MetFilm School Creative Futures Industry Day 2026
Last Friday, our fantastic Creative Futures Team hosted a free Industry Day at Molecule Studios – home of MetFilm School.
The event offered a wide range of valuable insights for entry-level actors and creatives, featuring workshops, interviews, and Q&A sessions led by prominent industry professionals from Berlin’s bustling media industry. All sectors of Europe’s film and production landscape were covered, from acting and casting to portfolios and narrative building.
“The Creative Futures Team has done an outstanding job in bringing together an exceptional group of industry professionals and our students in one inspiring space. This initiative has given our students a clear and practical understanding of the first steps they can take into both the local and international creative industries. It was truly inspiring to witness such meaningful connections and real-world insights being shared.”
– Robert Lehniger, MetFilm School Berlin.
The day began with opening remarks from Head of School Robert Lehniger, followed by a Toolkit Session where students gained practical guidance on the business side of creative work, including festivals and funding opportunities.
The first expert panel featured Katja Hörstmann and Lukas Kaddik from Studio Babelsberg, one of Europe’s largest film studios. Located just outside Berlin, Studio Babelsberg boasts a top tier production history including The Hunger Games, The Phoenician Scheme, and The Matrix.
Moderated by Careers Manager Peter Becker, the panel explored the current industry landscape, entry pathways, and workflows in large-scale international narrative film production, concluding with a Q&A session.
Networking was a key part of the day’s activities, with students welcomed from MetFilm school’s graduating cohort. Refreshments were supplied on-site by BIMM University, giving students a dedicated hub to connect and relax between the day’s sessions.
In the afternoon, casting director Tanja Schuh (The Diplomats, The Loom, Polizeiruf 110) led a small group clinic focusing on portfolios and casting readiness for graduating students. Six actors from MetFilm school were given the chance to workshop their personal portfolios with Tanja, providing them with critical feedback on how to market themselves better in Europe’s rapidly changing film and screen industry.
Running in tandem with Tanja’s portfolio clinic was a session on television, branded content, digital campaigns by Executive Producer Daniel Zobel in Molecule Studio’s in-house Kino. He discussed the screen industry’s ongoing shift from traditional linear broadcasting to more platform based formats.
The day concluded with two final talks. The first of which was an interview with Alexandra Sültemeyer, COO of Berlin based production company BWGTBLD. Alexandra, whose clients include the likes of Nike and Mercedes Benz, was happy to provide her insights on realistic entry routes for graduate creatives, branded content and international workflows, ending her session with a Q&A from the audience. The interview was hosted by Julia Dahmen (MetFilm Berlin MA Directing Alumna 2024).
Students interested in documentary production and factual pathways were also given the chance to attend a session with Stefan Pannen, CEO of Berlin Producers. Interviewed by MA Documentary & Factual Discipline Leader Jide Tom Akinleminu, Stefan brought a wealth of experience to the conversation, covering the process of documentary production from start to finish, including insights on story hooks and broadcaster collaborations.
Photographs by Luke Raphael Grove.
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