updated 10/12/2024

The ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln is a full study and professional training institution with an artistic-scientific focus serving aspiring media professionals. On the initiative of the NRW state government and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, the school was founded in 2000 as a non-profit company, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW being the sole principal partner of the ifs.

The ifs is consistently ranked as one of the best film schools in Germany, based on its outstanding student support, excellent teaching and project work, and active festival participation, including a Student Academy Award.

The courage and will to promote ongoing development and change is what distinguishes the ifs. The school enjoys a constant flow of impulses and inspiration through its close collaborations in all the fields of the audiovisual landscape. The primary focus lies on the media developments and innovations of the future.

The school is a member of CILECT as well as the International Association of Film and Television Schools. It cultivates partnerships with a global network of film schools and universities.

The ifs in a nutshell

• Innovative media education that reflects current developments and their aesthetic and cultural potential;
• Individual and intensive support through small groups of students and a 2-year programme cycle;
• Excellent teaching by renowned national and international filmmakers and academics as professors and lecturers;
• Network building during studies through a strong practical orientation and numerous contacts in the media sector;
• Professional teamwork through a combination of vocational specialisation and interdisciplinary cooperation;
• Intercultural experience through international cooperations with film schools around the world

Study programmes

Film (B.A.)
with specialisation in:
Creative Producing | Directing | Director of Photography | Editing Picture & Sound | Production Design | Screenwriting | VFX & Animation

Duration:              7 semesters, full-time
Admission:           Every other year (winter semester)
Language:            German

3D Animation for Film & Games (M.A.)

Duration:              4 semesters, part-time
Admission:           Every year (winter semester)
Language:            English

DIGITAL NARRATIVES (M.A.)

Duration:              4 semesters, full-time
Admission:           Every other year (winter semester)
Language:            English

ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCING (M.A.)

Duration:              4 semesters, part-time
Admission:           Every other year (winter semester)
Language:            German

SERIAL STORYTELLING (M.A.)

Duration:              4 semesters, full-time
Admission:           Every other year (winter semester)
Language:            International track: English | German-language track: English & German

The study programmes are carried out in cooperation with the TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences.

Professional training programmes

The ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln offers a wide range of professional training opportunities for German and international media professionals in film, TV and entertainment: from compact seminars and workshops to programmes lasting several months, in presence, online or hybrid.

In the in-service programmes, participants receive everything they need for their future work: cutting-edge expertise and experience from recognised industry professionals, as well as space for exchange and networking. With her flexible portfolio, the ifs is constantly realigning herself with current developments in the audiovisual media industry.

Facilities

The ifs has excellent technical equipment that enables students to implement their creative ideas on a high technical level. This is oriented on current industry standards and professional production requirements. Our technology committee regularly evaluates current technical developments with regard to teaching and plans medium- and long-term acquisitions on this basis. The ifs technical inventory is thus constantly updated and expanded.

Every student can fully benefit from the high-quality technical equipment:

• Dolby Atmos movie theatre/auditorium (200 sqm with 160 seats);
• Studio with truss system and green screen (300 sqm);
• Production design workshop (connected to the studio);
• Film equipment rental (consisting of camera storage, light storage, camera test room);
• Post-production (consisting of editing suites, recording room, Dolby Atmos cinema mixing, pre-mixing and colour grading);
• VFX workspaces (with dedicated 3D printers and two render farms);
• Multimedia technology rental (motion capture suit, 360-degree cameras, VR glasses, projectors, tablets, cables/adapters, etc);
• Fully equipped seminar rooms (including computer rooms with iMac workstations)

School information

ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln gGmbH
Schanzenstraße 28
51063 Cologne
Germany

Website: www.filmschule.de
E-mail: info@filmschule.de
Phone: +49 221 920188-0