Ansbach, April 3, 2022 – “Quiet please – we’re shooting” will soon be the motto in Middle Franconia. The film duo Simon Fischer and Michael Christian would like to shoot their first feature film on their own. Also present: around 50 participants in front of and behind the camera, including professional actors such as Tobias Kilian and Elke Pusl. The feature film called “MASCHINENBLUT” deals with topics such as violence, coping with trauma and decisions in extreme situations. The preparations have been going on for months. Actors are cast, filming locations are scouted, passages in the script are refined, and logistics are designed. “The main challenge is that the film is set in America. So our scene shots here have to be authentic,” says Carina Christian, head of the production office at simonslinse. From June the first clapperboard should fall. Most of the shooting takes place in the district of Roth and the surrounding area. However, the Ansbach event location “Die Grotte” will also be transformed into a set. The feature film later celebrates its premiere in the Bavaria cinema in Roth, the hometown of the two filmmakers. In addition, publication as an online film and submission to film festivals are planned.
Young filmmakers with great vision
The power of the moving image plays for the two filmmakers Simon Fischer and Michael Christian,
both 24 years old, has always been a big role. For example, Christian played theater in Erlangen, Fürth, Roth and Hilpoltstein – later studied directing and acting in Baden-Württemberg. Fischer studied cultural journalism at the HS Ansbach, received the youth culture award from the Roth district office and founded the film production company simonslinse two years ago. Fischer and Christian have been working together as a duo for several years, producing three short films last year. “What began as an ambitious idea quickly became a surprising success,” says author and director Michael Christian. The film productions had more than 150,000 views within just a few weeks on the YouTube platform (short link: https://bit.ly/3L5Wdfm ). In addition, the works were officially nominated by the jury for this year’s Middle Franconian Youth Film Festival. Some of the works were shown in the local cinema as supporting films for Hollywood feature films. With MASCHINENBLUT, the two up-and-coming filmmakers from Middle Franconia now want to take the next step. “This will be the largest and most complex production to date,” says Christian.
Film team is urgently looking for sponsors
The digital camera from the youth has long since been exchanged for professional equipment, amateur actors have been replaced by professionals, and the demands have increased. The estimated production costs for the feature film MASCHINENBLUT are several tens of thousands of euros. “We are in urgent need of supporters and sponsors in order to be able to implement the production,” says producer Simon Fischer. The cultural scene has had a particularly difficult time in recent years. Therefore, the film team would like to unite the creative minds in the region and at least pay small fees. There are also licenses, logistics, catering, costumes, technology, props, locations, hygiene measures and lots of other cost items. The sponsors will be mentioned accordingly in the film credits, social media and at the premiere event and can inquire about the conditions at [email protected]. A crowdfunding campaign is also underway https://www.startnext.com/maschinenblut. Film fans can donate there and receive rewards in return. These range from a mention in the official film credits to a visit to the set. “For months now, our life has consisted almost exclusively of preparation, coordination and planning. Day and night. We hope that our vision will not fail because of the money,” says Fischer.
Source: press release, SIMONSLENSE
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