Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU), Lucerne, Switzerland
Founded in 1877 the Lucerne School of Art and Design today has more than 1000 students benefiting from its strong expertise in research and development, making it one of Switzerland ‘s leading providers of degree programs in art, design, and film. The school delivers innovation and identify niches; it creates images, narratives, products, strategies and processes that provide meaning and add cultural, economic and social value. The workshops are practical and relevant; the school has a high profile in the public sphere; and maintains cooperation with many external partners. The school’s roots are in Central Switzerland, yet it has a network at an international level.
As an artistic and creative university with an application-oriented profile, film education at the HSLU covers a broad spectrum of professions. Graduates work independently or as employed artistic-creative filmmakers, technical staff, animators, designers, illustrators, project managers, in all areas of audio-visual media production. Film is treated as a fundamental field of competence that forms the framework for working with moving images as a historical and medial basis. In addition to the possibility of developing an independent artistic stance during the course of study, this offers the opportunity for an in-depth examination of the conditions of audiovisual communication, form and presentation.
Covering the school’s teaching philosophy, authorship is a focus in all four-degree programs; the aim is to optimally train authors for the constantly differentiating market of moving image production, who have an independent artistic expressiveness and attitude. Of course, this has to do with the mission and self-image of an artistic-creative university, which cannot be about training pure technicians or craftsmen – even if this area is gaining in importance – but where authorship means assuming social responsibility and taking critical positions in both artistic and commission-based works. However, it is particularly an expression of the open attitude of the four degree programs, which attach importance precisely not to ‚prescribing‘ a single, recognizable style of a school, but whose individualized, close supervision by the lecturers allows students to explore their own possibilities and develop them further according to their interests, abilities and ideas. Conversely, this does not mean that applied work is not encouraged during or after the degree. Many graduates work on film projects and commissioned productions and at the same time realize their own projects.
Degree Levels & Specializations
BA of Arts in Animation. During the animation course at the Lucerne School of Art and Design, students learn far more than techniques for making animation films. They learn to manage projects, work in teams, apply discussion and criticism with a purpose and meet a common goal with clients. These are requirements that are expected in many areas, not just art-related professions. As a result, the graduates work in a wide variety of jobs, from independent filmmakers, animators, designers and illustrators to project managers, VJ projection designers, teachers and many more. All of them rely on the fundamental skills they were taught. The satisfaction of the alumni speaks for itself.
BA of Arts in Video. Graduates in Video are equipped with the diverse skill sets required in professional practice today. Generalist training in combination with specialization modules enables them to quickly gain a foothold in a broad variety of careers in the film industry or other audio-visual media. Many graduates switch back and forth between independent artistic work and employment on film productions and commissioned projects. Completion of the 3-year Bachelor of Arts in Video also qualifies them to pursue a Master of Arts in Switzerland or abroad.
The Master of Arts in Animation is aimed at students who want to develop their acquired skills as animation artists and filmmakers and develop and realize their own concepts, worlds and animated films. In open and creative exchange with experienced teachers, practitioners from the industry and fellow students, they develop an individual language as animation artists. The program offers a practical course of study in which students design and realize their own linear or interactive projects.
The Master of Arts in Film of the Lucerne School of Art and Design specializes in documentary and experimental film. The program offers a springboard for positioning oneself as an artist and filmmaker. The curriculum is based on an intense discussion of documentary approaches, the exploration of new technologies and the development of narrative concepts in short, feature-length and serialized films, and in installative forms.
The language of studies is German and English. Basic full tuition for 2023/2024 is 2,760 CHF per year. Number of applicants in the current school year in the film department – 200 students. Enrolled students in the current school year – 70. In total the ratio is approx. 60 % Female / 40% Male.
The application process includes five stages: Review of formal requirements; Artistic Portfolio and Task; Interview with Admissions Committee; Decision of Admission. Each candidate’s submission is assessed by 4-5 members of staff.
Successful Graduates (alphabetically):
- Corina Schwingruber Illic, https://www.swissfilms.ch/de/person/schwingruber-ili- corina/6D2C318F12844FF7A428382DF088ADB5
- Jürgen Buchinger, https://differentspace.com
- Remo Scherrer, https://vimeo.com/remoscherrer
- Morgan Frund, https://morganefrund.ch/
- Lasse Linder, https://www.lasselinder.com/
- Thais Odermatt, http://thaisodermatt.com/
- Lena van Doehren, https://www.derkleinevogel.com/
- Maja Gehrig, https://vimeo.com/gehrigtrick
- Ramon Arango, https://vimeo.com/ramoncito
- Jela Hasler, https://www.jelahasler.ch/
- Samuel Patthey, https://www.samuelpatthey.com
Link to Student films
