"No inflationary Edi"
Urs Wäckerli, President of the Commissioned Filmmakers, is satisfied with the Edi award ceremony
Urs Wäckerli, President of the Commissioned Filmmakers, is satisfied with the Edi AwardsLast Thursday, the first Edi Awards Ceremony took place in the Schiffbau in Zurich. The turnout of the professional audience positively exceeded the expectations of the organizers of the Swiss Film & Video Producers (SFVP). At the award ceremony, it became clear that the award is aiming for a higher standard than the earlier Cristalli.Has the move from Locarno to Zurich been worth it for the Association of Commissioned Filmmakers?
Urs Wäckerli: Yes. In Locarno, our award ceremony was always just the fifth wheel on the wagon. We were never really integrated into the festival, but rather felt tolerated. We were also of little interest to the press most of the time, because the critics came mainly for the feature films, of course.
And the advertisers? Wouldn't they have liked it better in Ticino?
Wäckerli: No, because advertisers are usually quite vain people. They want to be the center of attention at an event. Just like us filmmakers, of course. What's more, Locarno takes place in late summer, when many advertisers are still on vacation.
Did more people actually come to the party in the Schiffbau now?
Wäckerli: We started from a plan with 300 guests invited by name for the gala. In the end, 380 came. Unfortunately, we had to postpone over a hundred registrations at the last moment for reasons of space. So next year we will expand the festive infrastructure to at least 600 people. We had to learn that many advertisers usually decide on such parties very spontaneously.
Was that one of the reasons why many familiar faces from the advertising industry were still missing from shipbuilding?
Wäckerli: That certainly played a role. Nevertheless, there were already a few more than in earlier times. Even the panel discussion on the future development of electronic media was able to attract 130 participants at eleven in the morning. The work show, in which all members of our association were able to present themselves with their showreels, is of course still expandable. We imagine a real exhibition with booths here in the future. The organizers from our circle with Verena Zollinger, Peter Beck and Levente Paal have already developed various ideas here for the coming years.
The whole event was very dignified. What can be said about its financing?
Wäckerli: After a long period of uncertainty about the renewed patronage of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, our hands were naturally tied for a long time with regard to interested sponsors. But confidence has now returned, and we were able to win over Publisuisse and the general management of SRG SSR idée suisse to our cause. Next year we need more sponsors, because our total budget was 220000 francs. This year the money will come once from a pot of non-payable small amounts of copyrights from Suisseimage. Since it is not worthwhile to pay out these small amounts to the authors, the total sums were distributed to the individual film associations. According to the statutes, we had to do something for the industry as a whole.
A competition is always associated with a wide range of opinions. How were the jury's decisions received?
Wäckerli: Right after the award ceremony, I played with my String Jazz Quartet for the aperitif. So I didn't hear many comments. Basically, however, there seems to be agreement that the bar for quality standards has been set very high. The Edi is not meant to be an inflationary advertising film prize. This year's shortlist is roughly on a par with what has been awarded in previous years in the form of diplomas or Cristalli.
Jury president Danielle Lanz has stated that she missed many good spots that she, as a careful observer, knows from television when she entered them. Why is that?
Wäckerli: After the back and forth with the DHA in the past, we are currently in a build-up phase again. But I'm convinced that next year we'll have many more registrations and thus also a response from advertisers. And then there will certainly be more than just one Edi for nine commercials again, like this year.
How is the workload in the industry otherwise?
Wäckerli: With the development of the DVD system, which is guaranteed to become increasingly important, I'm convinced that we'll have a lot of work in the future. The new medium just needs to be discovered by advertising agencies with all its interactive possibilities.
Other activities in the association?
Wäckerli: One important goal is to expand our website. At www.filmproducers.ch, it will soon be possible to access many forms, as well as price lists and other production aids. We have also launched our customer magazine newsreel, with which we are actively seeking contact with all BSW, ASW and other advertising agencies. Interview: Andreas Panzeri
And the winners are... An Edi for the best concept was awarded to the client SRG SSR idée suisse for the film "Die neue Bundesverfassung", concept and production: Martin Uebele. An Edi for best direction was awarded to the client Swisscom for the film "Convergence: Mission impossible", produced by Allcom Productions AG and directed by Klaus-Michael Vetter. The Edi for Best Camera went to Effact AG for the film "SSG Modulfilme", production: Techo Film und Video AG, camera: Roland Schmid. The Edi for Best Editing was awarded by the jury to Schauspielhaus Zürich for the film "Schiffbau". Production and editing: Frame Eleven. The Edi for Best Overall Production was awarded to Tamedia AG for the film "Fahnen". Advertising agency: Weber Hodel Schmid, Zurich, production: Peacock Film, director: Rolando Colla.
