Certificate Course Film Production Management

Susan Bischoff is a research associate at Morrison & Foerster in Berlin. The focus of her work is on national and international intellectual property law in the fields of film, media, and entertainment. She is pursuing a doctorate on a copyright topic at the University of Freiburg. Susan Bischoff studied law at the University of Potsdam and worked there as a research associate and tutor at the Institute for Media and Economic Law. Following her Master's degree in Intellectual Property & the Digital Economy at the University of Glasgow, she completed her legal clerkship with stations in Berlin, Potsdam, and Hamburg. She has worked in the legal departments of a publishing house, a global e-commerce platform, and a cable network operator, in the media department of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, as well as in a leading intellectual property law firm in Delhi and as a lecturer in contract law.

including DIE KAISERIN (2023), SCHACHNOVELLE (2019)

Education and Training (selection): 2021 Green Consultant, IHK 2020 Infection Prevention (DIN 10541, Section 43 Infection Protection Act) 2019 Safety and Health Coordinator (RAB 30 Annex C) 2018 Occupational Safety Specialist, VBG 2015 Worksites in Public Traffic Areas, Certified Specialist according to MVAS2 2015 AMS Auditor (DIN ISO 19011) 2015 Fire Safety Officer (VdS) 2014 Occupational Safety Specialist, BGETEM 2007 Master Craftsman for Event Technology, Specialisation in Lighting, IHK 2007 AEVo Sections 53–57 German Vocational Training Act (BBiG) 1975 Electrical Installation Technician, IHK
Professional Experience: 2014 Occupational Safety Specialist: Supervision of film productions according to ASiG / DGUV Regulation 2 1984–2014 Film/TV Productions: Lighting Technician, Chief Lighting Technician, Camera Assistant, Lighting Designer 1977–1984 Schaubühne am Leninaer Platz, Schaubühne am Halleschen Tor, ICC Berlin and Schiller Theater: Lighting Technician 1976 CCC Film Studios: Set & Studio Electrician 1975 Touring Theatre "Der Grüne Wagen": General Assistant

Even during his studies in Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Thomas Derr focused on the economic aspects of film and television productions. After his studies, he began his professional career at the media consultancy rmc rinke medien consult GmbH, before moving to the independent production company Cologne-Gemini Filmproduktion GmbH and later to UFA FICTION GmbH, transitioning to the production side of the media industry. He ultimately worked at UFA FICTION GmbH for over 16 years, taking responsibility for the finance department as Head of Finance from 2012. Just recently, in October 2020, he relocated his main residence from Berlin to Munich to pursue new professional paths as Managing Director at Rat Pack Filmproduktion GmbH.

Patricia Ernst is a lawyer at the German office of Morrison & Foerster in Berlin and a member of the Film & Entertainment, Technology Transactions, Compliance, and Investigations teams. She advises national and international clients on all matters of intellectual property law, with a focus on copyright and media law. She holds an LL.M. in the field of 'Intellectual Property and Media Law'. Patricia Ernst supports companies from all areas of the film, media, and entertainment industry. She specialises in providing comprehensive advice to both national and international media companies, such as Hollywood studios and international video-on-demand platforms, in connection with the entire value creation cycle of audiovisual content. This includes, in addition to development, promotion/financing, and production, the marketing and distribution of films and TV series. Patricia Ernst also advises TV and radio broadcasters as well as video-on-demand platforms on regulatory issues such as youth protection, advertising, and disclosure obligations to media authorities. In her compliance work, she particularly supports clients in the areas of corporate compliance and internal investigations.

including KISS ME KOSHER (2019)

Christine Günther is a co-founder of the transatlantic production company FIREGLORY PICTURES and lives and produces in Los Angeles and Berlin. She combines her many years of international production experience with impulses from yoga and Zen – for joyful, sustainable work even in challenging times.

FIREGLORY PICTURES sees itself as a collaborative campfire for creatives with a focus on storytelling that challenges the status quo, ignites dialogue, inspires, and entertains smartly.

