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In November 2018, I started my 12-month traineeship in the UFA press office and support the productions of UFA SERIAL DRAMA as well as selected UFA FICTION projects. After just a short time, I can say that I have learned a lot.

With five daily productions (e.g. “Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten”), a weekly (“Nachtschwestern”) and various FICTION projects (including “Ein starkes Team”), there’s never a dull moment here. I support my UFA colleagues in all phases of press work, which means: reading scripts, writing press releases, preparing events, coordinating with agencies or even taking on the press acquisition myself, i.e. approaching journalists specifically and planning interviews or photo shoots together with my colleagues and the broadcasting station.

My work also includes creating clippings, i.e. a kind of press review for the individual productions during filming and for broadcasts. Every day, I also prepare the daily news together with another volunteer. This daily press review provides an overview of the current press response to all UFA productions as well as developments in the media industry in general. This gives me a good insight into the media industry and I am always up to date.

The UFA events that we prepare in the press department are particularly exciting for me. For example, the “Tribute to the Next Generation” dinner during the Berlinale, which offers up-and-coming filmmakers the opportunity to network with the industry. This year, I was able to attend and help with the creation of a brochure as well as supporting my colleagues on site that evening.

As a trainee, I also have a contact person in my department who is there to help and advise me throughout the year. This means I can always ask my questions in theory sessions, for example those that have arisen in my day-to-day work and relate to the basics of press relations and the film industry. I also have the opportunity to continue my education in seminars.

I have already come to know and appreciate the versatility of press work at UFA. In addition to the regular tasks, there are also special appointments from time to time, such as a visit to the set of “Nachtschwestern” as part of a photo shoot.

The traineeship offers me the opportunity to integrate myself into the company and above all, of course, into my team and to get to know the film industry in general. I particularly like the fact that I have the confidence of my colleagues to take action on many tasks, even if they always give me support. As a result, I learn something new every day and I’m really looking forward to the coming months.