CET Czech Republic

I will start off by saying CET does a great job with organizing events and trying to get students to feel at home in Prague. The Berlin trip was awesome and so was the trip to Cesky Krumlov. I was on the FAMU side of CET. The program at FAMU is slightly flawed, but it’s a great experience. It was amazing being surrounded by people who also had a passion for film. The program doesn’t feel like college or school whatsoever. The schedule is all over the place and can take some time to get used to. The screenwriting class and directing class are entirely pitching for most of the semester. I was very disappointed with directing class, nothing was taught about directing styles or techniques. It’s important to know coming in that if you have an idea for a film that you are passionate about, do it. Some professors will try to push their own ideas on you and make your film their own. Listen to what they have to say because some of their advice is amazing but ultimately go with what you think is best. Some of the professors are awesome. Editing class was very helpful and insightful. The cinematography class was very informative. Storyboarding class is way too short, there should be more of those classes. The electives at FAMU are a hit or miss, some are great, some aren’t. The key is to just test them out before choosing. The lighting seminar is one of the most fun and helpful parts of the program. That is when you get hands on the camera and lighting equipment for the first time. Unfortunately, that is the only time you get to see the camera before shooting. In my opinion, much more time should be spent on preparation for the shoot instead of pitching/screenwriting. The best part of the program by far was production. I highly recommend getting on multiple sets to get as much experience as possible. Being on set is ultimately what the whole program is about. The program provides you the resources to go out and make a film. The best way to learn filmmaking is to get hands-on experience. This program gives you that. I believe that although there are flaws, the set experience you get is invaluable. I met great people here who have taught me a lot as well. I am very happy with what I have learned and would recommend this program to anyone interested in filmmaking.

Prague is a beautiful European city, and I am incredibly grateful that I got to spend four months studying at one of the oldest film schools in the country. CET provided me with an amazing apartment that was close in proximity to a lot of places. In all, I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time here, and learned many things about myself and international filmmaking.

However, there were some things that left me feeling out of sorts. There were times where communication was lacking from the advisors to the students, and it left the majority of us feeling lost. It was very disorganized, and students did not feel as though they were being listened to, and it was unsettling. Better communication and organization would have helped.

While I would ultimately recommend this program to others looking for international filmmaking experience, I think it's important for them to understand what they are getting themselves into.

It's tough to describe this experience on a 1-10 scale. While there were many aspects of this program that I really loved, there were many parts of the program that were very frustrating. Overall, I'm glad that I chose this program and I hope that one day I can return to Prague. I also think that the program has a lot of room for improvement, but compared to other study abroad programs I think that they are the best option for those interested in practical film production.

FAMU is a very unique film school and the professors are very talented filmmakers. I don't think the general core classes were the most productive way to learn with these professors, but I felt that they all made time to meet with us individually several times throughout the semester and those meetings were when I learned the most. I enjoyed my FAMU electives a lot and the general arts community in Prague. I also really enjoyed the optional Kutna Hora trip, and found some personal time to explore Cesky Raj (which I really recommend!).

I wouldn't recommend this program to everybody, but I am glad that I did it and I think that some people could really enjoy what this program has to offer. I also think it was a very valuable character-building experience that I don't think I would've gotten anywhere else. I personally chose to study abroad not just for the cultural experience but also because I wanted to learn film production. While there are many other programs that offer a much more consistent experience (particularly with academics and scheduling) this is the only program I know that provides an accurate experience of what film school and the filmmaking process can look like.

CET offers each student a lot of freedom in their abroad experience. There is a healthy variety of topics in the courses offered. The housing they provide is pretty unique for an abroad program: apartments in great locations. And they don't hold class on Fridays, leaving weekends open for travel. On top of all of this, the program takes you on a few prepaid travel seminars which include sightseeing, lectures, meeting interesting people, and free time to explore on your own. Being in Prague is amazing in it of itself. The city is beautiful, the people are reserved but kind, and the history is fascinating. I had a wonderful experience with CET. I will cherish the memories and friendships for a long time.

My experience in Prague was incredible! Not only did everyone who visited me tell me that it was easily one of their favorite cities in Europe, Prague's central location made it easy and cheap to travel to and experience almost anywhere in Europe. A specific benefit of the CET program was that our required traveling seminars gave us the perfect opportunity to explore places in Central and Eastern Europe that I probably would have never thought to travel to. The biggest challenges I faced while living in Prague were the linguistic and cultural barriers. Things we take for granted everyday such as shopping for groceries or asking for directions became a much more complex ordeal. The CET buddies that we lived with became fantastic resources for tackling these challenges. Besides traveling, Prague was great because it was one of the few cities in Europe to not be leveled during WWII. This means that almost all of the cities rich cultural, historical, and artistic treasures have been preserved.

The city of Prague is breathtaking and magical--if nothing else, I would have lived there simply for the city. In addition to the city, the transportation and low cost of living made the living experience spectacular. Though cold in the winter, there are a mindblowing amount of cafes around the city that are cozy and trendy.
The professors at FAMU are incredibly talented; they plan for cool trips and workshops with renowned photographers and there are many ways to make the most of all the resources in FAMU--from the high-end scanners and printers to the dark rooms and studios.
The administration is sometimes a little disorganized, particularly with communication to CET and us, but eventually it all works out. The support from the CET side is particularly helpful!
I came back with so much more photo knowledge, especially film photography, and am excited to continue my photographic journey!

Studying abroad in Prague was the best decision I have ever made! Originally, I wanted to study abroad in Paris because I am a French major, but changed my mind last minute because I wanted to go somewhere more unique. The culture in Prague is so different, it is hard for me to articulate even now. CET pushed me to do things I never would have on my own. For example, traveling for ten days on the traveling seminar with a large group of people who I had only recently met was one of the most fun and memorable things I have ever done, even though it sounded intimidating at first. I made friends with people I never would have had I gone through a bigger study abroad program, and am still in touch with them now. The love and support I felt from the staff and teachers was also a huge bonus, and not something that students who went elsewhere experienced. CET Prague was the best semester of my life!

CET Prague was an outstanding program! Living just outside the center of town enabled us to get to know many different areas of Prague and have a neighborhood that truly felt like home. The public transportation is incredibly easy to use and CET provides you with a pass for the semester, allowing easy access to all of the things the city has to offer. Paddle boating down the Charles, picnicking in Jiriho z Podebrad, and traveling to Poland, Austria, and Budapest on the Traveling Seminar are some of my finest memories from the semester. I would encourage everyone to do CET Prague who loves to learn by experiencing the place where there are living.