Emeritus Prof. Christoph Dreher

20 years professor at the Merz Akademie! In a corona-secure celebration at the end of the 2020 summer semester, the Merz Akademie bid farewell to Christoph Dreher, Professor of Film and Video in retirement.

When Christoph Dreher came to the Merz Akademie, he was a filmmaker with a legendary music career. His mission was to build up the “Film and Video” department. Within the framework of the projects, Christoph Dreher and his students often initially dealt with documentary forms, with staged short films, with portraits. He always wanted to keep as broad a spectrum of expressive possibilities as possible open to the students.

A turning point in Christoph Dreher’s academic work came in the late 1990s with his turn to television and the new long-form TV series. “Quality TV”, “epic forms” were terms used to describe these exciting new formats before Christoph Dreher coined the term “author series”. Thus the genre was correctly linked to the field of auteur films.

In 2009, the Remediate research project was launched; in January 2010, the first symposium on author series took place at the Merz Akademie, followed by further events in 2014 Author Series II, accompanied by several international publications.

The whole chapter Remediate and especially your contribution is certainly a great moment in the academic life of the Merz Akademie. I may say this without detracting from the performance of the other participants,

said Prorector Maren Schmohl in her speech.

You were Dean and Pathways speaker for many years – you “directed” the labs and equipment, made and published films on the side … I might forget some achievements, don’t hold it against me, – for me and I’m sure for everyone here in the house you were a great colleague and a generous, lovable and special person. On behalf of the university I thank you for these 20 years, for your spirit, your humour, your dance moves at the graduation parties and much more – we will miss you very much. Have a good time!

With these words Prorector Maren Schmohl said goodbye to Prof. Christoph Dreher on behalf of all colleagues.