KALTSTART (original title)
UFA SERIAL DRAMA GmbH • Series & Sequences • 17.09.2022 from 14.10 on KiKA & from 16.09.2022 on kika.de and in the KiKA playerIn its anniversary year, KiKA will be showing the thematic focus “Man and Machine” from September 5 to 22. Documentaries, magazines, shows and films will show what the various forms of learning machines and artificial intelligence are all about and how they are already influencing children’s lives. This includes the production KALTSTART, which UFA Serial Drama developed together with KiKA and in which three teenagers compete for a prestigious scholarship from the Pandrosion boarding school in the field of artificial intelligence. On September 17, 2022, KALTSTART will air on KiKA from 2:10 p.m. and can be seen from September 16 on kika.de and in the KiKA player.
With this format, UFA Serial Drama is focusing on expanding its offering for the young target group and addressing the topics of tomorrow: How do we deal with artificial intelligence and how could it change society?
Helga Löbel, producer of UFA Serial Drama: “The KiKA thematic focus “Man and Machine” has its finger on the pulse of the times. We are delighted that KALTSTART is helping to emphasize the relevance of the topic of artificial intelligence in an innovative way. Producing original kids’ content in Germany is not easy, as financing is often a challenge. With KALTSTART, UFA Serial Drama has proven once again that clever production models can make a lot possible. I am convinced that this first season has potential for further seasons and can contribute to building brands in the kids segment.”
To the content
A week before school starts, Lila (Lina Helfrich), Shari (Maisie Tipango) and Leo (Carlo Krammling) meet for the first time in the still empty school building of the renowned Pandrosion boarding school, known for its outstanding research in the fields of mechatronics, robotics and artificial intelligence, for the selection test for the only scholarship. But while the three young people have to prove their skills in programming and artificial intelligence, there is a growing feeling that the “real” selection test is taking place outside the classroom, because something is very wrong here. What is the selection workshop really about? What is Ilsa Ockert (Marlen Ulonska), the renowned neuropsychologist in charge of the selection test, hiding from them? Layer by layer, they uncover the truth: they are in the middle of an experiment that puts their trust and their budding friendship to the test. In the end, the three children have to face the question: What actually makes a friendship “real”?
More information on the KALTSTART series
As part of the cooperation project with KiKA, four fellows of the Academy for Children’s Media 2021/22 (AKM) had the opportunity to develop the concept for a web series on the topic of “Artificial Intelligence” based on a briefing from the KiKA Fiktion editorial team.
Accompanied by the AKM mentor team Stefan Schomerus and Helena Hofmann as well as producer Helga Löbel (UFA Serial Drama), Simon Thumet, Annika Cizek, Lotte Elsa Goos and Chrisopher Bünte developed the concept for KALTSTART, which UFA Serial Drama proposed to KiKA. After review, the production was approved and the authors wrote the scripts for the 7-part web series, which was realized from April 9, 2022. On September 17, 2022, KALTSTART will air on KiKA from 2:10 p.m. and can be seen from September 16 on kika.de and in the KiKA player.
KALTSTART is a UFA serial drama production commissioned by KiKA. Producer is Helga Löbel, producer is Valentin Debler. It is directed by Patrick Schlosser from scripts by Simon Thummet, Annika Cizek, Lotte Elsa Goos and Christopher Bünte. The editors at KiKA are Silke Haverkamp and Tina Debertin under the direction of Stefan Pfäffle. Filming for the seven 6-minute episodes took place in Berlin from April 9 to 13, 2022.
Link to the KiKA theme page and the trailer.
