Discovery Campus, the flagship continuing education programme at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event and the Black Nights Film Festival, returns in 2025 with a diverse lineup of workshops, masterclasses, and networking events for emerging talents and early-career film professionals.
With a strong focus on practical know-how and shared experieces, the programme aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to launch and sustain successful careers in the film and audiovisual industries.
This year’s edition once again brings to Tallinn internationally renowned experts and pantners. The programme includes four distinct subprogrammes: Music Meets Film, dedicated to film scoring and sound; Frame Within a Frame, focused on cinematography; Black Room, spotlighting the art department with a special emphasis on hair & make-up design; and Script Pool, a prestigious pitching competition for director-writer-producer teams.
Submissions for these programmes are open until June 30, 2025, offering early-career talents and film professionals an exceptional opportunity to engage with acknoledged mentors. Meanwhile, the call for Black Nights Stars—the initiative focused on rising acting talent—has already successfully closed for the 2025 edition. Altogeher, 40 young film professionals will be selected to attend the Discovery Campus.
Highlights for 2025 edition
Black Room presents a deep dive into hair, make-up, SFX, and character design in film. Over three days, participants will engage in case studies, practical workshops, and public talks, including standout sessions such as “The Chemistry Lab: Mixology of Bodily Fluids” and open lectures by industry legend costume designer Debra McGuire (Friends) and sessions by Aalto Unicerity Production Design department.
Frame Within a Frame, in collaboration with Aalto University (Helsinki), provides cinematographers with immersive workshops both in Tallinn (18–21 November) and Helsinki (23–25 November). Highlights include sesssions partnering with IMAGO, ICLS, Aalto Studios, and Camera Nordic, culminating in a masterclass, “Hands-On Experience with the Future of Cinematography”. The programme also includes screenings as well as practical workshops. Check out the recap from Frame Within the Frame events 2024
Script Pool features in-depth mentoring for selected teams, including pitching workshops with David Pope, story editing with Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten, and festival and sales strategy consultations with Julia Short. Teams will also meet with agents and casting directors to explore career development pathways.
Script Pool has also announced the first jury member, Yana Georgieva, the Head of Sales at Bankside Films, with extensive experience in international film sales, production, and distribution. Over the past decade, she has played a key role in bringing a wide range of acclaimed independent films to global audiences, leading sales on titles such as Freeheld, On The Fringe, Ordinary People, Talk to Me, Ballad of the Wallis Island, The Quiet Girl, and many more.
Music Meets Film presents masterclasses with BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated composer Atli Örvarsson and renowned Estonian composer Ardo Ran Varres. The programme also hosts a panel on scoring for film and video games in collaboration with Tier Music Publishing.
Black Nights Stars will see selected actors engage in intensive training with esteemed coach Tom Sawyer, one-on-one meetings with international casting professionals, and exclusive networking opportunities. A public highlight includes the panel “How to Work with and Cast for Netflix and Other Big Streamers in the Baltic Sea Region”, featuring casting professionals, agents, and acclaimed actors.
Public Events and Panels
In addition the closed programme, there are also some public events scheduled, including.
Discovery Campus is a key initiative of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, created to support the professional development of emerging talents and film professionals in the audiovisual sector. By focusing on mentorship, practical insights, and networking, the programme offers young film professionals valuable tools and guidance as they begin building their careers. Discovery Campus aims to create a supportive environment where new voices can grow, connect, and find their place in the wider film community.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUBMISSIONS HERE
Still wondering if Discovery Campus is for you? CHECK the video recap from Discovery Campus programme!