by Birgit S.

We have arrived in the age of the Videoblog. The Filmfest Hamburg is the only festival that boasts a videoblog and this year has introduced a new section in English. We welcome this new idea and congratulate the team on their effort!

The videoblogger team is made up of students from “die medienakademie”, a private college, located in Hamburg. In 2008 a pilot project was launched for a videoblog in cooperation with Filmfest Hamburg. This year the bright red double-decker bus was parked near the university buildings and the Abaton cinema on Grindelhof. It was here where I met part of the crew before they swarmed out to the various locations to report on the action. The videoblog bus serves as a meeting point and is well equipped as a temporary office for students “on duty.”

On each day during the Filmfest there was a new entry and you find it right on the official festival homepage www.filmfest-hamburg.de or www.filmfestblog.de. This internet diary is updated with film news, showing celebrities walking the red carpet or being interviewed by the action reporter in the most bizarre locations (like the “gents”). You can also click into the section “editor’s pick” for the latest film tips.

It is fun to watch these blogs, get some insider information and a look behind the scenes of the film world. This format will not only appeal to the younger generation but to the general public as well. It can still be watched after the Filmfest has come to a close. There is a marked improvement to the first tentative steps of last year and I hope “die medienakademie” will continue to be a part of the Filmfest Hamburg for years to come. It is a true asset to the entire festival spirit.