Screen Research and Journalism
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 (Character Development, Plot Development, World Culture), Prof. Dr. Docho Bodjakov (Film & TV Directing), Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Ovcharov (Film & TV Directing), Dr. Radoslav Kamburov (Film and TV Directing, Screen Research and Journalism), 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, Theory of Screen Perception), Irina Ivanova (Screen Research and Journalism), Prof. Dr. Sc. Vladimir Ignatovksi (Theory of Entertainment Arts, Media Theory), Prof. Dr. Sc. Bojidar Manov (Aesthetics of Documentary Cinema), Assoc. Prof. Yuri Dachev (Principles of TV Journalism, TV Journalism for the Screen Arts, 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, Archives Research), Prof. Dr. Kalin Gaidarov (Personality Psychology, Children Psychology, Social Psychology), Neli Dimitrova (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, Contemporary Bulgarian Literature, Theory of Myth), 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. Ivo Draganov (TV Programming), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Radostina Neikova (Animation Film Analysis), Prof. Dr. Petya Alexandrova (Journalism for Screen Arts in Print Media), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Donev (Film Distribution and Film Screening, Contemporary Bulgarian Cinema), Ivo Nikolov (Distribution Platforms for Audiovisual Productions), Helia Chavdarova (Radio Journalism for Screen Arts), Desislava Dimitrova (Public Relations), Yana Spaskova (TV Financing and Programming), Mira Staleva (Festival Management), Vassil Nikolov (TV Studio Programme Directing)
1.ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The aim of this educational programme is to develop capacities and skill of students to be able to work in all areas of the theory, history and practice of writing for the audiovisual art. After an interdisciplinary education during the first academic year, priorities focus on writing publications for the print and electronic media, participate in radio and television programmes, in the preparation and realization of film and television festivals, in the production and distribution of audiovisual products, as well as in the educational and creative work of students from other NATFA programmes.
This specialized training focuses on modules dedicated to the sociological and psychoanalytic approaches in screen research, media theory, screen art reception, specialised history of cinemas (Bulgarian, American, Russian, Western European, Eastern European, Latin American, Asian, Balkan, etc.), internet and radio journalism, research work with archives, festival management, screen distribution platforms, public relations, etc.
Additionally, there are modules on philosophy, religion, literature, theater, music, art, architecture, psychology, history of cinema, semiotics, theory of the performing arts and others.
Borislav Peshev, Verginia Milosheva, Velislav Dakov (Screen Research and Journalism programme, class 2018) – UNESCO programme |Sofia: The City of Cinema”, 2017 /// Presentation of the young Bulgarian cinema in La Femis – Paris, with the doctoral student Ralitsa Assenova and Lena Ruksel – a joint master project with NATFA (2016)
2. EDUCATION
Education is only full-time, lasting for 4 years. Graduates who have completed their credits under the programme curriculum have to pass an oral and written graduation exam in the respective field of study, as well as a practical diploma defence of a bachelor thesis – theoretical, historical or critical research (with a length of not less than 50 pages).
Denitsa Petrova, defended her doctoral thesis (2019)
3. QUALIFICATION
Graduates acquire bachelor’s degree, with professional qualification “Film Researcher/Journalist”. They have options to find jobs as film researchers or teachers; journalists in the print and electronic media; experts in the field of film and television production and new media; specialists in the field of film distribution, archiving and use of audiovisual products, festival events, cultural events; experts in management and legal regulation of state, collective and private institutions in the field of cinema, television and audiovisual industry (state institutions, public and private TV channels, copyright management companies). Graduates can also continue their education further in Master programmes.
During their education, students get acquainted with the world practices 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
When submitting their application, applicants 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 by the candidate’s choice. Literature materials must be in pdf format and not exceed 5 pages. Images must be in jpg format. Audiovisual materials must be in mp-4 format and not exceed a total duration of 10 minutes. Sound materials must be in mp-3 format and not exceed a total duration of 10 minutes. The purpose of the portfolio is to show 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 candidate. All materials must be uploaded in the Google Drive cloud space with a limit up to 3 GB.
Stage I – Practical Exam (anonymous)
Applicants watch a film together and immediately after the screening write an analytical essay on the film in which they are expected to show their understanding of the audiovisual medium and art.
Exam duration: 240 minutes (not including the screening itself).
Candidates who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in Stage II.
Stage II – Oral Exam
The written essays of the applicants admitted to Stage II are viewed by the Final Selection Committee. The Committee comprises of: NATFA’s Rector, the Dean of the Faculty of Screen Arts and the Program Directors of all the programs in the faculty. Applicants are then invited to answer questions, related to their essays. The Final Selection Committee also interviews the applicants about the materials, included in their application portfolio. The aim of the interview is to understand the applicants’ potential capabilities, interests, overall cultural knowledge and mindset, ability for independent thinking and artistic reflections. Applicants who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in the final ranking.
