So i’m going to apply to film school and i would deeply appreciate some advice from you
This is what is going to be asked of me:
the admission process has two stages.
**Stage 1 (Elimination Round)** consists of two exams:
**Exam 1:**
An interview.
A film culture colloquium based on a mandatory filmography that applicants must study beforehand.
A short audiovisual storytelling exercise: I am shown a single image and have to create a story inspired by that image, explaining how I would tell it cinematically.
**Exam 2:**
Another storytelling exercise, but this time I am given a sentence or a short phrase instead of an image, and I have to build a narrative from it.
An analysis of a sequence from one of the films included in the mandatory filmography. The focus is on directing choices, visual storytelling, and cinematic language.
**Stage 2 (Graded Round):**
Applicants who pass the elimination stage move on to a practical directing exam.
The school provides:
Two actors.
A cinematographer.
A sound recordist.
A short text that serves as the basis for the scene.
I have **only three hours** to complete the entire process. Within that time I must:
Read and interpret the text.
Develop a directorial concept.
Work with the actors on their performances.
Collaborate with the cinematographer and sound recordist.
Plan the blocking and shot composition.
Shoot a short scene based on the text.
The emphasis is not on producing a polished final film, but on demonstrating directing ability: interpreting the text, communicating with actors and crew, making creative decisions under pressure, and telling the story effectively through cinematic language.
I’m looking for advice on how to prepare for each stage, especially the practical directing exam, since it requires making strong creative decisions in a very limited amount of time.
any advice would be deeply appreciated