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Subject guarantor

Name of lecturer(s)

Jitka HEJTMANOVÁ

Department

The subject provides FAMU International

Contents

This two-day intensive is designed to support graduating MFA students as they prepare

to transition from an academic environment into the professional film and television

industry. It addresses the core uncertainties many students face after completing their

thesis films or feature scripts and oNers structured tools to help them define their unique

career trajectory, develop industry-ready materials, and clarify the next steps in their

professional development.

The workshop oNers strategic industry insight, practical writing exercises, interactive

pitching, and structured reflection. By the end of the program, students will have gained

experience articulating their projects in high-pressure environments, developed a clear

understanding of the components and purpose of key professional materials including

CVs, cover letters, bios, and project decks, and created a personalized 90-day action

plan to guide their transition from FAMU into the professional landscape.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Understand key post-MFA pathways across independent, institutional, and hybrid

creative careers, and identify relevant entry points aligned with their goals.

• Refine their ability to pitch projects clearly and confidently under real-world time

constraints, with a focus on narrative clarity and professional intent.

• Develop core professional materials, including a tailored bio and film CV, while

assessing and strengthening their public-facing presence across digital

platforms.

• Gain practical insight into artist development labs, funding programs, and festival

strategy, including how to navigate application processes and selection priorities.

• Build foundational knowledge of contracts, IP protection, and industry

representation, learning how to identify red flags, define non-negotiables, and

make informed decisions in professional contexts

Prerequisites and other requirements

DAY 1: MAPPING THE LANDSCAPE

9:00 – 9:30

Welcome & Orientation

Introduction to the structure and goals of the workshop. Participants set personal

intentions and articulate key questions or uncertainties about post-graduation life.

9:30 – 11:00

Session 1: The Post-MFA Landscape

Facilitated discussion and mini-case studies on career pathways:

• Independent filmmaking: festival circuits, grants, self-production

• Institutional pathways: development labs, residencies, entry-level roles

• Hybrid models: teaching, freelance directing, episodic work, development roles

Students reflect on which path(s) resonate with their goals and realities.

11:00 – 11:15 - Break

11:15 – 12:30

Session 2: From Script to Launchpad – Popcorn Pitch Round 1

Students deliver a timed verbal pitch of either their graduation film or feature project. To

simulate real-world constraints, each pitch is timed by the popping of a bag of microwave

popcorn. When the last kernel pops, the pitch must end. This creates a high-pressure but

playful environment that mirrors the time-limited nature of industry pitch meetings.

Students present without slides or scripts, and each pitch is followed by brief peer and

facilitator feedback focused on clarity, narrative impact, and presentation strategy.

12:30 – 13:30 - Lunch

13:30 – 15:00

Session 3: Career Vision Mapping

Students create a personal 3-year career roadmap. Through guided reflection, they

define near-term goals, long-term aspirations, and potential roadblocks. Emphasis is

placed on maintaining creative focus while navigating professional uncertainty.

Includes exercises on realistic goal setting, opportunity selection, and emotional

sustainability.

15:00 – 15:15 - Break

15:15 – 17:00

Session 4: Career Road mapping

This interactive session replaces the traditional guest panel with a focused, facilitatorled career strategy lab. Students will build a working “Career Roadmap” to guide their first

12–18 months after graduation. This is both a creative reflection and a practical planning

tool, drawing on real-world models used by independent filmmakers, early-career

screenwriters, and emerging producers.

Each roadmap includes:

• Current creative identity and immediate professional goals

• Targeted opportunities (labs, jobs, collaborations, funding calls, festivals)

• Anticipated barriers and constraints (financial, geographic, emotional)

• Key resources, relationships, and support networks

• Near-term experiments or “low-risk risks” to explore new directions

• Students will first sketch their individual roadmaps, then work in pairs to stresstest them: identifying blind spots, suggesting resources, and refining goals.

The session ends with a group share of standout strategies, unexpected insights, and

one career experiment each participant commits to trying in the next 90 days.

Homework for Day 2

To prepare for Day 2, students are asked to complete the following short exercises. These

will serve as raw material for the professional development sessions and will streamline

the drafting process during the workshop.

1. Bring a Draft or Working Version of Your Film CV

Even if it is unfinished or outdated. This version will be used as the basis for

your CV writing session.

1. Write a 100–150 Word Bio Draft

Use the tone you would for a festival program, lab application, or artist

statement. Bring a printed or digital version.

1. Identify Two Opportunities You’re Interested In

Choose two festivals, labs, residencies, or artist development programs that

feel relevant to your work. Bring a few notes about why they interest you and

what the application requires.

1. Refine Your Project Pitch

Take a moment to revisit the project you pitched in Popcorn Pitch Round 1.

You’ll get another chance to pitch it on Day 2 with sharper clarity and intent.

Consider what feedback you received and how you’d like to adjust.

DAY 2: BUILDING THE TOOLKIT

9:00 – 10:30

Session 5: Writing Your Professional Bio — Who Are You on Paper?

