New study on the situation of short film in Germany || May 2006

On 5 May, the results of a new study on the situation of short film in Germany were presented to the public at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. The study was commissioned by AG Kurzfilm – the German Short Film Association – and was prepared by authors Christina Kaminski, Michael Jahn and Reinhard W. Wolf. The main sponsors were the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA – German Federal Film Board) and the DEFA Foundation.

The short film study presents a comprehensive and detailed panorama of all areas of short film. Each chapter takes an in-depth look at a topic such as production, financing, promotion, sales, distribution, television and theatrical release, festivals or new technical developments. The findings presented are the results of a broad-based study on which the three authors Christina Kaminski, Michael Jahn and Reinhard W. Wolf worked for over a year.

The study was based on German short film productions up to 45 minutes in length. In order to carry out a statistical analysis, almost 7,000 films were entered in a database and systematically evaluated. All film distributors and a large number of archives as well as television stations and funding institutions were contacted and asked to provide information. The statistical results were supplemented by a questionnaire and interviews on almost all topics covered by the study. These included more than 50 structured interviews with players on the short film scene, in order to not only record data but to learn more about these people’s views and the positions they take on film policy. Overall, information was collected from nearly 400 persons, institutions and businesses and then evaluated.

Based on the study’s findings, it is now possible to draw well-grounded conclusions about the state of German short film production, as well as to answer questions on the popularity of certain film genres or formats, or on the average running times of films screened at festivals, at the cinema or on television.

Among the most surprising discoveries – for the authors as well – was the strong growth currently being experienced by German short film production. For example, the study found out that some 2,000 new short films are made in Germany each year. This is almost twice the number of films as at the time of the last study (“Survey on the Situation of German Short Film”, Wolf 1997/98).

More in keeping with the authors’ expectations was the extremely high proportion of films not made under the auspices of production companies or institutions. Over half of all German short films are produced by the filmmakers themselves, and often many other functions as well, such as directing, camerawork or editing, are filled by independent filmmakers wearing various hats.

Also worth noting is the high percentage of artistic films and documentaries. At the same time, it was discovered that the conventional categories are no longer sufficient for adequately characterizing short film production. Many films today combine elements of drama, documentary and experimental film, as well as animation, making for a unique mix.

In sharp contrast to this high production volume and diversity is the dearth of financing options available for short films in Germany, as the authors ascertained. This is one of the reasons why the Managing Director of AG Kurzfilm, Sylke Gottlebe, hopes that the study will be helpful in formulating future film policy demands, and that the findings can contribute to better representing the interests of the short form and of filmmakers.

The presentation of the short film study met with great interest on the part of filmmakers and industry visitors to the Short Film Festival Oberhausen, where they had the opportunity to discuss the situation of short film in Germany with the authors at the festival’s new podium event. The large-format, 100-page publication can be ordered from the publisher, AG Kurzfilm.

Bibliographical and purchasing information:

“Kurzfilm in Deutschland – Studie zur Situation des kurzen Films” (in German only)

Published by AG Kurzfilm e.V. - German Short Film Association

Authors: Michael Jahn, Christina Kaminski, Reinhard W. Wolf

Dresden: AG Kurzfilm e.V., self-published

AG Kurzfilm e.V. - German Short Film Association

Kamenzer Str. 60, 01099 Dresden

Sales queries: presse@ag-kurzfilm.de

Nominal charge of 15 EUR, ISBN-10: 3-00-018873-8 / ISBN-13: 987-3-00-018873-2