Are TV series the better business proposition?
You have to do both. A series can be great business but it isn’t always. If the series is well made, it will be lucrative. It is lucrative for the network because it extends the network’s reach. It can also be lucrative for the producer because it’s profitable. Theater films enhance a production company’s fame and reputation. We’ve made very different films. We have reassessed the film rights for Erich Kstner’s works, which are reassessed every 10 to 15 years. There’s “Emil and the Detectives,” “The Flying Classroom” and we’re currently doing “Twice Upon a Time” as an animation for cinemas. These films have the advantage of being sophisticated and we also make them in a sophisticated way. We don’t just want to get the kids into the theaters, we want the adults who go in with them too – adults who already know the stories and have seen one or more versions of the film, and who will see it again, presented by us in a different way. These films were very, very successful in the theaters.
