The Gateway to Prime Time 4000 Episodes of Gute Zeiten - Schlechte Zeiten

week 22 the RTL Group intranet Newsletter 29 May 2008 The gateway to prime time 4000 Episodes of Gute Zeiten - Schlechte Zeiten France Nicolas de Tavernost: Interview with an entrepreneur Nicolas Sarkozy: Tough questions on RTL Germany Angela Merkel: Happy meeting Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten Luxembourg Media Assurances, covering media risks worldwide The Netherlands RTL Nederland: New management structure he gateway to ime time Episodes of Gute Zeiten - Schlechte Zeiten COVER: Jessica Ginkel, Anne Menden, Susan Sideropoulos and Josephine Schmidt. Actresses of Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten s de Tavernost: Interview with an entrepre 2 week 29 the RTL Group intranet Strong characters and emotional stories 16 years old, 4000 episodes long: Backstage spoke to the people behind the German daily soap Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten, the gateway to primetime on RTL Television Rainer Wemcken Germany - 29 May 2008 11.8 percent of the market. “If the broadcaster RTL Television had applied the same standards as today, Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten would no longer be around,” says the series’ producer Rainer Ruppert, and adds: “It makes sense to take a long view and show some stamina. Today, the soap is the channel’s strongest pro- gramme several days a week. The channel is very happy with us.” Christiane Ghosh, the edi- tor in charge of Daily Soaps at RTL Television, confirms this: “Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten is one of the channel’s top brands. We are very proud of the series’ track record. Naturally, it boosts viewers’ identification with the channel and brand loyalty, which for a daily soap is of Rainer Ruppert course much higher than for a weekly series.” On 02 June, RTL Television will air the 4000th The franchise also represents one of RTL episode of Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten, one Television’s most successful diversification of the most popular German TV productions models. More than 150 items tying into the ever. series are now on the market – the magazine, novels, calendars, audiobooks, games and These days, the soap reaches an average four cosmetics. With more than 47 million Page million viewers overall, and commands a 24.2 Impressions, the gzsz.de website is one of the percent market share (May 2008) in its 14- to most heavily trafficked sites in the RTL 49-year-old target demographic. This makes Interactive portfolio. “Still, our core business is Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten the undisputed and will always be good entertainment,” decla- top performer among German soaps. “Its suc- res Ruppert. cess story is unparalleled in the German TV market. We’re delighted to still be the country’s What exactly is the secret to the daily soap’s most popular soap even after 16 years,” so success and its daily top ratings? Rainer Wemcken, Managing Director the “The important thing is to remember old Grundy UFA. strengths: strong characters and emotional stories,” explains Rainer Wemcken. Producer Modelled on Restless Years, an Australian TV Rainer Ruppert adds: “We’ve made the series series that was produced between 1977 and more cinematic over the past few years, while 1981, the first episode of Gute Zeiten – still remaining true to what daily soaps are all Schlechte Zeiten went on air on 11 May 1992. about: classic melodrama.” But even after 16 An average 0.95 million viewers watched the years of love and pain, intrigue and conspira- soap in its first month, which translates to 14 cies, happiness and unhappiness, the creative percent of the market. The second month, ave- potential is far from exhausted. “The secret lies rage viewership declined to 0.92 million and not in what you tell, but how you tell it,” says 3 week 29 the RTL Group intranet Ruppert, “The stories have been the same for a hundred years: person A meets person B and falls in love. But you have to keep asking yourself – what can be told differently, where are the new aspects? In particular, tech- nological options, different perspecti- ves and narrative approaches give us a lot of latitude to keep coming up with new ways to tell the old stories.” Recently, the series’ makers have Working at the set of Gute Zeiten - Schlechte Zeiten made it a priority to increasingly focus on the city of Berlin, where the story is set. “When the series made its debut in 1992, Berlin didn’t have the best of reputations in Germany, especially since the government hadn’t yet deci- ded to move from Bonn to Berlin,” explains Ruppert. “Today, Berlin is a trendy, happening city, a fact that we show in clubs like the Bluebird or the establishment of the hostel.” To fur- ther underscore the big-city flair, the folks in post-production take care to Dramatic climax in