The 15 new GetOnSet trainees spend twelve months getting to know the work of various trades on a film set - combined with theoretical training at the Hamburg Media School. The aim of the programme: To prepare interested people from other industries for a future in the film industry.

On Wednesday, Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media, and Labour Senator Dr Melanie Leonhard visited the two GetOnSet trainees Thore Grieve and Perghuzat Enver on the film set of the ZDF series "Notruf Hafenkante". The series is produced by the Studio Hamburg subsidiary Letterbox Filmproduktion. Dr Carsten Brosda says: "The film industry is also feeling the effects of the skills shortage. This is where GetOnSet comes in quite pragmatically. Career changers are brought together with production companies and receive practical training. With this programme, we are opening the door to the exciting world of film for jobseekers and want to continue to offer the film industry good development opportunities in Hamburg as a film location."

Labour senatorDr Melanie Leonhard continues: "Hamburg now has a good offer for professionals who want to make a career change to the film industry. In view of the changing world of work, many people want to reorient themselves. The project is intended to offer them an opportunity to open up new perspectives."

The programme was conceived by MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein and the Hamburg Media School. GetOnSet was triggered by the severe shortage of skilled labour in the German film industry. The production volume in Germany has increased massively in recent years due to the new streaming platforms alone. Executive Producers are having great difficulty finding sufficiently qualified and available staff for their film or series shoots.Helge AlbersCEO of MOIN Film Fund, explains: "We are also clearly noticing the lack of new talent in Hamburg when it comes to shooting cinema films and high-end series. Some projects are struggling to get their film crews together or have to postpone filming until the skilled labour is available again."

According to a new study by the training association Media Collective, the shortage of skilled workers is a major problem for 75 per cent of the film companies surveyed in Germany. The recruitment difficulties relate to almost all positions in a production.

One reason for the lack of young talent in the film industry is the lack of apprenticeships. Most filmmakers have acquired their knowledge and qualifications through internships and assistant jobs. "With our model, we are closing a gap in film qualification in Germany: Until now, there has been a lack of further training programmes for career changers that include both practical experience in the company and supplementary basics. We see the high number of applications as a clear signal that we are on the right track with GetOnSet," saysDr Katharina SchaeferCEO of the Hamburg Media School.

The two trainees Thore Grieve and Perghuzat Enver have been working for the Studio Hamburg Production Group since the beginning of October. Shooting series such as "Notruf Hafenkante" or "Großstadtrevier", they are getting to know the processes of a film production first-hand. The first academic block at the Hamburg Media School starts at the beginning of 2023, with some theory lessons already taking place in November. Thore Grieve says: "I'm looking forward to getting a solid education for my start in the film industry with 'GetOnSet'."

The trainees are paid by the film companies. The companies and the Hamburg Media School are supported by the Ministry of Labour, Health, Social Affairs, Family and Integration, the Ministry of Culture and Media and MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, which provide a budget of around 350,000 euros for the programme.

The participating companies

Production companies:

• Akkord Film

• Doppelplusultra Filmproduktion

• Element E Filmproduktion

• Fabian & Fred

• Network Movie

• Red Balloon Film

• Studio Hamburg Production Group

• Tamtam Film

Technical service providers and post-production studios

• Optical Art

• PRG Cinegate

• Studio Hamburg Postproduction

• Tonik Studio

• Zeigermann Audio

Image material:

Two photos from the set visit can be downloaded here (for free use in the context of reporting).

BU Photo 1 (f.l.t.r.): Andreas Knoblauch (Studio Hamburg Production Group), GetOnSet trainees Perghuzat Enver and Thore Grieve, Michael Lehmann (Studio Hamburg Production Group), Raya Schäferhoff (Hamburg Media School), Aysha Joy Samuel (Notruf Hafenkante), Senator for Culture Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Labour Dr Melanie Leonhard, Marc Barthel (Notruf Hafenkante) and Helge Albers (MOIN Film Fund).

BU Photo 2 (from left to right): Senator for Culture Dr Carsten Brosda, GetOnSet trainees Perghuzat Enver and Thore Grieve and Senator for Labour Dr Melanie Leonhard

Copyright: bola/ZDF