EICAR - The International Film School of Paris

I'd rather not Former Student, 24-Dec-2019
EICAR is a scam! You heard it right. On the outside, it sure does look like a legit film school but on the inside it's filled with management that is highly racist, biased and extremely rude. Of course not everyone treats the students that way but a vast majority in the management do. To spend a big chunk of your earnings on this institute is a waste of everyone's time, money and effort. I studied there for enough time to know how messed up this institute is from inside. Run by a Director who is accused of sexual assault, you will never feel safe in this institute. Don't believe me? Google it. And especially if you're an international student, you will be asked to learn everything the 'French way' but in situations of need, such as visa renewals, documentations for CAF, insurance and every other basic necessity for an international student, the management will conveniently brush aside. While every university in Paris, helps its students figuring out these things (I know because I have friends in other universities), EICAR is classic example of a money making institute that won't even fix the toilets unless somebody makes a big deal about it. It's only surviving because some of the professors are decent and the only source of encouragement for one to attend the institute. It's just not enough for one invest their life savings for it to only disappoint you. Film school is supposed to be fun, filled with experiences that you cherish, but EICAR is certainly not that. Hit me up at filmcriticstudent@gmail.com if you wish to know more. Be woke, be aware.

Anonymous Current Student, 18-Dec-2013
Dear friends with a common ambition, Don't waste your time and money with this school! You will acquire no consistent and useful set of skills of sufficient range to be competitive in this high-profile industry at EICAR. The first thing that makes EICAR a mediocre experience is surprisingly enough its students. Admission to the International Department is filtered through no exam and as a result, the school is full of people who do not belong in film school. This desperate lack of talent in the vast majority of the student body is the first reason why EICAR sucks. The second problem is the lack of taste on the part of the teachers. They will have you believe that the superficial is meaningful, the pretentious is sophisticated and the trivial is exciting. This lack of good judgement seriously dulls down the level of most of the films that are produced. Some of the guidance is really misguiding. Enough for the bad part. Now for the good one. The equipment used is really up to date and in most cases, available when you need it. This will allow you to shoot your film and if you know what you're doing and are protective enough of your ideas, you might actually get something good. I cannot stress enough on how important it is to be protective of one's ideas in this school. You will very easily see a good idea drowned by bad suggestions if you don't fight for it (but that is arguably so anywhere). After three years, I cannot say I feel prepared enough for the business. I am actually considering applying to another school now. Wish me luck as I do to you!

