Masterschool
Are you ready to step your documentary project and filmmaking skills up to the next level?
Europe’s longest running documentary training programme is back for its 25th year!
The Masterschool is a one-stop-shop for non-fiction projects looking to thrive in international markets and successfully finance and produce original factual-based formats.
Embark on a career-changing 10-month long training & development journey together with +30 fellow European filmmakers
We will equip you to bring the full potential of your story to the world through:
✓ 5 Workshops with internationally renowned experts.
✓ 3 Webinars.
✓ Individual mentorship through the year.
✓ 1-on-1 consultancy with industry experts
✓ Extensive networking opportunities
Our mission is to empower you to find your voice, develop your story and navigate the worldwide market by providing tailored training in skills that will have a long-lasting impact on your career, like:
- Storytelling strategies for non-fiction
- Audience design & online marketing
- Professional pitching
- International co-producing & financing
- Impact producing & legal affairs
- And many more…
Through our decades-long experience in the field of development and training, we offer filmmakers a unique blend of interactive workshops, customised mentorship, carefully matched 1-on-1 sessions with top industry specialists and networking opportunities in the most important European Documentary Markets (including IDFA, DOK.Leipzig, CPH:DOX, and DOK.Fest Munich)
Up to 70% of Masterschool projects enter production
Finally, you'll pitch your fully developed project at our Pitching Forum during the SILBERSALZ Science & Media Festival in Halle (Saale), where you'll be in direct contact with international commissioners, funders, and producing partners to get your documentary not only off the ground, but into the stratosphere.
+40 international industry experts
As well as hands-on training, Masterschool also provides invaluable contacts with international experts to fuel your production company for all future endeavours. Mentors include representatives from FOCAL International, ARTE, FIFDH, ORF, HBO, Sundance, Netflix, ZDF, Dare Pictures, and more.
Join Oscar-nominated filmmakers
For over 20 years, the Masterschool programme has developed internationally acclaimed films, including:
- 2021 three-time Oscar nominated Flee
- 2016’s festival hit Notes on Blindness and its corresponding VR experience Into Darkness
- Slovenia’s official Oscar entry Houston, we have a Problem
- Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hanna Polak's Something Better to Come
Will your documentary be the next big thing? With Masterschool, we can help you make it happen.
All this and more for €0 lecture fees
We pride ourselves on being an affordable training initiative, allowing a diverse and broad range of filmmakers to participate. Masterschool has no lecture fees and no application fees. Scholarships are also available for travel costs to workshops and industry events.
For more information about the cost of Masterschool, please visit our FAQs.
Apply now for the Masterschool 2025
We are looking for:
- 15 projects in development stage
- With strong international potential
- We are open for all types of factual content and formats: TV series, one-offs, creative docs, multi-platform, web, or VR projects as well as animated projects
- We welcome applicants from all over Europe who are experienced in their domestic markets
For more information, please check the FAQs.
Documentary Campus encourages applications from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
* To apply, please submit your project via FilmFreeway.
* More information about the application process can be found HERE.
Deadline for submissions is 1 December 2024!
