Ripe for the island
Michael Kindermann, through his companies Snap Film and Fern Media Solutions, has launched the first platform in Second Life for professional companies in the film and advertising industries.
With his company Snap Film and Fern Media Solutions, Michael Kindermann has launched the first platform in Second Life for professional film and advertising companies. The action in Michael Kindermann's first life would actually be exciting enough. Especially as the first feature film project will soon be celebrating its premiere. "This feature film is just an exclusive hobby. A passion. Almost every commercial filmmaker dreams of it at some point." And so he was inspired by the idea by director Luzius Rüedi, who is also in the directing pool of Kindermann's Snap Film. It remains to be seen whether the fiction will continue later. The only thing that is certain is that this passion for art should inspire the advertising company creatively, but not affect it in business terms. "For further feature films, we would have to spin off a new company from my Snap Film," explains Kindermann.
Advertising therefore remains his first life, even if there is also a premiere to report here in the Second Life area. "The complete showreel and the corporate films can be seen on Snap Film, and a wonderful short film is showing in the island cinema," Kindermann enthuses about his presence in Second Life. Lara (http://slurl.com/ secondlife/lara/82/178/58) is the name of the island. It is to become the first platform in Second Life for professional companies from the Swiss film, media and advertising industry. Kindermann developed the idea together with Stefan Keller and his Fern Media Solutions. Both virtual islanders are convinced that Second Life is an important medium of the future through which companies will soon be able to present their projects. Various companies are already showing interest in Kindermann's Lara Island. "A joint presence makes sense, you are lost alone in Second Life," Kindermann is convinced.
Alone or in a group? That was also the question when Michael Kindermann founded his Snap Film AG in November 2003. Here, however, it remained best for him to manage his advertising film production on his own. "My customers appreciate the fact that I always take care of their orders personally." Another advantage is that Snap Film can react "very quickly and flexibly". As a producer, Kindermann works with a director pool of almost 30 internationally active directors. A few well-known directors are also German, who are represented exclusively by Kindermann in Switzerland. Old companions with whom he has gained good experience in the course of his 15-year career as a commercial filmmaker.
Michael Kindermann already knew in secondary school that he wanted to work in film one day. He grew up in Belgium and then did his A-levels in Bonn. As family tradition would have it, he then started studying mining. He also completed a three-month internship "underground". After two semesters in Aachen, however, he decided "that the family tradition must now come to an end". A cousin who worked as an actress in Hamburg was not innocent in this decision. She opened the door to the industry for him with the address of an advertising film production company.
"Film and advertising together, that sounds good," Kindermann said to himself, signed up for an internship and worked his way up to assistant on major films over the next three years. During a summer course at a film school in New York, he later met an important person from Final Touch. This was followed by four more years at this renowned production company in Hamburg. Kindermann was allowed to do his compulsory military service with the army film unit, where he learned even more about how to do things with a big ladle.
Kindermann is a passionate producer. Only once did he succumb to the temptation to take on the role of director himself. That was at a time when many producers wanted to please themselves in this role. The results were one reason why Kindermann very quickly abandoned the desire to be part of this "crowd". He much preferred to let himself be challenged for two years by the development work of the newly founded company Sterntag Film. From there, he switched to a production in Switzerland. Kindermann worked as production manager at Pumpkin Film in Zurich for three years until he fulfilled his long-standing dream, "took a bit of money in his hand" and wanted to "jump in at the deep end" with his own company.
Snap Film got off to a good start with its first order, a cinema spot for Credit Suisse, followed by films for Klubschule Migros and Carlsberg. Since then, the young company has worked for almost all the major agencies in Switzerland. Snap Film has recently made a name for itself with the "Bravo" commercials for the Federal Office of Public Health. Together with the agency By Heart, funny little films were used to publicize the fact that ETH Zurich, the Yverdon Gymnastics Club and the Hotel Europe in Lucerne have created smoke-free rooms in the service of public health. Kindermann is also proud of the current Carlsberg commercial. This is being used in sixteen countries. Incarom, commissioned by Publicis, is also a major story with eight films.
