Robert Franke Switches ZDF Studios Drama Function For Intaglio Movies Submit

Robert Franke is leaving his position as VP, Drama at ZDF Studios after ten years with the German pubcaster’s industrial division.

He’ll partially stay inside the ZDF household as Co-Managing Director of Intaglio Movies, the three way partnership ZDF Studios operates with Beta Movie. He begins in 2026. Franke has been in publish as Intaglio alongside Co-Managing Director Jan Wünschmann since 2018.

Tim Gerhartz, ZDF Studios’ Chief Industrial Officer, will lead the ZDF Studios drama division within the interim. The unit oversees scripted output, worldwide co-productions and unique improvement.

Robert Franke added: “After greater than ten rewarding years with the corporate, it’s time for me to redefine my priorities. Increasing my position at Intaglio Movies brings collectively the core points of my earlier work whereas giving me the liberty to give attention to matters that may form my work within the coming years. On the similar time, it opens up alternatives to set new impulses past conventional manufacturing enterprise. I want to thank my staff and ZDF Studios for his or her belief and collaboration over the previous years.”

Underneath Franke’s management, ZDF has grow to be a key worldwide co-productions participant in Europe – notably as a part of The Alliance, the three-broadcaster staff that additionally consists of France Télévisions and Rai in Italy. They’ve collectively ordered exhibits comparable to Across the World in Eighty Days and The Swarm, the latter of which counted Intaglio as a producer. He additionally oversaw the rollout of The Bridge and different key European dramas of the previous decade.

Dr. Markus Schäfer, President and CEO of ZDF Studios, commented: “For ten years, Robert Franke has efficiently overseen the event, financing, and distribution of fictional programming at ZDF Studios. Underneath his management, our fiction enterprise has grown considerably. By focused investments in new content material and the growth into new enterprise areas and shoppers, Robert and his staff have repeatedly elevated our enterprise quantity.

“We respect his want to refocus on his producing skills and are delighted that he’ll carry his deep experience and expertise in creating and financing worldwide fiction initiatives to Intaglio Movies. Robert leaves behind a well-positioned division that Tim Gerhartz, along with the staff, will proceed to strengthen on this key style.”

Previous to becoming a member of ZDF Studios, Franke was co-founder and government producer of Potsdam-based characteristic movie producer Cmate Leisure earlier than turning into Head of Content material of Viewster Digital Video Entry in Zurich. He additionally held the identical position at ProSiebenSat.1 Media-backed streamer MyVideo earlier than returning to Viewster, this time in Germany as Chief Content material Officer and Managing Director. He joined ZDF in 2015.

This marks the second main exit from ZDF Studios’ drama wing this yr. In June, Deadline revealed Yi Qiao was exiting her worldwide commissioning position for a publish within the ZDF community staff.