Production affiliations: Germany - Trigger Happy / Internationally - @radical.media
Years directing: 8
Geography: German, based in Berlin
Shoot days 2001: 75
Favorite spot: "TV Killer" Radio Sputnik

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"If you make a movie you work 18 hours a day; you're so fucked even your birthday loses significance," quips zeitgeist vendor Ralf Schmerberg on Poets, his new feature set for a late 2002 release.

Currently in post after four years of heavy devotion, Poets allowed Schmerberg to work alongside DPs such as Darius Khondji, steadicam expert Nicola Pecorini and Schmerberg's regular cinematographic visualist Franz Lustig. Twenty-one different pieces of German poetry have been layered in freeform fashion to create the spirit, attitude and outlook of each composition.

2001 saw Schmerberg sweating on either Poets or on any of a number of far-flung commercial sets.

"There was a crazy period in the summer where it got too mad; a long shoot in Berlin with 300 extras preceded a 10-day shoot in Vietnam, then six days in New York were followed by yet another plane ride to Iceland for four more days...but the beauty was the perfect organization between Trigger Happy and @radical who shifted me seamlessly from each shoot."

He recently completed a US gig for American Express through Ogilvy & Mather, New York.

"Usually I'm careful not to do the big stuff but [AmEx] was different," explains Schmerberg. "The beauty was the freedom to capture a sense of humanity and honesty." Sixty different locations were captured over eight days between New York and Los Angeles, primarily small businesses and workers within their natural environment. Schmerberg shot 2nd unit while Tami Reiker lensed the main action.

Schmerberg's minimalist approach to direction allows maximum punch during production. "I simplify and minimize the work on set; the less you need the better the results. Teamwork is very important to me, plus @radical protects me with each project - they are very sharp creatively and they don't burn your talent."

Webfiles:
Trigger Happy> http://www.triggerhappyproductions.com
@radical.media> http://www.radicalmedia.com