In this seminar we will explore filmmaking as a form of magical practice from a media philosophical approach. What parallels can be drawn? How do cinematic techniques function like occult practices that alter perception, create realities, and transform consciousness?

Inspired by Vilém Flusser’s reflections on the camera as a “magical apparatus” and the “magical character of the image”, we will investigate how the processes of filmmaking – from editing and cinematography to screenwriting and directing – can be interpreted as magical practices with their own rituals and rules. Is the screenplay a spellbook that shapes visions? Are the director’s instructions a magic spell? Is the camera an instrument that channels energy?

The seminar combines theoretical reflection, collective screenings, and practical exercises. A key component is a five-day study trip to Gutshof Sauen in Brandenburg, where we will intensively work on these questions and develop our own cinematic spells.

This seminar is for anyone interested in experimental approaches and exploring the unknown, intuitive, and mystical aspects of their own filmmaking practice.

Sources:

Vilém Flusser: Die Kunst des Fotografierens, Göttingen, 1990.

Vilém Flusser: Das Bild, In: Gesten. Versuch einer Phänomenologie, Bensheim/Düsseldorf, 1991, pp. 9–13.

Schedule:
Introductory Session:
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: GRU 129

Study Trip to Sauen:
Monday, May 19 – Friday, May 23, 2025 (full-day)

Final Session:
Thursday, June 26, 2025, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: GRU 129

Certificate: künstlerisch/gestalterisch (3 SWS)

Participants: max. 20

Language: German / English

Registration: Please register at the Fachklasse or in advance to: s.labis@udk-berlin.de

Notes: The catering costs during the stay at the Gutshof Sauen, amounting to 50 euros, must be covered by the participants themselves.