This session focuses on one of its most visible and reused components: the professional bio.

Students examine examples from successful lab applications, festival booklets, and personal

websites, and learn how to adjust tone, length, and content based on context.

Key topics include:

• Distinguishing between a short and long bio (80–100 vs. 150–250 words)

• Balancing personal voice with professional framing

• Naming key themes, identity markers, or artistic interests without overexplaining

• Choosing when to include credits, awards, influences, and education

The session includes structured drafting time, optional peer swaps for feedback, and practical

tips on how to adapt bios for different applications (e.g. Sundance vs IMDB).

10:30 – 10:45 – Break

10:45 – 12:15

Session 6: Building Your Public Presence

Building on the bio work, the focus shifts to how filmmakers are perceived across digital

platforms and materials commonly reviewed by festival programmers, funders, and

collaborators. The focus is on clarity, tone, and adaptability, with an emphasis on how to

shape your presence in a way that reflects both artistic identity and professional purpose.

Alongside the writing work, the group explores the broader question of visibility: what

does it mean to be discoverable as a filmmaker? Through guided discussion and realworld examples, each participant begins to articulate their unique creative identity. This

includes identifying recurring themes, influences, and personal or formal approaches

that distinguish their work.

Students conduct a guided self-audit of their online presence, identifying what supports

or undermines their positioning. The session ends with each participant outlining three

tangible updates they will make to strengthen the clarity and cohesion of their creative

profile.

12:15 – 13:15 - Lunch

13:15 – 14:30

Session 7: Labs, Fellowships, and Popcorn Pitch Round 2

Strategic overview of artist development opportunities, including key labs, fellowships,

and residencies. Students explore how these programs are structured, what they

prioritize, and how to position a project within their selection criteria. Core components

like personal statements, project synopses, and articulating artistic intent are discussed

in relation to real examples and expectations.

In the second half, students re-deliver their project pitch in a timed format. The focus is

on refining narrative clarity, presenting with confidence, and incorporating specific next

steps or professional intentions. Pitches are reframed to better align with industry-facing

contexts such as development labs, funding bodies, or collaborator meetings.

14:30 – 14:45 - Break

14:45 – 17:30

Holding the Line: Creative Authority, Compromise, and Career Leverage

This closing session challenges students to define their boundaries as creative

professionals not only in terms of artistic values, but also in negotiations, contracts,

collaborations, and industry relationships. Through case-based scenarios and critical

discussion, students examine what they’re willing to compromise on, what they need to

protect, and how to maintain ownership and clarity as they move into the professional

sphere.

Part 1: The Compromise Scenarios

In small groups, students are presented with realistic, often uncomfortable situations

involving power dynamics, legal ambiguity, and creative conflict. Examples include:

• A streamer wants to buy your film but demands full IP ownership in perpetuity

• A producer loves your script but wants to recast it and bring in a new director

• A manager offers to sign you with a 15 percent commission and a three-year

exclusivity clause

• A festival offers a high-profile premiere, but the terms block other submissions

• An actor leaves mid-shoot and threatens legal action

• A filmmaker with more resources has clearly copied key elements of your concept

Each group is asked to decide:

• What would you accept, and what would you push back on?

• What’s negotiable, and what’s not?

• What professional support or legal advice would you seek before responding?

• Discussion is followed by a full-group debrief to highlight red flags, possible

leverage points, and early-career mistakes to avoid.

Part 2: Know Your Rights

This segment outlines the legal and professional fundamentals every filmmaker should

understand. Topics include:

• Copyright basics and how to protect your IP as a writer, director, or producer

• Registering your script or treatment with copyright offices or script registries

• The difference between licensing and ownership

• Standard vs problematic terms in contracts, including credit, exclusivity,

duration, and rights

• When and how to engage a lawyer, contract advisor, or legal clinic

• Strategies for identifying predatory language in development and distribution

offers

• What filmmakers often give away too early without realizing it

Students are encouraged to reflect on their own boundaries and begin thinking about

what they might define as non-negotiables in future collaborations.

Part 3: Agents, Managers, and Representation

The final segment introduces students to the structures and expectations around

professional representation:

• What agents, managers, and legal reps actually do and don’t do

• How and when they typically come on board

• What it means to build a career with a rep vs being used to sell one project

• Red flags in commission percentages, exclusivity terms, and contract duration

• Questions to ask before signing with anyone, and how to determine if it’s the right

fit

The aim is to build critical awareness and confidence before entering high-stakes

conversations that shape both artistic integrity and long-term opportunity.

Literature

-

Evaluation methods and criteria

100% attendance

Note

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Schedule for winter semester 2025/2026:

Schedule for summer semester 2025/2026:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans

• Cinematography_3_2021 (Elective subjects)
• Montage_2020 (Elective subjects)
• Photography EN - Bachelor - 2022 (Elective subjects)
• Photography EN - Master - 2022 (Elective subjects)
• Photography EN - Master - 2022 (Elective subjects)
• Cinema and Digital Media - Directing (Elective subjects)