Consultation, Legal Representation
and Application Service for Projects with Public Funding

Consultation, Legal Representation and Application Service for Projects with Public Funding

Volker Otte and his team specialise exclusively in the consultation, representation and application of film, media and cultural funding.

The service covers state-of-the-art structuring, filing and processing of applications for film, media, cinemas, festivals and cultural projects financed by German and European funding institutes that are eligible (e.g. German Federal Film Fund, BKM, German regional funds, Creative Europe and Eurimages). Furthermore, applications to the national agencies responsible for certificates of origin (BAFA) and other German certificates like FBW and FSK are offered.

The service is geared towards German and international producers and co-producers, distributors, financiers, festivals and private persons. Moreover, the service is in demand for political decision-makers, associations and guilds, for example, for the creation of funding guidelines.

In addition, the office offers individual workshops and lectures for corporations, film academies, colleges, media conventions and further education institutes.

The office also provides a confidential emergency service for projects in a current crisis situation.

For all mandates outside of the specialisation, the office has an excellent legal network of colleagues available.

Legal security and structure as your financing advantage

Volker Otte, Lawyer

Attorney-at-Law Volker Otte, born in Hamburg. Legal Studies in Hamburg from 1984 onwards. 1990 First State Examination. Legal clerkship (Referendariat) in Berlin, including at TV-Station Freies Berlin (SFB), the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg (MABB), and the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA). 1993 Second State Examination. Afterwards, Regierungsrat (government official) of the State of Berlin, most recently in the Senate Chancellery of the Governing Mayor. 1995 to 1999 Justiciary (Justiziar) of the FFA, subsequently authorized signatory (Prokurist) and head of the Film Funding Department, which he established, at Road Movies Filmproduktion GmbH. Since October 2002, Attorney-at-Law in Berlin, specialist in film, cultural, and media funding. Managing Director of the Collection Agent OnTrust Inkasso- und Abrechnungsgesellschaft mbH (https://www.on-trust.de/)

Lecturer at the ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln (www.filmschule.de)

Member of the AG Animationsfilm (www.ag-animationsfilm.de)
Member of the European Film Academy (www.europeanfilmacademy.org)
Member of the association „Deutsch – Französische – Filmakademie“ (www.das-rendez-vous.org)
Member of the Friends of the German Film Academy (www.deutsche-filmakademie.de)

Working languages: German, English

Elisa Weiß

Elisa Weiß, born in March 1996, graduated from high school in Berlin in 2014. She’s been studying law at Europa Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) since 2015. In 2021 she completed her bachelor’s degree in German law. She’s been working in the office since August 2019, initially as an intern and then as a funding assistant since November 2019.

Working languages: German, English

Felix Burkhardt

Felix Burkhardt, born in February 2006, graduated from high school in Berlin in 2024. He’s been studying law at Freie Universiät Berlin since 2024 and working in the office since july 2025, initially as an intern, now as a student employee.

Working languages: German, English

• Chimbo cheBere, Drama, Director: Naishe Nyamubaya, in development
• Otherland, TV-Series, Director: tba, in development
• Lebensatem/Souffle de vie, Drama, Director : Timo Bénit, in post
• Auschwitz und das Leben danach, Documentary, Director: Michael Kann & Hannah Schwegel, in post
• Alle für Ella, Drama, Director: Teresa Fritzi Hoerl, 2022, 100 min.
• Dear Future Children, Documentary, Director: Franz Böhm, 2021, 89 min.
• Serena & the Enchanted Island, Director: tba, in development
• Club der Roten Bänder (Red Bracelets–The Beginning), Drama, Director: Felix Binder, 2019, 115 min.
• Western, Drama, Director: Valeska Grisebach, 2017, 121 min.
• Wendy, Adventure, Director: Dagmar Seume, 2017, 91 min.
• Systemfehler-Wenn Inge tanzt (When Inge Is Dancing), Comedy, Directors: Wolfgang Groos, 2013, approx. 98 min.
• fernOst-Von Berlin nach Tokio, TV Documentary Series, TV-Documentary-series, Director: Christian Klemke & Johannes Unger, 2013, approx. 450 min. (10 episodes x 45 min.)
• The Paradise trilogy:
  • Paradise: Hope, Drama, Director: Ulrich Seidl, 2013, 92 min.
  • Paradise: Faith, Drama, Director: Ulrich Seidl, 2012, 115 min.
  • Paradise: Love, Drama, Director: Ulrich Seidl, 2012, 120 min.
• Little Big Panda, 3D Animation, Directors: Michael Schoemann, Greg Manwaring, 2012, 88 min.
• Pina, 3D Documentary, Director: Wim Wenders, 2011, 99 min.
• Orly, Drama, Director: Angela Schanelec, 2010, 84 min.
• When We Leave, Drama, Director: Feo Aladag, 2009, 119 min.
• Within the Whirlwind, Drama, Director: Marleen Gorris, 2009, 100 min.
• Zwischen heute und morgen (Between Tomorrow and Today), Romantic Movie/Drama, Director: Fred Breinersdorfer, 2009, 83 min.
• Kill Daddy Good Night, Drama, Director: Michael Glawogger, 2009, 117 min.
• The Palermo Shooting, Drama, Director: Wim Wenders, 2008, 109 min.
• Reclaim your Brain, Drama, Director: Hans Weingartner, 2007, 110 min.
• The Great Match, Comedy, Director: Gerardo Olivares, 2006, 88 min.
• Bye Bye Berlusconi!, Comedy, Director: Jan Henrik Stahlberg, 2006, 86 min.
• Bye, Bye Blackbird, Drama, Director: Robinson Savary, 2005, 99 min.
• Seven Dwarfs, Comedy, Director: Sven Unterwaldt Jr., 2004, 95 min.
• The Edukators, Drama, Director: Hans Weingartner, 2004, 127 min.
• Egoshooter, Drama, Directors: Christian Becker/Oliver Schwabe, 2004, 72 min.
• Fools, Drama, Director: Tom Schreiber, 2003, 93 min.
• Two, Drama, Director: Werner Schroeter, 2002, 121 min.
• June Moon, Drama, Director: Hanno Hackfort, 2002, 92 min.
• Half the Rent, Crime, Director: Marc Ottiker, 2002, 92 min.
• 24 hours in the life of a woman, Drama, Director: Laurent Bouhnik, 2002, 107 min.
• Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet, Drama, Director: Kaige Chen et al., 2002, 92 min.
• Ten Minutes Older: The Cello, Drama/Musical/Science Fiction, Director: Bernardo Bertolucci et al., 2002, 146 min.
• Sweet Sixteen, Drama, Director: Ken Loach, 2002, 106 min.
• Bend it like Beckham, Comedy/Drama, Director: Gurinder Chadha, 2002, 112 min.
• The Navigators, Drama, Director: Ken Loach, 2001, 96 min.

The office offers individual lectures and workshops for companies, institutes, film schools and further education facilities.

We are looking for a team-oriented intern for at least 20 hours a week for a period of three months.

Your tasks would mainly be in the areas of preparation, processing and completion of funding applications for German and international film productions as well as for rental and distribution activities (cinema, video & DVD).

We look forward to your application via mail with a short cover letter, tabular resume and a photo of yourself. Please let us know the earliest time you could start the internship as well as your availability.

Volker Otte, lawyer

Schreinerstraße 63
10247 Berlin

Phone +49 (0)30 – 30 10 45 75
Fax +49 (0)30 – 30 10 45 77

E-Mail: office@filmfunding.de
Web: www.filmfunding.de