Directing                                                                                                             

In my early years, I loved my Super8 camera and got crazy over stop-motion. Working as an Artist and Supervisor really help me to pick up skills and learned about timing, story and look development and eventually was ask to direct. Parallel to my work as an Artist and Supervisor I always kept developing my own story-telling and directing skills.

Commercially I had the opportunity to work as a Director for film trailers and to be Co-Director on the animated feature film "Jasper - and the Journey to the End of the World".

Specialities

  • Story & Character: To be evolved in various commercial projects as well as my personal story development gave me a strong understanding of story structure and character development.

  • Look & Timing: I have a well trained eye for camera work, colours and editing and in-depth understanding of the work-flow in CG and VFX.

Filmography:

Director "Of Hares and Hedgehogs" aka "Heidehasen" Film Trailer 3'
Director "AgentW" for East-German Sparkasse Commercial 2'
CO-Director "Jasper - Journey to the End of the World" Feature Film 82'
Director "Pablo - the little red fox" Film Trailer 3'
Director "Die Enscheidung" aka "The Decision" Short Film 20'
Director "Animated World" Stop Motion 2'

Story Development:

"Temple" (Working Titel) Event-Movie 90'
"Mette Wargasten" (Working Titel) Animated Feature 90'
"Steven's Traum" aka "Steven's Dream" (Working Titel) Short Film 35'


Director Reel: http://vimeo.com/19253759


Complete Project List: Jun. 1992 - Current                 _                                     

  • Host @ fmx 2012, Stuttgart GER

    08.-11. May 20112

  • CGI Lead @ Exozet Effects GmbH, Babelsberg GER

    Februray 2012 — March 2012

    CGI Team Lead for TV movie "Schlangenkönig".

    http://www.exozet.com

  • PostViz @ Exozet Effects GmbH, Babelsberg GER

    Januar 2012

    PostViz for feature film "Cloudatlas" by director Tom Tykwer.

    http://www.exozet.com

  • VFX Supervisor @ tvt.film + vfx GmbH, Fankfurt a.M. GER

    March 2011 — Dzember 2011

    VFX supervision for feature film "Labyrinth" by director Tolga Örnek.

    http://www.tvtfilm.com

  • Consultant @ The Animation Workshop, Viborg DK

    October 2010 — Present

    Consulting on pipeline issues and the curriculum for CGA bachelor program.

    http://www.animwork.dk/en/

  • Lecturer & Teacher @ The Animation Workshop, Viborg DK

    September 2010 — Present 

    Teaching:
    - CG Supervisor / Directing Mentor: May-Jun 2011 "Commercial Project" BAC09
    - CG Supervisor / Directing Mentor: Mar-Jun 2011 "Bachelor Projects" BAC08
    - CG Supervisor / Directing Mentor: Sep-Oct 2010 "Commercial Project" CGA08

    Lectures:
    - Case study "JASPER - Pipeline Tools and Structure"
    - Talk "Wishful Thinking - Communication in Digital Film Production"

    http://www.animwork.dk/en/teacher_presentation.asp?UserId=100937

  • Speaker @ fmx 2011, Stuttgart GER

    03 May 2011

    Talk: "How to Approach a CG Production"

    http://www.fmx.de/program/detail.html?tx_fmxevents_pi1[event]=44&tx_fmxevents_pi1[date]=43&tx_fmxevents_pi1[locationuid]=25&tx_fmxevents_pi1[eventlocationdate]=43&tx_fmxevents_pi1[action]=detail&tx_fmxevents_pi1[controller]=Event&cHash=c26b0121d2feaf54c82e6f145062d36b

  • Stereoscopic Supervisor @ mediacontentfactory, Berlin GER

    August 2010 — October 2010 (3 months)

    Stereoscopic Supervision: For a 3min showcase of the feature film "Die Raeuber" (aka "The Robbers"). The production was done in CG and S3D (stereoscopic).

  • VFX Supervisor @ tvt.film + vfx GmbH, Fankfurt a.M. GER

    February 2010 — October 2010 (9 months)

    VFX supervision for feature film "In Darkness" by director Agnieszka Holland.

    http://www.tvtfilm.com
    http://www.schmidtz-katze.de/website/news.php?lang=en&ID=358777b05fb0&topic=news

  • CG Supervisor & Stereoscopic Supervisor @ Rabbix VFX GmbH, Weimar GER

    April 2010 — July 2010 (4 months)

    Teaser for feature film: "School for Vampires"

    Production plannning and calculation, crew recruitment, planing of infrastructure and pipeline. Customer contact, stereoscopic and creative supervision. Also re-design of main characters and look development from 2D TV to CG feature film.

