Film Scoring and Production Preparatory course
PREPARATORY PROGRAMME

Enter Film Scoring.
Develop Your Craft.
Build Your Portfolio.

Film Scoring and Production Preparatory course

Composition & Production: From first cue to final mix.

L.A. Film Project: Score scenes by L.A. film students.

Bachelor Preparation: Small groups with personal feedback.

What happens in the Info Session?
Approx. 45 min. online call. Programme overview, project insights & live Q&A for your questions. Non-binding and free of charge.

All Facts at a Glance

Degree & Workload:

musicube academy Diploma

At least 25 hours per week

Duration & Dates:

1 year / 3 trimesters

Starts in Jun. / Sep. / Jan.

Language:

German / English

Flexible language of instruction

Study Format & Location:

On campus in Bonn, hybrid or online

Participation from abroad possible

Provider & Admission:

musicube academy

Personal 1:1 profiling

Fees & Services

€512 per month (or €2048 per trimester)

Scholarships available

Inside musicube academy

Wo Musik, Film und Storytelling zusammenkommen

The teaser reflects what musicube academy stands for: creative energy, musical development and the connection between composition, production and storytelling. It gives you a first impression of the world you will work in with us – with your own musical ideas, professional workflows, personal feedback and the goal of preparing your next step towards study or creative practice.

From first idea to final cue

Programme Structure Overview

Film Scoring and Production connects musical craft, storytelling, and production technology in one coherent learning path. You learn to analyse scenes, understand dramatic function, develop musical ideas, produce them in your DAW, and prepare them so they work with picture, dialogue and sound design. Every topic is built step by step: analyse, understand, compose, produce and receive feedback. This gives you a clear structure while leaving enough space to develop your own musical language.

Composition & Production on Equal Footing

Composition & Production on Equal Footing

We integrate composition and production. You learn to write music that supports a scene and to produce it with a sound quality that matches the emotional and dramatic intention of your score.

Your Musical Language from Baroque to Beats

Your Musical Language from Baroque to Beats

Film music draws from many musical worlds. You work with harmony, voice leading, classical forms, modern grooves, pop aesthetics, electronic sounds and hybrid scoring approaches so you can choose the right language for each project.

Small Groups & Direct Feedback

Small Groups & Direct Feedback

Because artistic development is individual, we work in small groups of typically 4–8 participants. You can try out ideas, share sketches, receive personal feedback and learn from the perspectives of others.

Real Film Projects & International Network

Real Film Projects & International Network

Your work goes beyond exercises. In practical projects and collaborations, including our long-standing connection with Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, you work on real scenes and begin to build your own creative network.

We make it easy for you to get to know us.

Your Path to the Academy

Understand the programme and find out whether Film Scoring and Production is the right next step for you.

  • 1. Get to know us

    Attend our weekly, free online info session. Meet the team, ask your questions and get a first impression of how we teach advanced film scoring, production and showreel development.

  • 2. Share Your Work

    For the personal profiling, you send us your CV and 2–3 musical works. These can be compositions, film cues, productions, band projects, solo works or other examples that show your current artistic and technical level.

  • 3. Receive Your Recommendation

    In a 1:1 online profiling of approx. 2 hours, we listen to your work, talk about your goals and give you honest, differentiated feedback. Afterwards, you receive a clear recommendation on whether and how you can start the programme.

YOUR ADVANTAGES

Curriculum Overview

Here you can see which topics accompany you during the programme. The subjects are sorted by focus areas so you can quickly see where your interests connect.

Composition Studies, Harmony & Voice Leading

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Harmonisation, modal scales and harmony, form and structure, chord symbols, lead sheets, voice leading and musical architecture.
Your advantage: You understand musical material deeply enough to use it deliberately for your own ideas, instead of relying only on intuition or trial and error.

Music Production, Audio Engineering & Sound Sources

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DAW workflow, MIDI editing, sample libraries, sound synthesis, mixing, mastering, signal flow and creative production decisions.
Your advantage: You learn music production tools and technology in a musical and creative context, enabling you to create more convincing scores and develop a stronger production quality.

