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Welcome to
Behind the Mask #Academy
Upcoming BTM Academy Editions
Underwater Filmmaking
Craft cinematic stories in motion
Master underwater storytelling in motion. Build skills in planning, shooting, and crafting cinematic footage that captures the life, light, and emotion beneath the surface through expert guidance and real-world practice.
Underwater Photography
Create intentional images beneath the surface
From composition and light to working with marine subjects, this focused mentorship helps you shape powerful ocean stories through still images and authentic visual language.
Freediving & Underwater Performance
Develop control, confidence, and expression underwater
Improve your comfort and control in the water. This program combines freediving skills with underwater movement and modeling to help you move naturally and confidently in front of the camera.
Internship
Gain hands-on experience inside real productions
Work side by side with the founder of Behind the Mask. This immersive internship offers hands-on project experience, close mentorship, and insight into professional underwater filmmaking from concept to execution.
FAQs
At Behind the Mask Academy, we tailor your learning experience to fit your unique needs. Whether you’re an experienced pro or just starting, we meet you where you are to help you grow.
Your background, age, or experience don’t matter—what counts is your passion. We’re here to support anyone eager to enhance their underwater storytelling skills.
Join Florian on real-world projects as an assistant, intern, or observer, or engage in personalized online sessions. This is a hands-on, immersive experience, not a standard course.
Reach out to see how Florian can accommodate your application. If there’s a good fit, we’ll embark on this journey together.
This isn’t a standardized course with generic materials. It’s a hands-on, immersive experience where learning happens directly with your mentor. Florian can cover the following topics:
- Pre-production planning and logistics
- Professional equipment handling
- Story development in the field
- Above-water filming (drones, stabilizers)
- Underwater cinematography
- Natural and artificail lighting
- Post-production workflow
- Editing for Youtube and social media
- Use the contact form to reach Florian. Follow the instructions in the contact form.
- Florian will get back to you by email, messenger or phone for an in-depth
conversation to understand:- Your skill level
- What you hope to learn
- What type of mentorship suits you
- Next steps
This ensures that if we work together, the experience will be valuable for everyone involved.
The cost of joining the Behind the Mask Academy is individually tailored based on the project’s scope and your specific learning needs. This includes mentorship fees and any necessary travel expenses.
We’ll discuss all financial aspects upfront to ensure clarity and transparency, ensuring the investment aligns with the unique value of your personalized learning journey.
