Blickpunkt Film

Cool Tool - Why a director developed software

As is probably true for many of my director - colleagues, I am a meticulous planner and have always gotten annoyed about having to rework my ready plans night after night. Of course, a film director's work is based on the script, but a film is not shot chronologically; and as the start of the shoot approaches, plans start to change. So you have to start from scratch. This is why I

asked myself once whether this process could be simplified. On the occasion of my second "CRIME SCENE" in 2008, I programmed a rudimentary database. Since my early youth I have been very excited about technology. I wrote small programs on the gaming computer C64 at that time.

My director's database was able to resort my notes on the camera resolution and the characters at every change in the shooting plan. Over time, the database evolved into a real program.

But somehow I reached my limits, so I was confronted with the question: should I stop here or develop a concept, look for funding and give the programming over to professionals? So I sacrificed my vacation, spent a lot of time and money, applied for a subsidy from the Media Board of Berlin - Brandenburg, launched a crowdfunding initiative and found a company just around the corner in Berlin.

My job was to design the user interface. The design and the 450 different pages had to meet the requirements of the practice and, above all, to ensure intuitive use by users who are less technologically active than me. When "Script to movie" finally came to life with the help of the programmers, I realized that theory and practice did not always correspond.

At first, I had designed the software for directors, camera crew, recording directors and scene designers, but then I realized it would be useful for costume designers, makeup artists, prop artists, etc. But I had to understand the individual work processes of each film department.

Now "Script to movie" combines all the work of filmmaking in a project-related network and can also be used for series or commercials. I myself have already prepared and filmed three films this way.

The feedback of the employees involved in the test was consistently positive. The software came particularly in handy last year, when I had to prepare the "CRIME SCENE" episode in Lucerne during the filming of "Sweet September". That's when I noticed how much the effort had paid off because I could easily switch back and forth between the two projects.

The program will be published in five languages. Am I going to make money with it? Only time will tell. Either way, I have a cool tool for my own films.

Author: Florian Froschmayer (guest contribution in a column, where influential media figures showcase their work or a product)

Outlet: Blickpunkt:Film

Date: Sept. 5th, 2015
Circulation: 3850 (Largest weekly trade magazine in Germany, comparable to “Variety” or “The Hollywood Reporter)

Blickpunkt:Film is a weekly magazine about the film industry. Its 35th annual edition was published in 2010. The magazine reports on current events in the German and international film industry. The focus is on reports from film festivals, cinema shows, TV events and economic changes. After a relaunch in April 2016, in addition to the film and television industry, Blickpunkt:Film also reports on the digital home entertainment market in order to reflect the changes to the film distribution chain caused by new digital media.