Everything is relative

26 May 2011
week
Everything is relative
21
With two great actors for ten roles, UFA Cinema aims to land
a hit movie
Germany / France
Belgium
RTL Television and M6 to jointly
produce Transporter series
RTL-TVI launches new
political magazine
Germany
Europe
RTL Television secures Formula 1
for four more years
ACT underlines how
commercial broadcasters
drive creative industries
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Cover:
The actors Katja Riemann and Olli Dittrich play five roles each in UFA Cinema’s
latest release Die Relativitätstheorie der Liebe
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“I’ve never seen a film
like this”
Katja Riemann and Olli Dittrich...
The UFA Cinema produced box-office
feature Die Relativitätstheorie der Liebe
(The theory of relativity for love) tells interlinking stories full of unexpected twists and turns,
lucky coincidences and ironic twists of fate.
Katja Riemann and Olli Dittrich play all ten of the
film’s main characters – five characters each.
UFA Cinema Producer and Managing Director
Thomas Peter Friedl says: “When I first read the
script, I realised: I’ve never seen a film like this.
That appealed to me. People have been making
films for over 110 years, and yet Otto Alexander
Jahrreiss’s idea for this film was so original that
you have to marvel at it: amazing that someone
would come up with this.”
Because the two actors are supposed to
undergo a transformation, Director Otto
Alexander Jahrreiss returned to the old stage
technique of having actors appear as several
main characters. Though the players in the plot
change, Jahrreiss allows his two actors to shine
through in their characters so as to emphasise
the universal validity of the stories that runs
through the complexity of the script. The brilliant duo Riemann and Dittrich are transformed
into five urban couples, who at first glance have
nothing in common and whose lives nevertheless are dominated by a common topic: love.
“The movie is about love, which isn’t always a
bed of roses – just like in real life,” says actor Olli
Dittrich, who plays the five extremely different
roles of agency boss Frieder, driving instructor
Paul, keyboard player Stevie, takeaway vendor
Youssef and yogi Swami Helmut. “I like it when
someone makes up a story but still sticks to the
truth. The best compliment for a film is when its
viewers say: ‘I know people who went through
something like that’.”
UFA Cinema brings an unusual film to cinema
theatres: Die Relativitätstheorie der Liebe, in
which the ten main characters are played by two
actors – Backstage reveals how this happens.
Germany - 26 May 2011
In the movie, Alexa wants a child, but wonders
but whether a partner is really necessary to
achieve this. Singles are often hampered
by their quest for self-fulfilment, since being
“alone together” is essentially more convenient
than the daily stress of a relationship. In this
age of individualism, fear of commitment and
reluctance to take responsibility play a role, as
does the economic independence of individuals.
In the contemporary form of love, each situation
needs to be renegotiated and redefined on a
case-by-case basis. Which can result in a lot of
frustration – and ultimately in single mothers and
fathers in one-person households. “This is about
something universal, about getting to know each
other, relationships, marriage, family, betrayal,
and farewells,” says Katja Riemann about the
cinematic concept. “It’s important that only two
actors play the ten characters – it wouldn’t have
worked with ten actors.”
...as Frieder and Maria
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Otto Alexander Jahrreiss adds: “That’s why our
film doesn’t fit in any particular genre. The focus
is neither on humour nor on parody; instead this
round dance of relationships revolves around
the fact that every problem of living together can
ultimately be reduced to something very essential: we show men and women per se, which in
this case we subtly express by having all couples
played by the same two actors.“
The makeup was accordingly crucial. The two
actors often had to undergo more than three
hours of makeup to be transformed into their
characters. Nico Hofmann, Producer and
another Managing Director of UFA Cinema,
reports: “I don’t think we’ve ever spent this
much time on makeup, because here the makeup
expresses the figure – it has to be perfect.”
Michele Thevenet, who was in charge of Dittrich’s
makeup, adds: “One day it became clear how
convincing the yogi makeup is: after sitting next
to the yogi on the set for hours, an extra turned
to him and said: ‘I’m so excited because Olli
Dittrich will be here later’.”
