Asude: Hi Marcus, thank you for accepting our interview invitation! We’ve been following you & your projects for a long time. For starters, could you please introduce yourself and tell us about how did you get started with videography?
Marcus: I was born in 1979 in Osnabrueck, a city in the North of Germany. I had furious plans to shoot action films when I was a child. Being into martial arts and a big fan of van Damme, I dreamed about producing some blockbusters.
Although my dad was a passionated 8mm shooter, I never took a chance realising these convincing ideas in my childhood. The first cam I bought was a mini dv cam when I was 20. At that time, I used to be a nerdy bedroom DJ. Scratching all day and hanging around with friends, who were into freestyle rap and graffiti was my perfect way of life. We produced our first tracks and I started to make music videos for us. It was a really crazy time. I built junior steady cams on my own, captured my footage in real time via firewire and got mad everyday, because my PC collapsed frequently. I learned a lot from these experiences!
A: It sounds like fun! I also wonder about the the video project you earned your first money? How did that happen?
M: Me and a good friend of mine did a project for kids from my hood. We had a lot of fun creating short clips about their lives and passions. That project was a part of our social work studies. The project took one and a half year. It was an awesome project and I am very thankful for the trust the kids had into us.
It’s worth to give more than you're expected to.
A: What about your background in videography? Did you go to a film school?
M: I studied social work with main focus on media education. We had some theoretical stuff like mass media theory, film analytics, etc. But all my practical skills in videography I learned by trial and error. I learned a lot from youtube, other platforms and so on.
A: You film different productions such as constructions, time-lapses and corporate films for Malaga Palace, Moving Stones etc. But, how would you describe your videography style taking into account all of these projects?
M: I love mixing techniques like time-lapses, aerial and gimbal shots with emotional music and sounds to create a piece of art. I do a lot of different corporate stuff. But a special thing I do is time-lapse construction documentation. I call it construction film. I attend a building site from start to finish by capturing all the steps with my cam in order to create an impressive documentation of the development.
A: How about the preparations you make before you begin filming in general?
M: I check my gear, of course. Batteries, SD cards, cleaning lenses...standard. But I also think about plan B and C. The technical preparation is routine but thinking about what can go wrong and what would be the smartest solution can save the day…
A: Speaking of equipment, what’s the equipment you generally bring to a set? Also, do you prefer buying or renting your filmmaking equipment for your projects?
M: In my basic video bag, you may find a Panasonic GH5, 5d, lenses and all the indispensable stuff like batteries, microphones, and aspirin… ;) Usually, I also bring lights, a mavic pro, a ronin mx and my edelkrone SliderPLUS with me. Depending on the project I also rent other stuff. I like to have a big basic package on my own to be independent and free to do with it whatever I want. But I also rent bigger cams, special lights or anything like that, depending on the job.
A: And, what software do you use for post-production?
M: I use Adobe Premiere, After effects and Davinci Resolve.
A: What do you think about the future of filmmaking with the technology is advancing so fast? And, what is the best piece of advice you could give to other filmmakers?
M: Smartphones and social media open up the possibility to film and spread your ideas to everybody. Tons of stuff comes out everyday. The challenge is to create something unique. Creativity is worth more than technology. To other filmmakers out there, I say don’t get frustrated by obstacles. Learn from your mistakes and be proud of your solutions.
A: And, last but not least, what’s your biggest ambition for the future?
M: Realizing some international construction film projects.