
Program overview
Are you ready to shape the future of cinematography, broadcast TV, and audiovisual arts with a program built on industry partnership, innovation, and research?
The audiovisual, film, and interactive media industries sit at the forefront of technological evolution and artistic expression. This field offers a dynamic, creative career where you can harness advances in augmented reality, special effects, and digital production to redefine visual storytelling and captivate audiences. Join us to become a leader in next-generation cinematography!
Ecole Polytechnique’s Master of Science and Technology programs are prestigious two-year courses offering cutting-edge, multidisciplinary education. These programs provide deep scientific and technical knowledge tailored to your career goals, whether you're interested in emerging technologies, economics, data science, or sustainable development. This page is dedicated to the Master of Science and Technology in Extended Cinematography program, also known as MSc&T XCin.
The first pillar of this program is a robust scientific and technical foundation, covering 3D scene acquisition, interaction techniques for 3D content creation, animation, and image synthesis, real-time 3D, as well as image and sound processing. It incorporates new capture technologies, AI-based reconstruction, and augmented reality techniques.
The second pillar includes interdisciplinary courses that offer a comprehensive perspective on the processes and challenges within the film and audiovisual industries, with hands-on projects in virtual production developed in collaboration with industry professionals, such as directors of photography and VFX supervisors.
Admissions Prerequisites
The ideal Bachelor's degree for candidates applying to our MSc&T in Extended Cinematography program is in Mathematics and Computer Science. Alternatively, a Bachelor’s degree in either field is acceptable, provided the applicant has a strong skill set in the other.
Applied Mathematics: A solid understanding of linear algebra, partial derivatives, and multiple integrals for mathematical modeling is required. Familiarity with statistics and signal/image processing concepts, especially Fourier theory and basic filtering techniques. While many software libraries implement these functionalities, a firm grasp of the underlying theories and their practical applications is important.
Computer Science: Applicants should have completed at least one course in Algorithmics, Data Structure and be proficient in programming (preferred languages: C++ and Python)."
Alternative Backgrounds: Candidates with degrees in other fields, such as Art, may also be considered if they demonstrate strong competencies in the subjects listed above.
Direct Entry to the Second Year (M2): Direct admission to the second year of the Master's (M2) is possible through established partnerships, such as with Ecole polytechnique, Telecom SudParis and Telecom Paris, or by demonstrating a strong skill set and expertise in areas closely aligned with the M1 curriculum. Applicants must provide evidence of their proficiency in the relevant subjects, ensuring they meet the academic and technical requirements of the program.
Portfolio
We strongly encourage candidates to include links to their online portfolio directly in their CV, whether it's a GitHub repository, Vimeo channel, personal website, or any other platform that showcases their work.
In Computer Graphics, it's common for students to work on side projects that demonstrate their skills and passion for the field. These could include:
- Source code from personal or academic projects (preferably in C++ or Python)
- Videos, animations, or demo reels showcasing 3D graphics, simulations, or visual effects
- Photographs or visual art, particularly if they relate to digital image manipulation or virtual production
- Original music compositions, if relevant to audiovisual projects
The portfolio should reflect your creativity, technical proficiency, and genuine interest in computer graphics and/or filmmaking. Don’t hesitate to show us what excites you about these fields!
Ecole Polytechnique x ENS Louis-Lumière

This new program has been created in collaboration with the school of cinema ENS Louis-Lumière, one the winner of a “France 2030” call of projects “La grande fabrique de l’image”, where the aim of the government's plan is to make France a leader in filming, production of films, series and video games, post-production (special effects in particular) and training in cinema and audiovisual professions.
Program Structure
This curriculum spans two years and follows a work-study format (French “alternance”), structured across four trimesters. Students alternate between three-month academic periods and three-month professional placements in partner companies.

All the courses are conducted at École Polytechnique, where the program shares multiple scientific courses with the IVA track (Image, Vision and Learning) of the Ecole polytechnique (X) engineering program. The school offers a dedicated experimentation room for hands-on virtual production exercises. Also, to provide real-world industrial experience, extended practical projects are conducted at ENS Louis-Lumière, which will host a LED stage. This facility enables the creation of diverse 3D sets, backgrounds, and real-time special effects directly on set, incorporating previsualization technology and on-set VFX, along with a real-time green screen solution and a motion capture system.
The Master's program is currently aligned with the professional certification of the Master's in Computer Science from Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), as part of the France Compétences framework RNCP (National Directory of Professional Certifications), RNCP 39278.
WHAT IS VIRTUAL PRODUCTION?
Virtual Production
Virtual production is a blend of cinema and visual computing (encompassing computer graphics, computer vision, augmented reality, and related fields), combined with the latest advancements in film technologies. It represents a convergence of video game and film technologies, creating a seamless integration of both worlds to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.
CREATIVE PROJECTS AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
During the academic trimesters, students spend half a day each week on a creative project, allowing them to explore a technology or subject of their choice. They also have intensive periods on set that offer them hands-on experience in virtual production. These are designed to replicate industrial conditions and help students develop practical solutions to complex problems in fields relevant to the program.
In the second year, students will participate in a short film production project, integrating all the skills and techniques acquired during the program. This final project serves as a capstone experience, allowing students to demonstrate their mastery of both technical and creative aspects, culminating in a real-world application of their studies.
As part of the practical experience in this work-study program (French “alternance”), the students work half-time in a partner company to gain real world industrial experience related to cinema or advanced 3D technologies.