nick Former Student, 31-Dec-2009
Despite the complaints, the hardships, and the stress, EICAR was amazing for me. It truly is what you make of it. I was in the Masters program for only one year. I decided to leave after one year for many reasons that I will elucidate later. EICAR is a lovely microcosm of the evil film industry. The main difference is that the teachers and staff provide some amount of guidance. Afterall, it is still a school. It is up to the ambition, persistence, responsibility and talent of the student to truly make the most out of a blossoming school. The most obvious negative aspect about EICAR is its steep tuition. All film schools are expensive, and EICAR is in fact cheaper than some film schools. It must be factored in that Paris is quite expensive to live in, EICAR has no scholarship or grant system, and EICAR is ineligible to qualify for any student loans in America (FAFSA, Stafford Loans, etc). Unfortunately, EICAR does not provide aid in financing films. It is true that a majority of film schools in existence do not help finance student films, and EICAR is definitely on this list. However, many students do experience help within the administration in negotiating deals with nearby rental houses for discounts. Successful or not, it is up to the students and the administration to use tact and persistence in negotiation – a combination that has definitely been successful in my case and in many others. EICAR’s facilities are inadequate on the surface, but upon further inspection it is not that bad. For its heavy tuition, yes, EICAR’s equipment is outdated and in need of constant repair. This is expected in ANY field requiring technology and heavy use by hundreds of students. In the hustle and stress of filmmaking, we students were often irresponsible and careless. On the other hand, a majority of students were responsible and did experience broken equipment and definitely a shortage of equipment. At this point, equipment is being updated and the dearth of equipment is being handled slowly but accordingly. Additionally, if SELECTED, EICAR provides a small amount of film stock to students that wish to shoot on film (as well as financing the telecine process on the given film stock). This selection process is very difficult and expensive, but it happens if the student’s script, directing, and standing shows promise. It is increasingly more difficult to shoot on film in the school because of its cost. Unfortunately, there is a quiet shift to HD in the school with limited HD cameras. It allowed us to be too liberal and indecisive whilst shooting, and EICAR SHOULD be teaching us both film and digital cinema equally. The best aspect about EICAR is its sense of being international. This was, by far, something I never thought would be so important upon applying. My MFA class featured people from over 10 different countries, ranging from the ages of 23 – 43 (the BFA classes were far less diverse). What resulted was the strangest, most peculiar gang of misfits in the entire school. It was beautiful. We were all lost souls from around the world running away from something. We were uniting, fighting, and filming. We truly did go through hell together. Admittedly, the school was the cause – and solution – to this hell, but that is expected in any foreigner studying in a foreign country. This is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Seeing and hearing different cultures and opinions about film and scripts changed the way I approach a story. EICAR’s admission process favors a multitude of countries, and I believe this to be EICAR’s strongest attribute. However, EICAR definitely could and SHOULD help facilitate a better transition into the country with housing and paperwork which definitely hurt some of my classmates. Receiving my student identity card to even stay in the country is already difficult to do in France, but EICAR sadly made it more difficult for me. There was not much help for many students to find room and board if they could not find it themselves. The overall structure of the school is a bit problematic. It is more or less unstructured and disorganized because the international department is still new. Upon talking to students from previous years, the organization and structure of the school gets better every year. Unfortunately because of its infancy, my class and the classes preceding it were the “guinea pigs,” so to speak. Our voices, evaluations, concerns and complaints are the reasons for this change. I know my concerns and my peers’ concerns were addressed (to an extent) in the current year. So in a way its structure, disorganization and infancy can actually be interpreted as a good thing: the structure is still malleable and is being custom tailored to the concerns of the students. On the negative side, depending on the student, their time and money may have been sacrificed for future students. Finding a job after EICAR is a major challenge. Obviously, film schools can never truly promise this. Thus, more guidance and help for a life after film school was desperately needed. There is now more effort in the new year to provide internships and clients to students, but assurance is never promised. Again, it is always up to the student to pursue this. Do not expect an instant job after EICAR (nor from any school, really). My main reason for leaving EICAR are my own personal reasons – love, money, family. It is a huge investment and definitely something that requires a tremendous amount of evaluation, passion, and determination. If I am to write an honest review, it behooves me to mention my personal belief: EICAR is more of a business and trade school than it is a film school. I felt more like a client than a student, which has its positives and negatives. Despite all this, I regret nothing in the past year…I just chose to move elsewhere with no ill feelings looking backward. I realize it is silly for me to praise a school that I chose to leave halfway. The reason I do this is because I believe EICAR is on its way into becoming a fantastic film school, and my class’ efforts and mistakes will forge EICAR into something noteworthy. In short, EICAR is not for the apathetic. If you can afford the tuition (as well as life in Paris and financing your own film) and truly are passionate about film, you can suck this school dry and have the best and most rewarding experience. It is extremely difficult and money will drive most people away from ALL film schools. The reason I had a fantastic time despite many difficulties is that I made it a point to “suck the school dry.” I volunteered for everything, I was involved in as many student films as I can in order to learn as much as I could, and I tried to befriend and learn from all students and all teachers. EICAR is definitely not for everyone, and perhaps it wasn’t for me. Again, I cannot stress these two things enough: First, it is expensive to go to this school and choose film. Second, it is up to the student to succeed. This is the basic, generic review for all film schools. But with EICAR, you are just 40 minutes away from one of the most gorgeous backdrops in the world – Paris. In the end, I believe you do NOT get what you pay for. Rather, you get what you work for.

