"Inspired by..."
1995
The national TV broadcasting company PRO7 hired me to develop an idea for a series ad bumpers – station identifications shown before the commercial break. We produced a series of seven jingles on 16mm film, inspired by different contemporary artists. They won several awards, amongst others a Silver Award at PromaxBDA International.
My first collaboration with composer Marcus Schmickler. The take-off of a long story and friendship.
RTL II title sequence
1995
The TV program Hotzspotz on RTL II, a commercial, privately owned, general-interest German television channel, introduced international commercials to a broader audience.
I shot the scenes for the title sequence on Hi8 video at home, including intense use of my bathtub and the tpyeface of that decade: Template Gothic.
Music by Andi Thoma and Jan St. Werner.
Freelancer for HotWired, San Francisco
1995-1996
In January 1995 I moved to San Francisco. What was meant to be indefinite turned out to last a year. Lived in the Lower Haight district and started to freelance for HotWired. One of the world's first few websites with original content.
A year earlier I had heard an exciting talk by Howard Rheingold at the Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria about how Wired Magazine was to go online. This talk made me wanting to work with them and be part of the next step. HotWired was the first commercial web magazine, launched on October 27, 1994. Although it was part of Wired Ventures, HotWired was a separate entity from Wired, the print magazine, and had original content.
Coming from a motion design background the speed or more precisely the slowness of the web back then made it very difficult for me to adapt. No more motion graphics but silent slide shows - nothing audiovisual.
But it was tremendously inspiring to be in the HotWired offices, and to meet all their incredibly brilliant staff. Thanks to Barbara Kuhr for all her awesome inspiration!
Sat.1 title sequence
1994
TV producer Ulrich Meyer hired me to produce the opening credits for his crime show Alarm on Sat.1, a privately owned German television broadcasting station. In his office he had a huge painting that he wanted me to reproduce and bring "to live" in the title sequence. It was an interesting challenge on my first job as a freelancer.
A collaboration with my water brotherHendrik John.
Music by Jan St. Werner.
On air design for the launch of a new national TV channel
1992-1993
For almost two years I was employed as creative director VOX TV, a German television channel, headquartered in Cologne. Together with the sound director Jan St. Werner I was hired for the concept and production of the on air design for the launch of this new national TV channel. In collaboration with dozens of international designers and composers we produced the audiovisual packaging of more than 25 formats. The video here shows a short compilation.
Also read this article [German] – it has even more of the 1992 title sequences.
On air promotion for a Russ Meyer special
1992
After graduating from university I worked for three years (1989-1992) as art director at RTL Television, Germany's largest private free-to-air broadcaster. One of my last projects was this trailer for the screening of several Russ Meyer movies. Ulli Schumacher and I caem up with the idea and we produced it together. Ulli also introduced me to Arno Steffen.
Music and sound design by Arno Steffen, Cologne.