Last year, Michael Kindermann launched his own competition to make himself even better known in the industry. In his Snap Film Contest, young creatives can submit a script for a commercial, which is then realized by various professionals from the Snap Film portfolio and posted online as a viral film. The contest is to be held again this late fall.
In addition to his two children, Michael Kindermann still loves the movies. A bag of golf clubs usually stands around unused. Instead, as a "true European" with Belgian roots, a German education and Swiss residency, he enjoys having interesting conversations across as many borders as possible.
Andreas Panzeri
Advertising therefore remains his first life, even if there is also a premiere to report here in the Second Life area. "The complete showreel and the corporate films can be seen on Snap Film, and a wonderful short film is showing in the island cinema," Kindermann enthuses about his presence in Second Life. Lara (http://slurl.com/ secondlife/lara/82/178/58) is the name of the island. It is to become the first platform in Second Life for professional companies from the Swiss film, media and advertising industry. Kindermann developed the idea together with Stefan Keller and his Fern Media Solutions. Both virtual islanders are convinced that Second Life is an important medium of the future through which companies will soon be able to present their projects. Various companies are already showing interest in Kindermann's Lara Island. "A joint presence makes sense, you are lost alone in Second Life," Kindermann is convinced.
Alone or in a group? That was also the question when Michael Kindermann founded his Snap Film AG in November 2003. Here, however, it remained best for him to manage his advertising film production on his own. "My customers appreciate the fact that I always take care of their orders personally." Another advantage is that Snap Film can react "very quickly and flexibly". As a producer, Kindermann works with a director pool of almost 30 internationally active directors. A few well-known directors are also German, who are represented exclusively by Kindermann in Switzerland. Old companions with whom he has gained good experience in the course of his 15-year career as a commercial filmmaker.
Michael Kindermann already knew in secondary school that he wanted to work in film one day. He grew up in Belgium and then did his A-levels in Bonn. As family tradition would have it, he then started studying mining. He also completed a three-month internship "underground". After two semesters in Aachen, however, he decided "that the family tradition must now come to an end". A cousin who worked as an actress in Hamburg was not innocent in this decision. She opened the door to the industry for him with the address of an advertising film production company.
"Film and advertising together, that sounds good," Kindermann said to himself, signed up for an internship and worked his way up to assistant on major films over the next three years. During a summer course at a film school in New York, he later met an important person from Final Touch. This was followed by four more years at this renowned production company in Hamburg. Kindermann was allowed to do his compulsory military service with the army film unit, where he learned even more about how to do things with a big ladle.
Kindermann is a passionate producer. Only once did he succumb to the temptation to take on the role of director himself. That was at a time when many producers wanted to please themselves in this role. The results were one reason why Kindermann very quickly abandoned the desire to be part of this "crowd". He much preferred to let himself be challenged for two years by the development work of the newly founded company Sterntag Film. From there, he switched to a production in Switzerland. Kindermann worked as production manager at Pumpkin Film in Zurich for three years until he fulfilled his long-standing dream, "took a bit of money in his hand" and wanted to "jump in at the deep end" with his own company.
Snap Film got off to a good start with its first order, a cinema spot for Credit Suisse, followed by films for Klubschule Migros and Carlsberg. Since then, the young company has worked for almost all the major agencies in Switzerland. Snap Film has recently made a name for itself with the "Bravo" commercials for the Federal Office of Public Health. Together with the agency By Heart, funny little films were used to publicize the fact that ETH Zurich, the Yverdon Gymnastics Club and the Hotel Europe in Lucerne have created smoke-free rooms in the service of public health. Kindermann is also proud of the current Carlsberg commercial. This is being used in sixteen countries. Incarom, commissioned by Publicis, is also a major story with eight films.
Last year, Michael Kindermann launched his own competition to make himself even better known in the industry. In his Snap Film Contest, young creatives can submit a script for a commercial, which is then realized by various professionals from the Snap Film portfolio and posted online as a viral film. The contest is to be held again this late fall.
In addition to his two children, Michael Kindermann still loves the movies. A bag of golf clubs usually stands around unused. Instead, as a "true European" with Belgian roots, a German education and Swiss residency, he enjoys having interesting conversations across as many borders as possible.
Andreas Panzeri
