Film and TV Directing
Established: 1973
Educational Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
Form of Education: Full-time
Program Director:
Academic Team:
Prof. Dr. Stanislav Semerdjiev (Fiction Film Screenwriting, Character Development, Plot Development, World Culture,), Prof. Dr. Docho Bodjakov (Film & TV Directing, Thriller Directing, Working with Actors, Working with Children, Documentary Film Directing, Fiction Film Directing), Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Ovcharov (Film & TV Directing, Mise-en-scène and Mise-en-shot, Erotic Scene Directing, Working with Animals, Working with Actors, Documentary Film Directing, Fiction Film Directing), Dr. Radoslav Kamburov (Film and TV Directing), Martin Genovski (Film and TV Directing), Maria Averina (Film and TV Directing), Boya Harizanova (Film and TV Directing), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emil Rashev (Film and TV Cinematography), Prof. Dr. Teodor Yanev (Film and TV Cinematography), Prof. Dr. Emilia Stoeva (Film and TV Cinematography, English Language Terminology), Dr. Krassimir Stoichkov (Film and TV Cinematography), Zdravko Ruzhev (Film and TV Cinematography), Hristo Bozadzhiev (Film and TV Cinematography), Petar Nenov (Film and TV Cinematography), Dr. Andrei Rashev (Film and TV Cinematography), Plamen Botovski (Film and TV Cinematography), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valentina Fidanova-Kolarova (Film and TV Editing), Assoc. Prof. Rossitza Ilieva (Film and TV Editing), Eng. Dimitar Stoichev (Film and TV Editing), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nina Altaparmakova (Film and TV Editing), Andrea-Nikol Kostova (Film and TV Editing), Liuboslav Bonev (Film and TV Editing), Zina Nacheva (Film and TV Editing), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valeria Krachunova-Popova (Film and TV Sound), Assoc. Prof. Pavel Stefanov (Film and TV Sound), Dr. Tsvetelina Tsvetkova (Film and TV Sound), Stefan Makedonski (Film and TV Sound), Desislava Georgieva (Film and TV Sound), Ivailo Natsev (Film and TV Sound), Georgi Penkov (Film and TV Sound), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elena Trencheva (Film and TV Design), Dr. Boyana Bachvarova (Film and TV Design), Hristo Karaivanov (Film and TV Design), Desislava Bankova (Film and TV Design), Iva Petkova (Film and TV Design), Elena Misheva (Film and TV Design), Assoc. Prof. Vladislav Budinov (Animation), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gospodin Nedelchev (Animation), Dr. Penyu Kiratzov (Animation), Ivailo Seferov (Animation), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimir Andonov (Photography), Assoc. Prof. Iglena Ruseva (Photography), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Nishkov (Photography), Krikor Vanlian (Photography), Mariana Zhizhanova (Photography), Tanya Decheva (Photography), Dimitar Vladimirov (Photography), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ema Konstantinova (Film and TV Producing), Dr. Hristo Bonev (Film and TV Producing), Dr. Asparuh Nikolov(Film and TV Producing), Petar Harizanov (Film and TV Producing), Ivo Nikolov (Film and TV Producing), Prof. Dr. Sc. Maya Dimitrova (Screen Research and Journalism, American Cinema, Western European Cinema), Irina Ivanova (Screen Research and Journalism), Prof. Dr. Sc. Vladimir Ignatovksi (Theory of Entertainment Arts), Prof. Dr. Sc. Bojidar Manov (Aesthetics of Documentary Cinema), Assoc. Prof. Yuri Dachev (Principles of TV Journalism, Film Adaptation), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimira Guercheva (Aesthetics of Animation Cinema), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Ivanov (Russian Cinema, Balkan Cinema, Eastern European Cinema), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andronika Martonova (Asian Cinema), Boryana Mateeva (Latin American Cinema), Dr. Krasimir Kastelov (Bulgarian Cinema, Introduction to the History of Cinema), Dr. Yana Dzharova-Karakoleva (History of Television), Prof. Dr. Kalin Gaidarov (Personality Psychology, Children Psychology, Social Psychology), Neli Dimitrova (TV Series Screenwriting, Character Development, Plot Development), Nikolai Yordanov (Character Development, Plot Development, TV Reality Formats), Alexandra Petkova (Character Development, Plot Development), Prof. Dr. Sc. Miroslav Dachev (Semiotics, World Culture), Prof. Dr. Svetlana Stoicheva-Andersson (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivailo Kostov (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boyka Donevksa (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rumiana Evtimova (World Culture), Prof. Dr. Sc. Kamelia Nikolova (World Culture), Prof. Dr. Milena Bratoeva (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boris Minkov (World Culture), Prof. Dr. Yuri Stoyanov (World Cuture), Prof. Dr. Madlen Danova (World Culture), Prof. Dr. Julian Kuyumdzhiev (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rossen Roussev (World Culture), Prof. Dr. Kalina Stefanova (World Culture), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mariyana Lazarova (Copyright and Related Rights in the Audiovisual Field), Eng. Zhivko Ivanov (Visual Effects), Prof. Dr. Marin Damianov (Screenwriting for Thriller, Crime Narrative Development, Screenwriting and Psychoanalysis, Documentary Film Screenwriting), Assoc. Prof. Lubomir Hristov (Music Video Directing, TV Commercial Directing, TV Adaptation Directing), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stoyan Lazarov (Directing Animals), Dr. Kamen Ivanov (Fight and Stunt Choreography), Dr. Emil Videv (Fight and Stunt Directing), Ilian Dzhevelekov (Erotic Scene Directing), Petar Varbanov (Acting), Deyan Rusev (Casting), Vassil Nikolov (TV Studio Programme Directing), Dr. Rossitza Mladenova (TV Studio Programme Directing)
1.ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The aim of this educational programme is to develop capacities and skills of students to be able to undertake directors’ and assistant directors’ positions for all audiovisual genres. After an interdisciplinary education during the first academic year, educational priorities focus on the directing of documentaries and feature films, television commercials and music videos, reality TV formats and studio programs, etc.
