Roman Gonther

writer * director * VFX supervisor

ABOUT

WHAT I DO

Screenwriter, Director, VFX

I have been working in the film industry for a long time, first as an editor and storyboard artist for corporate films and commercials, then as a screenwriter and assistant director for television at a film studio in Frankfurt. Since 2001 I have been more and more into visual effects, motion graphics and 3D animation.

Today, as a freelance writer, director, VFX supervisor and editor, I develop concepts for complex commercials and image films for international companies, direct television and corporate projects and have worked as a visual effects supervisor on several cinema and television shows. As a producer, I oversee projects in Japan, Brazil, the USA, Russia and Europe.

I have a large network of partners and artists from all fields. Together we are able to realize projects of all shapes and sizes for film, television, large presentations, amusement park attractions, real live action or animation, high definition formats, stereoscopic or VR, within the European Union or across the Atlantic. You name it.

Reel

SOMETHING TO SEE...

On our VIMEO channel you see more of what we've done so far. Have fun.

Films

MORE TO SEE...

#keepdistance

Everything shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Timmo (Thomas Bartling), is trapped abroad. His best buddy Ben (Jörg Pauly) just got kicked out of his house by his (now ex-) girlfriend. Timmo offers him his couch even though he’s not at home. Timmo also forgot to mention that there’s a new woman in his life, Sara (Farina Violetta Giesmann), who already moved in. The thought of being together with his best friend’s girlfriend during the lockdown makes Ben extremely uncomfortable, especially because Sara’s open-heartedness creates a lot of awkward situations for him.

2021
Locatons Frankfurt, Stuttgart – Germany

Running Time 30:42

Shooting Format 4k digital

Shooting Days 3

Screening Format DCP, BluRay, ProRes 422/444, mp4

Aspect Ratio 16:9/ 1:1.84 (DCP)

Audio Stereo Language German

Subtitles English

... more about the Film >

Raiders of the lost Locomotive

Raiders of the lost Locomotive is a large scale documentary for German television. It's about a lost locomotive that fell into the River Rhine from a boat during transportation in 1850. A team of hobby archaeologist and scientists has dedicated their lives to find this lost locomotive. I contributed the reenactment scenes to this docu-series. I storyboarded and directed these scenes, all in front of a green screen. The scenes were supposed to have a special Old-Hollywood look, that looks like simple painted backgrounds and backlight-projection. In order to achieve this we worked mainly with practical models instead of CGI. Digital backgrounds were made at the SWR graphic department. I supervised the VFX work and conducted the keying and tracking process for nearly 40 minutes of VFX shots.

The Observation

The Observation is a film starring Ken Duken, Volker Zack Michalowski and Matthias Paul which I produced in directed in 2010. It was well received at several festivals in Germany, India and the US. It was nominated "Best World Short" at the Little Rock Film Festival. See the whole film on Vimeo

Healing Places

Healing Places is a documentary series for SWR television. In 3 episodes we explore ancient sacred places in the south west of Germany.

TV

Comedy vom Rhein. Comedy show by SWR with the entertainer Lars Reichow. During the actual show, which is recorded on the banks of the Rhine, there are always sketch interludes “News from Hinterbingenbach”, a fictitious village somewhere on the Rhine where Reichow “rules” as mayor. In 2023 and 2024, I was allowed to direct many of these sketches. Great ensemble and team, including DOP. Oliver Kachlicki, with whom I have already done “Orter der Kraft”, among others. We have a lot of fun.

The most repeated stage direction: “If you feel it's totally over the top, then it's just right”.

Commercial

Tielo. A newer project. Tielo is a start-up project for which I did all the films. I did the product film a couple of years before and parts of it are still in the film. A particular challenge was that at this stage the product design is constantly changing. So did the touch screen UI. That's why at one point I had to replace it in the old movie so that it could be used again. But it was worth it.

One of the nice things about working on a project like this with people who are very enthusiastic about bringing a new idea into the world is that you get very attached to it. Of course it's a job and you get paid for it no matter what, but at the same time you really want to see it happen.

Future Projects

Altersradikal (working title). It’s a film about the punkband “die Freigänder”. It was founded when the band members where close to 50 or above. They have a family, dogs and a townhouse but in their hearts they life Punk. “Altersradikal” is a title of one of theirs songs. It means: Becoming radical when you are older. I followed the band to their first concert on Helgoland, the pace where the legendary punk-festival “Rock’n Roll Butterfahrt” takes place once a year. In 2022 it was canceled again because of the Covid pandemic. But a local businessman invited a view band to perform anyway for the fans who already booked their accommodations. The film is a work in progress.