Workshop with Benoît Dervaux

Second-year Bachelor's students attended a workshop with Belgian cinematographer Benoît Dervaux, known for his work on the Dardenne brothers' films. He was responsible for the cinematography on the Swiss films Laissez-moi by Maxime Rappaz (2023) and À bras-le-corps by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo (2025).

Studio project, Workshop (2025)

Students: Noé Bregnard, Eva Rust, Victor Durand Matinella, Lou Haenggi, Samuel Harari, Hana Magimel, Nolan Grando, Mileny Viera de Andrade, Zélia Zanone
Know-how: Photography direction

"When Rachel Noël asked me to come to ECAL to give a workshop on image centred on light, I thought about it for a while and then immediately thought of this quote that I really like and that has stayed with me for a long time, by Serge Daney: 'In artistic terms, an absolutely intuitive, almost animalistic understanding of what can be done is much more important than knowing what one wants to do.'

Throughout my career, I have often observed how light in cinema remains a mystery that is difficult to unravel for many people, including numerous professionals in the sector, producers, directors, etc.

However, for the director of photography, who is responsible for the image of a film, light, however fantastical and artistic it may be, inevitably requires at some point to be forged from tangible and material elements.

Starting from the axiom that a film shot must above all be structured and constructed according to the camera position, during this workshop we observed the interplay of light and shadow.

Through a series of simple, practical exercises, I attempted to introduce the students to cinema lighting so that it would no longer be an abstract concept for them.

By giving them these few keys, I hope that they will now be able to observe photography in a more analytical way and gain a deeper understanding of films."

Benoit Dervaux

Tournage dans le grand studio

Tournage dans le grand studio

Tournage dans le grand studio

1/3

1/3

Projects related to Photography direction

See more projects

Le livre d’artiste - 25/26

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Le livre d’artiste - 25/26

with Anouk Schneider Agabekov, Nicolas Polli

As part of the magazine course led by Anouk Schneider and Emmanuel Crivelli, second-year Visual Communication students had the opportunity to design a magazine during the second semester. Students were encouraged to fully embrace their artistic freedom at every level of creation, whether in terms of format, paper choice, binding, layout, illustration, text, or typography. In this course, the magazine can take shape through various forms of illustration, such as photography, reproduction, contextualization, drawing, 3D, and more. The focus is placed on the author’s artistic vision and the means used to bring it to life. Students take on multiple roles as editor, curator, and architect, assuming the responsibilities of art director, designer, photographer, stylist, illustrator, typographer, editor-in-chief, and editorial secretary. This course highlights contemporary editorial design by exploring the narrative potential of a carefully crafted content sequence.

Création d'image - Double Reading - BA1 2025-2026

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

Création d'image - Double Reading - BA1 2025-2026

with Guy Meldem

First-year students were invited to design a 16-page publication. By experimenting with duotone through various printing techniques, they structured a dual reading experience dependent on the printed colors.

Image Creation - Mirrored Motifs (ECAL × Chillon) - BA1 2025-2026

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

Image Creation - Mirrored Motifs (ECAL × Chillon) - BA1 2025-2026

with Guy Meldem

As part of the ECAL x Chillon exhibition, which will take place at the eponymous castle, the students of the Bachelor in Graphic Design have created patterns inspired by the castle’s features. Under the supervision of Guy Meldem, they developed a variety of graphic systems. These patterns will be printed as hangings in the armory hall of Chillon Castle.

Suspended Motion

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Suspended Motion

with Nicolas Poillot

By conceptualizing and producing visual content as part of an editorial series, students will explore the concept of applied photography in a practical, creative, and professional manner, working closely with Art Director Nicolas Poillot.

Joanna Metz – Galerie Nationale

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

Joanna Metz – Galerie Nationale

by Joanna Metz

Galerie Nationale offers a glimpse of the young photographic scene in Dakar. In collaboration with a team of Senegalese photographers, the artist organised the exhibition Li Nu Boole, What connects us, which culminated in an opening in May, 2026 at the National Gallery in Dakar. This book documents the preparation of the event, the environment, the artists and their artworks, as well as the spectators taking part as actors during the opening. Through conversations and texts, the artists share their journeys, their visions of what connects us, as well as their reactions to the project. Throughout this project, the artist took on the roles of artistic director, curator, and graphic designer, while living an artistic and human experience in the country of her childhood.

Related courses

See all courses

BA FILM STUDIES