Track 1: Graphic Design & Digital Marketing

Schedule: 4 Weeks | 3 Days a Week (Mon, Wed, Fri) | 12 Sessions Total (3 Hours/Session)

Core Objective: Transition from a passive digital consumer into a strategic brand builder using the Academy's professional iMac lab.

Phase 1: Graphic Design Foundations (Weeks 1–2)

Session 1: The Anatomy of a Brand

●      Theory: Visual balance, geometric harmony, and spatial contrast. Analysis of why major local and global visual markers stand out.

●      Practical Lab: Mastering the digital workspace interface, layer organization, and artboard setup.

Session 2: Color Psychology & Typography Rules

●      Theory: Commercial color psychology and emotional cues. Typography parameters: Serif vs. Sans-Serif, font pairings, tracking, and leading rules.

●      Practical Lab: Creating synchronized color swatches and implementing professional text layout controls.

Session 3: Visual Hierarchy & Image Compositing

●      Theory: The "F-Shape" and "Z-Shape" visual reading patterns. Techniques for intentionally directing a viewer's eye to key informational nodes.

●      Practical Lab: Non-destructive background extraction, asset isolation, and blending text elements with complex imagery.

Session 4: Vector Illustration & Commercial Assets

●      Theory: Vector vs. Raster environments. Understanding resolution independence and scalability for commercial applications.

●      Practical Lab: Pen tool mechanics, geometric transformation, and vector icon production workflows.

Session 5: The Brand Style Guide Compilation

●      Theory: The business value of brand uniformity across digital ecosystems. Visual asset management frameworks inside an agency.

●      Practical Lab: Technical compilation of design specs, grid systems, and exporting for commercial distribution.

Phase 2: Digital Marketing Frameworks (Weeks 2–4)

Session 6: Target Personas & Digital Funnels

●      Theory: Identifying demographic segments in Addis Ababa. The Awareness-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) marketing framework.

●      Practical Lab: Mapping modern customer conversion pathways and developing target buyer avatars.

●      Milestone Assignment: Outlining a 3-stage strategic digital marketing funnel and completing your primary branding assignment from Phase 1.

Session 7: The Art of Commercial Copywriting

●      Theory: The psychology behind high-converting headlines. Short-form vs. long-form ad copy. Drafting clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs).

●      Practical Lab: Formulating caption frameworks, value-proposition matrixes, and interactive copy text overlays.

●      Milestone Assignment: Writing 5 diverse, platform-optimized copywriting hooks targeted at different consumer mindsets.

Session 8: Social Platform Dynamics & Content Pillars

●      Theory: Algorithmic distribution systems across major platforms (Telegram, TikTok, Instagram). Constructing Core Content Pillars (Educational, Entertainment, Promotional).

●      Practical Lab: Managing creator dashboard configurations, platform insights, and campaign scheduling dashboards.

●      Milestone Assignment: Organizing and designing a visual grid strategy layout for a targeted 1-week platform push.

Session 9: Campaign Rollout & Content Calendars

●      Theory: Timeline mapping for a product launch. Pacing asset distribution to keep an audience engaged without saturation.

●      Practical Lab: Structuring automated content calendars via professional task management tools.

●      Milestone Assignment: Building a comprehensive 2-week digital launch calendar matching design graphics with written copywriting assets.

Session 10: The Pitch

●      Theory: Presentation mastery and commercial defense. How to explain and back creative design choices and market metrics to corporate stakeholders.

●      Practical Lab: Final polishing of presentation slides and exporting high-resolution portfolio files.

Session 11 & 12: Final Project (Capstone Presentation)

Track 2: Filmmaking & Storytelling

Schedule: 6 Weeks | 2 Days a Week (Tue, Thu) | 13 Sessions Total (3 Hours/Session)

Core Objective: Create cinematic art using accessible tools. Students use personal smartphones for production capture and transition to desktop systems for post-production editing.

Phase 1: Pre-Production & Screen Storytelling (Weeks 1–2)

Session 1: The Architecture of a Narrative Screenplay

●      Theory: The classic 3-Act narrative structure. Moving from literal dialogue to visual exposition ("Show, Don't Tell").

●      Practical Lab: Standard screenwriting software formatting, script structure, and layout management.

Session 2: Visualizing the Script (Storyboarding)

●      Theory: Camera mechanics and psychology: Low angles for authority vs. high angles for vulnerability. Utilizing Shot Sizes (Wide, Medium, Close-Up).

●      Practical Lab: Transforming written beats into structural shot lists and scheduling sequential film tracking.

Session 3: Mobile Cinematography & Composition

●      Theory: The Rule of Thirds, forced perspectives, frame depth, and kinetic camera movement principles.

●      Practical Lab: Overriding smartphone auto-settings: Locking focus and manual exposure points. Safe stabilization grip handling.

Phase 2: Production & On-Set Dynamics (Weeks 3–4)

Session 4: Sculpting and Modifying Light

●      Theory: 3-Point Studio Lighting principles (Key, Fill, Backlight). Soft light vs. hard shadow diffusion.

●      Practical Lab: Manipulating natural window rays utilizing bounce boards and simple diffusion panels.

Session 5: Sound Capture & Audio Integrity

●      Theory: Acoustic management. Identifying background distortion risks. Understanding how sound design carries narrative immersion.

●      Practical Lab: Placing secondary recording devices for backup microphone tracking and proximity lapel placement.

Session 6: Principal Photography (The Live Set)

●      Theory: Set communication rules and active crew hierarchies (Director, Cinematographer, Sound Recordist, Slate).

●      Practical Lab: Real-time time management tracking, sun-path alignment, and running consecutive takes on a live set.

Phase 3: Post-Production & Assembly (Weeks 4–6)

Session 7: The Assembly Cut Structure

●      Theory: Editorial philosophies. Selecting performance takes. Establishing narrative logic inside the initial timeline layout.

●      Practical Lab: Media ingestion, project organizing structures, and mastering basic timeline editing commands.

Session 8: Editorial Rhythm & Pacing

●      Theory: Cutting on kinetic action. Integrating B-Roll overlays to cover continuity cracks. Utilizing advanced J-Cuts and L-Cuts.

●      Practical Lab: Speed tracking modifications, trim refinement tool options, and visual transition overlays.

●      Milestone Assignment: Turning the raw assembly into a polished fine-cut layout by maximizing clip transitions and structural pacing.

Session 9: Color Grading & Ambient Sound Beds

●      Theory: Color balancing emotional tones (warmth vs. cold hues). Layering immersive background soundscapes, foley audio, and music beds.

●      Practical Lab: White balance balancing, highlight controls, and multitrack background audio leveling.

●      Milestone Assignment: Final color matching and audio mastering of the respective group film timelines.

Session 10: The Grand Cinema Showcase

●      Theory: Rendering settings and social video specs. Explaining artistic intentions to an active viewing audience.

●      Practical Lab: Compression presets, audio normalization boundaries, and batch archive file creation.

Session 11 & 12: Final Project (Capstone Presentation)