The animation film school La Poudrière offers graduate training in animation filmmaking for French and foreign students with previous knowledge of animation who would like to specialise in film directing. Recognized by the State, (ministerial decree of 12 April 2006), la Poudrière has the double official statute of private higher education institution and professional continuous training centre.
La Poudrière opened its doors in Valence in October 1999, on the initiative of Jacques-Rémy Girerd, filmmaker and Managing Director of the Folimage studio. Folimage embarked upon the adventure of this school: because creation is the central element concerning the future of animation; because training is an essential contribution; because training creators and film directors can no longer be simply based on contact with professionals in a working studio; because economic issues have split the production process; because France, albeit the leading European producer of animated films, did not offer training of this type. La Poudrière came into being nourished by the exceptional history of Folimage and the friendship of great film directors; encouraged by the confidence of professionals and carried along by the ambition to contribute to the training of talents ready to continue the animation adventure. The school, which has no administrative, financial or legal links with its neighbouring studio, is proud of this high quality connection.
Heightening curiosity : La Poudrière is a place where general culture is permanently present and constructive intellectual excitation reigns. Students come to confront their sensitivity, reflection and engagement to openness and exchange. Interest is taken in the day to day happenings of the world as well as those of the last fifteen billion years, at least. General culture is the driving force for any filmmaker and is not taught through lectures, but by little touches, through meetings within the school or outside at cultural venues.
Adopting the cinema : Animation is above all a cinematic art, and films and cinemas become an integral part of a student's life at la Poudrière. Seeing films, drinking them in and meeting and talking with those who make them; touching cinema through the example of recent films or those that have marked time; taking a look at the emotions and stories behind the scenes; meeting and hearing the public…
Making animated films : The key role of this school is to offer students the possibility of overseeing the entire production of (little) films using a vast range of techniques. Storytelling is at the very heart of filmmaking and the course aims at training professionals able to tell a personal story using their talents and emotions. The student-filmmakers are confronted with all the stages of the filmmaking process: adapting the story, scriptwriting, directing actors, sound, music, editing mixing etc. see training programme.
The economy of animated film and the international context of audiovisual production have pushed training naturally towards a European dimension for industrial, professional or cultural reasons. La Poudrière's European leanings have been clear from the start, whether considering its founding members, trainees and students or teachers and training program. The school is strongly implicated in working with other training establishments in Europe and takes an active part in the network of animated film schools run by Cartoon, the European association of animation. Thanks to funding from the MEDIA programme of the European Union, European students can have priority access to some of the modules proposed by the school out of or within the 2-year course. see European programme.
School life is supplemented with an active participation and collaboration in local cultural events. La Poudrière is well situated close to the Lux, the only national stage devoted to imagery, the Navire cinema complex with six screens showing films classed as Research, La Comédie de Valence, National Centre of Dramatic Art with its resident company of actors, the contemporary art structure Art 3 and the regional school of fine arts.
La Poudrière is situated right next to the Folimage studio and L'équipéé, a cultural association for the development of animated film. Folimage is a studio that defends a model of production that is both exceptional and original and represents a strong professional, cultural and human stimulus for the school. L'équipée, the association that takes animation filmmaking into schools with an educational programme and also organizes an annual animated film festival, enables the students to widen their knowledge of animation. In 2008, La Poudrière, Folimage and l'Equipée will be joining forces at la Cartoucherie situated in Bourg les Valence. A listed historical monument, this industrial site is currently undergoing renovation and will also accommodate other organizations linked to animated film and imagery in general.
