Facilities & Resources
Studios
At Central Film School we have two professional studios. Studio A is our larger studio, and is also a functional screening theatre with retractable seats and a full-size projector screen. We also have a DMX controlled lighting and multicam set-up within Studio A.
Studio A also houses an LED wall (or Virtual Production Wall.) This can be used for multiple purposes. We are proud to be able to give students access to cutting-edge industry technology and allow them to get to grips with new fields opening up in the British film industry.
Both studios are fully equipped to become anything the script might call for. Professional rigging and the freedom for students to build any set imaginable has allowed it to previously become a space station, a fortune-teller’s tent, and a Parisian cafe.
Edit Suite
Post-production plays a crucial role in the filmmaking process, and at our facility, we have dedicated spaces to cater to these needs. Our editing suite boasts 18 cutting-edge stations, each equipped with Mac Minis featuring the latest M2 chip and 16GB of RAM. This powerful setup ensures fast and efficient rendering of your films. As we utilise Davinci Resolve, a software optimised for our Macs, filmmakers will experience a new level of efficiency while editing their projects. To enhance the editing experience, each station is complemented with Audio Technica headphones and two full HD 8-bit Rec709 monitors, enabling exceptional colour grading and viewing capabilities.
Post Production Zone
Once your film drafts are finalised, you can transition to our post-production zone. Within this area, we have two remarkable grading suites (accessible after completion of level 4). The first suite houses a top-of-the-line Mac Studio, equipped with the highest-end M1 Ultra chip, 128GB of RAM, and 8 terabytes of storage specifically designed to handle massive 6K footage. Paired with this setup are our stunning 4K 12-bit BT2020 monitors, Blackmagic UltraStudio in the colour grading suite, ensuring colour accuracy fit for screening purposes allowing filmmakers to achieve their desired colour grading with precision. Additionally, we provide two 50-inch TVs to facilitate colour grading for television and collaborative viewing sessions with your crew.
Our second grading suite includes a 10-bit colour grading monitor and an 8-bit Rec709 monitor, enabling efficient rendering and grading of 4K footage.
Complementing our colour grading suites is our dedicated ADR suite, representing our newfound focus on sound production. This suite comprises two rooms: the mixing studio and the recording booth. The recording booth is acoustically treated with vibration pads, ensuring pristine and high-quality recordings. We provide Rode NTG-1 Condenser Microphones microphones for professional audio capture, making it suitable for recording podcasts, foley, Voiceovers and interviews. Subsequently, the mixing studio allows real-time mixing of the recorded material. Controlled by a cutting-edge Mac Studio featuring the latest M1 Max chip, this setup accommodates numerous audio tracks in Pro Tools, empowering filmmakers to create a unique and immersive soundscape. Moreover, the room is equipped with 7.1.2 surround sound, enabling filmmakers to mix their projects in spatial surround audio, further enhancing the cinematic experience.
We have recently opened an Animation booth in our Post Production Zone which is fitted with 2 Stormforce Crystal Ryzen 5 RTX4070Ti computers, dual 4K monitors and graphics tablets. The computers both run Unreal Engine which makes them ideal to work alongside our Motion Capture and Virtual Production facilities. Here you can create assets and backgrounds to work with VP and import Motion Capture performance data.
At our facility, we prioritise providing filmmakers with state-of-the-art post-production resources, ensuring they have the tools necessary to bring their visions to life.
Kit Room
Our kit room is stocked with everything a filmmaker needs to practise and hone their craft. Lights, cameras, sound equipment, clapperboards, rigs, tripods, you name it, it’ll be there.
Some of our highlights include our Arri Alexa with 4:3 and Arri Raw Licences and Blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro and Blackmagic Ursa Mini 12K cameras.
We have a saying at CFS; On Friday evening, we want to see the Kit Room empty.’ We encourage our students to take advantage of all the kit we have available and use it for their own personal projects, as well as their academic work. The best way for them to learn is to do, and we live by that mantra at our school.
Library
Our on-site library contains core module text books, DVDs, magazines and film journals that can bolster your understanding of the practical skills you acquire through your scheduled sessions. You also have free access to the BFI Library in Southbank. Please note that students are unable to film in this space.
Bertha Dochouse Archive
The Bertha DocHouse Archive (alongside smaller donations) are housed in the Library and have a dedicated space for research. All titles from here must be ordered from the archive via the dedicated hubspot request form.
Students can view contents of the Archive in the CFS Library on-site as well.