Auguste RAHMBERG Academic Staff-Member, 12-Dec-2009
A French film school offering not only classes in English, but an International Department largely self-sufficient from the rest of the school is a rarity in Europe. Not many European film schools - or otherwise schools - offer such a programme. Indeed, I believe that EICAR is with respect to its English-language Department a pioneering film school within its own right. When I came to the school, in 2006, the International Department had only been around for three-years (it was incepted in 2002, I believe), and herein developing and not yet at a comparable level to other film schools in Paris, nor indeed to the French Department within the school that has been functioning as a film school since the mid-seventies. In 2007, starting with the appointment of a new management, things have changed rapidly at EICAR and the academics have been elevated to a previously unprecedented level of professionalism. Since 2007, EICAR, has put into effect a new organization and curriculum that is consistently improving not only year-by-year, but, indeed, on a term-by-term basis. The school offers a three-year BFA program (also an excellent 2 year MFA program but since I am a BFA graduate, I can only speak of the BFA program) that is designed for incoming students with little or no filmmaking experience. To that effect, the first-year functions as a very comprehensive, preparatory year and teaches hands-on technical skills in camera and production, theoretical knowledge of script-writing and directing of actors, as well as the opportunity for students to shoot basic films on DV or HD format depending on the level of ambition, promise, and production-reality of a given project. The second year is focused on perfecting the skills acquired by students in their first-year. At which point, students are able to specialise in any given field as per their desired interests (Directing, Scriptwriting, Camera, Camera and Lighting, Production); and the filmmaking projects become more ambitious. The opportunity exists for second-year students to build projects at a higher level of production, shoot on 16 mm film format, and search for funding from the outside. Within the third-year, the so-called thesis-year, students are given academic freedom, and are able to tailor their own academic schedules and projects. For example: if one is not a Directing major, to focus exclusively on building a strong CV within one's chosen discipline; or, if one is especially interested in screenwriting, to write a full-length feature-film screenplay. (The aim of the second-year is essentially to prepare students for the obvious challenges of independence and freedom) A student may be denied entrance into the third-year if his/her academic perseverance is deemed insufficient by the board of professors. A directing-majoring student is also barred from shooting a third-year film (the thesis project), if his/her marks are insufficient (below a 10 grade-point average), or if his/her attendance record is poor, or if he/she has left previous projects in a state of incompletion. The director of each project is responsible for the full completion of his/her films, as well as for submission of his/her film to the board of professors. The possibility exists, for third year films, to be shot on film, 16mm and, occasionally, 35mm. However, the film format is decided on by a “greenlighting” committee of professors who evaluate the projects based on the quality of the scripts, production preparation, etc. That, in short, is what EICAR is all about. A programme aimed at practical filmmaking, offering hands-on courses taught by experienced filmmakers, and ample opportunity to shoot films, DOP films, edit films made by others, and so forth. It is a microcosm industry of sorts, that well-prepares students for the daunting reality of the "actual" world of filmmaking In short, EICAR is a good, even great, film school that is constantly growing and getting better.

Sudip Former Student, 07-Nov-2009
My arrival in France was with great joy and expetation. This was my first journey outside India. I could see the french culture preserved everywhere. This delighted me the most. I also got a scholarship to study cinema, which was greatly helpful. The instituition was so helpful and provided me with great insights into the depths of film making. Also the cinematheque, museums, the stay at the country side of fontainebleau were all exciting. I could make 3 short films.The school had great teachers and good equipments. Eventhough I had to leave paris due to some economic problems, I cherish each and every moment I stayed there.

Marti Bharath Current Student, 14-Oct-2009
I'm in the third year and I couldn't be more satisfied than i am. EICAR has helped me in most of my work through studio productions and constant advice. For the last two years, the professors have been supportive and encouraging. They have always guided me with a positive attitude. After a bit of support and help from different sides, I was finally done with my second record on the 7th of October,2009.

Martin Non-Academic Staff Member, 27-Sep-2009
The international Film School of Paris is one of the best European iinstitutions for future filmmakers. The faculty and support staff are committed to helping students acquire the professional; artistic and technical skills necessary to enter the industry and become its future actors The school is develops an very "hands on" approach to training. Students are taught to be doers: over half the syllabus in any course is therefore assigned to practical shoots and film assignments: • Over 300 films (shorts, documentaries, television adverts, news reporting, …) are shot each year. • The school's acting department trains actors for the explicit demands of working in front of the camera and therefore students collaborate with the directing department for actor directing courses and for filmmaking The program develops students' sense of team effort, their flexibility and leadership. The spirit of collaboration encouraged at the school enables students to prepare for their future professional life and the different types of film and television shoots they will have to adapt to during their careers Over 65 nationalities are present within the school's student and staff community. Students thus work within multicultural teams thus broadening their vision and attaining greater creative scope: Paris, historical centre of the film industry, is a great place to study film From the beginning of the filmmaking industry over 100 years ago when the first motion pictures captured the beauty of the city, through to the "Nouvelle Vague" films of 50 years ago, Paris has continuously played centre stage in bringing innovation and expertise to the cultural, technical and, economical aspects of the filmmaking industry and remains today an uncontested leader. But Paris is not only one of the leading film capitals of the world; it is also the largest production house in Europe. Eicar - The International Film School of Paris is a top place to work in. Martin

