FAQ

IMARA Film Academy is the teaching arm of the cinematic studio IMARA Film in Malindi, Kenya. We offer hands-on photography and videography courses using professional camera systems, taught by working filmmakers and photographers. A photo school and video school on the Kenyan coast.

In Malindi, serving Watamu, Mombasa and the wider Kenyan coast. A photography school and video school where students shoot outdoors in real environments from day one. Photo classes and video courses run in small groups with professional equipment.

IMARA Film Academy is the training programme of IMARA Film. The curriculum comes from real production experience. Students learn on the same equipment used on professional shoots.

English. German, Italian, and Swahili are also available on request.

None. The course starts from zero and builds systematically. It is designed for complete beginners as well as self-taught photographers who want a structured foundation.

5 days. Each topic starts with a short introduction and the theory, then goes straight into practice until the result is right. View the full course details.

You shoot on a Panasonic Lumix S5, a professional full-frame mirrorless camera with a 24-megapixel sensor. Cameras and lenses are provided.

The Photography Class runs in groups of 4 to 6 students, never more than 9. The video courses and Lighting run in smaller groups of 2 to 3 students, never more than 4. The Drone Class runs with 2 students and never more than 3. Every student gets direct feedback and hands-on time with the equipment.

The Photography Class costs KES 9,000 / USD 70 for 5 training days. This equals KES 1,800 / USD 14 per training day. Mineral water and lunch are included.

Two dates are open: Tuesday, 25 August – Saturday, 29 August 2026, and Tuesday, 24 November – Saturday, 28 November 2026.

Yes. At the end of the course you sit the Final Assignment. Pass it and you receive a Certificate of Achievement, either Passed or Passed with Distinction depending on your score. If you do not sit or do not pass the test, you receive a Certificate of Participation for attending the course.

Yes. Write to us and we arrange dates and format to suit your schedule. Private and small-group bookings are available.

A 2-day add-on to the Photography Class. The Photography Class teaches you to read light. This course teaches you to build it, in the studio and on location. Launching end of 2026. View the full curriculum.

KES 3,000 / USD 24 for 2 training days (KES 1,500 / USD 12 per training day). Mineral water is included. Lunch is not included for this course. Groups of 2 to 3 students, never more than 4.

Yes. The Photography Class must be completed, not taken at the same time. Lighting and Lightroom & Photoshop both build on it, and you can take them in either order.

The video track is split in two. Videography: Foundation runs 3 days and covers frame rates, shutter, exposure for video, ND and log. Videography: Cinematography runs 7 days and covers coverage, movement, audio, edit thinking and a final film. Together they are the 10 days the course always was. View Foundation or view Cinematography.

Videography: Foundation costs KES 4,500 / USD 36 for 3 training days. Videography: Cinematography costs KES 10,500 / USD 84 for 7 training days. Both run at KES 1,500 / USD 12 per training day, so the two together cost the same as the ten day course did. Mineral water is included. Lunch is not included for these courses.

Yes. The Photography Class is a mandatory prerequisite for Videography: Foundation. Exposure, light and composition are learned once and applied directly in video. Foundation is in turn the prerequisite for Cinematography and for the Drone Class.

Panasonic Lumix S5 IIx — a professional full-frame mirrorless camera with 6K internal recording, phase-detect autofocus, and V-Log capability.

Both launch at the end of 2026. Join the waiting list to be notified when dates and application details are released.

A 3 day flying course in planning. You learn to fly by sight first, with your eyes on the drone and not on the screen, through pre-flight and safety, stick control, orientation, precision landing and emergencies. The camera comes last, once the stick work is safe. View the full curriculum.

Yes. Videography: Foundation is the prerequisite, because aerial footage is video and the settings have to sit before you fly. We also recommend the full video track, since drone shots are B-roll and have to cut into a sequence.

The course is in planning. The training programme and the safety material are written and we are working out dates. We publish the fee together with the dates. Groups are 2 students and never more than 3, because one drone flies at a time.

Two courses launch Q1 2027. Editing: Lightroom & Photoshop (prerequisite: Photography Class). Editing: DaVinci Resolve (prerequisite: Videography: Cinematography).

Apple Mac Studio workstations running DaVinci Resolve Studio (the full paid version). After the course, you can continue with the free version.

Write to us through the contact form, email learn@imara.academy, or message us on WhatsApp. We reply within 24 hours with available dates, price, and next steps.

Accommodation is not included, but we help arrange a place to stay for any budget. Malindi has options from budget guesthouses to boutique hotels. During the course, we provide mineral water (cold and warm) and lunch.

Yes. Payment is required before the course starts to confirm the student's place. Course places are limited because we work in small groups.

If you need to cancel or change your booking, please contact us as early as possible. Because course places are limited and training days are prepared in advance, refunds or date changes are handled case by case.

After you contact us, we reply with the available course dates, payment information, and next steps. Once your place is confirmed, we send you the practical course details before the first training day.

Yes. International students can join the Photography Class while visiting Malindi. The main course language is English, and German, Italian, or Swahili support may be available on request.

The Photography Class is suitable for motivated beginners, young creatives, students, and adults. For younger students, we recommend that parents contact us before booking so we can confirm whether the course is a good fit.

Yes. Parents can book the Photography Class for their child. We recommend that parents contact us first so we can explain the course structure, daily schedule, safety expectations, and practical requirements.

Yes. Up to two parents or guardians may attend together with a minor student free of charge. Parents or guardians attend for supervision and support, not as additional course participants.

Yes. The course is held in a structured learning environment with practical guidance during training exercises. For minors or younger students, parents should contact us before booking so we can confirm suitability and explain the safety expectations.

The Talent Programme gives motivated students in the Malindi area access to the Photography Class at no cost. In return, graduates commit to 24 volunteer days over 3 months, applying their skills to community projects and IMARA Film productions. Read the full programme.

Select IMARA Talent Programme in the contact form and tell us about yourself, your interest in photography, and how you would give back to your community.