MA Serial Storytelling ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln

TH Köln (University of Applied Sciences)

Prospective students may apply for one of two tracks: an international track or a German-language track. The majority of classes and projects are held in English for the entire group. However, for more elaborate writing projects and for classes geared to specific series markets (international or German-language series markets), students may split into two tracks.

The MA Serial Storytelling at the ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln is Europe’s first and only international Master’s Programme focusing on collaborative writing for series.

Focusing on both local and international series markets, this intensive two-year Master's degree programme combines story development skills, collaboration techniques ("Writers’ Room"), and the innovative approach of artistic research. Students work with highly acclaimed international guest speakers and scholars, such as Matt Hastings (The Handmaid’s Tale), Bob Konrad (Kleo), Denise Harkavy (The Expanse), Philip Käßbohrer & Matthias Murmann (How To Sell Drugs Online [Fast]), Annette Hess (The Interpreter of Silence, Ku’damm 56/59/63), Tyron Ricketts (Sam – A Saxon), Frank Spotnitz (X-Files, The Man in the High Castle), Hagai Levi (The Affair, In Treatment), Jeppe Gjervig Gram (Borgen, Follow the Money), Pilar Alessandra (On the Page), Laurie Hutzler (Nine Powers), Stanislavs Tokalovs & Teodora Markova (Soviet Jeans), and many more.

The programme is supported by industry partners such as RTL, ZDF/ZDFneo, btf bildundtonfabrik, Network Movie, Series Mania, Seriencamp, and the Film Festival Cologne.

https://www.filmschule.de/en/studies/ma-serial-storytelling

Tuition fee for EU students: 2,750 EUR per semester (including study funds)
Tuition fee for non-EU students: 3,750 EUR per semester (including study funds)

One-time registration fee for all students: 400 EUR

The Master's programme "MA Serial Storytelling" guides young professionals in exploring, conquering, and expanding forms and methods of serial narration for TV and digital platforms. Accompanied by renowned series creators, script consultants, and media scholars, the students analyse the secrets behind the success of popular series and develop their own innovative series concepts.

Series dramaturgy, character development, and collaborative writing processes ("Writers' Room") are at the centre of their practical work.

In addition to narrative and media-theoretical content, the programme conveys the basics of transnational markets and new media platforms. It also supports the students in exploring innovative narrative forms, work structures, and distribution channels.

With a strong focus on collaboration skills and innovative strategies, the MA Serial Storytelling programme provides aspiring series writers with exceptional learning experiences:

Relevant Skills for a Wide Range of Career Paths

• acquire a wide-ranging skill set that combines the tools of professional screenwriters and an in-depth knowledge of creative teamwork
• master models and methods of serial storytelling formats

Hands-On Experience

• develop four to five series projects with different formats over four semesters
• create fascinating characters, compelling ensembles, surprising plots and sustainable concepts
• master key soft skills such as pitching, networking and negotiating
• gain hands-on experience in collaborative as well as individual screenwriting, including the creation of a complete drama series within a writers’ room led by an expert professional showrunner

Industry Insights and Networking Opportunities

• learn from highly acclaimed international writers, producers
• enjoy privileged networking and pitching opportunities, e.g. at international series festivals such as Seriencamp and Series Mania

Artistic Research and the Social Responsibility of the Storyteller

• explore philosophical and ethical topics and expand the knowledge of serial storytelling in academic as well as artistic research projects
• discuss pressing social issues as well as current trends and visions of future series markets, formats and ways of distribution with acclaimed experts from various fields
• transform these findings into exciting, innovative and relevant serial narratives

3,750 EUR

Tuition fee for EU students: 2,750 EUR per semester (including study funds)
Tuition fee for non-EU students: 3,750 EUR per semester (including study funds)

One-time registration fee for all students: 400 EUR

Approx. 340 EUR per semester (including the ticket for local public transportation)

934 EUR per month

To obtain a Master's degree, applicants must have an undergraduate degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) with a minimum of 180 ECTS credits or a higher degree (e.g. a German "Magister" or "Diplom") from an accredited university, and must have worked in the field of media production for at least one year. The ifs welcomes talented applicants who have received degrees in unrelated fields. In addition, applicants need to provide proof of adequate English language skills (see below) as well as basic training in screenwriting and dramaturgy. The latter may be acquired by enrolling in an ifs summer school before the start of the programme.

In justified exceptional cases, applicants with exceptional artistic skills whose CVs lack one or more of these formal requirements may request to enrol in the programme as advanced training participants.

Applicants need to provide proof of their English language skills at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, e.g. by a TOEFL score of 72 points (Internet-based) or equivalent test results. Native English speakers are exempted from this, as are applicants holding an English high school diploma or an English academic degree. In addition, all applicants have to demonstrate the appropriate level of English during the selection process (interviews and writing assignments).

German language skills are only required for students in the German track.

https://www.filmschule.de/en/studies/ma-serial-storytelling

For financial support to cover tuition fees and/or living expenses, students can apply for an interest-free loan from the first semester (BA) or from the second semester (MA) onwards from the "Friends of the ifs Society". The approval of the interest-free loans depends on the financial situation of the applicant and the amount of funds available. Repayment of the loans begins six months after graduation or completion of studies.

For all ifs degree programmes (except the MA 3D Animation for Film and Games), the "Friends of ifs Society" awards scholarships to particularly talented students in need of financial support. The scholarships cover the tuition fees. After successfully passing the entrance exam, interested students can apply for both a scholarship and a loan.

The students are professionally supervised by two professors, numerous guest lecturers and members of the faculty. Tutors assist them in their study projects. In addition, students also receive support from the administration.

The ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln is a comprehensive educational and professional training institution with an artistic-scientific focus serving aspiring media professionals. On the initiative of the NRW state government and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, the school was founded in 2000 as a non-profit company, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW being the sole principal partner of the ifs. The ifs is consistently ranked as one of the best film schools in Germany, based on its outstanding student support, excellent teaching and project work and active festival participation, including a Student Academy Award. The ifs portfolio encompasses the Bachelor's programme in Film, offering various specialisations, alongside Master’s programmes in 3D Animation for Film & Games, Digital Narratives, Entertainment Producing and Serial Storytelling. The study programmes are carried out in cooperation with the TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences. In addition, there are several professional training programmes for media professionals, including the unique European Showrunner programme. The courage and will to promote ongoing development and change is what distinguishes the ifs. The school enjoys a constant flow of impulses and inspiration through its close collaborations in all the fields of the audiovisual landscape. The primary focus lies on the media developments and innovations of the future. The school is a member of CILECT as well as the International Association of Film and Television Schools. It cultivates partnerships with a global network of film schools and universities.

The ifs in a nutshell:

• innovative media education reflecting current developments and their aesthetic and cultural potential
• individual and intensive support provided through small groups of students and a two-year programme cycle
• excellent teaching by renowned national and international filmmakers and academics serving as professors and lecturers
• network building during studies facilitated by a strong practical orientation and numerous contacts in the media sector
• professional teamwork fostered by a combination of vocational specialisation and interdisciplinary cooperation
• intercultural experience gained through international collaborations with film schools worldwide

Cologne (Germany), a city with a 2,000 year heritage, is a buzzing media hub. A third of Germany’s TV programmes are produced in Cologne. Key TV and radio stations, numerous renowned film and TV production companies and more than 70 print and digital publishing companies are based in the city, drawing a creative and artistic crowd. In addition, a large and still growing number of exciting international productions are made in Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia.

The ifs is located in Schanzenstraße in Cologne-Mülheim, which is the creative and media quarter – next door to TV production companies, studio facilities, publishing houses, a radio station and the municipal theatre.