Production Paradise

Welcome to the March issue of SHOWCASE MUNICH/HAMBURG - brought to you by Production Paradise.

Short film festival Munich International takes place in the Bavarian capital next week, offering an eclectic selection of shorts appealing to both film professionals and the general movie-going audience alike. Festival director Martin Blankemeyer has assembled five programmes of the best short films in the world all in English or with English subtitles. The festival takes place at Mathaeser 24-26 March.

In Hamburg, short film competition BL!NDSPOT explores the "inner pictures of the visually impaired" and considers that "being blind does not mean not being able to see". At Metropolis Cinema, Hamburg on 25 March.

Our cover was shot by Mierswa Kluska for Amica 02/06. Model was Svetlana (Major Models), Deyke Heidorn (Artistgroupmierau) did hair & make-up. CD was Reto Brunner.

ham photography/photographers: PHILIPP RATHMER PHOTOGRAPHY

Philipp Rathmer is currently in Shanghai shooting a portrait of architect Meinhard von Gerkan. He is represented in Shanghai by Agency 62.

Philipp just shot a campaign for two Schwarzkopf companies Indola and Clynol as well as a series for TV cook Tim Maelzer's new DVD.

Upcoming projects after China include campaigns for Shockwaves and Wellaflex, and a football project. Look out for more details in the next edition of SHOWCASE GERMANY.

muc photography/photo agents: SNAP

ham photography/photographers: FRANK WARTENBERG

Frank Wartenberg recently took some beautiful pictures of Spanish actress Mónica Cruz (Penélope’s younger sister) for VOX TV station and InStyle magazine.

His PR shots of German TV celebrity chef Tim Mälzer were taken during a night stroll in Hamburg’s red-light district, the Reeperbahn.

He organised a ’Bal Masqué’ in a Parisian baroque apartment to shoot the latest New Yorker campaign.

For inTouch magazine, Frank shot a portrait of German Formula-1 star Ralf Schumacher and his wife Cora in Salzburg.

You can find out more at Frank's recently re-launched website.

muc photography/photo agents: XING ART PRODUCTIONS

XING Art Productions represents international photographers and illustrators, offering a full photographic production and illustration service.

Photography areas covered by XING include: fashion, cars, portraits, architecture, life-style, still-life, beauty, reports, sports and interiors. Illustration areas include: storyboard, layout, production painting, comic, realism, freestyle, digital.

One of the photographers represented by Xing is Munich-based photographer Gary Engel, whose impressive list of clients now includes Men’s Health magazine.

You can find more information at the XING website.

muc photography/photographers: RIESS FOTO DESIGN

Riess Fotodesign, based in Garching/Munich, is well known for high-end still photography with a client focus on advertising, local and international industrial companies and their agencies.

As well as large-scale productions for clients such as EvoBus, they produce sensual product photography using Hosemaster lighting. This creates images that look as though they have been drawn or painted, and has proved popular with customers such as Adidas.

Riess Fotodesign have four studios, three digital high-end working spaces, digital outdoor equipment and a digital picture processing. They offer set construction services, styling, a professional kitchen for food styling, a store for client products, parking and a facility for truck delivery at ground level.

ham photography/photo agents: UPFRONT

Recent work by photographers in upfront's stable include:

- A three-day campaign shoot for ice cream manufacturer Schöller AG in Mallorca by photographer Sebastian Schmidt.

- Sven Sindt approached the difficult subject of mobbing in a fairly drastic way - you can see more at www.mobbing-abwehr.de.

- Sven Sindt also did three shoots on the subject of German income structures for Bild newspaper via agency Jung von Matt.

Please note that upfront have recently moved to Katharinenstr. 30, Edmund-Haus, 20457 Hamburg. Phone and fax numbers are unchanged.

ham photography/photographers: FODDOGRAF AKA MARKUS HEISLER

Markus Heisler - aka foddograf - is back, with impressive shots of actress and newscaster Alexandra Klim at new Berlin lounge-club Solar. Dresses were by couturier Frank Schelhase.

