Accessible, narrative, character-driven. The personality at the centre — their life, contradictions, impact. Neither hagiographic nor investigative exposé. Respectful but honest. New images and new perspectives on familiar faces. Entertaining and informative at once.
What this format covers
●Famous personalities from film, music, art, literature
●Life stories with cultural or contemporary historical relevance
●Icons of pop culture and high culture from mid-20th century onward
●Biographical facts, previously unknown aspects
●New images and exclusive archive material
●Portraits that tell an era beyond the person
What this format does NOT want
●Personalities before the 20th century
●Purely historical analysis without biographical core
●Investigative revelations or scandal stories
●Academic work analysis without narrative access
●Unknown personalities without cultural reach
●Political biographies without cultural connection
Visual expectations
Rich archive material — film, photo, audio. Exclusive or rare footage is a strong argument. Stylized interviews with companions. Location visits to original sites. Aesthetically ambitious, appropriate to the subject. For filmmakers: film clips. For musicians: concert recordings. Not a cheap clip-show format.
Expected exposé structure
Title + subtitle (personality's name prominent)
Logline (2–3 sentences: who, what's the new angle, why now)
Exposé body text as narrative life story
The new approach — what distinguishes this portrait from existing ones
Archive access and exclusive material
Interview partners (named specifically)
Production company, author, contact
Example productions
Romy Schneider — Die zwei Gesichter einer Frau
David Bowie — Der Mann, der die Welt veränderte
Helmut Newton — Frames from the Edge
Tina Turner — My Love Story
Grace Kelly — Die wahre Geschichte
Editorial notes
Sunday late evening — the audience wants to lean back and watch a good story about a fascinating person. Easy accessibility is decisive. The person must be famous enough to attract a broad audience. New images and new biographical facts are mandatory — retelling known stories isn't enough. From mid-20th century onward.
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