FILM LAB: HOW IS A FILM MADE?
with Lucia Kašová and her team (SK)
Do you ever wonder what lies behind the story on the screen? And how collaborative creation can connect generations?
During this intensive 9-day film laboratory, participants will experience the entire process of creating a short film—from the initial idea to the public screening of the finished piece.
Every participant will have the opportunity to bring their own topics. Together, we will select those that we will transform into cinematic stories.
How will the Lab work?
The process will mirror professional filmmaking:
- We will start by developing initial ideas and formulating treatments.
- This will be followed by a pitch forum, where participants present their concepts to the other groups of the 4 Media Lab.
- Together, we will choose the three most captivating concepts to move forward into script development and pre-production.
- During the production phase, participants will learn the basics of operating a film camera and handling sound under the guidance of industry professionals. They will gain hands-on experience directly on set and learn how to function as a film crew.
- In the final stage, we will focus on how a story is pieced together from the shot footage and try out film editing firsthand.
- The culmination of the lab will be a screening of the finished films on the final day of the Summer School (August 29, 2026), where participants will present their work to the audience.
- The films will subsequently be screened publicly at an exhibition in Trenčín, with the opening night taking place on September 4, 2026. The exhibition will remain open for the following three weeks.
What will the Film Lab bring you?
- An end-to-end filmmaking experience: You will discover the entire process of bringing a film to life and become an active member of a film crew.
- Practical basics of film professions: You will try your hand at screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound design, and editing under the guidance of a professional industry team.
- The experience of co-creation: You will develop your own ideas, collaborate with others, and explore ways to translate a theme into the language of cinema.
Who is the Film Lab open to?
We invite everyone from 15 to 99+ years of age who is interested in film, storytelling, and collaborative creation.
The laboratory is open to everyone, regardless of previous experience. It doesn’t matter if you have never held a camera before, or if you already have some filmmaking experience under your belt. No technical knowledge or tools are required—we will provide all the necessary equipment.
Schedule of the Film Lab
- Friday, 21/8/2026 joint opening of the Summer School and introductory session from 18:00 to 20:00.
- Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026: from 10:00 to 15:00.
- From Monday, August 24 until Friday, August 28, 2026: From 9:30 to 16:00.
- Saturday, August 29, 2026: Films screening and celebration from 16:00 until 19:00.
Admission is free, but the number of spots is limited to 15. Reserve your spot here:
Who leads the Film Lab?
The film lab will be led by documentary director Lucia Kašová alongside her team.
Lucia Kašová is an independent director of European documentary art films that balance on the border between documentary and fiction. She studied documentary filmmaking in London, Valencia, and Bratislava. She has directed internationally acclaimed short and feature-length films, including Concrete Age (2018), The Orchestra from the Land of Silence (2020), and The Sailor (2022). luciakasova.com
Ivo Miko has been dedicated to filmmaking for 19 years. He also studied cinematography and photography during his doctoral studies at the Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava. His documentary work includes films such as Comeback (2014), Cooltúra (2016), The Band (2018), The Good Old Days (2019), and Watch Out, the SNG is Falling! (2023). His fiction feature credits include Stanko (2016), Punk Never Dies! (2018), and The Third End of the Stick (2023).
Igor Jedinák is an independent sound designer and sound mixer. He has worked on television projects as well as fiction and documentary feature films. Several of them achieved international success and were screened at festivals worldwide—such as Territory of Imagination (2023), Stepne (2023), and The Flood (2024).
Vladimíra P. Vrbiňáková focuses primarily on editing documentary films, short experimental projects, and music videos. The film Branching Light and Flashes of Dawn (directed by Paula Malinowska), on which she collaborated as an editor, received a Special Mention at the MFDF Jihlava.