the 4000th episode of give the series a metropolitan image, Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten which is achieved among other things wership. “It happens quite frequently that teens by greater contrast. with a problem on their hands check out ‘how Beyond the content, the production and tech- the people on Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten’ nology teams naturally play a part in the series’ handle it,” says Ruppert. “Of course this places success as well. In 2006, a true-to-life outdoor a big responsibility on us. We want our content set was constructed on the studio grounds in to serve as a guide for teens and to communi- Babelsberg, depicting a typical Berlin neigh- cate values – though naturally, things end up bourhood complete with a newsstand, kebab being a bit exaggerated on the show.” Says stand and underground station. One of the stu- Christiane Ghosh: “We deal with social issues. dios in which the scenes inside the buildings Meticulous research and pointing up possible take place is currently undergoing a spectacu- solutions are an important part of this.” lar reconstruction. For the first time, the series will be shot on a two-storey set. This not only The soap’s stars are an inspiration for many makes it possible to install more sets on the aspiring actors. “Starting at a daily soap and same amount of space, but also to switch bet- then going on to ‘real’ TV no longer applies,” ween storeys without having to cut to the says Ruppert. One of the reasons for this is the stairs. One small highlight will be a large two- steep increase in production and cost pressure storey club. “In the past, such sets were only over the past few years. Viewers have grown built for elaborate film productions,” Ruppert accustomed to the high production quality of says happily. numerous US series, such as Dr.House. Says Ruppert: “It makes absolutely no sense for us Another hallmark of the series is how close it to duplicate the US series; anyway we don’t gets viewers to the protagonists. Numerous have the budget to do so. However, we see this portrait shots and knee shots put viewers right less as a restriction than as a challenge to in the middle of the action. “The original idea is develop new solutions.” And one of these solu- to accompany young people as they make their tions is efficient production. For comparison: way in life,” explains Rainer Wemcken. For this Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten shoots 25 reason, the series’ décor, clothing and styling minutes of film per day, i.e. a whole episode. A are very close to the zeitgeist. It also dispenses regular movie set manages seven to ten minu- helpful advice for the show’s largely young vie- tes at best. Actor Felix von Jascheroff says: 4 week 29 the RTL Group intranet “Many fellow actors actually tell me they’d love “In terms of quality, Gute Zeiten – Schlechte to act on a soap sometime because it really Zeiten can hold its own against many primeti- stretches you. The facets you can play in a me productions,” says Wemcken. Ruppert daily soap are very, very rarely found elsewhe- agrees: “In the past, primetime started at re, even in theatre.” The high pressure to pro- 20.15, it’s been shifting forward more and more duce has gotten the actors and crew used to in the past few years. Our quality is a tribute to tight production schedules and efficient work. this fact. So it is quite accurate to say that Gute “At many award ceremonies, we’ll see people Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten is the gateway to pri- who started with us, or at least worked for us at metime on RTL Television.” All pressure aside, some point,” Rainer Wemcken points out. the efforts are well worth it: “The series is pro- fitable - for us as the production firm and for the Accordingly, numerous media refer to Gute channel as well,” says Wemcken. Yet another Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten as a stepping stone. reason to celebrate the 4000 episodes it has The careers of many now-established stars notched up to date. started on Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten: Alexandra Neldel, who stars in the Teamworx RTL Television and Grundy UFA are celebrating series Unschuldig now airing on ProSieben, the anniversary with a special “destiny week,” was a cast member from 1996 to 1999, singer in which various plot strands reach a climax. Jeanette Biedermann played Marie Balzer on Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten airs Mondays the show from 1999 to 2004, and singer through Fridays at 19.40 on RTL Television. The Yvonne Catterfeld was a Gute Zeiten - anniversary episode will be broadcast on 2 Schlechte Zeiten regular from 2001 to 2005. June. - The first episode aired on 11 May 1992 and was watched by 3.35 million viewers, or 14.7 percent of the market.

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