During the seven months of preparation, the two
actors coordinated with author/director Jahrreiss
as well as the producers in order to fully come up
to their task. Not only did they have to embody
five very different characters, sometimes simultaneously in a single, technically complex scene,
but also had to come up with a shooting schedule that reflects this Herculean strain on the two
actors. “The appeal of such a project lies in the
intimate cooperation between director, camera
and the two main actors,” says Hofmann. “You
can feel how they mutually trust each other,
how they get more and more involved with the
material, how courageously they tackle the
characters. This is a whole new way of handling
humour, unprecedented in German cinema – I
am most reminded of Woody Allen and Pedro
Almodóvar’s humorous films.“
One scene where four of the characters eat a
meal together – meaning that each actor plays
two of the figures present – required special
attention. Says Dittrich: “You have to be very
precise about working on the different takes of
the same scene because – after rehearsing with
doubles – you’re essentially playing the scenes
without the other character, just with little markers on the floor. And then, later or the next day,
you play the other character.” The end of the
scene was particularly difficult. Paul passes a
beer to Stevie, “casually, in a fluid movement,”
says Dittrich. “If things aren’t perfect down to
the millimetre, there’s not a cutter in the world
Olli Dittrich as Stevie
who can put things back together again in postproduction.“ But after several takes this scene,
too, was in the can.
Otto Alexander Jahrreiss concludes: “For me a
film is only interesting if it offers me something I
don’t know yet. What I want to do is seduce the
audience. In a fast food restaurant you always
know exactly what you’re getting – but in a good
restaurant you never know what the chef might
have found at the market. This difference exists
in world of film, too. I’d rather go to the cinema
and trust in the chef’s recommendation than order a burger and chips right away.”
Die Relativitätstheorie der Liebe is a cinematic
production by UFA Cinema. Its producers are
Nico Hofmann, Thomas Peter Friedl, Nina
Maag, Jürgen Schuster and Wolf Bauer. HansWolfgang Jurgan is a co-producer. The picture
opens on 26 May 2011 and is distributed by
Universal Pictures International Germany.
“I’m always right, guys!”
Dieter Bohlen
Katja Riemann as Maria with Olli Dittrich as Frieder
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The Transporter returns
Chris Vance plays ex-soldier Frank Martin
The channels have jointly commissioned
Atlantique Productions to produce twelve
45-minute episodes. The French filmmaker Luc
Besson was recruited as Executive Producer
of the series – Besson was the creative mind
behind the internationally successful series
of Transporter movies. His fellow Executive
Producer is Klaus Zimmermann from Germany
(Volcano, Die Patin – Kein Weg zurück), and
the cast of Screenwriters includes Alexander
M. Rümelin (Volcano). Andy Mikita will be one of
the Directors. With Michel Julienne (96 Hours)
heading the “Car Stunt Unit” and Cyril Raffaeli
(The Incredible Hulk) in charge of “Fight Choreography” the series has two action specialists on
board who were already formative in the making
of the Transporter movies. The series thus brings
together European and American experience
from the movies, for box-office-level quality.
From summer, M6 and RTL Television are
joining forces with HBO and HBO Canada for an
international co-production of the action series
Transporter (working title).
France / Germany - 20 May 2011
The stories are set in various places in Europe
and Canada including Berlin, Paris, southern
France and Toronto. Shooting at the European
locations begins 8 June 2011, and is scheduled
to run from 11 July to end of November 2011 in
Toronto. With a budget exceeding €30 million,
Transporter is the biggest international
co-production in RTL Television’s history. The
series is scheduled to air in 2012.
The content takes its cue from the popular
Transporter
movies:
ex-special
forces
soldier Frank Martin transports whatever his
customers need transported. His self-imposed
rules: agreements with business partners are
not subject to change. No names are revealed.
Packages are never opened. The British actor
Chris Vance (of Prison Break fame) has been
hired to star as Frank Martin.
5
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Contract extension
RTL Television and Formula One World
Championship Limited have agreed to continue
their uninterrupted 20-year partnership for
another four years.
Sebastian Vettel in Melbourne
Germany - 20 May 2011
The new TV contract begins in 2012 and
ends after the 2015 season. It covers the
exclusive German free-TV rights to all competitive elements of a given Formula 1 racing
weekend (free practices, qualifying, warm-ups,
and the main race including award ceremony).
In addition, it regulates various sub-licensing
rights, including to all free practices, qualifyings
and test sessions.
Bernie Ecclestone
Anke Schäferkordt
RTL Television’s CEO Anke Schäferkordt says:
“Formula 1 and RTL Television have a 20-year
partnership characterised by a high degree of
professionalism, mutual trust and great mutual
respect and appreciation. No other sport has
ever shaped the brand of a TV channel as effectively as the top drawer of motor sports, one
of the most sought-after TV spectator sports
worldwide.”
RTL Television’s Head of Sports Manfred Loppe
adds: “There is no other serial sport that guarantees top events and top ratings with the kind of
consistency offered by Formula 1. The conditions for this remaining so in the future couldn’t
be better. We live, breathe and love Formula 1.”