This specialized education focuses on modules, dedicated to directing a feature novel, directing a documentary, directing a TV adaptation, directing a music video, dramaturgy of a thriller, dramaturgy of a documentary, theory of film adaptation, visual effects, casting, working with actors, directing fights and stunts, music for screen arts, etc.
There are also other disciplines combined in specialized modules in the field of: philosophy, religion, literature, theater, music, art, architecture, psychology, history of cinema, semiotics, theory of performing arts and others.
2. EDUCATION
Education in this programme can only be at a full-time basis and lasts for 4 years. Students who have completed their credits under the programme curriculum have to pass an oral and written state exam in the respective field of study, as well as a final diploma defence of a practical director’s project (not shorter than 20 minutes).
3. QUALIFICATION
Graduates of the programme acquire the educational qualification degree “Bachelor of Arts” with professional qualification “Film and Television Director”. Graduated students find job perspectives in creative and production companies in Bulgaria and abroad, in the creation and realisation of feature films, television series and adaptations, documentaries, corporate and educational films, music and advertising videos, online productions, video and multimedia projects. They can also continue their education further in Master programmes.
During their education, students get acquainted with the world practice and models, as well as with the professional terminology in English language, which allows them to work with/in foreign production, as well as co-productions in Bulgaria and abroad.
4. ADMISSION EXAM
When submitting their application, candidates must submit a complete portfolio. It may contain: scripts, essays, poems, short stories, plays, novels, paintings, drawings, photographs, films, original music, performances of songs and musical instruments, recordings of musical performances and other artistic materials of the candidate’s choice. Literature materials must be in a pdf format and not exceeding 5 pages. Images must be in jpg format. Audiovisual materials must be in mp-4 format and not exceeding a total duration of 10 minutes. The sound materials must be in mp-3 format and not exceeding a total duration of 10 minutes. The purpose of the portfolio is to present the applicant’s interests, artistic preferences, potential skills and mindset in as many details as possible. Upon acceptance of application documents, the portfolio is sealed in an envelope with the name of the applicant. All materials must be uploaded in the Google Drive cloud space with a limit up to 3 GB.
Stage I – Practical Exam (anonymous)
Applicants receive a script (same for all applicants), based on which they have to shoot and edit a film sketch, lasting up to 3 minutes (shot in NATFA’s studios). NATFA provides students in cinematography and editing, who technically assist the applicants in the shooting and editing of the sketch, as well as students among whom the applicants select performers for the roles in the sketch.
Exam duration: 300 minutes (the preparation time, rehearsals and shooting for each candidate is 180 minutes, for the editing – 120 minutes). Candidates who received a score that is lower than average (3.00) are excluded from attending the second exam stage.
Stage II – Oral Exam
Applicants’ filmed sketches that are admitted to the second phase in the examination process, are viewed by the Final Selection Committee. Members of the Committee are: the Rector, the Dean of the Faculty of Screen Arts and Program Directors of all programs in the Faculty. Applicants attend the screening of their sketches and after that analyze the results and answer questions, related to their artistic choices and decisions, the acting, storyboarding, mise-en-scène construction, visual and sound solution, and other components of the sketch. The Selection Committee also has a conversation with the applicants about the materials, included in their application portfolio. The aim of this exam stage is to understand as more as possible about applicants’ skills, potential capabilities, interests, overall cultural knowledge and background, ability for independent thinking and artistic reflections. Candidates whose score is lower than average (3.00) are excluded from participation in the final ranking.