The aim to tell stories with social impact fairly, sustainably, and joyfully with maximally diverse teams - and to develop a viable business model from this - is part of the company's DNA.

including In the Lost Lands (2023), Munich Games (2021), When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (2018)

Graduate of the University of Television and Film, Munich 1993 / Employment as Production Manager, Line Producer, Post Production Supervisor at PATROLA Film GmbH, UFA Film International, Constantin Film, Studio Babelsberg GmbH, Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures GmbH. Since 2004, freelance Line Producer and Completion Bond Executive at DFG and EFB. Credits include BRECHT TV two-parter, WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT feature film, TRIBES OF EUROPA Netflix series, TAKING SIDES — THE CASE OF FURTWÄNGLER feature film, BLACK DEATH feature film, KITZ Netflix series, MUNICH GAMES SKY series, IN THE LOST LANDS feature film.

including MAXTON HALL (2024), FAKING HITLER (2021)

Studied Business Administration with a focus on Tourism - my dream was to produce travel films. After a two-year detour into the PR industry, I secured a coveted internship at the Berlin film production company Phoenix Film in 1988. I stayed there to follow the classic path through set runner, assistant director, and production management. Since 1996, I have been a production manager, specialising in TV series, TV movies, and also funded projects for both public and private television. Since the merger of Phoenix Film with Teamworx and Ufa Fernsehen to form UFA FICTION in 2013, I have been part of the production management team at UFA FICTION. Selected projects I have managed include: The Roy Black Story, The Eifel Practice, The Udo Honig Story, Romy, Flemming, Legal Affairs, The Specialists, Extraklasse, Faking Hitler, Maxton Hall - The World Between Us (Amazon), as well as various productions for Degeto, RTL, and ZDF.

Victoria Johnson is a lawyer, TÜV-certified data protection officer and auditor, certified whistleblowing officer, and specialist lawyer for information and technology law. In addition, she is pursuing a doctorate on a commercial law topic related to fundamental rights protection. Her consulting focuses on data protection and IT law as well as related contract design. She advises clients from the public sector and private industry on all issues of digitalisation. Her emphasis is on establishing data protection management systems, designing national and international contracts, auditing companies and service providers, ensuring data protection-compliant use of social media, international data transfer, and advertising. Furthermore, she supports corporate clients in conducting IT security audits and implementing within corporate structures.

Jörg Kornbrust has been working as a lawyer in the field of IT and data protection law since 2004. His consulting focus in IT and data protection law lies in the implementation of large IT and data protection projects in international structures at the corporate level. Securing clients during the implementation of complex IT and data protection-related processes with authorities and affected parties, and achieving a certifiable security standard is an essential component.

WP/StB Timm Müller, M.Sc. is a partner in the field of auditing at the interdisciplinary firm PSP in Munich and heads the "Film and Media" department. For over nine years, his focus has been on supporting film production companies and film distributors of various sizes in the areas of auditing, tax consulting, and financial advisory. Mr. Müller is also a lecturer at the HFF Munich and additionally conducts seminars on annual financial statements. Peters, Schönberger & Partner (PSP) was founded in 1979, and currently around 130 employees work at the Munich location in the fields of auditing, tax consulting, legal advice, and family office. In the area of "Film and Media", PSP can draw on many years of experience in financial and tax issues, annual and consolidated financial statement audits, tax compliance, process consulting, valuation, and acquisitions, etc. PSP is also a co-author in the Film Handbook for financial and tax topics.

Sebastian Neitsch entered the independent film production industry in 1995 through the events sector. He initially worked in the production management for dramatic TV productions, and after a trainee programme in Canada, also as a Transportation Coordinator for international feature film productions. From 2005, he worked as a First Assistant Director, and from 2010 as a Production Manager - initially in the area of international co-productions, but since then regularly for German cinema, TV, and streaming formats. He acquired his qualifications through his professional practice in the industry, complemented by regular further training in commercial and legal topics, as well as in various film technology, VFX, and occupational safety workshops. He is a co-author and co-representative of the cross-industry initiative "WirSind1Team", whose COVID-19 measures concept for dramatic film productions was a significant source of the "Guidance for Film Productions" from the professional association BG ETEM in 2020. Since early 2019, he has actively supported the work of the professional association BvP e.V., since 2021 as a voluntary board member.

including 1899 (2022), Who Am I (2014)

Graduate of the University of Television and Film / Munich 2005. Since then, he has worked as a freelance Post-Production Supervisor on more than 30 feature films and series, including the feature films MÄNNERHERZEN (Warner DE), WHO AM I (SONY), WERK OHNE AUTOR (DISNEY) and the series DARK, TRIBES OF EUROPA and BARBARIANS (all Netflix). He has also worked as a producer, including on the feature films TAGE DIE BLEIBEN (Directed by: Pia Strietmann) and WILDLING (Directed by: Fritz Böhm).

