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Hollywood made in CologneThe “Game of Thrones” makers of tomorrow learn in this secret school
Here the effects are taught to students in detail, all in English!
PIXL VISN media arts academy
Hollywood already begins in Cologne!
In the heart of the cathedral city, the dragons from “Game of Thrones” come to life, at least indirectly. Because in the middle of Cologne, the PIXL VISN Media Arts Academy is a school that has long since achieved cult status in the international VFX and gaming industry. RTL.de took a look at the small but fine school that develops the makers of Hollywood!
In this school, the makers are made for Hollywood
While many Germans have little use for the term “visual effects,” graduates of the Cologne Academy work on the biggest productions in the world: “Game of Thrones,” “The Mandalorian,” Netflix blockbusters and Hollywood films. And behind this success there is an almost cinematic story.
The man who is now considered the co-founder of one of the world's most successful 3D and VFX schools once came to Leverkusen from Romania as a child. After the fall of the Ceaușescu dictatorship, Andrei Stirbu fled with his family, first to Germany, and later to Canada. There he worked his way up in the film industry to a senior management position at Canada's largest animation studios. Today he is training the next generation of Hollywood world makers in Cologne.
Andrei Stirbu runs the PIXL VISN Media Arts Academy together with a friend and business partner.
Private.
Stirbu to RTL.de: “In this industry, certificates, diplomas or classic grades don’t count, only your portfolio.” That's why every student at the school creates their own so-called “demo reel”: a one to two minute short video with the best work from their training. It is precisely with these demo reels that the graduates later apply to studios and production companies in the industry.” In the end, it is the quality of the reel that decides whether someone gets a job at Disney, Netflix, HBO or other international studios.
And the calculation seems to be working! According to international rankings, the school is considered one of the best VFX training centers in the world. Competition usually comes from Canada or the USA, but often at significantly higher prices. While renowned schools in Vancouver cost up to $50,000, according to Stirbu, training in Cologne costs around 23,000 euros for 18 months.
That's the cost of Hollywood school
That sounds steep at first, but the career opportunities are enormous. According to industry insiders, many graduates start with an annual salary of around 36,000 euros immediately after graduating, i.e. as complete career starters without previous industry experience. Anyone who establishes themselves in the industry can later earn well over 100,000 euros. People who not only work creatively but also have a strong technical understanding are particularly successful.
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Some former students have already made it to the top. Former graduate Philipp Willer is working as Head of Animation on the dragons from “Game of Thrones”. The special: The lessons at the school are carried out exclusively by active professionals from the industry. A total of 42 experts work at the academy. Many discover talents during lessons and later bring students directly into their productions. “Why should I search worldwide when I have known the people here for months?” says Stirbu, explaining the network principle.
Jobs at Disney, Netflix, HBO are in demand
The academy currently has around 250 students who come to Cologne from all over the world. The location surprises many people, because the big film industry is actually based in Los Angeles, Vancouver or London. But this is exactly what Stirbu sees as the strength of his school: international Hollywood education in the middle of Germany.
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The path wasn't always easy. During the Corona period, the industry boomed thanks to streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV+. Afterwards, the Hollywood writers' strikes and the uncertainty surrounding AI caused a massive slump. The market is now slowly recovering.
For Stirbu, the mission remains clear: “You give someone a flyer at a trade fair and a few years later that person is working on 'Game of Thrones'. That's an incredible feeling.” Perhaps that is exactly the reason why something is currently being created in Cologne that otherwise sounds more like Silicon Valley or Hollywood: a talent factory for the digital dream factory of the future.
Sources used: own RTL research
