About me

Hello! I’m Martin, a Project Manager, Technical Director, and Artist specializing in Audiovisual Productions. My focus areas include Media Exhibitions, Virtual Reality/360°, Visual Effects, and Animation. Based in Berlin, I work as a Freelancer and also offer remote services.

As a multidisciplinary expert generalist, I thrieve at the intersection of Creative Producing, Project Management, Technical Directing and Digital Artistry. Since 2004, I’ve been guiding projects from concept and story development to final delivery.

I often wear multiple hats, taking on roles such as VR/VFX/Post-Production Supervisor, Online Editor, Finishing and Color Grading Specialist, 3D Computer Graphics Artist, Compositor, Editor, Concept and Previsualization Artist, and Exhibition Designer.

Here are a few speciality cases I’ve developed:

Various customized multi-screen, high-resolution cinematic media installation production workflows using TouchDesigner, Resolve, and/or Nuke, complete with automated video encodings.
Science and Data Visualization utilizing Python, pandas, and Houdini.
A Virtual Reality 360° panoramic live-action pipeline, encompassing shooting and post-production, including stitching and 3D stabilization.

I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with clients and brands such as Lavazza, KTM, AT&T, AMNH, Mercedes Benz, Hyundai, Porsche, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi, alongside agencies and studios like Tamschick Media+Space, onformative, flora&faunavisions, Recom Film, headraft, and studioNICE creative.

Freelance Work

Project Manager and Technical Director at onformative, Berlin (2022-2024)
- AT&T Dallas headquarters Lobby “Knowledge Archive” capsule, 1 hour, 10 screens/36 screen surfaces, incl. Image Post-Production, Compositing and Finishing (TouchDesigner)
Project Manager and Technical Director at TAMSCHICK MEDIA+SPACE, Berlin (2016 - 2024)
- Immersive multi-screen media exhibitions, integrating video, audio, light, scenography and architecture
- Client-facing cross-functional role of Senior Project Management and Technical Directing, including Compositing, Online Edit & Finish, VR Previs, Quality Assurance of several projects, among those:
  - American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) “Invisible Worlds” experience (2017-2023)
    - Technical Director, Science and Data Visualizations (Python, pandas, Houdini)
  - KTM Motohall Racing Heroes, 10x screens, 18x projectors, 40Kx2K - Mattighofen, Austria (2019, 2022)
  - Lavazza Museum “Universo”, 8x projectors 360° - Turin, Italy (2018)
  - Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang Design Exhibition, 56x HD screens, 108K x 2K - Goyang, South Korea (2017)
VR Supervisor, Compositing, Finishing at blubb.media, Stuttgart (2023)
- 8K VR 360° panoramic film for Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG, 8min, (Nuke, Resolve, Mistika VR) incl. Post-Production from Prep, Shoot, Stitching, Stabilise, Retouch/Compositing, Color Grading to Encoding
Technical Producer at flora&faunavisions, Berlin (2021, 2023)
- Discovery Museum, Kerkrade, NL - Technical Media Planning
- “Genius” Immersive Media installation with 650sqm, floor and wall projection, linear and interactive assets, previs (disguise)
Producer, Developer, Editor, Compositor at headraft, Hamburg (2017 - 2020)
- VR/AR/Web: Editing, Compositing, Producing, Development and Testing
VR Compositor and Consultant at WDR, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (2018)
- Virtual Animated Documentary PARIS TERROR - Die Geiseln vom Hyper Cacher
Creative Producer at studioNICE creative, Berlin (2014-2019)
- Producer and Concept/UI/UX for Realtime Mobile VR Experience “Drive Safer” for Samsung Deutschland
- Several animated commercials, short films, social spots
VR/VFX Artist, Producer at Recom Film, Stuttgart (2015 - 2017)
- Various Automotive projects for Porsche, Mercedes (VR Supervision, Matchmove, Comp)
Streaming and Recordings Postproduction Supervisor at FMX Conference, Stuttgart (2015 - 2019)

Media Art

Exhibition Design, Technical Direction and Image Post-Production for exhibition
You Are Another Me - A Cathedral of the Body by director and artist Adina Pintilie, presented at
- Venice Art Biennale 2022, Romanian Pavilion
- Kunsthalle Bega, Timișoara, Romania, 2023 (during Timișoara European Capital of Culture 2023)
- Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich, Switzerland, 2023
- Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart, Germany, 2023
- KINDL Center for Contemporary Art Berlin, 2024
Post-production, Compositing, Finishing, Color Grading for multiple projects by artist Simon(e) J. Paetau

Certificates, Workshops & Masterclasses


January 2020	PH526x: Using Python for Research - a course of study offered by HarvardX, an online learning initiative of Harvard University
June 2014	High Value for your Budget - The Creative Use of Virtual Production EFA Masterclass 2014 with Marc Weigert
Oct 2010 - Mar 2011	Animation Sans Frontières - The Animation Production Workshop www.animationsansfrontieres.eu

Publications & Talks


2014	Co-Author of the SIGGRAPH 2014 Talk “Dark Matter - A Tale of Virtual Production”

University & Schools


Oct 2008 - Apr 2013	Baden-Württemberg Film Academy, Ludwigsburg Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction since 2008, 2 years: Film Production since 2010, 2 years: Animation & VFX Producing Graduation (Diploma): April 2013 www.filmakademie.de /www.animationsinstitut.de
Aug 1996 - Jun 2005	Grammar School / Secondary School: Hardtberg-Gymnasium Bonn Degree: Abitur (German A-Levels / German Baccalauréat)

Specific Skills & Software Experience

Producing / Project Management
- including Story Development, Project Breakdowns, Biddings, Scheduling, Budgeting, Financing and Monitoring/Controlling of several Fiction, Documentary, Commercial, Animation, VFX, Post-Production, Virtual-Production and Virtual-Reality projects since 2004
Film Shoots
- VR/360° & VFX Set-Supervision for several commercials
- DIT Data Management
- Production Sound Mixer / Recordist for many short films and documentaries
Post Production
- Postproduction-Supervision, including VR 360°, Stereoscopic 3D,
  Virtual Production; Arri Alexa, Blackmagic, RED, Sony Cameras from Preproduction to Delivery since 2004
- Multi screen / projection and very high resolution media installations (one installation with 56x HD screens and 107.520 x 1.080 px resolution)
- Online-Editorial, Conforming and Finishing with DaVinci Resolve, Assimilate Scratch, DVS Clipster
- 360° VR Stitching and Stabilisation using Mistika VR
- Data & Storage Management
Visual Effects, Animation, 3D Computer Graphics, and Real time
- VFX and VR/360° Supervision
- SideFX Houdini, including Data Visualizations with Python and pandas
- TouchDesigner
- Blender
- Unreal Engine
- Compositing with Nuke (including Stereoscopic CARA VR)
- Matchmoving with Syntheyes
Software Development & IT Operations
- Python: TouchDesigner scripting, AWS Thinkbox Deadline scripts, Nuke scripting, video encoding scripts
- AWS Thinkbox Deadline
- Version Control with Git
- StudioSysAdmin, IT infrastructure, network core knowledge
  - including DevOps IT automation, implementing a setup with Git, Vagrant and Ansible to configure DCC workstations
- Webdesign, Site-Building (Hugo, W3.CSS, HTML5, CSS3)
- Linux User since 2007
Misc
- Languages: German (native), English (fluent), French (Basics)

LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/martinbackhaus