Artisan of Cinema

Shooting · Editing · Directing · Producing

Lights… action! This programme prepares students for careers in cinema and audiovisual production, with a focus on live action, a sector in constant evolution.

Programme: Cinema & Audiovisual
Speciality: Live-action
Location: Orly, Île-de-France

Download brochure Applications from end of October

Students in a shooting workshop at École Méliès, Orly — Artisan of Cinema programme, learning cinematographic techniques — Shooting workshop — Artisan of Cinema programme · École Méliès, Orly

Learning Objectives of the Programme

This programme prepares students for careers in cinema and audiovisual production, with a focus on live action, a sector in constant evolution.

Develop a critical eye for the images of cinema today and tomorrow.
Sharpen your skills through practice, to prepare, shoot and edit projects.
Understand every stage of the production chain of a film or other live-action artistic production.
In the 4th year, make a short film under real production conditions, specialising in one craft of cinema.

Download brochure Applications from end of October

Programme Overview

Lights… action! This programme prepares students for careers in cinema and audiovisual production, with a focus on live action, a sector in constant evolution.

Students learn to develop a critical eye for the images of cinema today and tomorrow, to sharpen their skills through practice in order to prepare, shoot and edit projects, and to understand every stage of the production chain of a film or other live-action artistic production.

In the 4^th year, they make a short film under real production conditions, specialising in one craft of cinema. They work immersed within a crew, putting into practice the know-how and professional conduct passed on throughout the programme. This graduation film may be made jointly with students from the Artisan of the Animated Image programme. It is presented to a jury of professionals at the end of the year.

Duration: 4 years
Admission: Open with any Baccalauréat, outside Parcoursup
Places: 25 places
Class size: 25 students per class

Years 1 & 2 — Fundamentals

Audiovisual and film culture: film analysis, introduction to writing
Core techniques: photography, framing, compositing; handling the camera and set lighting; sound, editing, grading
Production and organisation: running a shoot, teamwork, technical and logistical constraints
Opening to new technologies: introduction to 3D applied to the image
Practice: exercises, advertising, documentary and fiction, shoots under teaching conditions, first digital projects (3D and VFX)

Tuition €9,500

Year 3 — Professionalisation

Advanced shooting techniques (digital and film)
Introduction to new practices: previz-on-set, production and digital grading workflows, creation of virtual environments
First short film under professional conditions

Tuition €9,500

Year 4 — Specialisation and graduation film

Choice of a specialisation: Directing, Editing, Cinematography, Visual effects, Sets & Environments
Workshops and exercises according to the chosen specialisation
Graduation film (short fiction), screened at festivals and presented to a jury of professionals

Tuition €9,500

Master 2

Master 2 specialisation on a work-study basis, leading to a university degree awarded in partnership with UPEC

Tuition Work-study

Student Work

The Artisan of Cinema programme is a 4-year curriculum that prepares students for careers in cinema and audiovisual production, with a focus on live action, a sector in constant evolution.

In the 4^th year, students make a short film under real production conditions, specialising in one craft of cinema. This graduation film may be made jointly with students from the Artisan of the Animated Image programme. It is presented to a jury of professionals at the end of the year.

4 years
25 places
Cinema & Audiovisual
Master 2 on a work-study basis

On-set directing — Artisan of Cinema programme, École Méliès

Actor direction — Artisan of Cinema workshop

Studio lighting — Artisan of Cinema programme

Short film shoot — students at École Méliès

Post-production — editing suite, Artisan of Cinema programme

Years 1 & 2 Fundamentals 5 points

Audiovisual and film culture: film analysis, introduction to writing
Core techniques: photography, framing, compositing; handling the camera and set lighting; sound, editing, grading
Production and organisation: running a shoot, teamwork, technical and logistical constraints
Opening to new technologies: introduction to 3D applied to the image
Practice: exercises, advertising, documentary and fiction, shoots under teaching conditions, first digital projects (3D and VFX)

Year 3 Professionalisation 3 points

Advanced shooting techniques (digital and film)
Introduction to new practices: previz-on-set, production and digital grading workflows, creation of virtual environments
First short film under professional conditions

Year 4 Specialisation and graduation film 3 points

Choice of a specialisation: Directing, Editing, Cinematography, Visual effects, Sets & Environments
Workshops and exercises according to the chosen specialisation
Graduation film (short fiction), screened at festivals and presented to a jury of professionals

Master 2 Work-study specialisation 1 point

Master 2 specialisation on a work-study basis, leading to a university degree awarded in partnership with UPEC

Target audience and career paths

Who is it for?

For school leavers holding the Baccalauréat:
With clear motivation, able to articulate a coherent artistic or professional project.
With a strong interest in cinema, audiovisual, storytelling and collaborative work.
With curiosity for the arts and their history.

What careers after?

Director (fiction, documentary, music videos, ads…)
Assistant director
Screenwriter / Storyboard artist
Director of Photography (cinematographer)
Camera operator / Camera assistant
Lighting technician (gaffer, electrician)
Grip (key grip, grip)
Picture editor
Colourist
Compositing artist / VFX artist / VFX supervisor
Motion designer
Post-production coordinator
Immersive project director (VR, AR, 360° video)
Virtual environment designer
DIT / Data manager / Operator
Qtake / Previz on-set operator
Producer
Entrepreneur in the audiovisual sector

Need information? Take action:

Download brochure Applications from end of October