Biography
Hannes Schuler was born in Munich in 1966. Since early 1996 he has been a freelance scriptwriter, director and editor of TV documentaries and corporate films. His work has involved shooting on film and video, productions in Germany and abroad (including with local teams), and he has gathered extensive experience in video and audio postproduction as well as in the production and usage of computer animations (Virtual Studio) and composting effects.
As well as writing and direction, his docu drama film productions for international broadcasters increasingly include elaborate reenactments. For example, for the four-part ZDF series “Metropolis – The Power of Cities”, filming for the reenactments took place in Montréal with a German cameraman and a Canadian crew, and involved using complex digital set extensions. “Darwin’s Lost Paradise” was shot with the French DOP Etienne Carton de Grammont and a French crew in France.”Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the world” was filmed in studio in Bukarest, on location at the Black Sea and on board of a replica sailing ship.
Filmography directing (selection documentaries)
2024
„The myth of Marbella (in production)
TV documentary about the history of Marbella
45 minutes, Arte TV and international distribution
Scriptwriter & director
Production: moving story media, Hamburg
“GEOMAR expedition”
A 16-part science Youtube series from abord of the research vessel METEOR with an international group of scientists in the Gulf of Corinth
For GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Director and DOP
„Tattoos – trend or tradition?“
TV documentary about the European history of Tattoos
45 minutes, ZDF/Arte
Scriptwriter & director
Production: IFAGE GmbH, Wiesbaden
2022
Fascination Earth History: Grand Canyon – Halong Bay – Iceland
3-part TV-series about earth history and geology
45/52 minutes each, ZDFinfo/international distribution
Showrunner,
director oft he parts „Iceland“ and „Halong Bay
co-director of „Grand Canyon“
Production: south&browse GmbH, München
2021
„The Myth of the Côte d’Azur“
TV-documentary about the myth of the Côte d’Azur
52 minutes, Arte//international distribution
Director and co-author (with Irina von Gagern)
DOP: Denis D. Lüthi
Production: Autentic Gmbh, München
Our drinking water – is the spring drying up?
45/52 minutes, Arte/3Sat/ZDFinfo
Director and co-author (with Pia Schädel)
DOP: Alexander Hein
Production: IFAGE GmbH, Wiesbaden
The pioneer of the Fichtel mountains
45 minutes, BR/Arte „Wunderwelten“
DOP: Denis D. Lüthi
Production: Tangram International GmbH, München
2020
The extraordinary journey of man
Tv documentary about human evolution with Prof. Friedeman Schrenk
45 min., BR/ARD
DOP: Alexander Hein
Production: Autentic Gmbh, München
Me farmer: Der Archebauer (AT)
46 min., Servus TV
DOP: Johannes Straub
Production: Südkino GmbH, München
2019
Terra X: “Magellan‘s circumnavigation of the world“
45/52 min, ZDF/ZDF-enterprises
DOP: Sebastian Hattop
Production: IFAGE GmbH, Wiesbaden
Heimatleuchten: “Winter in Serfaus“
46 min., Servus TV
DOP: Johannes Straub
Production: Südkino GmbH, München
„Treasure hunters in the Berchtesgaden Alps“
45 min, BR/Arte
DOP: Denis D. Lüthi
Produktion: Tangram International GmbH, München
2018
Heimatleuchten: “Bauernherbst“”
46 min, Servus TV
DOP: Johannes Straub
Production: Südkino GmbH, München
2017
Terra X: “1000 Years – The cathedral of Worms”
45 minutes, ZDF
TV-documentary for Terra-X about the history of the cathedral of Worms, including reenactments
DOP: Ralf Gemmicke
Production: IFAGE GmbH, Wiesbaden
2016
“Glory and misery of the German Czarinas”
52 minutes, MDR/Arte
TV-documentary about the German Czarinas in Russia
scriptwriting & directing
DOP: Florian Bentele
Production: neue Artfilm GmbH, Mainau
2015
„Hot Roads – Canada’s Ice Road Truckers“
43 minutes, ZDF/Arte
Documentary about the Ice-Road Trucker in Canada
DOP: André Zschocke
Production: Fernsehbüro GmbH, Berlin
2014
„Herbs, crosses & quacksalvers“
30 minutes, ARD/MDR
Documentary about medieval medicine
DOP: Sebastian Hattop
Production: TANGRAM International GmbH, Munich
„Berlin Worldwide“ – Papua-New Guinea
30/90 minutes, RBB/Arte
Documentary about a small village formerly known as „Berlin Harbor“ PNG
DOP: Pieter de Vries (AUS)
Production: berlin producers, Berlin
2013
„Conquest of the World“ – Sir Francis Drake
52 minutes, Arte/ZDF
TV-Docudrama about Sir Francis Drake and his circumnavigation of the world
scriptwriting & directing
DOP: Reiner Bauer
Production: fernsehbüro, Berin & filmtank, Hamburg
„Conquest of the World“ – Magellan
52 minutes, Arte/ZDF
TV-Docudrama about Magellan and his circumnavigation of the world
