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, 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

Volker Otte, born in Hamburg in 1962. First and second state law examination in 1990 and 1993 respectively. Afterwards Senior Civil Servant of the City of Berlin, latterly in the Chancellery of the Berlin Senate for the Governing Mayor.
From 1995 to 1998, head of the legal department of the German Federal Film Board (FFA), then authorised signatory and founder of the film funding department at Road Movies Filmproduktion GmbH.
Independent legal office and consultancy since October 2002, specialising in the law of film, media and cultural funding. One of two CEOs of the collection agent OnTrust Inkasso- und Abrechnungsgesellschaft mbH (https://www.on-trust.de/)

Teacher of ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln (www.filmschule.de)

Member of AG Animationsfilm (www.ag-animationsfilm.de)
Member of the European Film Academy (www.europeanfilmacademy.org)
Member of the “German-French-Film Academy” (www.das-rendez-vous.org)
Member of the German Film Academy Association (www.deutsche-filmakademie.de)
Member of supporters circle of the Film and Television Museum (www.filmmuseum-berlin.de)

Working languages: German, English

Elisa Weiß

Elisa Weiß, born in March 1996, graduated from high school in Berlin in 2014. She has 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

Bosco Servatius

Bosco Servatius, born in June 1996, graduated from Deutsche Schule Bilbao in 2014. He graduated in Management and Technology (TUM-BWL) from Technical University of Munich in 2017 and started studying Film and Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin the same year. He is currently aiming for a Master’s degree in Culture and Media Management. After completing a three-month internship, he started working at the legal office in May 2022.

Working languages: German, English, Spanish

• Otherland, TV-Series, Director: tba, in development
• Auschwitz und Danach, Documentary, Director: Konstantin Kann & Michael Kann, in development
• Chimbo cheBere, Drama, Director: Naishe Nyamubaya, in development
• 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