    Production was done in S3D (stereoscopic )

    http://hahnfilm.com/english/tv-series/tv-series-detail/school-for-vampires/f6ab1665f7/?tx_ttnews[backPid]=66

  • Speaker @ fmx 2010, Stuttgart GER

    04 May 2010

    "Wishful Thinking" - Communication in Digital Film Production

    http://2010.fmx.de/recruiting-sessions.E.254.html

  • VFX Supervisor @ Rabbix VFX

    November 2009 — February 2010 (4 months)

    Supervising CG and compositing for stopmotion feature film "Sandmann and the lost Sand of Dreams" at Rabbix VFX Studio.

    http://www.rabbix.de/

    http://www.scopas.de/download/quicktime/sm_teaser.html

  • Speaker @ 3DTALK 2009, Hamburg GER

    December 2009 — December 2009 (1 month)

    The talk will cover technical issues as well as the artistically side of the “Jasper - and the Journey to the End of the World” production.

    http://www.picturetools.de/ws/event_3dtalk2009.asp

  • Teacher@ Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg (GER)

    October 2009 — October 2009 (1 month)

    Teaching production workflow, pipeline setup and general organization issues of big-scale productions to last year students.

  • Director (& CG Supervisor) @ Toons 'n' Tales Filmproduktion, Hamburg GER

    April 2009 — October 2009 (7 months)

    Pilot development for the CG feature film project "Of Hares and Hedgehogs." aka “Sängerkrieg der HeideHasen”. Was "best-received S3D project" at Cartoon Movie 2010.

    - Directing of 90'' film teaser for "Of Hares and Hedgehogs" in HD (Story, character and look development).
    - Supervision of S3D conversion (stereoscopic conversion: 2D->S3D)

    http://www.toons-n-tales.com/de/projects/heidehase/Hare_page_01.htm

  • Speaker @ fmx 2009, Stuttgart GER

    May 2009 — May 2009 (1 month)

    “Jasper - and the Journey to the End of the World” – A Pan European Production and its Challenges

    http://09.fmx.de/E.2212.html

  • Director @ 4me Film Studios GmbH, Weimar GER

    February 2009 — April 2009 (3 months)

    Directing CG cinema spot (90 sec.) for Sparkasse: "AgentW" (aka AgentP).
    For nation wide campaign of German Sparkasse (Bank) in July 2009.

    http://4me-studios.com/
    http://www.rabbix.de/

  • Consultant @ 4me Film Studios GmbH, Weimar GER

    December 2008 — April 2009 (5 months)

    Improvement of internal structure and consulting for hard- and software setup as well as for production planning.

    http://4me-studios.com/
    http://www.rabbix.de/

  • CG Supervisor @ 4me Film Studios, Weimar GER

    November 2008 — March 2009 (5 months)

    Supervising the creation of CG content for "manage_m" image films. Client: Lufthansa Technik

    http://4me-studios.com/
    http://www.rabbix.de/

  • Co-Director @ Toons 'n' Tales Filmproduktion, Hamburg GER

    March 2007 — October 2008 (1 year 8 months)

    Co-Directing CGI feature film: "Jasper - and the Journey to the End of the World" (82 min.).

    http://www.toons-n-tales.com/jaspermovie/index.htm

  • CG Director @ Toons 'n' Tales Filmproduktion, Hamburg GER

    June 2006 — October 2008 (2 years 5 months)

    For the feature film "Jasper - and the Journey to the End of the World" (82 min.) I was responsible for the planning and the realization of the creative translation of the director’s visions and ideas as well as for the recruiting and managing of the team especially the supervisors of various departments. I was also responsible for the data structure and the technical setup and have to ensure that all stage of the production are working well together.

    http://www.toons-n-tales.com/jaspermovie/index.htm

  • Director @ Toons 'n' Tales Filmproduktion, Hamburg GER

    January 2008 — February 2008 (2 months)

    Directing CGI feature film trailer: "Pablo - The Little Red Fox" (90 sec.)

    For pitch at Cartoon-Movie (in Potsdam) March 2008.

    http://www.toons-n-tales.com/de/projects/pablo/index.htm

  • VFX Supervisor, Digital Artist

    February 2006 — May 2006 (4 months)

    Maya 3D modeling/animation/shading: new AUDI TV-Tag
    Company: METAphrenie in Berlin.
    http://www.metaphrenie.com/

    Combustion compositor for animated TV series: "MP4orce"
    Company: BFC in Berlin.

