Catalyst Story Institute | Training Center

TIRANA TRAINING CENTER

WELCOME TO CATALYST!

Storytelling is our global cultural currency. It's how we learn, connect, inspire, and shape the world around us. We want to help you bring your stories to life!

THE TRUTH ABOUT MAKING FILM & TV

Creating a sustainable career in the film & TV industry has no set path to success; everyone's journey is unique. It takes a team of people to create each film & TV project so producing your story is as much about who YOU are as a person as it is about the story you're telling. The key to success in this industry is building a trusted network of collaborators, and Catalyst is where these relationships are made. Our participants have gained jobs, signed with agents, sold projects, and made careers.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL: A SUSTAINABLE CAREER

Catalyst courses are unique because we focus on the full cycle of what it takes for you to have a long-term sustainable career in our industry. Our Storieroad program is a step-by-step pathway of meetings, workshops, seminars, festivals, and events designed to help you achieve this goal. We focus on:

Wellness
Housing
Time
Inspiration
Education
Financing
Production
Distribution

Through Catalyst, you will have the opportunity to showcase your stories, advance your career, learn new skills, and grow your professional network. We are your safe starting point and a trusted guide along the way.

Let's begin:

THE FILM/TV
CAREER CYCLE

View Tirana Course Options

COURSE OPTIONS

WELCOME!

Our Catalyst Tirana campus offers training for over 180+ film and TV jobs. We bring together the artistic elements (aka, above-the-line) and the technical elements (aka, below-the-line) of production into one training center. Pick the career paths that are most interesting to you and begin your journey today!

WHO CAN REGISTER

Everyone is welcome (ages 7 and older). You do not need any previous experience to join most classes.

AGE GROUPS & EXPERIENCE LEVELS

Kids: ages 7-11. No experience required.

Youth: ages 12-16. No experience required.

Adults, Explore: ages 17 & older. No experience required. For beginners and those who want to explore new skills.

Adults, Advanced: ages 17 & older. Some experience required. For those interested in a long-term career.

Adults, Professional: ages 17 & older. For working professionals only.

COURSES

ENROLLMENT DATES

Pre-enrollment is currently open for all courses. Click on a course for more details about dates, times, location and topics.

TEACHERS

Catalyst teachers are mix of local, European, and American industry professionals with decades of experience working for major networks such as HBO and Netflix, as well as other studios and independent projects.

COST

See individual course page for details

LOCATION

Coming soon!

CAMPUS SCHEDULE

The Tirana training center is open Monday-Saturday from 11am-9pm during the months of January-June and from August-November. Campus is closed during the months of July and December, on Sundays, and on major holidays.

LANGUAGE

All classes are taught in English. This includes all scripts, communications, and interpretations.

VIDEO RECORDING

Classes are not recorded for later use.

OUR ALBANIA STAFF

Please note: This is our operations staff, not the teaching staff. To view the course teachers, please visit the individual course pages for details.

Philip Gilpin, Jr.
CEO

Born in Boston, MA, Philip started his 20+ year creative career exploring theatre & film while earning his BS in Physics and Mathematics at Boston College.

Philip moved to Los Angeles and learned the inner workings of the industry as a business affairs analyst at HBO where he worked with on major series including “The Sopranos”, “Sex and the City”, and “The Wire”.

Philip has also served on the Board of Governors of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences.

Thom Woodley
Curriculum Director

THOM WOODLEY helped usher in the online video revolution with the launch of his show THE
BURG, the first full-length sitcom online; THE ALL-FOR- NOTS (with Michael Eisner and Mark Cuban), ALL’S FAIRE, and IFC’s GREG & DONNY.

Career highlights include leading
business at CollegeHumor; designer of story app Episode Interactive; writer of a 007 video
game; Head of Content at vertical video app Rizzle; ad campaigns including the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World campaign. Founded Unprecious Studios for microbudget films, 2024.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Screenwriting, Script Doctoring and Story Evaluation
• Microbudget Video Production
• Vertical Video Production and Distribution
• Online Video Distribution
• Social Media Marketing
• Traditional Advertising

Shikha Ahuja
Education Director

Shikha has a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in English (Hons) and Bachelor's in Education from a renowned university in India.

She is an IBEN member and works with the IB as a Workshop Leader and a School Visit Team Member, thus providing learning opportunities for teachers in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Shikha's IB journey began in 2011 and she has taught and led the PYP team in different international IB schools in India, Gabon, Austria and Albania. Originally from New Delhi, India, she prides herself on her cultural roots.

Shikha is very passionate about educating young minds and her education philosophy stems from George Evans quote - “Every child can learn not just the same day and not the same way”.

Lidion Kulla
Executive Director, Albania

Lidion Kulla is a journalist, author, and anchor man at Scan TV in Albania. With 18 years of experience in the media industry, he has built a reputation for insightful reporting, compelling storytelling, and authoritative anchoring. His work reflects a deep commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content to his audience.

Pamela Cederquist
Lead Producer

Pamela is a multitalented writer/director who has written for Mindhunter (Netflix) and been an assistant director on Law & Order (NBC), among many other projects in her 50+ year career.

Skilled in theatre, film production, and television, Pamela graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film in New York & studied at Polakov School of Design.

She now loves living in Tirana and is excited to work with Albania's upcoming generation of TV and film storytellers.

Ana Veseli
Youth, Social Media & PR Director

Ana Veseli is an Albanian film director and producer. Her passion for filmmaking blossomed at a young age when she was part of the young jury at the Rozafa Film Festival 2013 when she was just 16 years old.

Ana graduated from the Academy of Film and Multimedia Marubi, where she studied film directing and editing. She has worked extensively in the industry since her student days, contributing to films, animations, documentaries, commercials, and TV shows for Albania's top networks.

One of Ana’s standout works is her short film "I Am Eva," which explores women's perspectives and issues they face in the modern society. She was also awarded "Best Cinematography" at the 48 Hours Film Festival Tirana in 2020 for the one-shot film "The Last Minutes."

In addition to her filmmaking achievements, Veseli has gained valuable experience working with young people on various projects, bringing a unique perspective to her work.