Film Research

⭆ Commissions |

As a film historian, I have spent half my life at film festivals and in film archives. The research for my film »Dreams Rewired« and the reconstruction of the 1930 German sound version of Sergej Eisenstein’s classic »Battleship Potemkin« took a total of 12 years and brought me into contact with all relevant film institutions in Europe, Russia and the USA. After this project I have maintained close and personal connections with most of these institutions.  The search for film documents and, in particular, the rights clearance is even more challenging than image research. There are no binding rules in this area and the conditions have to be negotiated individually on a case-by-case basis. The cost of one minute of historical material can range from a few hundred to 12,000 Euros.  So whether the available budget can be met or not is often dependent not only on the special knowledge  but also the right contacts.   

Here is a selection of projects for which I did the film research and rights clearance – for some of them I was also involved as art director and technical consultant. 

2020   Research for the Austrian feature film »Hinterland« by Oscar winning director Stefan Ruzowitzky

2017   Research for the film & sound installation Icon Island by Oscar nominated director Virgil Widrich

2016   Four videos for Albertina, Vienna: Chagall to Malevich

2015   Research for the documentary »Dreams Rewired«

2015   »Battleship Potemkin« – reconstruction of the 1930 German sound version

2013   Research for the experimental film Back Track by Oscar nominated director Virgil Widrich

2008   Künstlerhaus Vienna: Herzrasen (a football exhibition)

2001   Technisches Museum Wien: media.worlds