On 4 March 2018, a vote will be held in Switzerland on whether the radio and television fees charged by Billag will be removed. A subject that is very controversial and is currently much discussed.

Under the title 'Check the Context', students of the bachelor's programme CAST/Audiovisual Media at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) have produced a seven-part web series with which they interfered in the debate. In a few months' time, students will be released into the world of work - which is mostly in the media industry. The students therefore wondered how the initiative could influence their professional and media future. They also wondered whether they even needed a public service and broadcasting fees, when they belonged to the generation that hardly consumes television and radio any more. In order to answer these questions, the CAST students traveled through Switzerland and met with various representatives and participants from the media industry, the cultural industry and politics. These encounters have resulted in personal interviews, which are shown in the web series 'Check the Context'.

The videos can be seen on the website www.checkdenkontext.ch. At the beginning of January, the students caused a stir when they projected the trailer of the web series on the Swissmill Tower - one of the tallest buildings in Zurich. The trailer is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFulXMq8sg

​

Since 2 January 2018 the new Ukrainian adventure melodrama 'Ruby Ring' has been on-air on TV channel "Ukraine". To promote this new series, the TV channel has created two promotion spots, billboards, and print advertising.

The main idea for the spots is based on the concept of the series – because of an accident the sisters Ann and Yana exchange their faces thus – their fates. The creative team of TV Channel "Ukraine" had to show dual features, split personality, and internal conflicts of the protagonists. According to the plot, Ann and Yana find themselves in a dark mirror room. But instead of their own reflections, they see each other’s faces in almost uncountable mirrors. The women cannot understand who they really are and whether they really live their own lives. Offscreen you can hear the thoughts from the two women. At the end, when they touch their mirror image the mirror cracks. The choice of glass construction was based on experience.

"The story with mirrors and reflections is not just a 3D visualisation but an actual stage video. Specially for the filming, we built a massive, complex system of mirrors. I would like to note an incredibly delicate work done by the director and the cameraman: they carefully arranged every angle so that no one from the crew was reflected in any mirror", says Svetlana Berezhnaya, Head of Product Promotion Department at TV Channel "Ukraine". "After we finished shooting, we transferred the mirror construction to the Institute of Theatre, Film and Television, so that students can use it in their productions."

The creative team of the TV channel “Ukraine” developed the concept of the promotional videos led by Head of Product Promotion Department Svetlana Berezhna. Author: Roman Shoma, Art Director: Irina Evstifeeva, Executive Producer: Daria Golubkova, Film Editor: Olga Zhurba.

Promotion spots can be found at:

https://youtu.be/zCkV6lKcY9c

https://youtu.be/G2Q4d-TydGA​

​

On 5 February 2018, the new game show 'Spiel die Geissens untern Tisch' will be launched on RTL II. To promote the new show with Germany's most famous millionaire couple, the TV station has launched an extensive campaign.

Carlos Zamorano, Director of Marketing & Communication at RTL II:"'Die Geissens' has long been an integral part of RTL II's brand portfolio. That's why it was an attractive challenge to stage Carmen and Robert differently for 'Spiel die Geissens untern Tisch'. and re-interprets them in a playful way."

"We don't make it easy for you" - the campaign claim makes crystal clear: The Geissens want to keep their money because they are used to winning. RTL II communicates this message on-air in trailers and teasers. In addition, print advertisements appear in well-known publications, women's and tabloid magazines as well as male-related titles. Bravo and Bravo Girl cover young target groups. These as well as young adults are also the focus of online and mobile advertising, which can be seen on numerous wide-reaching portals of the marketers G+J eMS, Funke, Burda Community Network, Promipool and media impact. In addition, quizzes and gamification ads are used on smartphones to advertise the programme in a playful way. In addition, elements of the show such as quiz questions are integrated into a radio campaign.

The campaign was implemented by the agencies Zwei Freunde (on-air), Cynapsis Interactive (online, mobile), Büro Alba (Print) and mehappy (Radio). Mediacom Munich is responsible for campaign planning.

The trailer of the new RTL II show can be seen on http://info.rtl2.de/neu-bei-rtl-ii-%E2%80%9Espiel-die-geissens-untern-tisch%E2%80%9C.

​

For the first time in the German-speaking world, the Cologne Game Lab and the ifs internationale filmschule köln offer a master's degree course for 3D animation in linear and non-linear media productions. In recent years, 3D animation has become a key growth area for media production. In addition, immersive technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality open up new artistic design spaces and professional perspectives for media professionals.

The new Master's programme '3D Animation for Film and Games' is designed as a postgraduate, artistic-scientific master's degree. The programme requires already existing knowledge in the fields of modeling, texturing, lighting and animation, acquired in the context of a film, design or architecture course. As part of the part-time course, students will deepen their existing knowledge of the 3D process, professionalise it and expand it to include aspects such as authorship and experimental work. The role of the Technical Director/Artist as an interface between artistic design and technical implementation will also be an important element of the course. A central component of the course is also a close link with industry. The CGL and the ifs use their international network of recognised experts to design the study programme. The programme is conducted in English.

The course of studies' 3D Animation for Film and Games' will start in October 2018, further information will follow on the websites of the Cologne Game Lab and the ifs: www.colognegamelab.de, www.filmschule.de

​

Until 25 February 2018 the MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art in Vienna will present the winners of the competition' 100 BEST POSTERS 16. Germany, Austria, Switzerland'.

"The talents who succeed in establishing a new aesthetic, who are repeatedly selected year after year, become representatives of a new form of the classical. New trends know no boundaries, every generation owes it to themselves to break with the norms of the previous generation, to devise new codes, to identify themselves with the break, even if these revolutions are ultimately only considered to be developments when viewed from a distance," comments the chairman of this year’s jury, Alain Le Quernec.

The panel of experts – comprising Alain Le Quernec, Eva Dranaz, Markus Dreßen, Stefan Guzy and Martin Woodtli - reviewed 2,116 posters and poster series submitted for the competition and selected the 100 best works. The winning 100 posters are divided into 52 projects from Switzerland, 46 from Germany and two from Austria.

The catalogue '100 Beste Plakate 16. Deutschland Österreich Schweiz/100 Best Posters 16th Germany Austria Switzerland' has been published by Kettler. The 258-page publication is available for 30.80 euros directly in the MAK Design Shop or at MAKdesignshop.at.

'100 BEST POSTERS 16' until 25 February at MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Stubenring 5,1010 Vienna. Opening hours: Tuesdays from 10 am to 10 pm, Wednesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm, closed on Mondays. Further information on http://www.mak.at/100best_posters_16

​