Denmark’s National Film School is working to give international execs a foothold in the future

The National Film School of Denmark has created two Mini MBAs aimed at international industry professionals, focused on business development and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The aim is to provide producers and executives in small to medium-sized international-facing companies with the leadership skills to take advantage of both complex financing models in the global market and state-of-the-art technology such as AI.

“Many professionals in the film and TV industries are either self-taught or, if they have been to film school, haven’t keep up their training ,” says Ene Rasmussen, the School’s head of industry and training. “They do not necessarily have any formal management skills.”

The two courses will each be short and intensive and run from November 2024 until May 2025. Each will cost nearly $4,000.

“People in the TV and film industries are struggling and don’t have time to take an MBA at one of the business schools,” says Rasmussen. “We wanted to give them some of the benefits an MBA would offer them, such as leadership strategy and entrepreneurship, but with a much shorter and more manageable time and financial commitment.”

The Mini MBA International Finance and Business Development has been designed by Christian Wikander, founder and CEO of Twelve Town, who has also worked at HBO Max Nordic and Banijay and Marike Muselaers, head of international financing and coproductions at Nordisk Film Production.

Twelve participants will undertake six weekend modules between November 2024 and May 2025. 

The course will hone their management skills and help producers deal with financial, resource, logistical, and HR challenges, as well as empowering them to take on the latest technological advances and the evolving digital market developments.

The expert tutors include Vitality.Guru founder Remy Blumenfeld, professor of creative industries at Royal Holloway and head of inclusive futures for creative technology lab CoSTAR Angela Chan, and REinvent Studios CEO Rikke Ennis.

The deadline for applications is September 16.

Creative filmmaking

The Mini MBA in Mastering AI for Film Professionals will encompass film from creation to distribution, giving participants the skills to use AI as a creative film-making tool. 

Structured around four compact modules between November 14, 2024 and May 31, 2025, it is aimed at professionals from every corner of the industry, keen to be one step ahead of the advances in technology.

Sten Saluveer, industry expert and head of Cannes Next, will lead the course, providing hands-on practical experience in virtual content production as well as mastering the ethical and regulatory frameworks bound up with developments in AI. The tutors include executive producer Angus Finney, a fellow at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, PWC Finland’s chief data scientist/director Shahab Anbarjafari, and intellectual property expert Charlotte Lund Thomsen.

The deadline for application for 12 participants is September 17, 2024. 

Concrete ambitions

Both courses are focused on practical outcomes. 

“Participants on the Business course will finish the course having made a business plan they can present to potential investors,” says Rasmussen. “They will also come out of it with a clear idea of how to build a sustainable business.

“The Mini MBA in AI comprises applying AI in practice because AI is about a whole host of things including ethics, efficiency and rights,” Rasmussen continues. “It’s crucial for the industry to train and capacity build. Otherwise our industry professionals won’t survive.”

There is a tendency to hope the streamers will save the audiovisual industry but producers need to know what other options there are out there, believes Rasmussen.

“It’s very tricky especially for the independents,” she says. “How, for example, do you combine European finance with the big global players? How do you find completely new ways to finance? Is it better to go with a big streamer but have to sell your rights to them or to have 15 finance sources but hold on to your own rights and build have a sustainable business?”

“Denmark is keen to grow as a film country with an international reach and these courses will be an excellent networking opportunity for us and all the participants,” adds Rasmussen.