Postgraduate Program in Film & Audiovisual Directing

Postgraduate program

From vision to screen.

Develop your voice as a director and learn how to turn a creative vision into a fully realized film.

Taught entirely in English, this one-year postgraduate film directing program combines mise-en-scène, directing actors, visual storytelling, shooting and post-production with regular practical directing experience.

You will learn how to shape a directorial vision, translate it into clear artistic and technical choices, and bring it to the screen in collaboration with cinematography, sound, production, editing and other creative departments.

Imagine. Direct. Bring your vision to the screen.

Campus

Paris West

Entry requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent French or international qualification, in any discipline. A good level of English is required.

Qualification

hip

At a glance

Duration

1 Year – 60 ECTS credits

Languages

English

Next intake

September 2027

Pace

Full Time

Study format

On-Campus, followed by professional experience at the end of the program.

Format

On-Campus

Internship durations

12 weeks

Tuition fees - Non-French tax residents

€18,000

This program is for you if

  • You hold a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent French or international qualification and want to specialize in film directing.
  • You already have some academic, personal or professional experience in film, photography, theatre, writing, visual media or screen production.
  • You want to develop a distinctive directorial voice and translate it into clear choices of mise-en-scène.
  • You want to strengthen your skills in directing actors, visual storytelling and collaboration with artistic and technical teams.
  • You want to understand and master the full filmmaking process, from pre-production through to post-production.
  • You want to build a strong directing portfolio and develop a clear artistic and professional identity.

Program objectives

  • Develop a personal artistic and narrative vision.
  • Analyze a script and develop a clear directorial approach.
  • Translate an artistic intention into shot design, mise-en-scène, image, sound and rhythm.
  • Direct actors from casting and rehearsals through to the shoot.
  • Prepare and lead a shoot.
  • Collaborate effectively with cinematography, sound, lighting, production design, costume, editing and production teams.
  • Supervise artistic choices during editing and post-production.
  • Use the main tools and workflows involved in contemporary film and screen production.
  • Understand the technical, organizational, legal and financial constraints that shape a production.
  • Build a professional portfolio and a coherent identity as a director.

A word from the Program Director

Directing means developing a point of view and knowing how to turn it into concrete choices: how to tell the story, where to place the camera, how to direct an actor, how to shape image and sound, and how to bring a team together around a shared vision. This program supports future directors from the first creative intention through to the completed work.

Soroush Marouf – International Program Director – Film & Audiovisual

Program highlights

  • Directing at the heart of the program
    Develop a point of view, make creative choices and learn how to bring a directorial vision to the screen.
  • Learn by directing
    Visual storytelling exercises, dialogue scenes, fiction, documentary and a final film give you regular opportunities to direct, test ideas, receive feedback and refine your own style.
  • A strong focus on directing actors
    Explore casting, rehearsals, intention, subtext, movement and the relationship between performer and camera in depth.
  • Master the language of image and sound
    Framing, lighting, camera movement, production design, sound, music and editing are approached as essential tools of mise-en-scène.
  • Understand the full filmmaking process
    Learn how to work with every department involved in a production and make artistic decisions that remain grounded in technical, practical and organizational realities.
  • Explore new tools for film and screen creation
    Virtual production, emerging digital workflows and artificial intelligence are examined through their practical applications in pre-production, shooting and post-production.
  • Build your directing portfolio throughout the year
    Each project adds to your body of work, culminating in a final film designed to become the centerpiece of your portfolio.
  • A truly international program
    Study film directing in English within a multicultural cohort and prepare to collaborate in international creative and production environments.

Directing & Visual Storytelling
Directing begins with a point of view.

This part of the program focuses on how to turn an idea, a script or an emotion into choices of performance, framing, movement, sound and rhythm.

You will develop your ability to shape a directorial vision, direct actors and give a story a coherent visual and sonic identity.

You will explore areas including:

  • film language and audiovisual grammar;
  • script analysis and writing for directors;
  • director’s statement and directing dossier;
  • shot planning and visual preparation;
  • composition, framing, space and camera movement;
  • casting, rehearsals and directing actors;
  • cinematography and lighting;
  • production design, sets and costumes;
  • sound, music and sonic storytelling;
  • fiction directing;
  • documentary directing;
  • editing, rhythm and narrative structure;
  • color grading, mixing and artistic supervision of post-production;
  • emerging workflows and technologies for film and screen creation.

Preparing and Managing a Shoot

A creative vision only becomes a film if it can be prepared, communicated and brought to life by a team.

You will learn how to:

  • build a directing dossier;
  • prepare shot breakdowns and sequences;
  • organize location scouting;
  • identify artistic and technical requirements;
  • work with production teams to adapt creative choices to available resources;
  • prepare actors and rehearsals;
  • lead a film set and make directing decisions;
  • anticipate editing and post-production requirements.

Learn by Directing

The year is structured around projects of increasing complexity, giving you regular opportunities to experiment, receive feedback and progressively refine your directorial voice.

Projects may include a visual storytelling exercise, a dialogue scene focused on directing actors, an exercise centered on framing, movement or sound, a documentary project, a short fiction film and a final film.

 Final Project – Imagine. Direct. Deliver.

Your final project is the culmination of the year and the centerpiece of your directing portfolio.

Throughout the program, you will develop an original project from initial concept through to final film.

You will define its artistic intention, develop the script, build your directing dossier and prepare the shot design, visual and sound choices, casting and rehearsals.

You will then direct the shoot and supervise editing, sound, color grading and post-production through to the final version.

The program concludes with a screening and presentation before a jury of film and screen industry professionals, accompanied by a directing dossier and a review of your artistic and professional positioning.