Catalyst - Institute for Creative Arts and Technology

From a film student perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Catalyst (Formerly dBs Berlin). I took the 1 year diploma course with plans to expand my portfolio and apply for a Masters in Fine Arts degree at NYU, USC, and Loyola in the US - I ended up being accepted into all 3. By taking advantage of the resources and the extremely helpful tutors (booking equipment during my free time, meeting tutors privately for script feedback, etc), I was aided in creating a handful of valuable short films in such a short time span.

The cohort has extremely hard working people, those interested in collaborating and sharing ideas in a non-competitive space. My latest film, 'Generation Z', has just been accepted into Indie Short Fest in LA, and I thank Catalyst (formerly dBs Berlin) for the resources, feedback, as well as my hardworking crew for helping me with this amazing experience. Highly recommend!

"Signing up to Catalyst (formerly dBs Berlin) was one of the best decisions i've made. I was on the fence for a while whether taking a music production degree would be worth its while financially but I'm very glad I did. I was operating in the music industry for a few years from a more business perspective, but needed to express ideas I had bottled up. Firstly having the opportunity to work in studios as respected worldwide as Funkhaus is something I feel truly blessed to enjoy. I have even ended up making a track with a very talented producer on my favourite label.

The teaching I have experienced has pushed me to try creative production techniques I would of otherwise not necessarily explored. In addition to this I feel like my knowledge of both production techniques and my contextual understanding of musical movements has vastly improved. I think this is hugely undervalued and will help anyone progress that little bit further.

I would say however you need to be in the right mindset to get the most out of what Catalyst has to offer. Attend each class, ask questions and book out your max studio hours otherwise you won't get the most out of it. If you are driven and proactive enough then it can serve you well but that's your decision."

"I love that we're treated like we are already working in the industry. I think that aspect of the school is one of the most important parts because you learn the hard way what needs to be done and what you can expect when stepping out of the Funkhaus with a degree in your hand. I feel like at the end of the third year I'm going to be fully prepared and ready to take on the industry."⁠⁠