  • Compositor @ Berliner Film Companie GmbH, Berlin GER

    December 2005 — January 2006 (2 months)

    Shake compositor for the CG animated feature film "Happily N'Ever After"

  • Lead Modeler @ Berliner Film Companie GmbH, Berlin GER

    January 2005 — November 2005 (11 months)

    For the CD animated feature film: "Happily N'Ever After"

    I did set/location and prop modeling. I was also working in the areas of Digital Layout (Previz as well as set-dressing).

  • Lead Compositor @ Berliner Film Companie GmbH, Berlin GER

    August 2004 — January 2005 (6 months)

    For the 2D animated TV series: "BoomCrew"

    I worked directly with the director, for compositing special scenes and sequences, which where to complex to be done by the Asian studio. Part of this job was also to improve scenes, from other artist or studios which did not fulfill the wanted quality level.

  • Lead Compositor @ Berliner Film Companie GmbH, Berlin GER

    May 2003 — November 2003 (7 months)

    For the 2D animated TV series: "Mission Odyssey"

    I supervised other compositors and worked directly with the director, for compositing special scenes and sequences. All scenes (revised and new ones) had to be create out of the original PAL material.

  • Digital Artist & VFX Supervisor

    Various Companies

    (Animation industry)

    June 1999 — May 2003 (4 years )

    A few examples:

    Sep02: ”17 Juni” crowed replication, at KOPPFILM Berlin. VFX Supervisor, PAL.

    Jul02: ”House of the Dead” effects animation, at ELEKTROFILM Berlin. CGI Artist, 2K.

    Mar02: ”Fuehrer Ex" (aka  "Poison Hearts”) vfx scenes, for TVT Berlin/Germany, inferno Artist, 2K

    Oct01: ”Wella Vivality” and ”Nivea HairCare” TV commercial at DasWerk HH/Germany. flame Artist, PAL.

    Sep01: ”Mercedes Sperm” award winning cinema spot Condor Berlin/Germany. CGI Artist, 2K.

    Jun01: ”Ignition” feature film DasWerk HH/Germany. CGI Artist, 2K

    Jan01: ”No Rules” on-air trailer for RTL 2/Germany. flame Artist, PAL (blow-up to 2K).

    Aug00: ”Angeldust” 90 min. TV-movie for RTL/Germany at VCC Berlin/Germany. VFX Supervisor, PAL.

    Mar00: ”Prüfstand 7” VCC Hamburg feature film. VFX Supervisor, 2K.

    Dec99: Audi TT spot, adding CGI elements in live action footage. CGI Artist, PAL.

    Sep99: ”Schnee in der Neujahrsnacht” UFA Filmproduktion feature film. CGI Artist, 2K.

  • Digital Artist, VFX Supervisor @ High Tech Center Babelsberg (aka company-b) (GER)

    October 1997 — May 1999 (1 year 8 months)

    My working area at ”company b” ranged from TV to feature film, doing cgi- and vfx-design, modeling, fx animation and compositing.

    Based on my previous working experience I successfully managed client contacts and production as well as supervision of artists and other production staff. I also was trained to use discreet fire, but actually started to work on flame and inferno.

  • Virtual Studio Specialist @ Accom Inc., London UK

    January 1996 — September 1997 (1 year 9 months)

    Supervising production, set design, set modeling and set creation for Virtual Studio as well as customer care, sales consultant (e.g. for BBC Resources). I also helped do build the BCC’s first Virtual Studio setup. During that process I was responsible for a number of TV productions done for the BBC.

  • Digital Artist @ VAP Video Art Production GmbH, Hamburg GER

    December 1994 — December 1995 (1 year 1 month)

    At the VAP in Hamburg/Germany where I was part of the world premiere of the Virtual Studio. Computer animation and Virtual Studio production was my field of activity.

  • Digital Artist - IT Manager@ Media Factory GmbH, Hamburg GER

    June 1992 — November 1994 (2 years 6 months)

    I was trained to teach others Alias PowerAnimator and to setup SGI workstations and Irix operating systems. I also started to do my own animation.

Education                                                                                              

  • University of Portsmout, UK

    B.Eng.(Hons) , Control Engineering , 1991 — 1992

    I entered into the last (of three years total) year of the B.Eng.(Hons) degree - due to my previous experience/education in Germany. I finished the degree by passing all final examines and the completing the final project.

  • Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg (HAW), GER

    Dipl.Ing. , Datentechnik , 1986 — 1992

    I passed all examines for this degree before 1991 - to continue my education in England. Then I came back with the English final project and could re-use this one to complete my German degree.