Fantastic Film School

Fantastic Film School: Global Course

The Fantastic Film School Global Course is a workshop program for emerging filmmakers from around the world, designed to nurture global film talent and support international networking. Building on the legacy of the Fantastic Film School, which began in 2009, the program was restructured last year to focus on the production of AI and live-action hybrid short films, with the aim of developing practical skills for international co-production. Participants from across the globe will gain hands-on knowledge of genre filmmaking and AI-based film production techniques through lectures and workshops. Based on live-action shooting, they will utilize AI processes to create short films that integrate both approaches.

Program Introduction

※ All programs will be conducted in English.

Online and on-site
lectures and pre-production
Shooting and
post-production

Screening
at BIFAN

Online Lectures	Lectures and Mentoring in AI and Film Production (Directing) Script clinic
Online Pre-Production	Team production meetings Preliminary AI creation Project pitching
Shooting and post-production	2 day shooting schedule Post-production and AI integration
Screening at BIFAN	Graduation ceremony and screening Networking event

Program Schedule

※ The following schedule is subject to change depending on the progress of the program.

Orientation	May 12 (Tue), 2026
AI Lectures & Online Pre-Production	May 12 (Tue) - June 26 (Fri), 2026 (Weekly online meetings every Tuesday)
Offline Program Period	June 29 (Mon) - July 8 (Wed), 2026
Graduation Ceremony & Screening	July 8 (Wed), 2026

Eligibility and Benefits

Eligibility	Adults aged 18 or older (For Korean applicants, those who are not currently enrolled in high school) Has experience as a key crew (director, producer, cinematographer, editor, lighting, sound, etc.) in at least two short films Able to communicate in English Willing to contribute to various roles beyond the primary role of selection during the film project Has stable internet access during the online pre-production period (For international participants) Must be eligible for international travel (For international participants) Must be able to have travel insurance
Participant Obligations	Produce one AI-incorporated short film per team during the program period Participants are required to attend both online and on-site programs No unauthorized absences during the stay Participants who withdraw mid-program may be restricted from future BIFAN workshop programs
Provided Support	Production Support Eduacation program and mentoring Support fund per team Workspace at the Webtoon Convergence Center in Bucheon AI tools (image, video, sound, and other production tools)
Provided Support	Festival Support Accommodation provided during the program (2 people per room) 2026 BIFAN+ badge Certificate of completion
Fund Usage Guidelines	The fund must only be used for production expenses and may not be used for participants’ personal compensation. Detailed usage guidelines will be provided separately Budget must be pre-approved before use; personal use is strictly prohibited Receipts must be submitted and processed within the program period

Requirements for Completed Films

Requirements for Completed Films	Minimum of 3 minute running time including live-action footages and AI-generated visuals or sound Must include English or Korean dialogues Must follow BIFAN’s designated credit guidelines and include official production support logos

Fields of Selection and Preference

Fields of Selection	① Directing ② Producing ③ Cinematography/Lighting ④ Sound ⑤ AI Creator
Number of Participants	Approximately 30 participants in total Teams will be organized by the festival, taking field of expertise and nationality ratio into account.
Preference	Basic proficiency in using generative AI tools (For Korean applicants) Ability to drive Preference only plays as one factor in consideration and do not plays a decisive role in the final selection.

Fields of Selection

① Directing
② Producing
③ Cinematography/Lighting
④ Sound
⑤ AI Creator

Number of Participants

Approximately 30 participants in total

Teams will be organized by the festival, taking field of expertise and nationality ratio into account.

Preference

Basic proficiency in using generative AI tools
(For Korean applicants) Ability to drive
Preference only plays as one factor in consideration and do not plays a decisive role in the final selection.

Selection Timeline

※ The following schedule is subject to change depending on program progress.

