FITS Europe is a study abroad program of the Loyola Marymount University (LMU), Los Angeles, in cooperation with the Academy for International Education (AIB), Germany.
Andrew HoodHead of Film Studies
Andrew G. Hood grew up in London. After completing his B.A in philosophy in England and France, he went on to study film in Berlin (DFFB). In the nineties he wrote and directed for television before going on to write screenplays for international co-productions in America and Brazil.
He has worked in such diverse genres as drama, comedy, documentary, docu-drama and industrials. His last feature film The Appletree House was given its world premiere at the Hof Film Festival in 2004.
He is now Head of Film Studies at the Academy of International Education and regularly gives workshops on film in Southern Africa and America. As a media consultant and director he has also worked with a wide variety of educational, media and corporate clients, including the European Film Academy, Degussa and Heidelberg Druck AG. He is currently producing a monthly talk show on health and politics for the internet.
Andrew's papers, essays & interviews:
Expanding Horizons: The challenge of film studies abroad
(given at the University Film and Video Association Conference at Denton University, Texas. August 7th-11th 2007)
The Todd Newmiller Project
(given at the University Film and Video Conference at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, 12th-16th August 2008)
Reassassing Sovjet Theories of Montage in our Post-Modern Age
Prix UIP Awards Interviews
(with nominated directors of the PRIX UIP Short Film Awards 2006)
Approach to teaching
I have come to believe strongly in making students accomplish tasks which take them a step closer to their vision or inner potential - be it pitching sessions, students interviewing each other about their stories or work-shopping scenes. What is fundamental about these tasks or exercises is, I believe, that they should engage with the students' specific and immediate needs, and instil in them a growing confidence about how to tackle the next set of demands put on them by their various film projects.
An integral part of this process is also empowering students to discuss and brainstorm collectively each other's ideas. This makes students see how enriching and supportive dialogue is, and creates a dynamic and interactive environment. Secondly it heightens awareness of how inherently collective filmmaking is, and thirdly, it develops a sense of creativity being something which is communicative and rooted in dialogue. We narrate to share experiences or ideas with a muse, a lover, a parent, someone who has died, a parent or community. In other words, I believe strongly that creativity and narration are in their very essence dialogical.
This is also why I place a large emphasis on research. No matter how intimate or personal the story is, I push students to test and map out fully their ideas by using research. This means learning how to interview, how to be a detective, how to guide interviewees and gain trust. And above all it means learning how to be a good listener.
Over the years I have encountered and worked with many film students and professionals from an array of different countries, cultures and political backgrounds. It has reiterated my belief that filmmaking can go well beyond just using a three act dramaturgy or repeating mainstream genres. We can learn from a vast variety of film languages and acting traditions, and use tools and concepts from such diverse areas as semiotics, psychoanalysis and architecture to help us pinpoint those themes, inner motivations or unconscious ideas which often exist in projects, but remain unexplored and marginalized. Once fleshed out, they can help us develop a narration, which has a highly personal and culturally specific voice.
In this way I believe filmmaking can begin to act out its utopian and ethical mission of telling stories, which offer glimpses of hope and possible solutions for a better society. This is ultimately the reason why we make films and it is the reason why I love teaching film and can be passionate about it as an art form.
Andrew Hood
Astrid Menze graduated in Audiovisual Media at the Gerrit-Rietveld-Academie Amsterdam and the San Francisco Art Institute. She received her MFA in New Media in a self-directed low residency program at Transart Insitute (Linz/New York). Astrid Menze's work is based on the concept of the potential of the gap and the system error. Starting with given or found material, she searches for irregularity, lacks and thresholds within patterns and structures. Teaching montage, animation and film history/theory, her approach to transmit and create plays with the reciprocity of praxis based theory and concept oriented experiments.
Jens Köppelmann
Head of Cinematography
After finishing his apprenticeship as a camera assistant at the SFOF (Staatliche Fachschule für Optik und Fernsehtechnik) Berlin and gaining skills in the
film industry during that time, he went on studying cinematography at the TFH Berlin. Graduating in 2003 he worked since then as a camera assistant and later
as a cinematographer for feature films, commercials, music videos, documentaries and image films. Jens early connections as a trainee to several German TV-stations
gives him today the opportunity to cooperate with them for current projects. In the beginning of 2010 he founded his own film-production company „CINEMATO“.
With CINEMATO he preformed the logical step forward to gain independence. Producing and filming an own comedy format at the theatre „Schaubühne Berlin“ and working
with video artists like Tal Yarden he also brings in his skills in the non-commercial field. The balance of commercial and non-commercial projects is the philosophy
and one of the essential guidelines of his company.
Teaching philosophy
„I try to encourage students to leave the beaten track without denying themselves. „Learn the rules before you break them“ is as important as „Thinking the impossible.“
During teaching I force the dialog and encourage students to defend their point of view.“
Cinematography is an art form which is on the one hand dependent on the tools you work with on the other hand on the perception of your senses.
Therefore a meticulous focus has to be laid on practical skills but also on gaining soft skills. Filmmaking is and will always be a team effort.
„Turn of the light before you start lighting“
To channel the ideas and the energy of the students, guide them and help them find their own style without cropping their ambition is one of the most important
tasks of film education.
Having worked with film students for several years this concept has proved itself as very powerful and created self confident and very creative men and women
being deeply rooted in the film industry.
Place of Birth: Solingen
Date of Birth: 1977/05/23
Family status: single
Children: daughter (17 months old)
German university entrance qualification achieved at Helmholtz-Gymnasium – Hilden
Two-year period of residence in the USA (Santa Rosa, California) 06/1987 – 07/1989
13 months of civilian service (integrative day-care center in Hilden) 09/1996 – 10/1997
Education
- Apprenticeship as certified camera assistant 10/1999 - 07/2001
Staatliche Fachschule für Optik und Fernsehtechnik Berlin – School of optics and television technology - Postgraduate studies in audiovisual media (Diploma in cinematography) 10/2001 – 07/2003
Technische Fachhochschule Berlin TFH – University of Applied Science
- Internship as camera assistant 09/1998 – 03/1999
WDR (West German Broadcasting Corporation) Cologne
Department of Cinematography - Internship script/continuity 03/1999 – 07/1999
Berengar Pfahl Film Ltd - Temporary employment as camera assistant during semester breaks 10/1999 – 02/2004
WDR (West German Broadcasting Corporation)Cologne
Department of Cinematography
Computer/Software skills: AVID, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Color, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Encore, After Effects, Cinema 4D
Professional Experience
- Freelancing cameraman for film and television projects since February 2004
- Part-time work as cutter, producer and screenwriter
- References on www.crew-united.com - Lecturer and “Head of Cinematography” at AIB (Academy for International Education) in Bonn since February 2008
- Foundation of “CINEMATO Film und Medienproduktion“ (CINEMATO film and media production) in January 2010
contact us
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contact details
FITS Europe
Film and Television School
Loyola Marymount University
Wilhelmstr. 27
D-53111 Bonn / Germany
Phone: +49 (0)228 - 33 88 39 20
Fax: +49 (0)228 -180 10 57
info@fits-europe.de
Olaf Brodersen
Program Director
E-Mail
