The Film Spring Open Workshops is a 10-day workshop, created by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, which has been attracting top practitioners in the film industry for 19 years. What’s new this year? Artificial Intelligence enters the film set! This year’s Workshops is a unique opportunity to experience how AI is changing the face of cinema. You will be able to handle AI tools that can be used in the work of a producer, screenwriter, animator, effects creator, editor – Jacek Nagłowski will support you in this regard. With AI you will also create commercials under the guidance of Edyta Jadowska and Marcin Ziebinski, as well as music videos for Zuta with Kobas Laksa.

Oscar winner Ewa Puszczynska and “The Girl with the Needle” producer Mariusz Wlodarski (Lava Films) will lecture on production during the FSO Workshops, which has many successes to its credit, including the recent production of “The Girl with the Needle,” directed by Magnus von Horn, with cinematography by Michal Dymek. This film premiered in the Main Competition of the 2024 Cannes International Film Festival, and will now compete for an Oscar! What’s more, cinematographers rehearsed for this film at the Film Spring Open Workshops 2022.

This year’s Plein Air features a veritable plethora of Polish cinema stars and new media pioneers.
We will host outstanding, award-winning filmmakers who will share their knowledge. We will be visited by director Jan Holoubek and will talk about the film “25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda” and, together with screenwriter Kasper Bajon they will talk about the series ‘Great Water’.

The Film Spring Open Workshops will help you to develop and do your projects under the guidance of outstanding Filmmakers in dedicated groups:

• Arri Group. Cinematographic prep for a real movie – along with director Oliver Chopping and Piotr Sobociński jr, you will build a vision for a film titled: “ticking crocodiles” to be shot next year! -> read more
• The Screenwriting Group is led by Kasper Bajon. We have already started work in a course online. During the FSO Workshops, other participants who would like to develop projects in writers’ rooms can also join this group. -> read more
  After the FSO Workshops we will invite for the next course online with Kacper.
• You will be supported in the creation of your dreams in the world of animation by outstanding filmmaker Mariusz Wilczynski, assisted by Natalia Durszewicz. Screenwriting classes are taking place online now. After the FSO Workshops we will also continue work online. -> read more
• At the Artificial Intelligence in AV Media Group led by Jacek Naglowski will show how to navigate the world of AI. Jacek is a philosopher by training and a researcher in the field of new media and AI. -> read more
• SONY TV Series Visualization Group will work under the artistic supervision of Marcin Koszałka – cinematographer and director, whose film “White Courage” was showered with awards at this year’s Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. In the group you will prepare the development of a concept for a series telling the story of the Polish mafia of the 1990s and early 2000s, which Marcin will shoot in the near future. A Sony Burano camera will be used for the exercises and the search for a visual style. -> read more
• At the Piotr Wozniak-Starak Modern Film Production Group, led by Mariusz Włodarski, you will be introduced to the world of modern production. In the group’s work, Mariusz wants to focus on the participants’ original projects. This will be a unique opportunity to learn the key aspects of a producer’s work, from the stage of an idea to its creation. -> read more
• Comica Documentary Film Group will develop its projects under the guidance of director and cinematographer Wojciech Staroń. The group in terms of knowledge of documentary film production will be supported by Małgorzata Staroń. -> read more
• The Green Commercials for Małopolska Group – in which ecologically produced commercial films will be created to promote the cultural heritage and tourist values of Małopolska region, will be led by Edyta Jadowska together with director Marcin Ziebiński. -> read more
• For the first time at the FSO Workshops, thanks to the ZAiKS patronage, the Film Music Composers Group will create under the supervision of Paweł Lucewicz, the author of the music for “Znachor”. This will be an incredible opportunity to create a illustrative music for your films, which you can send to us. The group will work on music for a selected image or sequence. -> read more
• The Canon Docudrama Group will be led by Mariusz Konopka, a specialist in this field of AV art, and Robert Wozniak of Canon Poland will advise on technical and equipment issues. -> read more
• How to find your place in less popular filmmaking professions, Joanna Tatko will show to the participants of the project “Get a shot at the future” with KIPA and Netflix. – read more
• The international, colorful Interactive Narration Group will be led by director Florent Pallares from Red Eyes Cool, a founder of Film Spring Open France, who has been with us for 16 years at the FSO Workshops. -> read more
• The Music Videos Group will create music videos with the support of Artificial Intelligence for a song by Zuta, who will come to the FSO Workshops. The Group will be led by Kobas Laksa – visual artist, passionate about new AI technologies. -> read more
• Konrad Ziaja at the Virtual i Augmented Reality Group will take us on a journey into the world of 360 and VR. -> read more
• Hollyland Youtubers Group led by Martin Stankiewicz will offer to create and simultaneously stream videos to new distribution platforms.
• In the group SFX Make-up Group – Marian Folga multiple winner of Polish and international bodypainting championships will invite you to the world of VXF make up and also to the film make-up basics! -> read more
• Bloober Team Video Games Group will be led by Maciej Kunach, the FSO Workshops talented Alumni who is working at Bloober Team now, will show that in the world of games there is a place for filmmakers and how with the help of Unreal Engine 5, you will be able to make your dreams come true. -> read more

Lectures

Małgorzata Staroń, whose co-production “Apolonia, Apolonia” received 10 awards and 4 nominations including European Film Awards, will talk about documentary film production.

