Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 10, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
From now on, there will be a new major partner for film and television producers in Berlin. In future, the companies want to use synergies together and, as service providers, develop and offer new solutions for the realization of film and TV productions.
In order to bundle resources, in order to increase creativity and synergies, the path there does not lead via company mergers or takeovers, but via a new model of cooperation, via an active alliance of partners at one location. The companies Berliner Union-Film, Media Factory, PostFactory Berlin GmbH, TeleFactory Babelsberg and Ludwig Kameraverleih, Munich, have therefore decided on a strategic alliance for their appearance on the Berlin market.
#HD-Factory-Berlin
This creates a creative and comprehensive service offerings for the film and TV industry in Berlin/Brandenburg. From camera recording to postproduction, from scanning to film recording, from dubbing to mixing, from studio construction to negative development, from live transmission to broadcast design – whether in film or video, whether in SD, HD or 2K.
For this purpose, the partners mediafactory and PostFactory will install new postproduction under the label “HDFactory” on the grounds of Berliner Union-Film, which is intended to complement the companies’ workflow. Although the partners together already operate the most extensive technology park in Berlin for film and TV production, in a first step they will expand their joint offering with further investments and supplement it through targeted purchases.
These include both high-quality film recording in optimum quality and server-based HD offline and online editing, as well as workgroup-based VFX workstations. With the alliance, the companies pursue the goal of bundling their expertise and using synergies in the development of modern concepts for TV and film production. The aim of the alliance is above all to be able to offer customers all services and all the necessary know-how from a single source. The main focus here is above all on consulting and services in the area of HD production. In doing so, the partners supplement the existing offerings on the grounds of Berliner Union Film on Oberlandstrasse. In perspective, they want to concentrate forces at this location and create new offerings there by expanding the technical and structural infrastructure. First, customers at the location the services of high-quality postproduction, in particular “Online Editing,” “VFX” and “Digital Intermediate,” will offer.
The aim is also to strengthen the know-how at the location and advise producers on the use of new high-resolution digital production technologies and realize as large parts of the workflow as possible. By using synergies, new forms of production can be developed even more efficiently.
“We share the same vision for our companies: We believe in the great importance of talent, innovation and creativity in order to achieve the best results in everything we do. The new partnership is very promising and establishes a strong alliance that is ideal for all customer requirements in the future film production landscape,” explains Helge Jürgens of Berliner Union Film.
For media factory, also based on Oberlandstrasse, the cooperation was a logical step. “While we are successful in the area of film development and mastering, Berliner Union Film has long worked successfully on realizing the shoots of serial TV formats.”
Ludwig Kameraverleih, previously based in Munich, Hamburg and Cologne, will establish its new Berlin branch on the grounds of Berliner Union Film. “We can now offer our customers, some of whom have already come from Berlin, not only HD camera technology but also the other necessary equipment directly. Lighting, stages and cranes, for example, but also film cameras, generators and stage construction from Bufa or the know-how from postproduction from PostFactory.”
Because especially when HD technology is used, close contact with postproduction will pay off for customers. Without giving up their independence, the partners will acquire customers jointly. “The new alliance is interesting for a large proportion of customers.” says Helge Jürgens of Berliner Union Film. The partners will offer all services in the best quality and will work with recognized top experts from the respective areas. For example, Manfred Büttner (Oliver Twist) will be available as VFX consultant or Solo Avital (Afrika mon Amour) for VFX supervising.
The focus of the cooperation is on developing new applications that primarily concern the innovative area of HD production. “We are convinced that within a very short time production in HD will also prove to be useful for serial products.” says Martin Ludwig. The partners are already among the leading service providers in their field in Berlin, but by using synergies the offerings can be developed even more efficiently.
“For us, it is not about pure figures or the cheapest offer, but about the idea of strong and customer-oriented cooperation. We are convinced that holistic solutions, especially in the Berlin market, will have even greater importance in future,” says Jens Theo Müller of PostFactory, a subsidiary of Babelsberg-based TeleFactory, which with its branch in the fx.Center there contributes further possibilities on the studio grounds there to the alliance. “The partnership opens up new markets that can now be actively addressed together. The philosophy of providing high-quality services on the market under the motto `experts and service´ is consistent with the visions of all partners. We have formed an excellent alliance in which experience, solutions and innovative concepts from the portfolio of each individual company are integrated as a component into the respective customer solutions,” Helge Jürgens of Berliner Union Film is convinced.
Further links:
- HD-Factory
