The challenges of covering the Coronavirus pandemic are anticipated in two of my Case Studies:
HIV / AIDS:
- The Rise of the Killer Virus is a scientific detective story.
- It traces the pre-history of HIV back to the moment of its origination in Africa around 1908.
- Key production partners:
- Director: Carl Gierstorfer
- Producer: Antje Boehmert, DOCDAYS Productions, Berlin
- Co-pro partners Fabrice Estève, YUZU Productions, Paris, and Paul Pauwels, CONGOO, Brussels.
- Funders:
- Smithsonian Channel (North America)
- ZDF in collaboration with ARTE (Germany & France)
- China’s CCTV10 Science Channel
- Belgium’s pubcasters RTBF (French) & VRT (Flemish)
- Additional financing from the EU (MEDIA) and the Flemish Film Fund (VAF)
- PBS International distributed for the rest of the world.
- Budget: €550,000+
Still from In Ebola’s Wake
EBOLA
- In Ebola’s Wake reveals the dangers involved in a fast turnaround film.
- The Berlin-based team: producer Antje Boehmert and director Carl Gierstorfer.
- They lacked initial financing, and filmed in a very high-risk location.
- Key partners:
- Al Jazeera America (since sadly closed)
- SWR/ARTE: Germany / France
- PBS International
- Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
- Budget: €300,000+
Read the detailed Case Studies:
- Rise of the Killer Virus
- In Ebola’s Wake
- And don’t miss my collection of 34 original Case Studies