According to the Babelsberg studio, the corona crisis is causing the demand for cinema productions to fall – but the internet is benefiting significantly. “The studio inquiries for 2021 have so far mainly come for larger streaming formats,” said the CEO of Studio Babelsberg AG, Carl Woebcken, of the German press agency in Potsdam. “The demand for movie productions is more subdued because at the moment all producers are concerned about whether the broadcast in the cinema is the measure of all things and whether it pays off.” There is enormous demand for large streaming formats because new providers have also been launched.

Believe in the comeback of the cinema The head of the studio said it made things more difficult that many finished film projects were still on the shelf. “Therefore, at least for the phase after Corona, it cannot be assumed that there will be great demand for movies.” However, he thinks the cinema is indispensable. “I think everyone in the industry is aware that we still need cinemas,” said Woebcken. “Without a red carpet, without premieres and without the audience, nobody can imagine that big film productions have a long-term chance.”

Studio Babelsberg is according to information of the CEO got through the crisis year well – and already has a few orders for the coming year. “At the beginning of the year, we had a very good order situation thanks to the two large-scale productions” Matrix 4 “by Warner Brothers (with Keanu Reeves) and” Uncharted “by Sony (with Mark Wahlberg),” said Woebcken. The lockdown came when the shooting was supposed to start, and it continued in July. “We were lucky that no leading actor was infected. A supporting actor had an infection and went straight into isolation.”

60. 000 Corona tests For protection against the Coronavirus, according to the studio boss, the teams were divided up so that there was as little contact as possible. “There were fewer than ten infections in both productions in 600 people from crews, industrial employees and administration,” said Woebcken. “We did about 60. 000 in the Production phase, daily for the actors, twice a week for everyone else. ” The additional costs would have been borne by Warner Brothers and Sony.

The studio boss draws a positive balance for the past year and looks on with confidence 2021. “All in all, we expect a good financial year – despite Corona,” said Woebcken. “During the standstill phase, when word got around that production is going back to Babelsberg, we received a lot of inquiries that will drag on well into next year.” How things go in spring depends on the number of infections in January and February.

Good prospects for 2021 For 2021, in the opinion of the CEO, there will probably be a “small hole” in the Give spring. “From today’s perspective, two small to medium-sized film productions are as good as certain and also a larger streaming series,” said Woebcken. That at least leads to a decent basic load. “We’re also trying to get one or two larger productions in, but that depends more on Corona.” The studio is also “in good talks” for a new series from the makers of “Dark”. The second and third season of the German series were filmed in Babelsberg.

The Babelsberg studio was founded 1912, according to its own information the oldest large-scale film studio in the world and the cradle of German film.

(mho)