From Sports Economist to Filmmaker
Paule Porter, 37, is an alumnus of the sports economics program at the University of Bayreuth, but even while he was a student, he turned his attention to a completely different field.
“Filmmaking was actually my hobby,” he says, explaining that he had already explored the field while in school and even shot the promotional videos for his senior prom. Afterward, he started his own business, SteadyFilm GmbH, a digital content advertising agency in Bayreuth, where he and his team produce a wide range of film projects.
Paule Porter and his team spend several weeks or months planning shoots, scouting locations, and designing lighting setups. For the actual production, they often travel outside of Bayreuth - somewhere in Germany or even abroad. After a successful shoot, the recorded footage is backed up, reviewed, edited, color-graded, and the appropriate music is licensed until the final product is ready and a film has been created. However, even during post-production, planning for other projects is already underway, which means there isn’t really a typical workday.
SteadyFilm is currently working on a major commercial for Bosch that focuses on the security systems the company offers to other businesses. Before the team can begin the creative part of the work, however, some preliminary work must be done: identifying the client’s needs, understanding the product, and starting to brainstorm ideas.
Before the team can focus on brainstorming ideas, they must carefully address the client’s needs and fully understand the product. According to Porter, planning—or pre-production—is the largest and most extensive part of the film, while production and post-production are limited to the execution of that plan. The alumnus established contact with Bosch through a former classmate and, together with his team, has already completed many projects for this client.
“I would definitely choose to study sports economics again,” says the filmmaker, even though the field has little to do with his career choice. Nevertheless, the sports economics program, with its diverse curriculum, opens up numerous opportunities even in fields outside the discipline.
The industry in which Porter now works is characterized by constant change, which is why he advises people to be proactive when it comes to securing new projects or learning new things. “It’s an incredibly fulfilling, wonderful profession. But the market is ruthless. That’s why I advise everyone to never give up and to keep pursuing their dreams.”
For the alumnus, his studies at the University of Bayreuth were a great help academically, and he is always happy to carry out projects with and at the university.