Tag Archives: education

Art Department Masterclass – 2026 Sessions – April 30 Application Deadline

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The Art Department Master Class is an international training program that has held over 10 training sessions in Lithuania, Italy, and Iceland. The one-week programs are led by film industry professionals from various countries who are leaders in film design in Art Departments around the world.

Production Designer K.K. Barrett giving a lecture on the design for the film Marie Antoinette at an ADM event. Photo: Andrius Paulavičius

Its creators, Ieva Buzinskaite and Domante Urmonaite realized that there was a lack of training available for people who had chosen a career in the Art Department of films and saw it as an opportunity for creating a world-wide community.

“We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages dialogue, generosity of knowledge, and long-term creative sustainability within the art department community.

Many of our participants and experts return again and again. They support the project, speak about it with warmth, and help shape what it becomes next. We’ve also been lucky to grow alongside partners who believe in the same values and continue to support us year after year.

At its core, this project is not just a job for us. It’s a long-term commitment to maintaining creativity, curiosity, and motivation in an industry that can easily exhaust all three. We want people to leave the Art Department Masterclass feeling re-energized, connected, and reminded of why they chose this path in the first place.

There is, of course, a lot of work happening behind the scenes – but that’s nothing new for anyone who has ever worked in an art department. And just like on set, we believe the best results come from care, collaboration, and a shared belief in what we’re making together.”

The 6-day sessions for 2026 are:

World Building – June 12 to 17 in Turin, Italy

Digital Post-Production – November 5 to 10 in Vilnius, Lithuania

The sessions are limited to 20 participants each and are meant for individuals worldwide who have at least 5 years of experience in art departments in the film industry.

The price of the sessions is €650 per session, which includes tuition, accomodation and lunch. The price is kept low through the generous government co-funding from the European Union Creative Europe program.

For more information on the sessions and to apply, go to this link.

Why You Should Go To The Cine Gear Expo – Tickets Free Until May 27

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The Cine Gear Expo will be held at Warner Bros Studios from June 7th to the 9th this year after a long run in past years at Paramount Studios.

The event has finally returned to its pre-pandemic size and has been a must-attend event for cinematographers, gaffers, and technicians in the entertainment industry for some time.

This year’s event will feature exhibits, demonstrations, and presentations by over 250 vendors as well as special seminars and master classes. The exhibition area will fill most of the Warner Studios backlot area as well as stages 14, 15, 19, and 24.

The Reasons You Should Go

Maybe you’re not that interested in camera or lighting equipment, so you’re wondering why you should bother attending. You may not be excited right now by the latest in what the new technology has to offer but you should be, because it affects your job whether you want to believe it or not.

The technological leaps that have been made in the last few years in LED lighting and new digital camera sensors alone have transformed filmmaking and, by proximity, the way stage sets are perceived, shot, and expected to perform.

You ignore camera and lighting technology at your own career’s peril.

There are hundreds of vendors there who are very eager to help you understand what their products are and how they work. You really shouldn’t be intimidated if you aren’t familiar with the basics, they are there to educate you in the new ways of making ‘pictures’.

Think of it as a free weekend film class where the ‘instructors’ are eager to answer any questions you might have. Think of the times you’ve been curious or baffled by the terms a DP is tossing around and being afraid to admit that you have no idea what they’re talking about.

At the expo, you’ll not only get to see the latest cameras up close, but you can operate them too. The next time you want to play with a new Arri or Sony, it’ll cost you $800 or more in daily rental fees, plus insurance. Here you can see them all, in one place, and talk to people who are experts in everything about them. You will never see so many cameras and lenses in one place anywhere else.

You’ll also see the latest in lighting, new LED volumes, digital screens, cranes, and specialty equipment.

Register for free here.

If you can’t make the Los Angeles show, there are expos in Atlanta in the Fall and in New York in early 2025, But LA is by far the largest show.