ZDF has implemented Frank Schätzing's bestseller "Der Schwarm" as an eight-part series event.
Record-breaking sums of millions were paid for this.
Mainz - In a total of eight episodes, ZDF tells the story of Frank Schätzing's (65) bestseller "The Swarm" in its basic features.
While the series, which differs in part from the original, did not convince the author himself, the Mainz broadcaster hopes that the TV event will pay off in full - after all, it has cost a lot to implement it.
"The Swarm" competes with US series in terms of costs - most expensive German TV series of all time
The plot of "The Swarm" is as fascinating as it is eerie: mankind is suddenly faced with a hitherto unknown threat from the sea that could wipe out life on earth forever.
As early as 2004, Frank Schätzing landed an international bestseller with this very idea, which he placed somewhere between science and fiction.
The film version of the literature on ZDF is now to bring the same success.
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They dug deep into their pockets for this:
the production, under the direction of ZDF, devoured a whopping 40 million euros, a third of which the Mainz broadcaster financed itself.
Each of the eight 45-minute episodes alone has a budget of five million euros - a sum that is otherwise only known from well-known US productions.
Calculated down to a running time of one minute, that is 111,000 euros, per second even a proud 1850 euros.
An expensive undertaking, which makes "Der Schwarm" the most expensive German television series ever.
ZDF bears a third of the "swarm" costs - co-production with international partners
However, ZDF did not have to raise the gigantic sum all by itself: international partners were found in ORF or Hulu Japan who participated in the co-production.
There is now a heated debate as to whether the investment was worth it.
On the one hand, the impressive special effects are particularly convincing, on the other hand, the plot at times just seems too shallow.
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The complex series event "Der Schwarm" is said to have cost over 40 million euros, making it the most expensive German TV series of all time - ZDF itself shared a third of the costs
© Staudinger + Frank/ZDF
However, this does not detract from the success: Even before the broadcast started, "Der Schwarm" was the most popular series in the ZDF media library.
For other, established formats, on the other hand, it looks bad: A former quota guarantor is struggling very slowly this year – despite great excitement within the show: At DSDS, a candidate fainted shortly after Dieter Bohlen’s (69) criticism.
Sources used:
berliner-kurier.de, tvspielfilm.de, zdf.de
List of rubrics: © Staudinger + Frank/ZDF