Co-direcor for the fictional parts (Co-director: Holger Preuße)
DOP: Reiner Bauer
Production: fernsehbüro, Berin & filmtank, Hamburg
„The Last of their Kind“
28/52 minutes, ZDF
TV-documentary about a wildlife conservation project in Vietnam
scriptwriting & directing
DOP: Johannes Straub
Production: Blackbird Films Marvin Entholt
2012
„The Queen’s ancestors“
75 minutes, ZDF/Arte
TV-documentary about the German ancestors of the British monarchy
scriptwriting & directing
DOP: Rainer Bauer
Production: neue Artfilm GmbH, Mainau
„Pharma Lab East“
52 minutes, ARD/Arte
TV-documentary about secret medical tests in the former GDR
Conception and directing of the reenactments
DOP: Sebastian Hattop
Production: neoproduction, Leipzig
„Powers of Nature – The Lech“
52 minutes, Servus TV
TV-Dokumentary about one of the last wild rivers in the Alps
scriptwriting & directing
DOP: Stephan Krause
Production: Südkino, München
2011
„Against the Wall – The Burnout Mystery“
45 minutes, HD, Arte
Co-directing with Manfred Baur
Production: ECO-Media TV, Hamburg,
“The Emperor’s Lost Harbor”
documentary about an archaeological project in Istanbul
52 min. HDcam, Arte, CBC Canada
scriptwriting & directing
Co-Author: Sally Blake
DOP: Marlon Paul
Production: Films a Trois, Paris & ptv-production, Toronto
2009/2010
“Profiles of Islam”
four part documentary about the Islam in the 21st century
4 x 45 min. HDcam, Arte, ARD, SR, ORF
scriptwriting & directing
Co-Author: Hartmut Schwenk
DOP: Roland Breitschuh
Production: Schwenk Film, Stuttgart
2008
„Closing the Gap“ (working title)
“Hydro Power” (working title)
2 x 45 Min., HDcam, Arte/BR
Documentary about the conquest of the Alps
Scriptwriting and directing
DOP: Rainer Hartmann
Production: Tangram Film, Munich
“Darwin – The Lost Paradise”
90 Min., HDcam, 16:9, Arte, SBS Autralia, GER/FR/AUS Co-Production
TV-Docudrama about Charles Darwin
Conception and directing of the reenactments
(scriptwriter: Katharina von Flotow/Jan N. Lorenzen)
DOP: Etienne Carton de Grammont
Production: Monaco Film, Hamburg & Films A Trois, Paris
2007
“The Indus”
43/52 min., HD, SWR/Arte/Telepool
TV documentary about the Indus river in Pakistan
Director & script
Production: Cinecentrum, Hamburg
“The Secret of Mohenjo Daro”
43/52 min., HD, SWR/Arte/Telepool
TV documentary about the Indus-civilisation in Pakistan
Director & script
Production: Cinecentrum, Hamburg
„The Flood“
90 min., MDR/Arte
TV docu-drama about the flood of the German river Oder in 2002
Conception and directing of the reenactments
(scriptwriters: Jeannette Eggert and Uli Gaulke)
Production: Ottonia Media GmbH , Leipzig
2006
“Hitler’s Museum”
2 x 52 min., HD, 16:9, international coproduction
TV docu-drama about the art robbery during WWII
Conception and directing of the reenactments
(scriptwriter: Jan N. Lorenzen)
“Metropolis – The Power of Cities“ II
3 x 45/52 min./ Digibeta, 16:9, ZDF, History Channel
„Paris“, „Venice“, „Constantinople“
Directing of the complete „Constantinope“-episode and the reenactments for all three episodes.
(scriptwriter: Manfred Baur)
2005
The Big Battles
“1870 – Sedan” (scriptwriter: Jan N. Lorenzen)
“1529 – Vienna” (scriptwriter: Jan N. Lorenzen)
“1631 – Magdeburg (scriptwriter: Anne Roerkohl)
each 45/52 min./HDTV, 16:9, ARTE/ARD
Conception and directing of the reenactments
“Life in Devastation”
45 min., HD, 16:9, ARTE/MDR
Historic documentation about the life in Dresden after 1945
Conception and directing of the reenactments
(scriptwriter: Jan N. Lorenzen)
2004
“The Big Battles”
„1813 – Leipzig, The Battle of the Nations” (scriptwriter: Jan N. Lorenzen)
45/52 min./HDTV, 16:9, ARTE/ARD
Conception and directing of the reenactments and parts of the documentary sequences
2003
“Metropolis – The Power of Cities“
4 x 45/52 min./ Digibeta, 16:9, ZDF, History Channel
“Carthage”, “Alexandria”, “Athens”, “Rome”
documentary about ancient cities in the Mediteranean
Directing of the complete „Athens“- and “Alexandria”-episode and the reenactments for all three episodes.
(scriptwriter: Manfred Baur)
2001
“The Odyssey of Man”
3 x 45/52 min./ Digibeta, 16:9, ZDF
Documentary with reenactments about colonization of Africa, Asia, Australia and America through our human ancestors
(Codirecting: Manfred Baur)
before 2000
“Fire and Ice”
2 x 45/52 min., Digibeta, 16:9, ZDF
Documentary with reenactments about the Neanderthal man and the ice ages
(Co-Director Manfred Baur)
“Lisas World Travel”
“Cosmos of the Atoms”/”Life”
2 x 45 Min., Digibeta, Virtual studio, BR
experimental docu feature with the German Nobel prize winner Gerd Binnig
Some documentaries for pro7-spezial, one of it,
“Leben im Ghetto – Juden in New York und Hebron” (scriptwriter: Bärbel Jacks)
won the Bavarian TV Award in 1997
20 min., 16mm
