When "Never Too Late" with Heino Ferch in the leading role is shown on ARD at prime Saturday evening time, then Karin Haase and Oliver Arnold can pat each other on the back.

1200 corona tests in the team, shooting under constantly changing conditions, far ahead of today's routine of the third year of the pandemic, now the production is finally with the audience.

The predecessors of Haase and Arnold, the co-founders of the Frankfurt film production company U5, the producers and managing directors Karl-Eberhard Schäfer and Norbert Walter, along with the third in the league, the director and author Rolf Silber, were smart enough instead of "never too late". to think "never too soon".

And quite quickly, after she had been hired about ten years ago, we asked Katrin Haase if she could imagine continuing to run the company.

TV, cinema, social media

As film producers and managing directors, Haase and Arnold, both in their mid to late 30s, have been jointly responsible for the U 5 since February 2021.

Because of the pandemic, you have had a strange first year as bosses.

And evidently proved that what Kartin Haase thought when she met Oliver Arnold at the Hessian Film Awards ceremony was true: "That could be something".

Because managing the U5 was interesting for Haase.

She only knew one thing: "I'm definitely not going to do this alone.

I need a reliable partner to talk to."

They think similarly, says Haase.

Also in what is important to both and in terms of positioning on the market.

Founded in Frankfurt in 1997, U5 has built a reputation for mixing entertaining TV movies and series development.

The proven mix and the work with the major broadcasters - many U5 films are shown on ARD and ZDF - should be continued, confirms Arnold.

But the two want to broaden the company.

A feature film has meanwhile been partly shot in Frankfurt, “Partynation” is the working title of Felicitas Korn's adaptation of the novel, and the shutter for another television project with director Kerstin Polte has just fallen.

The company's website has been completely redesigned and shows where the journey is headed: The sub-label "Schöne Aussichten Filmproduktion" is intended to produce young talent, and a digital division for animation, social media and videos, among other things, expands the portfolio.

“bread and butter jobs”

The two new faces at the top share the joy of what they do, both rely on team spirit and quality.

"Passion for the film" is one of them, says Haase.

Cinema is a matter of the heart for both of them, but, says Haase soberly, there is no point in doing a heart project that does more harm than good.

Producers who are not a “one-man show” but rather a medium-sized company have to think economically and also acquire the “bread-and-butter jobs”.

Arnold produced a debut film with the U5 several years ago, and Haase completed her very first internship at U5 a good 20 years ago.

Both come from the region, Haase, born in Brandenburg, grew up in Vogelsberg, worked in Frankfurt and Berlin, and still commutes now.

Arnold grew up on Bergstrasse, where he lives again today, and studied media production at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

Both are united not only by their love of harmony, but also by the decision to study again despite initial professional success: film production at the Ludwigsburg Film Academy.

She noticed that she needed another step to really make progress, says Haase.

You benefit from the variety of the course, especially the good contacts.

Skills shortage in the film industry

They appreciate being in Frankfurt mainly professionally, but the shooting is not only on the doorstep, but also at home and abroad.

On the one hand, because the productions are so diverse.

And that the Hessian film location needs to be expanded is something both of them clearly see when they put their teams together.

If more is produced, there will be a shortage of skilled workers.

Programs such as Step, a new initiative by Hessen Film und Medien, are good for what is needed, but are long-term concepts and political commitment.

The talent package funding from Hessen Film und Medien supports the two in the realignment, both are co-founders of the Junge Generation Hessischer Film.

They have divided their areas of work within the U5.

The film-political commitment, for which Karl-Eberhard Schäfer stood for many years, now seems to be taken over by Arnold.

Which is now, in connection with the Filmhaus Frankfurt, reflected in a first one-day seminar with which something is to be done against the shortage of skilled workers.

"Who does what in film?" is the name of Arnold's workshop, which aims to provide orientation on job descriptions and entry opportunities.

■ Who does what in the film?

Digital seminar on February 26, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., registration possible up to and including February 24, information at filmhaus-frankfurt.de/seminare.