Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 22, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Babelsberg has an eventful history. For more than 96 years, renowned figures have worked and made history in the film city. In 1911, the Bioscop company built its first—glass—film studio in Babelsberg. It was made of glass because filming was possible only with natural light.
The first shooting for Urban Gad’s silent film “Der Totentanz” took place as early as February 1912. After the First World War, Deutsche Bioscop Gesellschaft merged with “Decla,” the German branch of the French film group Éclair, in Babelsberg to form “Decla Bioscop.” In 1921, Decla Bioscop became part of Universum Film AG (Ufa), founded in 1917. In 1926, Ufa built the large studio now called the “Marlene Dietrich Halle” for Fritz Lang’s major film production “Metropolis.”
The construction of Germany’s first sound-film studio in Babelsberg in 1929, the “Tonkreuz,” began a new chapter in film history. “Melodie des Herzens,” starring Willy Fritsch, was Germany’s first completely sound feature film. It was followed in 1930 by the premiere of Josef von Sternberg’s “The Blue Angel,” starring Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings.
Today, Studio Babelsberg is in an excellent position. It recently announced its financial figures for 2008. With total revenue of €65.9 million, the Studio Babelsberg Group achieved earnings after tax of €3 million. Total output remained unchanged from the previous year at €93 million. The AG’s separate financial statements showed a positive result after tax of €3.5 million.
Despite the positive 2008 financial figures, the Management Board and Supervisory Board decided to propose a dividend reduced to €0.10 per share at the Annual General Meeting. This would place the dividend €0.10 below the dividend for the previous record year of 2007, but at the level of 2005 and 2006. The funds remaining in the company are intended to secure the implementation of future business activities. The decision is based on the currently strained international financial-market situation and the associated greater difficulty in refinancing feature-film projects.
A total of seven productions were completed at Studio Babelsberg in 2008. The Warner Bros. / Silver Pictures / Dark Castle production “Ninja Assassin” in particular generated corresponding orders for Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures, Art Department Studio Babelsberg and the set-construction divisions. Beyond the film-package deal concluded with Joel Silver in 2008, Studio Babelsberg intends to enter into further collaborations with internationally oriented producers. In addition to utilising the studio site, this co-production strategy aims to secure possible revenue participation from worldwide film exploitation. Despite adverse conditions in the overall economy and a downturn in international film production, Studio Babelsberg currently expects positive overall business development in 2009.
The animago AWARD will also take place in Babelsberg this year.