I was invited to design and lead an intensive production program for HSE bachelor students one year before launching my AI course. The open call was expanded beyond production majors to the entire university, attracting over 150 applicants from economics, law, humanities and music. Fewer than 40 participants were selected through a multi-stage process that combined creative tasks, interviews and competitive challenges.
The program ran for two months, three times a week, and was structured as a live industry environment rather than an academic course. Students worked directly with active professionals and were embedded into real commercial, music and VFX projects, including international collaborations. A significant portion of the group joined the VFX unit, handling research, location scouting, client communication and cross-border coordination with teams in MENA, Europe and Asia.
The course operated as a self-sustaining production system, continuing even while I was leading projects abroad. It became a proving ground for emerging producers and laid the foundation for the advanced MA-level programs developed later.