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says:
“I am delighted about the extension of
our longstanding business relationship with
RTL Television. The channel consistently produces first-rate Formula 1 broadcasts that reach
considerable audiences. This success story is
bound to continue, especially with the introduction of new German driving talent we’ve all seen
in recent years.”
As long ago as the 1980s, RTL Television – then
still known as RTL Plus – ran live, full-length
broadcasts of the Formula 1 races from 1984
to 1988. Following a hiatus, RTL Television
re-entered into F1 broadcasting on 7 July 1991,
when it aired the Grand Prix of France. For 20
years now, RTL Television has been Germany’s
Formula 1 broadcaster. During this time, the
channel has served up 333 live Grand Prix
broadcasts.
6
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Europe in focus
Yann-Antony Noghès
Since 22 May 2011, RTL-TVI offers viewers
a
new
52-minute
political
magazine.
Presented by Yann-Antony Noghès, the
news magazine Investigations will conduct
in-depth inquiries into topics that directly or
indirectly affect viewers. The programme will be
produced across Europe and around the world
by RTL-TVI’s editorial teams and will consist
of three reports of 12 minutes each intercut
with two interviews with important personalities
lasting six minutes.
The topic of this first edition was “How is
Europe spending our money?” In the midst of an
austerity cure, Europe remains the object of all
fantasies – especially when it comes to money.
Investigations conducted an inquiry into the
myths and stereotypes surrounding, among
others, the salaries of members of the European
Parliament (MEPs) and their integrity, European
financial assistance and the management of European financing.
RTL-TVI launched a new monthly magazine show,
Investigations, featuring in-depth, on-the-ground
inquiries into European and international news
topics.
Belgium - 20 May 2011
For this first edition of Investigations,
Yann-Antony Noghès welcomed José Bové,
former GM crop saboteur turned MEP, and
Guy Verhofstadt, one of the key figures in the
European parliament today, to comment on the
result of the inquiries and answer questions from
the editorial team.
Yann-Antony Noghès is a political journalist
specialising in European affairs, dealing with
subjects relating to European institutions for
more than 10 years. In addition to being a
European correspondent for Bel RTL and La
Tribune, he presents the weekly programme
La Faute à Bruxelles? (Brussels’ Fault?) on the
French 24-hour news channel BFMTV.
Investigations can be seen once a month on
RTL-TVI. The next edition airing in June will deal
with immigration, while in July the editorial team
will take a closer look at tourism.
In concrete terms, viewers had the
opportunity to go over a MEP pay slip and
different allowances with a fine-toothed comb.
One report showed a Belgian MEP caught
flagrantly cheating. Another shed light on
cases of misappropriation of European funds.
The programme nevertheless demonstrated
that Belgium also has something to gain by
being a member of the European Union and a
host of a number of European institutions.
7
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Commercial
broadcasters drive
the European creative
industry
Cover of the new brochure
The new brochure Content & Consumers
shows how commercial broadcasters have
updated their business models and are transforming from broadcast only into multi-platform
operators. The former media landscape of
47 channels has evolved into a multi-channel
environment with 9,800 channels now available in Europe. The consumer is at the heart of
commercial broadcasting and today commercial
channels in Europe offer content and services
anywhere, anytime and on whatever platform
viewers want. Commercial broadcasters
respond to consumers’ choice and distribute
their content where there is consumer demand
for it and an economic viability.
Speaking to the press in Brussels, ACT President
and CEO of RTL Belgium Philippe Delusinne
said: “The content industry is a major contributor
to growth and employment in Europe. Commercial broadcasters are enthusiastically embracing
the online opportunities and take financial risks
in developing new content for all platforms.
As businesses which will be all-digital within
a couple of years, we are natural partners in
Commissioner Kroes’ work, but the Digital
Agenda debates are dominated by the concerns
of the Information and communication
technology sector. The experiences of Europe’s
content companies will be decisive in persuading consumers to sign up to a digital Europe and
we call on the Commissioner to acknowledge
the key role of our sector at next month’s Digital
Assembly.”
On 24 May 2011, the Association of Commercial
Television in Europe (ACT) presented its new
brochure Content & Consumers and called on the
EU Commission to consider the content industry
as a key stakeholder in the Digital Agenda.