Film Scoring, Dramaturgy & Storytelling

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Spotting, timing, cue structure, film dramaturgy, genre-based scoring, analysis of selected scores, emotional function, scene interpretation and musical storytelling.
Your advantage: You learn to write music that responds to picture, supports or challenges a scene, and communicates clearly with directors, editors and other creative partners.

Style Studies & Musical Language

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Blues, soul, funk, rock, hip hop, EDM, classical styles from Palestrina and Bach to Viennese Classicism, Romanticism, Impressionism and Expressionism.
Your advantage: You build a broad musical vocabulary that makes you stylistically flexible and gives you more choices when searching for the right expression for a film project.

Film Scoring Practice, Network & Portfolio

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Film scoring practice, cooperation with film schools, presentation, competitions, feedback rounds, showreel development and portfolio preparation.
Your advantage: You do not only learn isolated techniques. You apply them in practical contexts, build portfolio material and train the workflows required for entrance exams and future professional projects.
What to expect in the programme

The Path to Professionalism

What to expect in the programme

We prepare you to take the next step into film music, media composition and music production, with a strong portfolio, a clearer artistic profile and greater technical confidence.

You take creative responsibility for scoring a real film by an L.A. film student, from first idea to final production.

You learn current industry tools and workflows, including DAWs, notation, libraries and mixing.

You build portfolio material for Bachelor applications and future creative projects.

You receive personal feedback from instructors who are active in film music and media production.

You gain experience with deadlines, revisions, communication and practical project work.

Your 1-Year Trimester Plan

Qualification for Bachelor entrance exams and a strong film scoring portfolio

Trimester 1

Foundations

Composition, DAW Workflow & First Cue

You build the musical and technical foundations: harmony, voice leading, notation, DAW workflow, MIDI editing, basic production techniques, film music analysis and first scoring exercises.

    Trimester 2

    Style, Sound & Dramaturgy

    Musical Language & Scene-Based Production

    You expand your stylistic vocabulary, deepen your production workflow and work more deliberately with dramaturgy, timing, genre, sound sources and hybrid scoring approaches.

      Trimester 3

      Film Project & Portfolio

      Practical Project, Final Mix & Entrance Preparation

      You apply your skills in practical film scoring work, develop portfolio pieces, refine your showreel material and prepare for Bachelor entrance exams or other next steps.

        Music production studio

        Ready to move people with your music?

        Your Path into Film Music

        Do you want to create music that shapes emotion, supports stories and reaches an audience? Film Scoring and Production gives you the foundation, structure and feedback to turn your musical ideas into a serious first portfolio.

        A NETWORK THAT OPENS DOORS

        Network & Collaborations

        Our partnerships open doors to the professional world early on. You score real scenes and work directly with students from our renowned partner universities in practical projects.

        Academy for International Education

        Academy for International Education

        International education programmes & intercultural learning.

        Loyola Marymount University (LA)

        Loyola Marymount University (LA)

        Over 20 years of cooperation for exchange & networks in the USA.

        Aachen University of Applied Sciences

        Aachen University of Applied Sciences

        Joint film projects and scene scoring.

        IMMSANE Network

        IMMSANE Network

        Global industry and education network for media music.

        International Film School Cologne

        International Film School Cologne

        Practical projects and scoring with directing students.

        Learn from the Pros

        Our Instructors

        All instructors in Film Scoring and Production have studied film scoring themselves and are actively working in the music industry. They bring their current projects, workflows and experience directly into the classroom. This means you do not only learn theoretical foundations, but work from day one in close alignment with professional practice.

