24 Hours Berlin

Really? Was it a year ago that I submitted my short film to 24 hours Berlin? It was the first time I had ever made a film, well it really isn't a film - just 60 seconds of moving images and words. I used my little digital camera and my laptop to cobble it together and it was pretty awesome to see those moving pictures on a website for the world to see.

The whole project is an incredible idea and all comes together today - well once it hits today time in Germany. You can watch it all unfold here.

24h Berlin – A Day in the Life

24h Berlin is television's longest programme ever: No actors, no screenplay, no tricks – just real life. A 24-hour documentary, told in real-time, airing September 5th at 6AM.

The journey begins

On September 5th, 2008, a story both intimate and exotic began in Berlin, a story told from the perspective of the people. Exactly a year before the broadcast, 80 camera teams immersed themselves in the lives of Berliners, for 24 hours.

The film strives for an up-to-date image of life in a modern metropolis while simultaneously providing broad evidence of our present: The reality of work, family life, city spaces, fears and dreams, fleeting moments and relationships in their naturally colourful forms – they all interact with one another, with the city as the stage that binds them together.

Behind-the-scenes technology and logistics

On September 5th, 2008, 80 camera teams under the overall creative direction of Volker Heise were busy for 24 hours capturing images in HD that were then assembled into a single 24-hour television programme. These crews followed a precise plan that had been in preparation for more than a year.

In addition, anyone in Berlin could have themselves filmed while telling about their lives at one of the many Talkpoints spanning the entire city. Videos shot with one's own camera on September 5th could also be uploaded to the website, from which a selection was chosen that will be included in the 24-hour television programme.

Ultimately, a total of 750 hours of material was compiled for the film. That's 18 terabytes of data – an 18 followed by 12 zeroes. The entire material will be catalogued and permanently archived at the Deutsche Kinemathek Foundation.

The project and the city

During the September 5th broadcast, events will take place in Berlin that incorporate the viewing of 24h Berlin in public spaces, in cinemas and in bars – all around the city, in our midst.