Urs Wäckerli: Yes. In Locarno, our award ceremony was always just the fifth wheel on the wagon. We were never really integrated into the festival, but rather felt tolerated. We were also of little interest to the press most of the time, because the critics came mainly for the feature films, of course.
And the advertisers? Wouldn't they have liked it better in Ticino?
Wäckerli: No, because advertisers are usually quite vain people. They want to be the center of attention at an event. Just like us filmmakers, of course. What's more, Locarno takes place in late summer, when many advertisers are still on vacation.
Did more people actually come to the party in the Schiffbau now?
Wäckerli: We started from a plan with 300 guests invited by name for the gala. In the end, 380 came. Unfortunately, we had to postpone over a hundred registrations at the last moment for reasons of space. So next year we will expand the festive infrastructure to at least 600 people. We had to learn that many advertisers usually decide on such parties very spontaneously.
Was that one of the reasons why many familiar faces from the advertising industry were still missing from shipbuilding?
Wäckerli: That certainly played a role. Nevertheless, there were already a few more than in earlier times. Even the panel discussion on the future development of electronic media was able to attract 130 participants at eleven in the morning. The work show, in which all members of our association were able to present themselves with their showreels, is of course still expandable. We imagine a real exhibition with booths here in the future. The organizers from our circle with Verena Zollinger, Peter Beck and Levente Paal have already developed various ideas here for the coming years.
The whole event was very dignified. What can be said about its financing?
Wäckerli: After a long period of uncertainty about the renewed patronage of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, our hands were naturally tied for a long time with regard to interested sponsors. But confidence has now returned, and we were able to win over Publisuisse and the general management of SRG SSR idée suisse to our cause. Next year we need more sponsors, because our total budget was 220000 francs. This year the money will come once from a pot of non-payable small amounts of copyrights from Suisseimage. Since it is not worthwhile to pay out these small amounts to the authors, the total sums were distributed to the individual film associations. According to the statutes, we had to do something for the industry as a whole.
A competition is always associated with a wide range of opinions. How were the jury's decisions received?
Wäckerli: Right after the award ceremony, I played with my String Jazz Quartet for the aperitif. So I didn't hear many comments. Basically, however, there seems to be agreement that the bar for quality standards has been set very high. The Edi is not meant to be an inflationary advertising film prize. This year's shortlist is roughly on a par with what has been awarded in previous years in the form of diplomas or Cristalli.
Jury president Danielle Lanz has stated that she missed many good spots that she, as a careful observer, knows from television when she entered them. Why is that?
Wäckerli: After the back and forth with the DHA in the past, we are currently in a build-up phase again. But I'm convinced that next year we'll have many more registrations and thus also a response from advertisers. And then there will certainly be more than just one Edi for nine commercials again, like this year.
How is the workload in the industry otherwise?
Wäckerli: With the development of the DVD system, which is guaranteed to become increasingly important, I'm convinced that we'll have a lot of work in the future. The new medium just needs to be discovered by advertising agencies with all its interactive possibilities.
Other activities in the association?
Wäckerli: One important goal is to expand our website. At www.filmproducers.ch, it will soon be possible to access many forms, as well as price lists and other production aids. We have also launched our customer magazine newsreel, with which we are actively seeking contact with all BSW, ASW and other advertising agencies. Interview: Andreas Panzeri
And the winners are... An Edi for the best concept was awarded to the client SRG SSR idée suisse for the film "Die neue Bundesverfassung", concept and production: Martin Uebele. An Edi for best direction was awarded to the client Swisscom for the film "Convergence: Mission impossible", produced by Allcom Productions AG and directed by Klaus-Michael Vetter. The Edi for Best Camera went to Effact AG for the film "SSG Modulfilme", production: Techo Film und Video AG, camera: Roland Schmid. The Edi for Best Editing was awarded by the jury to Schauspielhaus Zürich for the film "Schiffbau". Production and editing: Frame Eleven. The Edi for Best Overall Production was awarded to Tamedia AG for the film "Fahnen". Advertising agency: Weber Hodel Schmid, Zurich, production: Peacock Film, director: Rolando Colla.
