Short Film – Tallinn Summer School

Non-Degree / Dates: 14 July – 1 August 2025

Tallinn Summer School, in cooperation with the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) offers an inspiring course of practical film-making.

During the three-week course, experienced tutors will take you through the stages of filmmaking, from script writing to post-production. As a result, you will take home a short film in which you participated creatively. Allthough everybody will write a script upon their own idea, not everybody’s script will end up in a short film shot during the course. In total there will be 4 short films made in groups.

The three weeks are divided into three film production cycles: pre-production, production and post-production. Groups will use the equipment, film studios and editing facilities of BFM.

During the first week, you will learn about storytelling and get a quick introduction to the craft of filmmaking. You will pitch your idea, develop a script for a short film, get to know the camera, lights and sound equipment. Participants will choose 4 scripts to shoot and team up. Together with your creative team members, you will develop the shooting script and shot list, cast your actors, search for locations, costumes and props.

The second week is spent on capturing ideas on set. Before shooting you will receive expert tips from your directing, cinematography, and sound tutors. You will be shooting a short film with your team for the rest of the week.

The focus of the third week is editing. You will learn a professional editing program and cut your film using BFM’s post-production facilities. You will get feedback on your rough cut from a professional editor. The course will end with an open screening of the films in the BFM’s cinema SuperNova.

By joining the course, you acknowledge that on this course production of short films will be done in groups and that your idea and script may not be selected for production during the course, and you will be part of a team working on someone else’s film.

Why this course?

Thanks to its very practical and hands-on approach, many participants around the world have chosen this course to experience the exciting journey inside the art of filmmaking.
At the end of the course you will get a chance to screen your own short film in a real cinema theatre – the Supernova Cinema – in the final screening event.
This course benefits from the professional filming equipment and the modern sound and editing facilities at disposal at the Baltic Film and Media School department, the national film school of Estonia.

Teacher(s)

Madli Lääne is a writer, director, and editor with an MFA in Film and Media Production from the University of Texas at Austin, USA, in 2017. MA in Film Arts, Tallinn University, 2008.

Elina Kengsepp is a supervisor of montage and editing.

Erik Kiviselg, Supervisor of the camera and lighting workshop and on-call assistant to teams on shooting days.

Joosep Anton, Supervisor of the sound recording workshop and on-call assistant to teams on shooting days.

Timetable

From Monday to Friday, 10.00 – 18.00. In addition, there is independent work in the afternoons and evenings, possibly also during the weekend. As an example, please see also the detailed schedule.

As there is a lot of independent/group work, it’s not possible to register for the cultural programme events and workshops.

Participants

The course is suitable for all people who are interested in filmmaking and are keen on putting their creative ideas into practice. No particular experience in filmmaking is required and the school encourages the enrolment of students from all backgrounds and countries. Each participant receives a diploma and a copy of the short films produced. The course is limited to 20 participants.