Department of Film, Television and Scenography

The Department of Film, Television and Scenography ELO is the only university-level film school in Finland. It is a vital combination of innovative art academy and an active, practice-based and artistic research unit. It teaches all aspects of filmmaking and performance design as separate skill sets. Our faculty consists of international-level practicing filmmakers, scenographers and researchers.

We value our 60-year-long tradition but at the same time actively explore future challenges and emerging technologies. The department works closely with the audiovisual industry, theatre, and emerging contemporary groups in performing arts.

Education draws on artistic and pedagogical traditions, passing it on creatively and developing new forms of expression. During the education students are familiarized with artistic processes, team work, historical and critical thinking, observations and interpretations of reality. This knowledge is applied in practical exercises and student film productions.

The department's research brings new understanding of the forms of expression and production processes in cinematic and scenographic art and opens paths to international research. The research orientation is based on a fruitful dialogue between theory and practice.

Contact the Department

Our research groups

Costume in Focus (CiF)

Costume in Focus (CiF) is the first research group with sharp focus on developing research in the field of Costume Design.

The Expanded Scenography research group

The research group was initiated in 2015 for developing the artistic research and practice in the 'scenographic' field in change.

Critical Cinema Lab

The Lab hosts a project Images of Harmony and Rupture - Documentary Film Reflecting Fractures in the Scandinavian Welfare State Ethos. It is funded by the Kone Foundation and headed by
Professor Susanna Helke. DAs Jouko Aaltonen and Timo Korhonen work as postdoctoral researchers.

Elements of Success in the Finnish Film Production

The project studies processes, film production cultures and contemporary film audiences. The focus is on the factors that contribute to a film’s success.

ScreenPoetics

ScreenPoetics focuses on the screenwriting processes, variations in screenwriting dramaturgy and history and future of screenwriting.

Virtual Cinema Lab

Virtual Cinema Lab is a multidisciplinary arena for those interested in new and emerging technologies.

Studies

The programmes and major subjects at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture provide high quality teaching in a diverse and student-centred manner. Our school began implementing a reform of bachelor's and master's degrees in September 2014.

The new degree structures offer students the opportunity for more in-depth studies in their own major or a field of their master's programme, or to utilise Aalto University's multidisciplinary course offering in minor subjects and elective studies. Our school offers a wide variety of minors, many of which are carried out in cooperation with other Aalto University schools. Students can also apply for minor studies at other Finnish universities through JOO studies, or complete part of their studies during an international exchange.

For more info on our Master's programmes:

Are you interested in studying costume in film from a practice-based, student-centred perspective? The Costume Design programme aims at creating the future professionals for the field of costume design, supporting the development of a dynamic artistic vision and a research-oriented approach for the performing arts and the film and media creative industries. The studies are enriched and updated by new design practices and new research in the field.

The programme provides the skills needed for challenging scenographic work in the performing arts field and applies these skills in a diverse way to new interdisciplinary art fields. The field of performing arts is composed of theatre, opera, performance art, dance and circus, as well as new forms of performance that are still being developed. Alongside the different types of performing art, scenography is also expanding into museum and exhibition design, different kinds of events and games, and also environmental and community art.

The major in production design involves training artistic designers who are responsible for the visual, operational and production entity of a film production. The aim of the education is to find and enhance the student’s personal artistic vision, to extend his/her professional competence and/or specialisation and to provide skills needed for doctoral studies. Along with broad-ranging professional skills, the goal is to obtain the ability to develop the student’s own field in a creative and independent manner. Master’s degree students are expected to work independently and to play an active role in planning their studies.

In Master’s Programme in Film and Television, major in Cinematography, the student deepens his/her vocational competence to achieve a greater mastery of the overall artistic, production and technical entity of his/her professional area in various film, TV and advertising productions.

We aim to train visionary documentary film directors, creative professionals who are creating the future of documentary filmmaking. Here you can deepen your powers of observation and expression while developing your own style as a director. Courses in film analysis, history and modern-form docuementary round out the MA studies.

Master’s program in Film and Television, major in Film Directing in Elo Film school Finland strengthens the student’s capacity to generate and develop cinematic ideas, storybuilding and narration skills in addition to developing the director’s personal cinematic style and directorial identity.

The aim of the MA degree is to develop the student into an expert of viewing and seeing, a storyteller and an artist.

Create the soundtracks for the hit films of tomorrow - our sound design programme will equip you with the skills and theory you need as a professional sound designer and sound engineer in all areas of film production. You'll learn how to think about sound in terms of dramatic composition and to understand sound and space. Students will also gain a deeper appreciation for the dynamics of a full-length film production process and develop management and communication skills. Theory and history lessons lend a deeper knowledge of the traditions and modern trends in film.

The goal of the Master’s Programme in Film and Television, major in Film and Television Producing is to deepen the student’s skills in his/her chosen direction – towards independent audiovisual entrepreneurship, a research or development project in the film producing field, a deeper understanding of artistic leadership or equivalent advanced competence planned together with the student.

Are you looking to mine the depths of human experience and turn it into successful screenplays? The Screenwriting programme at Aalto Film School will train you to produce high-quality and artistically significant work, and to apply this ability in the artistic production process and related group work. The Aalto master's degree programme directs students to engage in the deeper intellectual and societal structures associated with modes of artistic expression, with special focus on the use of animation in screenwriting, during the study process, and in research.

The School of Arts, Design and Architecture is one of the most prestigious universities in its fields. We educate students to create imaginative, collaborative, compassionate and unconventional approaches to the most pressing challenges of today.

Students riding bikes in front of the Aalto University Väre building, photo by Unto Rautio

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Department of Film, Television and Scenography

Department of Film, Television and Scenography

Our research groups

Costume in Focus (CiF)

The Expanded Scenography research group

Critical Cinema Lab

Elements of Success in the Finnish Film Production

ScreenPoetics

Virtual Cinema Lab

Studies

For more info on our Master's programmes:

Master's Programme in Design for Theatre, Film and Television - Costume Design

Master's Programme in Design for Theatre, Film and Television - Design for the Performing Arts

Master's Programme in Design for Theatre, Film and Television - Production Design

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Cinematography

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Documentary Film

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Film Directing

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Film Editing

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Film Sound Design

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Film and Television Producing

Master's Programme in Film and Television - Screenwriting

School of Arts, Design and Architecture

News

The Kone Foundation grants for academic researchers at ARTS

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Five teams awarded at opening ceremony

Events