Markus Thürstein: “Lack of Talent In Productional Professions”

Mr. Thürstein, for many young people, the film and television industry is a dream factory with dream jobs. How much does this glamorization affect your search for suitable job candidates?

Markus Thürstein: Yes, it's true that our industry and our image still act as a magnet for applicants. Even for vacancies that are not directly related to the product, we benefit from our good name and exciting product. What prospective applicants sometimes lack is knowledge of the various job profiles in film, especially in the area of production-related professions on set, and the requirements that go hand in hand with them.

Markus Thürstein: We need talent hotbeds for production-related professions

It sounds as if the film and TV production industry is not affected by the shortage of skilled workers. Is that really the case or what is the reality?

Thürstein: We are not facing a shortage of skilled workers, but are already right in the middle of it across the industry. Particularly in the production-related professions on set - it must be emphasized here that the majority of those employed there are hired from production to production - we do indeed have a severe shortage of skilled workers and also of young talent.

What does this skills shortage look like in your industry? Is there a difference between professions where creativity is more in demand and those that require technical know-how?

Thürstein: First of all, the professions differ in terms of their social standing within our society and the entry requirements, particularly the admission criteria of film schools. In the field of creativity, we have professionally established talent factories throughout the industry, such as our University of Television and Film, which alleviates the shortage of skilled workers, at least in the area of young talent. We didn't have such systems in the production-related professions until now.

Younger generations value work-life balance, the meaningfulness of their work and the social and sustainable commitment of their employer. However, film and TV production is not exactly known for regular working hours. How do the changing demands affect the search for personnel?

Thürstein: I believe that it is simply more difficult to get young people interested in careers with irregular working hours. But I don't think it's impossible, even if there aren't always easy answers and solutions to the wishes and requirements of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Freelance work or the targeted promotion of talent can be useful elements here.

We promote talent very broadly and at different levels, both creatively and operationally, for example with the part-time “Production Management Film and TV” course, which we initiated and designed in cooperation with Ansbach University of Applied Sciences and Munich University of Television and Film (HFF). This was our early response to the impending shortage of skilled workers in production-related professions. This innovative idea in particular enables us to inspire talent for our industry. It is a new and at the same time modern approach to aligning recruitment with changing requirements.

Part-time studies in production management as a milestone

What about the green image?

Thürstein: Environmental protection and the pursuit of an ecological sense are very important to us. One example of this is the “Green Production” initiative, which we are committed to as a company. This will certainly also have a reverse effect on the fact that professions will adapt their content in this respect. In the area of green production, all professional fields should deal with the challenges of our time. For me, it starts with the area where creative ideas and projects are developed. Subsequently, professional fields directly on location should not be underestimated, as this is where ecological action can be implemented very effectively.

How is Constantin Film positioning itself to attract young people?

Thürstein: We are the driving force behind part-time studies in production management for film and TV with in-depth practical experience - a milestone for me, especially for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. We have also launched a program to promote young talent, which is very popular with our applicants.

We are also constantly expanding our initiatives in the area of personnel development and offer a modern, appreciative environment. We offer a wide range of online training courses and face-to-face workshops, particularly in the area of personnel development. We also provide a generous range of additional benefits.