Another shoot was with new face Katharina Malong from Talents Models Berlin with a look created by Swiss stylist Sabin Gröflin.

Markus is based in Berlin but is very interested in international assignments, according to his motto "make the world your studio"...

ham photography/photographers: STUDIO KLAUS STEMMLER

Klaus Stemmler and his team recently went to Prague to shoot photos of the new Skoda Roomster for its world premier in Geneva this month.

The complex photo session was followed by extensive post production using Flash animation for the Skoda website back at Klaus Stemmler's Hamburg studio.

You can see the new car, inside and out, with colouriser and animation, at the recently revamped Klaus Stemmler website.

ham production/photo production: BIGSHRIMP FOTOPRODUKTION

Recent bigshrimp production projects include:

muc production/photo production: ADD PICTURES PRODUKTIONSSERVICE

add pictures ! was set up to offer a full, professional production service to companies of all sizes in the film and photography sectors.

They also offer individual services, ranging from casting to post production.

The Munich-based company's client list includes BMW, Daimler Chrysler, DHL and Vodafone.

ham talent/artists & stylists: AGENTUR BIGOUDI

Recent news from international hair, make-up and stylist agency Bigoudi:

- They have taken on hair & make-up artist Oliver Szilagyi who is based in Munich and Vienna.

- Stylist Ingo Nahrwold worked with photographer Duane Michals for a “10 corso como” exhibition in cooperation with Andrew Mackenzie's new label Against My Killer.

- Isabelle Thiry has been appointed fashion director for the new Feld Hommes magazine.

- At Prêt à Porter in Paris, Siegfried did hair for the Michel Klein, Celine and Chanel shows, among others.

ham film/film post production: DELI PICTURES POSTPRODUCTION GMBH

Recent projects from the Hamburg-based post production company:

Deutsche Bahn “Betriebsmannschaft”
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Werbeagentur
Production company: pi_group Production International
Telecine: Oliver Schumacher
Compositing: Sascha Schmidt, Melissa Panek
Motion graphics: Jan Richter

Pax “Erster Schultag”
Agency: Santamaria Werbeagentur
Production: element e Filmproduktion
Telecine: Oliver Schumacher
Compositing: Eric Schaechter, Melissa Panek

Lamborghini "Präsentationsfilm“
Agency: Philipp und Keuntje
Telecine: Oliver Schumacher
Compositing: Melissa Panek
Motion graphics: Jan Richter, Axel Schmidt

ham locations/lofts and houses: METAFORMS DESIGN

Metaform Design offers a 140 m2, fully-furnished, 6th floor loft in the heart of Hamburg with good views and 12 metres of windows on two sides offering very good natural daylight.

The old, dark brown wood floor combines with clean and modern furniture, offering a minimalist, modern atmosphere for living, kitchen, dining and lounge environments.

This location has already been used by Siemens, Sony, Cor as well as for a number of fashion shoots because of the space's natural light.

Tel +49(0) 40 40 18 92 40

ham hotel/hotels: SIDE HOTEL

SIDE is Hamburg's first and only five star design hotel in the heart of the city.

Space and light have been well related to one another, shaping the heart of the hotel and making it a sensual location for today's urban generation.

The 168 rooms are minimalistic in style, but are still welcoming, comfortable and they have a personal touch. The ten “flying” suites on the 10th and 11th floor are decked out in white and offer an impressive view over the rooftops of Hamburg.

Late risers will welcome the extended breakfast hours at the weekend to 2pm and on Sundays, check-out can be as late as 6 pm.

HAUS DER KUNST

SHOWCASE INTERNATIONAL

Not to be confused with our own SHOWCASE magazines, Zurich's SHOWCASE International is a business and networking platform, and meeting point for international photographers from throughout Europe.

This year's edition takes place over two days: 11-12 May in Zurich. On the first day, a selection of 20-30 young talents chosen by an international jury will showcase their portfolios at the Bally Capitol on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse.

On day two, 26 renowned photographers' agents from Austria, England, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland will be exhibiting their latest portfolios at Zurich's well-known Kaufleuten club.