ARRI Student and Emerging Cinematographer Programs

Overview

ARRI, the Munich-based manufacturer of cinema cameras, lenses, and lighting systems, operates 3 separate programs that support student and emerging cinematographers. These are not a single scholarship with a unified application. They are distinct initiatives run through ARRI Rental, ARRI Academy, and partnerships with specific film schools. Understanding which program applies to your situation requires knowing where you study and what stage of production you are in.

The three main programs are the Volker Bahnemann Award at NYU Tisch, the PHAROS Production Award at HFF Munich, and the Franz Wieser Grant for US-based filmmakers. ARRI Rental also offers student discounts on equipment. The Franz Wieser Grant has supported 45+ projects since 2013 with complimentary ARRI equipment packages valued at up to $200,000 each. The PHAROS Production Award provides EUR 150,000 in combined equipment and post-production services for a single graduation project.

History

ARRI was founded in 1917 in Munich by August Arnold and Robert Richter. The company has manufactured cinema cameras and lighting equipment for over 100 years. The Volker Bahnemann Award was established in 2010 to honor Volker Bahnemann's 48 years at ARRI, including 32 years as CEO and President of ARRI Inc. The Franz Wieser Grant was created in 2013 as the AMIRA Grant and later renamed after Franz Wieser, a longtime ARRI executive who passed away in 2019. The PHAROS Production Award launched in 2021 at HFF Munich, originally called the ARRI Production Award, then the Franz Kraus Production Award. In 2026, ARRI was acquired by Thomas Riedel of Riedel Communications, the first ownership change in 109 years.

Award Value

Each ARRI program provides a different type and scale of support:

• Volker Bahnemann Award (NYU Tisch): Production grants for graduation projects. The exact amount varies by recipient and project needs. Funded through donations from ARRI, ARRI Rental, the Stahl family, and colleagues as a perpetual bequest.
• PHAROS Production Award (HFF Munich): EUR 150,000 total, split as EUR 50,000 in film equipment loan from LUDWIG Camera Rental and EUR 100,000 in post-production services from PHAROS - The Post Group.
• Franz Wieser Grant (US): Complimentary ARRI equipment packages valued at up to $200,000 per project, provided in collaboration with ARRI Rental US and Illumination Dynamics. No cash component.
• ARRI Rental student discounts: Reduced rates on camera, lighting, and grip packages negotiated case by case.

No program includes a stipend or cost-of-living component. All support is in-kind (equipment, services) or production funding tied to a specific project.

Eligibility

Eligibility differs sharply by program:

• Volker Bahnemann Award: Exclusive to students at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. Both undergraduate and graduate cinematography students are eligible. Selection is faculty-nominated, not open application. No citizenship restriction, but enrollment at NYU Tisch is required.
• PHAROS Production Award: Open to graduation projects at the University of Television and Film (HFF) Munich. Submissions are led by cinematography and VFX students. A jury of HFF professors and industry professionals selects the winner. No open application for external students.
• Franz Wieser Grant: Open to filmmakers across the continental United States. Applicants submit a production proposal, script, visual style description, and concept through the ARRI website. The grant committee reviews applications year-round and selects projects several times per year. No school enrollment required, but applicants must be US-based.
• ARRI Rental discounts: Open to film students and young professionals who contact ARRI Rental directly.

Past Recipients

Recipients are listed by program:

Volker Bahnemann Award (NYU Tisch) - Faculty-selected production grants for graduation projects. Recent recipients include Taylor Sanghyun Lee (2025, graduate), Theo Gray (2024, graduate), and the 2024 cohort of undergraduates Alexandra Mettler, Jason Wang, and Ethan Wen, plus graduate students Ella Gibney, Chris Del Rio Solorzano, and Marshall Cooper. The 2023 cohort recognized undergraduates Evan Miller, Irina Lazouski, and Matt Liang, plus graduate students Ajai Vishwanath, Jason Maselle, and Kaitlyn Busbee.

