ESRA

What ESRA does

ESRA (École Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle) is a private French film school founded in 1972 and operated under SASU GROUPE ESRA, headquartered at 135 Avenue Félix Faure, 75015 Paris. The institution delivers state-recognized diploma programs (diplômes visés par l'État) at the Bac+3 (Bachelor-equivalent) and Bac+5 (Master-equivalent) levels across three core disciplines: ESRA Cinéma (film and television production, directing, editing), ESRA Son (sound engineering for film, music, video games, radio, and events), and ESRA Animation (3D animation, compositing, VFX, modeling). Advanced offerings include DHEC Scénario & Réalisation and DHEC Production & Distribution master's tracks, an English-language MFA Filmmaking program, a Bachelor Filmmaking track, ESRA New York (1-year Manhattan-based English program), VAE experience-validation, professional conversion courses, and ESRA Junior summer workshops for high schoolers. Students are recruited through the French Parcoursup platform, online applications, open days, trade shows, and masterclasses, with monthly admissions committees.

The underlying technology stack is industry-grade rather than proprietary: ESRA operates ARRI ALEXA 35 cameras across its campuses (France's first ARRI-certified film school), Dolby Atmos-integrated studios, Stonestreet Studio partner facilities in New York, and a comprehensive professional software suite including Avid, Blackmagic, Wwise, Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Nuke, After Effects, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live. The school's revenue model is tuition-based, with annual billing for degree programs and multi-year/one-off pricing for VAE (€1,000–€2,800 per candidate), supplemented by over €100,000 in annual scholarships serving more than 25% of students. Operating across 5 campuses in Paris, Côte d'Azur, Bretagne, Brussels, and New York, ESRA claims over 15,000 lifetime alumni, 55+ international awards (including 47 César nominations, 1 Oscar, and 2 Grammy Awards), and the #1 ranking among French private film schools in Le Figaro Étudiant 2025 and 2026.

Name

ESRA

Legal name

SASU GROUPE ESRA

Website

https://esra.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ESRA is a private French film school founded in 1972 operating 5 campuses across France, Belgium, and New York, delivering state-recognized Bac+3 and Bac+5 diplomas in cinema, sound, and 3D animation to over 15,000 lifetime alumni using industry-standard equipment from ARRI, Dolby, and major production software partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film & Audiovisual Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Animation, Game Art & Digital Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory) (EDAMANAJ)

Keywords

• Film school education
• Audiovisual training programs
• Sound engineering courses
• 3D animation diplomas
• Cinema production degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: ESRA generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for its degree programs (ESRA Cinéma, ESRA Son, ESRA Animation at Bac+3 level, and DHEC at Bac+5 level). Pricing is provided in brochures and is not publicly disclosed on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ESRA delivers state-recognized higher-education diploma programs in cinema, audiovisual production, sound engineering, and 3D animation, ranging from 3-year Bac+3 diplomas (ESRA Cinéma, ESRA Son, ESRA Animation) and 2-year Bac+5 master's-level programs (DHEC Screenwriting & Directing, DHEC Production & Distribution, MFA Filmmaking) to short professional conversion courses and VAE experience validation. The school trains students on professional-grade equipment including ARRI cameras and Dolby Atmos studios, with delivery across five campuses in France, Belgium, and the United States.

