The 2024/25 program is underway.
The next program will run from September 8, 2025 - May 31, 2026
RIFS offers a high standard of education in all aspects: education and mentoring, equipment, facilities, services and available cast for student films and exercises. The program, taught by experienced and working professionals, provides students hands-on, intensive training to provide all that’s needed to pursue careers in the field, while also allowing each student to make original, festival-worthy films during his or her time at RIFS, at the highest professional level, creatively and technically.
The First Term: In the first part of the term, students receive 9 weeks of classes, 3 hours a week in each of the following subjects: Directing, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Editing, Acting for Directors, and Short Film Studies. Additionally, there are seminars in Sound Recording, Sound Design, and Production Design. During these weeks they are also developing and writing scripts for the first films.
The Second Term: In the first half of the second term students take advanced courses, three hours a week each, in Production, Screenwriting, Cinematography and Editing, as well as seminars in Advanced Sound Design, Web Series Development, Film Festivals, and Italian Film Studies. As the year progresses, students are trained in more and more sophisticated shooting equipment (camera, lighting and grip) and cinema techniques.
Students are mentored as they develop and write scripts for their diploma films, and the second part of the term is dedicated to the pre-production, shooting and post-production of those diploma films. Once again, students each make their own film and work on films of fellow students. The term ends with a faculty review, a public screening/award ceremony, and the diploma ceremony.
This intensive, professional film-making program, offering hands-on experience and valuable training in the many disciplines that go into the art, business and craft of film-making, gives students advanced skills and a portfolio of work to be proud of, enabling them to jump start their film-making careers.
The One-Year Program tuition fee for 2025/26 is €15,000 Euros.
At the moment we are sorry, but RIFS cannot offer other scholarships or financial aid at this time.
The program is limited to 16 students.
The Fall ’24 10 week program is underway.
The next program will run from January 7 - March 14, 2025.
Subsequently, the next program will run from September 9 - November 14, 2025.
This intensive course – run in English – teaches: screenwriting, direction, cinematography, sound, editing and production.
Screenwriting: the basics of the craft, and short film dramaturgy
Film direction: script analysis, directing actors, staging, and running a set
The art of composition: framing and how to use cinematography to tell your story
Technical cinematography: camera functions and operation, grip and lighting
Practical operations: the roles of PM and AD, and a production day on set
Sound recording techniques and operations
Pre-production keys – call sheets, casting, crewing, locations, prep overall
How to budget and schedule a project
The power of sound editing
Pitching film ideas for financial and other support
And students MAKE FILMS!!
The course offers hands-on, practical experience in making films in collaboration with others, and students end up with experience and credits on four short films.
The program runs for ten weeks, with classes for the first 6 weeks; the next two weeks are full time – on location – dedicated to shooting – and the final two weeks at RIFS, full time, editing the four films selected.
The program is limited to 8 students maximum – each student will receive training in classes in all of these disciplines, and have a chance to propose and write a script for a film to make. The faculty will select the four best scripts and all students will work on these four in the final four weeks.
Everyone will rotate in responsible jobs on the films. The roles on the films include:
Director -- Assistant Director -- Production Manager -- DP/Operator -- Gaffer/Grip -- Sound Recordist-- Continuity/Script Supervisor
Winning scripts can (but need not) be directed by the writers of the selected scripts.
Pitches will be made by students in week 6, which will determine roles on the films.
The tuition fees for the 10 week Evening Program is 3,400 Euros.
Each program is limited to 12 students.
In June 2025, RIFS will once again its summer program, running for five weeks from June 9 – July 11 2025.
It is an intensive, exciting, creative experience and students are guided and inspired to complete a film in a remarkably short amount of time.
The first two weeks students receive daily classes in directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound and production, and are mentored and advised as they develop and write scripts for the short films they make, as well as sharing ideas and giving feedback to one another. Over the next ten days students each direct a short film, working together for one another as crew, and the final ten days are for editing and completion; the program ends with a screening and faculty reviews.
Training and mentoring is given by top RIFS faculty, all of whom have years of experience as film instructors and are active, award-winning filmmakers in the international industry.
The tuition fees for the 5 week summer film-making course is €3,000 Euros.
This program is limited to 12 students.
RIFS has recently added the option for students to sign up for either of the two semesters of the one-year program, joining the one-year students in classes and on productions.
SPRING SEMESTER – Next program January 6, 2025 – May 31, 2025
The Spring semester is open only to students with demonstrable previous experience in filmmaking.
The term offers 9 weeks of classes, full time: 27 hours of classes in each of the following subjects: Advanced Screenwriting, Advanced Directing, Advanced Cinematography, Advanced Editing, Acting, and Producing, as well as seminars in Writing for TV series, screenings of classic Italian films, and a Film Festival info seminar. April is dedicated to the shooting of films, and each student writes, directs and produces his or her own film and works on fellow students’ films. May is dedicated to editing and completion.
FALL SEMESTER – Next program September 8, 2025 – December 19, 2025
The Fall semester program is open to beginners in filmmaking as well as students with some experience. The term offers 9 weeks of classes, full time: 27 hours of classes in each of the following subjects: Fundamentals of Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Acting, and Visualization, as well as 6 hours of classes in Sound Recording. Additional seminars and screenings take place throughout the term as well. Two shooting exercises are scheduled in the first three weeks over the weekends. In weeks 10 through 12, students each direct and produce a film they have written, and work on fellow students’ films in different capacities. Finally, students work in the last 3 weeks editing and completing their films.
The fee for either One-Semester program is €7,500 Euros.
MASTER CLASSES
RIFS continues to offer masterclasses in specific disciplines, taught by professionals in the field: Screenwriting, Directing, Production, Acting, and Cinematography. Each of these is unique, and are scheduled throughout the year. Please inquire for details of timing and fees.
Some of the masterclasses we have previously put on include: - Writer/Director Tom DiCillo joined RIFS students online for an extensive, fun and enlightening talk.- Writer/Director Jerome Enrico, who is also head of ESEC Film School in Paris, joined RIFS students online to discuss the making of his hugely successful comedy “Paulette”. - Producer/Distributor and cinema giant Larry Jackson (here also seen with Orson Welles) joined us via Zoom to talk about his remarkable experiences in Hollywood and independent cinema. Additionally, acting maestro Michael Margotta and Hollywood veteran Nick Mancuso have offered acting workshops and masterclasses.
ONLINE COURSES
During the Covid Pandemic RIFS began offering online courses in certain subjects that don’t require physical presence at the school.
Periodically, we will continue to offer some online courses in the following disciplines:
* The craft of Screenwriting
* Screen Story Development
" Adapting Literature the Screen
* Script Analysis for Directors
“ Directing Actors
“ Theories of Cinematography
Tuition fees vary depending on the course and duration.
Please check our website periodically for current offerings and write us at info@romefilmschool.com for more information about which courses may be offered.