Paul Rieth works as an Audience Strategist, marketing and crowdfunding consultant, and producer in Berlin. He regularly gives lectures and presentations at universities, colleges, and film festivals. He is a lecturer and consultant in the field of Audience Design and Marketing for the TorinoFilmLab and the Documentary Campus Masterschool. He is the author of the specialist book "DOK & CROWD", on the financing and distribution of documentary films. With his agency GET YOUR CROWD, he offers consulting or workshops for companies, organisations, and individuals on strategic planning regarding audience, storytelling, marketing, and crowdfunding. In addition, he produces various video formats for their clients. Since 2021, he has also been working at the Babelsberg Film University in the area of Audience Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. More info: www.paulrieth.de

Barbara Rohm is the founder of the culture change hub, which offers expertise and tools for fair, safe, and dignified working conditions. The focus of her work is on the topics of work culture and cultural change, diversity and gender balance, as well as representations of intimacy. She established the Themis Trust Centre against sexual harassment and violence together with the Federal Association of Actors BFFS. The culture change hub conducts training for Intimacy Coordinators in the German-speaking region.

Tanja Ronsieck has worked as a Green Consultant over the last 2 years, managing various formats from high-end series to TV films and shows in Berlin. She benefited from her many years of experience as a former location manager and production coordinator. As a Green Consultant, she has the opportunity to empathetically support the different needs and requirements of the departments and to provide them with advisory assistance.

As a specialist in media employment law, he advises producers, production companies, film and media professionals, broadcasters, and film funding bodies. Recently known for his column in BLICKPUNKT FILM, he regularly gives lectures and seminars on media employment law as well as industry policy issues.

Dr. Florian Sperling is a specialist lawyer for employment law and a partner at the law firm Lausen Rechtsanwälte in Munich, which focuses on copyright and media law. More than ten years ago, Dr. Sperling specialised in the unpopular and at that time largely unknown topic of the artists' social security levy. He regularly holds seminars and workshops on this subject and publishes regularly on the topic. In 2018, he contributed to the research report "Digital Exploitation Forms in the Cultural and Creative Industries and their Impact on the Artists' Social Insurance" on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labour. Furthermore, Dr. Florian Sperling is the operator of the information platform www.kuenstlersozialabgabe-hilfe.de.

Sebastian Stielke is an actor, author, and film expert. After starting his studies in Romance languages and comparative literature at the Ruhr University Bochum, he initially studied at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna and from 2002 to 2006 at the current Babelsberg Film University 'Konrad Wolf'. He can be seen as an actor on stage as well as in film and television, is a narrator of audiobooks, the author of the book "Babelsberg – Cradle of Film and Modern Media City", a member of the team of UNESCO CITY OF FILM POTSDAM, and an employee of the Filmmuseum Potsdam.

Christiane Stützle is a partner in the German office of Forvis Mazars in Berlin and co-chair of the firm's global film and entertainment practice group. She is a specialist lawyer for copyright and media law and an arbitrator at the IFTA (Independent Film & Television Alliance) international arbitration court. Her practice focuses on film and entertainment transactions and providing legal and strategic advice at all stages of film production, from development, financing and production to the distribution of audiovisual products. The renowned daily newspaper ‘Der Tagesspiegel’ called her ‘Hollywood's lawyer in Berlin’ in a profile: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berliner-anwaeltin-fuer-medienrecht-wenn-hollywood-ein-problem-hat-geht-sie-ans-telefon/25555246.html. Another important part of her work is providing ongoing legal advice in the area of digital compliance and (EU) legislation, particularly in the areas of copyright, AI and platform liability, and in the design and adaptation of business models for multi-territorial companies with regard to the sometimes inconsistent implementation of EU requirements in the respective national laws of EU member states. Christiane Stützle is the founder and organiser of the annual Entertainment Panel, which is held in collaboration with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for high-ranking guests from the creative industry, the financial sector and politics. She regularly lectures on copyright, film and media law, including at the Erich Pommer Institute, and is co-author of the Munich Handbook on Copyright and Media Law.

including THE TEACHER (2016-2019), HOW TO SELL DRUGS ONLINE (FAST) (2019-2020)

Ulla Symanzik (M.A.) - after initial professional positions in the accounting departments of production companies in Cologne, she was employed as Finance Director at Sony Pictures Film and Television Production GmbH from 2000 to 2015, where she led the Production Accounting department and was responsible for corporate reporting. Since 2015, she has been working freelance as a film managing director and oversees productions for various broadcasters and streaming services.

Thea Wulff (born 1980) initially studied communication and media management and began her professional career as head of corporate communications at GrundyUFA (now UFA Serial Drama). Later, she studied human resource management and subsequently built up the company's HR and training department. After around 20 years with UFA, numerous projects and management positions, as well as several years of training as a systemic coach, Wulff became self-employed as a freelance trainer in 2019 and completed training as an Agile Coach. She works nationwide for companies of various sizes and industries, NGOs, and training institutes as a team developer and executive and communication trainer. Thea Wulff lives with her family in Berlin.