Unique worldwide: ZDFneoriginal "Duplex" has complete episode set in the metaverse
ZDF Studios launches worldwide distribution of the second season
Mainz, May 15th, 2023
After the successful launch of the first season of the ZDFneo comedy series "Duplex" (OT "Doppelhaushälfte"), ZDF Studios has now also taken over the worldwide distribution of the second season.
In eight new episodes, the series tells of the lives of the Sawadi-Kröger (Maryam Zaree, Benito Bause) and Knuppe (Minh-Khai Phan-Thi, Milan Peschel) families, who live next door to each other in the outskirts of Berlin.
As the first worldwide series, "Duplex" also ventures into virtual worlds in its second season and sends its protagonists into the metaverse. This is a digital space in which the virtual world, augmented reality and physical reality merge.
Thus "Duplex" breaks completely new ground in German fiction. The future of the internet becomes the centre of the narrative through the experiences of the protagonists. In doing so, the episode "Meta" picks up on the current discourse, the criticism, but also the enthusiasm for the virtual world of experience.
In this episode, the Sawadi-Kröger and Knuppe families are guests at a virtual vernissage: Mari's brother Brian (Eidin Jalali) exhibits his work there. The entire episode was shot in the virtual spaces of the so-called "Web3.0". This gave the actors and actresses the opportunity to control their avatars themselves.
For the cast, the shoot was a challenge: Equipped with VR goggles, headsets, controllers and full-body trackers, they controlled avatars specially designed for the series. All movements were recorded in real time in the virtual world by a camera team, who filmed the action with invisible digital avatars and cameras. The digital filming locations were scouted in advance in the metaverse. At filming time, extras from all over the world gathered at the respective online locations to take part in the project.
"It is actually difficult to move in this 3-D world. As an actress, it's even more difficult because you only see your partner virtually. You don't see any facial expressions, only that the mouth is moving," says Minh-Khai Phan-Thi, who plays Tracy Knuppe.
It was directed by Dennis Schanz, who also wrote the script together with Christoph Mushayija Rath. "Duplex" is produced on behalf of ZDFneo by ICONOCLAST Films, with Lucia Haslauer and Melvina Kotios as ZDF editors.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, Email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com