Why do you think it's so hard, to build an award winning studio in Germany. When you especially look at our successful schools, like Filmakademie in Ludwigsburg or your own in Leipzig. Why do the very best people like you, leave for e.g. LA?

Hollywood is like a brand name. And all the big studios are here. They have always been, this is where they started with a barn and now own huge studio lots, as big as a town. Universal, Paramount, 21st Century Fox, Disney, Dreamworks... . And if they have a job, that is most certainly more budget than RTL has to offer. And they also much rather give their jobs to a local companys preferably in a 30 minute drive distance. Where their supervisor can just show up in the morning, talk to the people that do the shots, request changes, and make it all personal.

The industry is just all set up here. Waiting for artists to drop in. And you can be sure your stuff will be shown all over the world. Also, there is the saying, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere." ;)

I thought this one was dedicated to NY.;-) But you might be right about the personal thing, it's still easier to discuss jobs face to face, than in videoconferencing, chatting and so on.

Every time I have to leave for Germany from the US, especially after visiting SIGGRAPH, for me it's like waking up in the morning, after a beautiful dream. Do you think it's a question of lifestyle?

Kind of. I don't know if I got the question right, but there is definitely a strange feeling when I come to Halle for vacation. Like, seeing a newsflash on German TV about a movie premier in the Mans Chinese Theatre. This is just 10 minutes from my house, and the Walk Of Fame is exactly on my way to work. Every morning I walk down to the subway station at Hollywood/Highland. And on my way back I usually carry my groceries along that way - except when they roll out the red carpet and send me over to the other sidewalk. Happens every week. Being in LA, its just daily life, but looking back at it from Germany it feels like I live in a movie.