02.05.2022

Riding the Elevator with Heiner Lauterbach: Staging Workshop at Macromedia

Using the duration of an elevator ride to convince a potential financier of one’s own idea: this situation gives its name to the so-called “elevator pitch”. Influenced by the start-up business, the format is also common in the film business.

Munich film and acting students at the Macromedia University of Applied Sciences learned from one of the biggest names in the German film business: Heiner Lauterbach. The versatile actor, director and producer has been teaching as a professor of acting, film and television at the private university since 2019.

Staging Workshop: Interdisciplinary format with film and acting students.

Following previous short film and screenwriting workshops at the Berlin campus, a half-day staging workshop was on the agenda at the Munich campus. Among the approximately 20 participants were students from various majors: Directing, screenwriting, post-production and camera students took part, as did acting students.

Lauterbach: Improving through experience and a change of perspective

Heiner Lauterbach appreciates this macromedia-typical interdisciplinary learning and working situation:

“Knowing the perspective of the other trades significantly improves collaboration on set,” says the character actor. In any case, he himself particularly enjoys working with directors who act or write scripts themselves.

The heart of every film project: the script

The script is the heart of every film project. What makes a good script? What are the do’s and don’ts for screenwriters?

“It’s hard enough to sell a script. Do the things well that aren’t hard,” Lauterbach advises the Macromedia students, sensitizing them to the importance of external form, international standards and impeccable spelling.

Precise dialog, impeccable form: Concrete tips from the pros

And in terms of content? Focus on the dialogs, recommends Lauterbach to the up-and-coming filmmakers. If the dialog works, the actors will be able to deliver it on their own. In any case, he is a great friend of little to no direction.

Many thanks @Heiner Lauterbach for the intensive, entertaining input and see you soon in the next workshop!

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Information on the Film B.A. programme is available here.

For information on the Acting B.A. programme, click here.

(IMH)