Belgium - 25 May 2011
Gina Nieri, ACT Vice President and
Member of the Board of Mediaset
Group, reported about the situation of the media and culture
industry in Italy and urged the
ad
Downlo e on
r
u
EU Commission to ensure
h
c
the bro
fair competition and a true
level playing field with new
entrants in the market. David
Wheeldon, ACT Vice President
and Director of Policy and Public
Affairs at BSkyB, said that in order
to continue to invest and to innovate,
the creative industry needs an IP framework
that provides choice and flexibility for investors
in content and that does not mandate the way
content rights are exploited.
ge
Backsta
With 32 member companies licensed in 30
different European countries and distributed
across 45 European markets and beyond, the
ACT represents the commercial broadcasting
sector in Europe and forms part of the cultural
and creative industries which account for
6.9 per cent of total EU gross domestic product
and approximately 14 million jobs in Europe.
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Ian McClelland assists
with soccer project for
girls in Indonesia
Luxembourg - 26 May 2011
At last September’s Management Meeting
2010, Bertelsmann CEO Hartmut Ostrowski
announced that three top executives had
been selected to work for a week or two, on
the ground, for a project run by Bertelsmann’s
partner Plan International. The relief organisation has projects ongoing in 48 countries in
Africa, Asia and Latin America
members of school committees, Plan is starting
out by helping to curb the violence at 15 schools.”
And Plan can really use the support of the
RTL Group manager in its efforts, because
beyond soccer coaching and workshops, the
project also includes creating a brochure and a
Web-based network where girls and boys can
chat about soccer.
After months of preparation, the first of the three
Bertelsmann executives has now traveled to the
Plan International project he was assigned to.
Last Tuesday Ian McClelland, Senior Vice President New Media at RTL Group in Luxembourg,
arrived in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta,
where he is helping out with a soccer project for
girls.
Specifically, he wants to make it possible
for the soccer teams to cultivate Facebook
fan pages, where they can post texts, match
results, pictures and videos – all via
smartphone. “I’ve approached Facebook about
this and they promised to give me full support.”
says McClelland and adds “I’m also in close
contact with the London-based Internet agency
Sports New Media, which would design the
Facebook pages for free and provide all the
soccer teams with an app that would let them
update their respective Facebook pages.”.
Facebook users can select their favorite team
and support it with a small annual fee. “The
principle is similar to that of a regular soccer
fan club,” McClelland explains, “but this is only
for girls – and about using social networks to
add fans.” Any fees collected go directly to Plan
International to assist with future funding of girls’
soccer projects.
In October 2010, Indonesia became the fourth
country (after Brazil, Ghana and Togo) where the
relief organisation Plan International has started
a soccer project for girls in the past four years.
Here, some 375 girls in the capital of this Asian
country with a population of over 230 million are
encouraged to pursue their love of soccer while
at the same time learning self-confidence and a
sense of self-worth. Participants openly discuss
and deal with issues such as teenage pregnancy,
AIDS and domestic violence.
“Soccer is the number one sport in Indonesia,”
explains McClelland, who did detailed research
on the country and especially on Plan International’s project before traveling to Indonesia.
“But violence is a big problem in schools (like)
here in Jakarta,” he adds. “By promoting
soccer in partnership with teachers and
Source: BeNet
Ian McClelland in the centre
Ian McClelland, Senior Vice President New Media
at RTL Group is currently in Indonesia working
on a project run by relief organisation Plan
International, one of Bertelsmann’s partners.
“What we’re doing here in Jakarta will later serve
as a blueprint for other schools in Indonesia,”
McClelland says enthusiastically.
McClelland was scheduled to visit other schools
in the Indonesian capital the next days. Stay
tuned for his next report from Jakarta.
9
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the RTL Group intranet
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Exclusive sales agent for the 2014 Fifa World Cup
Match Hospitality AG has appointed UFA Sports as its exclusive agent in Germany for
the sale of the Official Hospitality Programme of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil and
the Fifa Confederations Cup 2013.
Germany - 20 May 2011
Tuxedos and evening gowns make way for shorts and polos
After devoting a big part of its programming to the Festival de Cannes, RTL Radio
is offering its listeners the best of the French Open, since 22 May 2011, with guest
Fabrice Santoro, former tennis champion.
France - 23 May 2011
Supporting children’s charity runs
Super RTL will support the ‘Kinder laufen für Kinder’ (Children run for children)
initiative again this year. The nationwide campaign kicked off on 22 May 2011 as part
of a family festival.
Germany- 23 May 2011
Another season of culinary fights
Following a successful season of Top Chef: Young Professionals, which ended
on 20 May 2011, a new season with 12 Dutch provinces competing has been
announced for this autumn.