We will watch the acclaimed film “People,” directed by Maciej Slesicki and Filip Hillesland and with poignant cinematography by Mateusz Pastewka. He will present how to tell the film from the perspective of an infant.

– From script to final cut – about the basics of working with AI in the creative process. – Jacek Nagłowski

– How to practically use GenAI in advertising – Edyta Jadowska and Marcin Ziębiński

– The glories and shadows of film festivals – Mariusz Włodarski

– Oliver Chopping will talk about his path from actor to feature film debut

– About good research that guarantees a good script – director and screenwriter Kasper Bajon

– About the world of You Tube – Martin Stankiewicz

– Possibilities of obtaining European funds for film production – Ilona Krupa (Creative Europe Desk Poland)

– Casting actors with casting director Julia Popkiewicz

– Documentary production in practice – QA session – Małgorzata and Wojciech Staroń

– From mockup to recording session – the process of creating music in a film – Pawel Lucewicz

– What is Volumetric Video and what are the differences between RGB+Depth mobile recording and RGB-only + depth estimation recording – Martn Demmer

– Don’t shoot the piano player – facts and myths about the work of a film composer. Paweł Lucewicz

– Data management – proper ripping of footage and archiving – Piotr Krasny (Krakowski Pak Technologiczny).

– Astrophotography step by step in six months. – Andrzej Waluk

Film screenings:

“25 Years of Innocence. The case of Tomek Komenda” – dir. by Jan Holoubek

“Great Water” – dir. by Jan Holoubek, screenplay by Kasper Bajon

“People” Maciej Ślesicki and Filip Hillesland, Mateusz Pastewka DOP

“Apolonia, Apolonia” dir. by Lea Glob, co-production Malgorzata Staroń

“Hyacinth” dir. by Piotr Domalewski, Piotr Sobociński Jr. DOP

“White courage” dir. by Marcin Koszalka DOP

“Znachor” dir. by Michal Gazda, music by Pawel Lucewicz

“Red Path” dir. by Lotfi Achour, Wojciech Staroń DOP

Workshops

We will also host the genius of drones and 3D post-production – Andrej Szramko, who will invite us for a lecture and demonstration of his acrobatic shots on drones he builds himself, as well as multi-camera 3D filming. Andrej is not only a builder of his rigs and drones but also a great pilot operator.

Also workshops:

– on the Ursa Cine 12K Black Magic Design camera a new tool in the hands of artists

– on Sony Burano camera – by Tomasz Babicz, Jakub Zięba (creativetools)

– Canon cameras – by Marcin Konopka and Robert Wozniak

– of using AI for producers, animation creators, VFX, screenwriters – by Jacek Nagłowski

– correction – by Tomasz Poznański colorist

– the profession of camera assistant will be introduced by experienced Henryk Jedynak

– makeup basics for everyone. Practical workshop, in which you will also be able to participate

– with Cinema 4D software

– professional tools for transmi image transfer – by Pawel Karpinski Ambassador Hollyland, Yololive (Focus Nordic).

Green Film Open

We invite for the 6th edition of the Green Film Open – a panel on green film production and a lecture “Green filming – what is it all about?” by Marta Krymarys (KIPA Project Managers).

During the FSO Workshops we will again encourage all participants to focus on the green production aspect of filmmaking – hence we have organized a competition for a Green Małopolska commercial. Participants will create sustainable commercial films of the Małopolska region under the guidance of Edyta Jadowska and Marcin Ziębiński. A Cinebus – Mobile Film Studio will be available for the FSO Workshops participants, as well as equipment worth PLN 12 million from our Technology Partners.

We can already asure you that it will be a blast! Join us! Meet new people with whom you want to make FILMS after the Film Spring Open Workshops!

The cost of participation in the entire 10-day workshop program is PLN 400. REGISTRATION 

More details:  https://filmspringopen.eu/
Registration: https://filmspringopen.eu/en/education/workshop/workshops-registration/

The Film Spring Open Workshops received an Award from the Polish Film Institute in 2015 and 2021. In years 2014, 2018 and in 2022, 2023 the FSO Workshops were nominated for the Award.