start:program_overview [Extended Cinematography]

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====== PROGRAM OVERVIEW =====

A broad description of the program itself, including objectives, structure, and any overarching details.

===== STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM =====

This curriculum spans two years and follows a work-study format (French “alternance”), structured across four trimesters. Students alternate between three-month academic periods and three-month professional placements in partner companies.

All the courses are conducted at École Polytechnique, where the program shares multiple scientific courses with the [[https://graphicscomputing.fr/IVA/|IVA track]] (Image, Vision and Learning)  of the Ecole polytechnique (X) engineering program. The school offers a dedicated experimentation room for hands-on virtual production exercises. Also, to provide real-world industrial experience, extended practical projects are conducted at [[https://www.ens-louis-lumiere.fr/en/about-ecole-nationale-superieure-louis-lumiere/|ENS Louis-Lumière]], which will host a large LED stage. This facility enables the creation of diverse 3D sets, backgrounds, and real-time special effects directly on set, incorporating previsualization technology and on-set VFX, along with a real-time green screen solution and a motion capture system.

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==== 1st Year ====
The first year is dedicated to building a solid foundation of scientific and technological knowledge, essential for the second year of the Master’s program. It covers Cinema and Virtual Production Workflow, Computer Graphics Foundations, Modeling and Digital Representations, Animation, and Computer Vision. Additionally, it includes Real-Time Rendering, Game Engine Programming (Unreal Engine), Physically-Based Rendering, as well as foundational concepts in AI (Machine Learning and Deep Learning), with some additional Technical Director (TD) skills on advanced programming and tools (e.g. parallel programming, GPU programming, GPGPU, CUDA, OpenCL, etc.).

==== 2nd Year ====

The second year delves deeper into 3D computer graphics applied to cinematography, covering topics such as 3D scene capture and reconstruction, real-time augmented reality with game engine programming (Unreal Engine), motion capture, natural phenomena (VFX), creative and generative AI for film, and 3D sound. Additionally, students acquire advanced Technical Director (TD) skills, including expertise in specialized programming and tools (e.g., GPU programming with Vulkan).

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===== Hands-On Experience and Industry Integration =====

The program is further enriched with Practical and Creative Projects, Capstone Film Projects, and Industry Work Experience throughout the two years, providing ongoing hands-on opportunities to apply and deepen the knowledge gained in the Master’s program.

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During the academic trimesters, students spend half a day each week on a creative project, allowing them to explore a technology or subject of their choice. They also have intensive periods on set that offer them hands-on experience in virtual production. These are designed to replicate industrial conditions and help students develop practical solutions to complex problems in fields relevant to the program.

In the second year, students will participate in a short film production project, integrating all the skills and techniques acquired during the program. This final project serves as a capstone experience, allowing students to demonstrate their mastery of both technical and creative aspects, culminating in a real-world application of their studies.

As part of the practical experience in this work-study program (French “alternance”),  the students work half-time in a partner company to gain real world industrial experience related to cinema or advanced 3D technologies.
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