PHAROS Production Award (HFF Munich) - The 2026 award went to The Men I Love, directed by Emil Klattenhoff with cinematography by Paula Tschira and Jonas Kleinalstede. The 2025 award recognized Camouflage by Mirko Hans and Erinnerungen Eines Waldes by Jacob Kohl. The 2024 award recognized Mischa by Rebecca Hoeft, Gjej Za by Markus Schindler, and Bubbles by Nikolai Huber. The 2022 award recognized Almost Home by Nils Keller (cinematography by Georg Nikolaus), which won a 2022 Student Academy Award, and Sonnenplaetze by Aaron Arens (cinematography by Tobias Blickle).

Franz Wieser Grant (US) - Past recipients include Elizabeth Lo, director and cinematographer of Stray (nominated for two Cinema Eye Honors Awards); Brenna Malloy, writer and director of Rocket (2016 Student Academy Award winner); Star Victoria, director of La Ruta (DGA Jury award winner); and Bryant Griffin, director of Young King (UCLA MFA, premiered at American Black Film Festival 2024).

What Made Their Application Stand Out

Each ARRI program selects differently, but the common thread is a demonstrated visual approach, not general filmmaking ambition:

• Volker Bahnemann Award: Faculty selection based on rigorous criteria and a commitment to excellence in cinematography. The award funds graduation projects, so recipients are cinematographers whose thesis work shows a developed visual approach. Recipients have described the award as recognition that their on-set hours and craft choices were noticed by faculty who understand the ARRI standard.
• PHAROS Production Award: A jury of HFF professors and industry professionals selects based on the visual design concept and production readiness of the graduation project. The 2026 winner was chosen for its creative cinematography approach and high production readiness, meaning the plan was specific and realizable, not aspirational.
• Franz Wieser Grant: Selected by a grant committee based on the production proposal, script, visual style, and concept. Strong applications show a defined visual style that justifies the ARRI equipment package, not just a need for free gear. Elizabeth Lo's Stray demonstrated a specific observational cinematography approach that justified the ARRI camera package for a documentary shot on the streets of Istanbul.

Renewal Requirements

None of the ARRI programs are renewable in the sense of a multi-year stipend. Each is a one-time award:

• Volker Bahnemann Award: A one-time production grant for a graduation project. The award is a perpetual annual bequest, but an individual student receives it once. Recipients can continue to work with ARRI Rental on future projects at student or young-professional rates.
• PHAROS Production Award: A one-time EUR 150,000 equipment and post-production package for a single graduation project. The project must be completed within the school's graduation timeline.
• Franz Wieser Grant: A one-time equipment package per project. Filmmakers can apply again with a new project, as the grant is open year-round and selected several times per year. Each award is tied to a single project, not a renewable stipend.

Application Process

• Volker Bahnemann Award: No open application. NYU Tisch faculty select recipients based on graduation project work. Speak with your cinematography professors about the selection process.
• PHAROS Production Award: Submissions are handled internally through HFF Munich. Graduation project teams submit their visual design concepts to a jury of HFF professors and industry professionals. Contact HFF's Department of Cinematography for details.
• Franz Wieser Grant: Apply at arri.com/en/company/supporting-talents. The application requires a production proposal, script, visual style description, and concept. Applications must be received at least 3 months before the shooting date. The grant committee reviews submissions year-round and selects projects several times per year.
• ARRI Rental discounts: Contact ARRI Rental directly or through your school's equipment department to negotiate student pricing.

What Filmmakers Should Know

The ARRI programs are not interchangeable. If you attend NYU Tisch, the Volker Bahnemann Award is your path, and it depends on faculty recognition, not an application. If you attend HFF Munich, the PHAROS Production Award is available through your school's internal submission process. If you are a US-based filmmaker not at either school, the Franz Wieser Grant is your option, and it requires a compelling visual justification for ARRI equipment, not just a request for free gear. The key trade-off across all programs is that support is in-kind or project-tied, not flexible cash. You cannot redirect an equipment package toward living expenses or non-equipment production costs. Filmmakers who need cash grants should look elsewhere, but filmmakers who need professional-grade camera packages should apply early and articulate a specific visual approach that requires ARRI tools.

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See Also

For understanding how equipment grants fit into a broader funding strategy, see Film Grants and Funding. To estimate production costs for a scholarship-supported project, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For evaluating the cost of applying against projected returns, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.