the short films made at the camp. They also voice or narrate the animated shorts which are made during the workshop.

Careful! We are expecting young, professional actors who either already graduated from acting school or are at least in their sophomore year. We are also looking for non-professional actors with film experience.

Documents and attachments required for application

Take me to registration

 

The organizers of the Filmtett Workshop will only use the collected personal data that is crucial for the application and maintaining contact with the applicant. We won’t be making the data available to third parties and we won’t be storing the data on a third party device.

Films made during Filmtett Workshop can be nominated at any festival by thir creators, provided that the camp organizers are notified in advance. Online (unlisted) access for said festival nominations is provided exclusively on Filmtett Association’s YouTube channel. After the festival eligiblity period the videos will become listed and watchable by anyone.

Participants

Location

Mentors

Festival appearances

Films/2006

  • Swimming Lesson

    Short feature | Hungary-Romania | 4 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Magyari Zsolt

  • Intro-outro

    Experimental | Hungary-Romania | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Gábos Albin

  • Dirt

    Short feature | Hungary-Romania | 3 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Iványi Zsófia

  • Always Number One

    Documentary | Hungary-Romania | 12 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Csuja László

  • Rosary

    Short feature | Hungary-Romania | 3 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Csuja László

  • "Jonny Weismüller" Pool

    Experimental | Hungary-Romania | 7 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Druga Viviana

  • Keep it cold!

    Animation | Hungary-Romania | 2 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Varga Szabolcs

  • Scissors Factory

    Animation | Hungary-Romania | 2 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Balázs Zoltán

  • Signal 2006

    Animation | Hungary-Romania | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Patrovits Tamás

  • The last cigarette

    Animation | Hungary-Romania | 1 minute | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Vodál Vera

  • Braindrag

    Animation | Hungary-Romania | 2 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Bredár Sebestyén

  • Intruders

    Short feature | Hungary-Romania | 5 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Tóth Andrea

  • Completely Dirty

    Short feature | Hungary-Romania | 5 minutes | 2006 | No sub.

    Director: Ferenczik Áron