As a seasoned movie reviewer with decades of industry experience under my belt, I must say that Oliver Berben‘s approach to leading Constantin Film is nothing short of inspiring. In a landscape where traditional models are crumbling and streaming giants are on the rise, his adaptability and foresight are truly commendable.
Oliver Berben, now leading Constantin Film as its head from March 1st, finds himself navigating a rapidly and dramatically shifting German media terrain. To meet this challenge, he’s adapting the company’s business strategies accordingly.
I wholeheartedly endorse the government’s proposed overhaul of the German Film Law. This revision promises to reshape our nation’s production incentives, not just for movies, but also for television. It introduces a compelling requirement for broadcasters and streaming platforms to re-invest 20% of their German sales revenue into European productions, with a significant portion – 70% – earmarked for German-language projects.
Is the current broadcasting model sustainable given that public broadcasters’ funding remains static and private stations’ earnings are decreasing? If we continue to follow the same path without making changes, it seems the model is not functioning effectively.
He notes, “Things are evolving, and I must say, these transformations are beneficial. As creators, we should innovate and discover entirely fresh methods for producing content and funding it.
Streaming plays a significant role indeed. For instance, Constantin’s thriller “Dear Child,” adapted from Romy Hausmann’s book, has garnered an impressive 51 million views on Netflix, placing it among the top 10 non-English language scripted shows globally streamed by Netflix.
Constantin retained certain rights over “Dear Child,” specifically those concerning theatrical adaptations of the book. Berben explains, “We carefully examine every potential partner and intellectual property, striving to work collaboratively to secure the most advantageous agreement.
One of its upcoming Netflix productions is the comedy-crime series “Mindful Murders,” starring Tom Schilling. The show is adapted from the popular novel by Karsten Dusse, one of the most successful German intellectual properties (IP) in the past five years, as stated by Berben. This production represents a great collaboration between creating an IP brand and Netflix, according to him.
As a cinephile, I find it fascinating that someone as gifted as Schilling is mentioned in the same breath. Berben points out that we’re not limiting ourselves to exclusive contracts with actors, but rather taking a unique approach for directors and writers. Our ‘talent deals’ include Baran bo Odar, Bully Herbig, Florian David Fitz, and David Wnendt. Essentially, we’re pouring our resources into nurturing these talented filmmakers and creators, and forming collaborative partnerships with them instead.
One of Constantin’s forthcoming productions is titled “Smilla’s Sense of Snow,” adapted from Peter Høeg’s novel, helmed by Amma Asante. Similar to our other series, we aim to discover suitable collaborators in each region and retain a significant portion of the rights for our own use.
His explanation revolved around securing two to three main partners, who would provide 60-70% of our project’s budget as a form of security. The remaining funds and all remaining rights we would finance ourselves. Once the show is completed, we plan to sell it,” he explained.
As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it like this: “In the world of streaming, Viaplay holds the rights for Nordic regions. Meanwhile, in Germany, it’s a collaboration between ARD Degeto and Netflix. For distribution beyond these areas, ITV Studios takes the lead.
For Constantin, another grand project lies in the form of the fantasy drama “Hagen,” an innovative take on the medieval epic “Nibelungen” folklore. Boasting a budget approximately €45 million ($48.8 million), it stands as the most expensive German production to date. The production has been developed both as a six-part series and a feature film for cinematic release. Fremantle handles global distribution rights, while RTL holds streaming and free television rights in Germany.
Berben explains that the strategy involves two steps:
Another high-budget production that Constantin is associated with is Roland Emmerich’s $150 million gladiator drama titled “Those About to Die.” This show is available for streaming on Prime Video in various European regions, and on Peacock in the United States. AGC manages the international distribution rights.
According to Prime Video, the series has shattered viewing records in every European region, as stated by Berben. They are currently deliberating over a potential second season. This massive, astonishing achievement is not only their triumph but also ours, and it’s particularly significant because we dared to produce a high-budget show of this kind, taking a big risk with it.
Simultaneously expanding its roster of television series, Constantin is also bolstering its collection of feature films. In the realm of cinematic release, this involves acquiring movies such as “Baby Girl,” “The Last Showgirl,” and “Megalopolis.” On the production side, standout titles include “Regretting You,” an adaptation from Colleen Hoover’s top-selling novel, and “September 5,” a film that could potentially be an Academy Award contender.
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2024-10-18 00:17