ZDF AND NDF ESTABLISH A JOINT VENTURE FOR FICTIONAL PRODUCTIONS

ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz and neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft mbH have announced the formation of a joint venture. The purpose of the newly founded company, called FictionMagnet Produktions GmbH, will be to develop and produce fictional TV formats for ZDF.

Neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft mbH will have a 51% stake in the new company and ZDF Enterprises GmbH will own 49%. The company, which will be located in Unterföhring, will be managed by the two ndF CEOs, Eric Welbers and Matthias Walther. It is the first joint venture between ZDF Enterprises and ndF.

Plans are already under way for the first production by the new joint venture – “In their 50s,” a TV movie based on the "Um die 30" series from the 90s, which reunites the original, perfectly-matched writing duo of Dominik Raacke and Ralf Huettner.

Fred Burcksen, President and CEO of ZDF Enterprises, commented: "We are delighted to be able to expand the close and successful collaboration we have had with our long-time partner neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft mbH within a joint company. Pooling the programme-making expertise, international experience and corporate commitment of our two companies creates the ideal conditions for making successful German productions for the domestic and international markets".

Eric Welbers and Matthias Walther, the CEOs of ndF mbH, who will also be the CEOs of FictionMagnet Produktions GmbH, said: “With this joint venture, we have a great opportunity to meet the programme challenges of the future together and to develop attractive fictional programmes for ZDF, which we hope will continue to attract viewers. ndF will remain an independent production company, but will also work in partnership with ZDF through FictionMagnet Produktions GmbH".