T-Port’s newest partner Filmakademie Wien, the innovative educational and training centre for film and television professionals based in Vienna, Austria, has been raising film professionals for the past 70 years.
We spoke to the Head of the Institution, who also holds a professorship in production, Danny Krausz, to talk about what they have to offer aspiring filmmakers and how he sees the future of film.
Filmakademie Wien have joined T-Port and professional subscribers can view their offerings here.
What about your role and organisation do you find most inspiring?
The exchange between future filmmakers and past-present professionals
There are good films, but, in your personal opinion, what makes a great film and how do you separate the two?
The biggest enemy of a good film is a great film. Keeping images, feelings, messages and the power makes a film great. A good film might be repeated to gain that substance.
If you could only watch one film on a loop for the rest of time, what would it be?
Fellini’s Roma (1972)
What makes Filmakademie Wien special?
The students! We as teachers can only support the individual talents on their way into the future. The opportunities are unique at our university in many ways.
Technically we provide state of the art equipment, we are located amongst other institutions which are somehow related to filmmaking, we have a studio and we try to provide a diverse composition of teachers and lecturers.
That we connect the departments during the first 1 ½ years is also essential at our institution and gives the students the wider perspective of it all.
What do you look for in a prospective student?
That does not change for me: strong personality and social competence are basic tools, talent alongside does not hurt of course.
Why are short films important?
Do films is the essence of it all. And shorts are formats which can handle the balance of training and their timing.
What do you think is important for young filmmakers to know about film distribution?
Young filmmakers need to be able to identify the audience, and once that is in sight, the knowledge of distribution comes naturally.
What do feel young film talents lack the most today, after graduating from film school? Where are the gaps in the film industry?
The professional scene is often not very cosy, rather hard and tough. This is not easy to overcome, and we try to prepare them.
What is your single most important piece of advice for upcoming filmmakers to follow?
Filmmaking needs to be joyful and not frightful. It’s a lifetime every day on set. Confidence is a good support in this and we try to enable teams to find that.
Is there anything else you would like to mention?
Go to the cinema!
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