Flexible, versatile and the perfect fit

Audio-visual media producers practice their incredibly varied profession in a vast range of sectors, whether it's in radio, film, TV or online productions, in theatres, in trade fair and event agencies, or in marketing and corporate communication - and the profession is also subject to ongoing and constant technological developments. On behalf of the Federal Government and together with the federal ministries responsible as well as the social partners and experts from the field of company practice, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has updated the training regulation. The "film and video editor" and the "audiovisual media producer" training occupations, which up to now have been separate and distinct, have also been merged, meaning that training is now unified in the area of technical media production. The new training regulation enters into force on 1 August 2020.

In future, the traditional content of the training will be supplemented by the creation of image and sound material - for example when conducting interviews—and the creation of audiovisual media products which include TV productions in the studio or sports reporting with the help of outside broadcasting units. The post-editing of picture and sound material for film or radio productions is also part of the set repertoire which each trainee is required to master.

Online platforms and social media offerings mean that increased focus on the target audience is needed when preparing content. This means that, taking journalistic articles as the basis, trainees in future will also need to be able to use other media channels with their own content such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In particular in this sector, this opens up new and particularly interesting areas of activity for media producers.

There is also much more emphasis on the legal aspects of media production. This includes copyright and personality rights as well as data protection and data security. Project organisation is also an important skill because media producers need to choose production processes, determine work processes and organise production teams.

Finally, the new training regulation has a total of 18 different elective qualifications, thus making the training a better fit, more flexible, and more distinctive. For example, by choosing the relevant qualification options, trainees are able to develop their skills further in the second and third years of training in the areas of camera productions; studio, outside broadcasting and stage productions as well as in post-production or sound. Other elective qualifications include media presentations at events, the creation and production of visual effects, sound designing and the independent researching and creation of articles for different output channels.

 The now updated training regulation for the occupation of "Audio-visual media producer" for the company-based element and the framework curriculum for the school-based section, which is tailored to the company-based element, enter into force on 1 August 2020 and replace the existing training regulation from 2006.