Netherlands- 23 May 2011
11
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Extensive rights contract with ProSiebenSat1
Universum Film and ProSiebenSat1 have signed a long-term video-on-demand (VoD)
rights contract governing a comprehensive movie package for the online VoD site,
Maxdome.
Germany - 24 May 2011
François Bayrou on Le Grand Jury
François Bayrou, President of the Democratic Movement party in France, was the
guest on Grand Jury RTL. The discussion was hosted by Jean-Michel Aphatie.
France - 24 May 2011
Presenting season two
In Winter 2012, the second season of Die größten Schweizer Talente (Switzerland’s
Got Talent) will be shown on Swiss TV. The show will again be produced by Grundy
Switzerland in cooperation with Switzerland’s broadcasting corporation, SRF.
Germany - 24 May 2011
Fukushima still a current topic
Recent news events have pushed Fukushima to the sidelines – an unfortunate move,
as the situation is indeed a long way off from being resolved, as witnessed by Virginie
Garin in her daily column C’est notre planète on RTL Radio.
France - 25 May 2011
12
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People
Peter Heerschop
Netherlands - 24 May 2011
Jan-Willem Brüggenwirth, Peter Heerschop and Edwin Evers (from left to right)
Peter Heerschop, a columnist on the
popular Dutch morning show Evers staat op
has extended his contract with Radio 538 for
another year.
Peter Heerschop joined Edwin Evers nine years
ago on his show Evers staat op (Evers gets up)
and has been moderating the now legendary
column Lieve Marianne (Dear Marianne) every
Friday starting 9:45. His appearance is a hit
among listeners mainly because of his witty and
humorous portrayal of the previous week’s news.
Before having his own column he distinguished
himself as a guest sports commentator for Radio
538 during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
in 2002. Since then, he has commented all the
summer and winter Olympic Games for the
station together with Viggo Waas. Last year
during the Football World Cup in South Africa
the team could be heard daily on air providing
listeners with the latest World Cup news.
Evers staat op can be listened to weekdays from
6:00 to 10:00. A best-of special show is broadcast from 8:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays.
Visit
op.nl
aat
Eversst
13
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People
Fabrice Grosfilley and
Grégory Willocq
Belgium - 26 May 2011
Grégory Willocq
Fabrice Grosfilley has been promoted to
Deputy Editor-In-Chief of political news
coverage (Radio/TV/Web), while Grégory
Willocq succeeds him as RTL-TVI’s Editor-inChief, effective 1 September 2011.
After almost three years as Editor-In-Chief,
Fabrice Grosfilley is being entrusted with a
transversal role (Radio/TV/Web) for political
news coverage, with the title of Deputy Editorin-Chief. Fabrice is a recognised expert in the
area. His mission will be to support the Editorial
Director and Editors-in-Chief in this very specific domain where RTL-TVI hopes to maintain
and accentuate its referential
status.
His responsibility will be to ensure the editorial
animation of the television team and to oversee
consistency in editorial content, with the objective of maintaining and reinforcing the channel’s
competitive position. Grégory Willocq will work
alongside the Editorial Director with support
from his Deputy Editors-in-Chief, Marie-France
Muschang and Philippe Malherbe, who are in
charge of editing the news programmes.
Gregory Willocq and Fabrice Grosfilley will
occupy their new positions starting 1 September
2011.
Gregory Willocq has accepted
the offer by RTL-TVI to
succeed Fabrice Grosfilley in
his position as Editor-in-Chief
for RTL-TVI. Grégory, 40,
came to RTL-TVI in 1994. He
has led a brilliant career, first
as a journalist, and since 2002
as a presenter of the 13:00
and 19:00 news programmes.
Grégory Willocq will leave his
news presenter post when he
takes up his new duties. In his
new function, Grégory Willocq
will report to Laurent Haulotte,
RTL Belgium’s Editor-in-Chief.
Fabrice Grosfilley
14
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People
Stanneke Jacobs
Netherlands - 26 May 2011
Stanneke Jacobs
Stanneke Jacobs, 40, has been promoted
to the position of Programme Coordinator for
RTL 4, effective 1 June 2011. She succeeds
Marco Louwerens who has been appointed
Programme Director at RTL 7.
Jacobs has over 20 years of experience in the
TV industry. She has occupied many positions
during her career from trainee to Executive
Producer. Before joining RTL 4 she worked for
Joop van den Ende TV producties, Palazzina,
IDTV and Talpa, producing programmes for
public broadcasters, RTL Nederland, National
Geographic and Discovery. For the past three
years, she has served as executive producer
of RTL 4’s programme Eigen Huis & Tuin (Own
House & Garden).
15
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