        Pablo Jókay

        Pablo Jókay

        Tonal harmony and voice leading

        Composition

        Music theory

        Film dramaturgy

        LinkedIn
        Jakob Schneider

        Jakob Schneider

        Music production

        Audio engineering

        Midi programming

        Film dramaturgy

        LinkedIn
        Prof Josef Piras

        Prof Josef Piras

        Tonal harmony and voice leading

        Composition

        Music theory

        Film dramaturgy
        LinkedIn
        Alexander Gromeier

        Alexander Gromeier

        Music production

        Audio engineering

        Midi programming

        Film dramaturgy

        Scripting

        About
        Michael Firmont

        Michael Firmont

        Music production

        Audio engineering

        Midi programming

        Film dramaturgy

        LinkedIn

        Your Technological Playground

        Studios, Campus & Teaching Technology

        Learn and work in an environment designed for contemporary film scoring and music production. From DAW-based composition to hybrid teaching, we provide the tools and learning setting you need to develop your ideas into finished cues.

        DAW & Scoring Workflow

        DAW & Scoring Workflow

        Work with professional production workflows in Pro Tools, Cubase and related tools. You learn how to organise sessions, edit MIDI, prepare cues and move efficiently from sketch to final mix.

        Professional Libraries & Sound Sources

        Professional Libraries & Sound Sources

        Develop your own production workflow on your own setup, with access to professional sample libraries, synthesizers and creative sound sources for modern orchestral, hybrid and electronic scoring.

        Campus & Community

        Campus & Community

        Our facilities in Bonn offer space for creative exchange, focused work, feedback, networking and teamwork with other emerging composers and producers.

        Hybrid Classroom & Recorded Sessions

        Hybrid Classroom & Recorded Sessions

        Our hybrid format connects online and on-campus participants in live sessions. Recordings allow you to rewatch, analyse and deepen the content afterwards at your own pace.

        Showreels & Work Examples

        Music from Film Scoring and Production

        Listen to selected works created during the preparatory year. These examples show how participants develop their own film cues, scoring projects and portfolio pieces for Bachelor applications, further training or their next creative projects.

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        Father & Daughter

        Student work from Film Scoring and Production
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        Why it was the right fit for me.

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        Hands-on with Industry-Standard

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        Alma

        Student work from Film Scoring and Production
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        Avatar Teaser

        Student work from Film Scoring and Production
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        Why it was the right fit for me.

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        Toy Story 2

        Student work from Advanced Film Scoring and Production

        Frequently asked questions & answers

        Here you’ll find answers to the most important questions about the program, application, entrance exam, and day-to-day student life.

        Can I take part online or in a hybrid format?

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        Yes. You can take the program from anywhere – whether you are in Bonn, Berlin, or any other place in the world. Our hybrid teaching concept combines in-person workshops with live online classes, regular feedback sessions, and practice-oriented digital projects.

        How big are the groups?

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        There are a maximum of eight participants. The small group size creates a personal learning environment in which you receive individual feedback and work closely with instructors and fellow students. Over time, the groups develop into social units where learning becomes not only more effective, but also more motivating and enjoyable.

        In which language are the classes taught?

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        The language of instruction is German. As soon as there is a participant in the group who does not speak German, we switch to English to ensure that everyone can participate actively and on an equal footing.

        How does this program benefit my professional future?

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        This program prepares you specifically for a Bachelor’s degree in Composition for Film, Games, and Media and at the same time equips you with the practical tools you need to enter the media industry. You work with real film and game scenes, gain hands-on experience collaborating with filmmakers, and build a valuable network within the industry.

        Which software is used in class?

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        We mainly work with Pro Tools and Cubase – as a solid foundation that not only enables you to learn these DAWs, but also makes it easier to switch to other digital audio workstations. We are convinced that it is important not to rely on just a single DAW if you want to be as compatible as possible within different professional networks. The teaching is complemented by industry-standard sample libraries and modern production tools, which we introduce in a practical and creative way.

        Music production studio

        Start Your Musical Journey Now

        Attend our next online info session, meet our lecturers and find out which bachelor programme perfectly fits your goals.Free of charge and completely non-binding.

        Already decided?Click here to apply directly.
        Film Scoring and Production Preparatory course