Application Deadline	Jan 15 (Thu) - 5:00 PM (KST), April 7 (Tue), 2026
Document Review	April 8 (Wed) - April 20 (Mon), 2026
Final Selection Announcement	April 21 (Tue), 2026 Will be announced on the official website and via individual notifications
Participation Confirmation Agreement	April 22 (Wed) - April 24 (Fri), 2026

Application Documents

Required Documents for All Applicants
Document Submission Guidelines	All applicants must submit the common required documents Applicants applying to the “Directing” track as one of their 1st to 3rd choices are required to submit an additional document specific to the category: a short film script The online application form must be completed in English
Common	① Application Form Personal information CV Photo (for identification purposes)
	② English Interview Video A self-introduction interview video (approximately 3 minutes), what you hope to gain from the program, how you can contribute, and your future plans. Must be submitted as a streaming link (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) that remains accessible until May 31, 2026 If the video is password-protected, the password must be provided
	③ Portfolio Video Must be submitted as a streaming link (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) that remains accessible until May 31, 2026 If the video is password-protected, the password must be provided
	④ Consent Form for Collection and Use of Personal Information and Portrait Rights Included in the online application form
Additional Documents by Field
Directing	Short film script A script for a short film (under 10 minutes) intended for production during the Fantastic Film School Global Course program (fiction, music video, AI documentary, etc.) The script must be an original work created by the applicant Formatting guidelines: Language: English or Korean Accepted file formats: .pdf Approximately 10 pages in Word Page numbers must be included at the bottom Flexible with other formatting
Optional Submission
Optional	Recommendation Letter Must include the recommender’s name and contact information No specific format is required

Application Guidance

How to Apply	Apply online through the [Apply] button at the bottom of the page during the application period. All required documents must be submitted by 5:00 PM (KST) on Wednesday, April 7. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for evaluation. To avoid submission errors, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit at least two hours before the deadline. Late submissions due to time zone confusion will not be accepted, so please check the deadline carefully.
Application Instructions	Applicants may indicate up to 3 preferred crew positions (1st to 3rd choice). Indicating a 2nd or 3rd choice is optional. Applicants may be selected for a position other than their 1st choice, including their 2nd or 3rd choice. If selected for a 2nd or 3rd choice position, participants are required to fulfill the responsibilities of that role. If there are no other desired positions beyond the 1st choice, applicants may leave the 2nd and 3rd choices blank. Applicants are advised to carefully consider their 2nd and 3rd choices before applying. If an accepted participant does not confirm, a candidate may be selected from the waitlist. Please note that waitlist status will not be individually notified.
Important Notes	Applicants must complete their application by 5:00 PM (KST) on April 7 (Tue). The application portal will automatically close after the deadline. The festival is not responsible for any issue caused by applicants’ carelessness, such as missing documents or time zone misunderstandings. Due to potential technical issues, applicants are advised to submit at least two hours before the deadline. Submitted documents will only be used for the selection process of the Fantastic Film School and will not be returned. If submitted materials contain copyright issues or if any part of the application is found to be false, the participant may be disqualified even after being selected.

How to Apply

Apply online through the [Apply] button at the bottom of the page during the application period.

All required documents must be submitted by 5:00 PM (KST) on Wednesday, April 7.
Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for evaluation.
To avoid submission errors, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit at least two hours before the deadline.
Late submissions due to time zone confusion will not be accepted, so please check the deadline carefully.

Application Instructions

Applicants may indicate up to 3 preferred crew positions (1st to 3rd choice). Indicating a 2nd or 3rd choice is optional.
Applicants may be selected for a position other than their 1st choice, including their 2nd or 3rd choice. If selected for a 2nd or 3rd choice position, participants are required to fulfill the responsibilities of that role. If there are no other desired positions beyond the 1st choice, applicants may leave the 2nd and 3rd choices blank. Applicants are advised to carefully consider their 2nd and 3rd choices before applying.
If an accepted participant does not confirm, a candidate may be selected from the waitlist. Please note that waitlist status will not be individually notified.

Important

Notes

Applicants must complete their application by 5:00 PM (KST) on April 7 (Tue). The application portal will automatically close after the deadline.
The festival is not responsible for any issue caused by applicants’ carelessness, such as missing documents or time zone misunderstandings.
Due to potential technical issues, applicants are advised to submit at least two hours before the deadline.
Submitted documents will only be used for the selection process of the Fantastic Film School and will not be returned.
If submitted materials contain copyright issues or if any part of the application is found to be false, the participant may be disqualified even after being selected.