Rockerston Former Student, 29-Aug-2009
I went there and it was mistake. This school is shit, shit, shit. It's not a school. It is business people trying to molest young student's enthusiasm. Save you money. They accept everyone. So if you have been accepted, don't think that you are special. You have money, and that's what they are interested in. Is it really reasonable to spent fortune to get to shoot short film? And you don't even get to shoot, unless you have a lots of money. Money, money, money. This school is complete shit. Buy a camera and make your short film! You don't need these "teachers" to mumble something to your ear. By the way, teachers are no so "professional". They are just some mediocre engineers teaching skills they don't have. Yeah, there's lots of students, as they say in their advertisement. A way TOO much people! Because this school has eager for money. They want your money. And they give you 5 months of non-sense and videocamera, if you have good luck. If you have very good luck (and lots of money) they might give you 16mm camera. Think twice. Save your money. Is it really worth it? It may sound special to be in a FILM SCHOOL, but is it really so special to be in a very very bad film school? And oh, yes, Paris is great. So go to Paris. Forget this school. Enjoy Paris instead. But you don't need Paris to be an artist! EICAR, or INTERNATIONAL FILM SCHOOL OF PARIS, as they put it (could there be more bombastic name? INTERNATIONAL FILM SCHOOL ON PLANET EARTH maybe?) is SHIT, and I am very angry that they have the guts to say their best in Europe or something like that. What does that mean, best... Shit place, don't go.

former fast track student Former Student, 23-Oct-2007
I really enjoyed my stay at Eicar, I had great teachers, lots of one to one work on my script and was able to master the art of filmaking in an environment which was both stimulating and professional . Paris was stunning and people at the school great, the french students were very friendly and the whole stay was not just a great filmmaking experience but a fabulous cultural one too. Everyone made a personal film at the end of the first year. I had good equipment and cameras for my film. I didn't have to add anything to the budget. If people want to spend their own money that's their choice but it is not the norm at the school! I was able to aquire skills in camera, lighting and editing, and as there is a very active sound department at Eicar we could get lots of help on our sound tracks too. My advice if you get accepted at Eicar then go for it I certainly didn't regret it as there is plenty on offer !

Nameless Current Student, 16-Apr-2007
EICAR is by no means a top of the line institution, however, it is one that is hard at work to improve and develop as a school. Over the coming years EICAR has the potential to build a strong reputation and skilled student body. The truly great things about the school is the very international flavor of the student body, I have read that the International section represents roughly 50 different nationalities, as well as the brilliant location of the school near to the creative-mecca of Paris. EICAR also has a small amount of truly passionate and talented students, who work hard at keeping the school a productive and exciting place. The majority of the teaching staff are friendly, eager-to-help, and professional individuals. The theoretical teaching-staff, directing/scriptwriting teachers, are better and are of greater experience as suppose to the technical teaching-staff, such as the editing and cinematography teachers. The equipment is pretty-much in a smilier working condition to that of many other film schools of an even calibre. In other words, by no means terrific, however, workable. EICAR'S main flaws as an institution are very comparable to the cons of most film schools of the like: limited equipment access, poor post-production/editing facilities and teachers, lack of proper academic organization, and above all, EICAR is a school that will not provide a production budget to the students, which means that on top of the tuition fee directing students must be prepared to pay an additive 2000 euros for their production costs. All in all, EICAR is a reasonably-priced film school that delivers.

Wonderer Seventy2 Current Student, 28-Nov-2006
EICAR / PARIS is more of a production house instead of a Film school. The undergraduate BFA student get's to shoot, if picked, 16mm, s16mm or 35mm. Considering the Student pays 9,500 Eur, the fact that you're given NO BUDGET (meaning you have to pay for almost everything for your self) and 2 cans of each format plus heavily used and most of the times non-working equipement does not make this program that attractive. As far as Academics go, nothing much there either. The basics through screenwriting and and very basics of Cinematography. Organization of the School: A Complete mess. Takes an Average of 1 month to settle down with a schedule, Studio booking does not allways work, classrooms are mediocre. Heavily understaffed administration for the international department.