Transatlantic film partnership: studying in Hamburg and Hollywood

Text: Christina Pfänder

Many young filmmakers around the world dream of going to Hollywood to learn about storytelling from experienced screenwriters and to forge contacts while enjoying the Californian sun. Since 2010, this dream has come true for participants in an exchange programme between Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) that the DAAD funds as part of its International Study and Training Partnerships (ISAP) programme. “Unlike our university, which concentrates on the hands-on skills and technical aspects involved in filmmaking, the CSULB emphasises storytelling, writing screenplays and the dramaturgical structure of films,” says Wolfgang Willaschek, a former professor of image design and dramaturgy at HAW Hamburg who developed the cooperation together with US colleagues. This enables students from HAW Hamburg to improve their dramaturgy and storytelling skills and perfect their English, while at the same time taking advantage of their teachers’ connections to the film and television industry. “Steven Spielberg graduated from CSULB,” explains Willaschek, and the university is situated not far from the legendary Hollywood film studios.”

The exchange programme is an enrichment, not only on a professional level: “When students return, they are always so enthusiastic, talking excitedly about their experiences and the new friends they have made.” This is also true of the American students from CSULB, who acquire new perspectives on their subject while at HAW Hamburg. “Because our department evolved from an engineering degree course, we have great expertise in dealing with cameras, light and sound.” This technological orientation provides a solid basis for the tools of the future: the use of virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, is now routinely taught at HAW Hamburg. “These innovative methods and our outstanding technical equipment are extremely attractive to our American students,” explains Willaschek.

The German-American film partnership is part of HAW Hamburg’s “HAW goes USA” strategy, which now involves twelve universities in the US. Since 2017, the DAAD has supported three stra­tegic collaborations through its ISAP programme. CSULB is the most important partner, also in the areas of brand design, social work and inter­national business. To intensify the transatlantic cooperation, a teacher exchange is additionally organised in these subjects, with summer schools, workshops and online modules run jointly with CSULB. “As we both follow a project-oriented and practical approach in our work, we are a very good fit and our colleagues also work wonderfully together as a team – which greatly benefits our students, too.” —