Archive notice: This article was originally published on September 3, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Scanline’s management presented the minister with examples of its work and, during a discussion, focused particularly on the shortage of young talent facing Bavaria’s growing visual effects industry. The meeting came about at the initiative of the Audiovisual Media Cluster (CAM).
“We have an acute staff shortage. We are currently looking for 30 people, whom we can find almost exclusively abroad,” said Scanline Managing Director Thomas Zauner. Sinner discussed the issue in detail with Scanline’s representatives and stated: “Visual effects is an industry of the future. We need to train more young people in Bavaria so that companies’ needs can continue to be met in the future.”
Since 1996, alongside photorealistic effects, ScanlineVFX has specialized in generating natural phenomena such as wind, fire, water, smoke and snow. The Flowline software developed for this purpose received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Technical Achievement Award (Oscar) in the spring. Scanline effects can be seen in films including “Narnia II,” “300,” “Iron Man” and “Luther,” as well as the TV event productions “Dresden,” “Sturmflut” and the forthcoming production “Die Jahrhundertlawine.” In addition to Bully Herbig’s feature film “Lissi und der wilde Kaiser,” ScanlineVFX also developed the related 4D cinema motion ride “Lissi und die wilde Kaiserfahrt.” The minister’s visit to ScanlineVFX concluded with participation in this special attraction on the Bavaria Film Tour.
CAM’s responsibilities include facilitating dialogue between the media industry and policymakers. Cluster spokesman Klaus Schaefer and cluster manager Barbara Schardt said: “As a cluster, we must pay attention to this growing segment of the industry and its needs, and help solve problems. That also includes ensuring that its voice is heard by policymakers. Direct dialogue with creative professionals and entrepreneurs, and seeing their work firsthand, seems to us to be a good way to achieve this.”