Product overview

ESRA is an independent film school established in 1972 offering a portfolio of state-recognized diploma programs at Bac+3 (Bachelor equivalent) and Bac+5 (Master equivalent) levels. The core offerings include ESRA Cinéma (cinema/TV), ESRA Son (sound engineering), and ESRA Animation (3D animation), each a 3-year diploma. Advanced programs include DHEC Scénario & Réalisation and DHEC Production & Distribution (2-year master's level), MFA Filmmaking (English-language), and Bachelor Filmmaking. International students can attend ESRA New York. Professional conversion programs, VAE for experience validation, and ESRA Junior workshops for high school students round out the portfolio. The school operates campuses in Paris, Côte d'Azur (Nice/Cannes), Bretagne (Rennes), Brussels, and New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESRA Cinéma 3-year Bac+3 state-recognized diploma program training students in cinema and television professions including producing, directing, and editing.
• ESRA Son 3-year Bac+3 state-recognized diploma program training students in sound professions for film, music, video games, radio, and event sound engineering.
• ESRA Animation 3-year Bac+3 state-recognized diploma program training students in 3D animation for film and television, covering animation, compositing, VFX, production management, and modeling.
• DHEC Scénario & Réalisation 2-year master's-level (Bac+5) state-recognized diploma program training students in screenwriting and directing for cinema and television.
• DHEC Production & Distribution 2-year master's-level (Bac+5) state-recognized diploma program training students in film production and distribution.
• Bachelor Filmmaking Post Bac+3 bachelor's degree program in filmmaking.
• MFA Filmmaking 2-year English-language master's program training students in writing and directing for film and television.
• ESRA New York 1-year English-language program in film and sound professions located in Manhattan, New York City.
• Formations Professionnelles Long and short professional programs for career conversion or specialization in audiovisual fields.
• ESRA Junior Introductory audiovisual workshops for high-school students during July.
• VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience) Professional experience validation program allowing candidates to obtain ESRA diplomas by demonstrating competencies acquired through work experience.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARRI FrancecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024ESRA is France's first ARRI-certified film school. ARRI provides advanced cameras and technologies for student training, ensuring students work with industry-standard equipment used by professionals worldwide.
• DolbycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for integration of Dolby Atmos technologies in ESRA studios, providing students with experience in immersive audio production.
• Stonestreet StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional music studios in New York provided to ESRA New York students for hands-on professional experience.
• Mediawan Kids & FamilyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimation production company (Miraculous Lady Bug) that recruits ESRA graduates and provides industry perspective.
• FICAMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench industry association for technical audiovisual companies that collaborates with ESRA for industry training and professional placement.
• France 2030minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench government investment plan supporting innovation and skills development in strategic sectors including audiovisual.
• Hebei UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for establishment of the first Franco-Chinese film school in China.
• Look At The Wall ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduction company founded by Gigi Hozimah, co-organizer of the Saudi Independent Cinema Salon event.
• Erasmus+minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union program for student mobility and international exchange at ESRA campuses.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Emerging players

• SAE Institute: Global creative media education provider with strong presence in France and Europe offering diplomas in audio, film, and animation. Overlapping offering for the same student demographic with a more international footprint.
• LISAA (L'Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués): French private school offering programs in animation, video games, and design. Partial overlap with ESRA's Animation and ESRA Cinéma programs, competing for similar post-baccalaureate students interested in creative fields.

Broad incumbents

• AFI Conservatory: American Film Institute's MFA conservatory offering specialized training in cinematography, directing, editing, and production. Comparable graduate-level film school and competitor for top international film students.
• London Film School: International film school offering MA programs in filmmaking and screenwriting. Comparable to ESRA's DHEC programs and a benchmark for European English-language film education.
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts: Leading international film school offering MFA programs in film, animation, and sound. Sets the global standard for film education and competes directly with ESRA New York for international English-speaking students.
• La Fémis: France's premier public national film school under the Ministry of Culture. The most prestigious French film school offering essentially free education—sets the quality benchmark ESRA competes against and the standard for industry placement.

Direct peers

• 3iS (Institut International de l'Image et du Son): French private film school offering state-recognized diplomas in cinema, sound, and animation across multiple campuses. Direct competitor for the same post-baccalaureate student segment with overlapping program offerings.
• Les Gobelins: Paris-based school specializing in animation, photography, and audiovisual production, with state-recognized programs. Closest direct competitor to ESRA Animation program and competes for the same French post-baccalaureate applicants.
• ESEC (École Supérieure d'Études Cinématographiques): French private film school offering cinema and audiovisual diplomas, competing for the same student pool as ESRA Cinéma. Overlapping curriculum in directing, screenwriting, and production.
• CinéFabrique: Lyon-based private film school offering state-recognized Bac+3/Bac+5 programs in cinema and audiovisual production. Comparable French private film school with similar diploma structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/groupeesra
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/groupeesra
• Facebookfacebook.com/esra.officiel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/esra
• Instagraminstagram.com/esra.officiel
• TikToktiktok.com/@esra_officiel

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESRA