Alexander Bscheidl Looks Back on First Decade
Vantage Film began in 1993 in Bavaria and found early success serving eastern markets in Prague and the German market in Berlin, and the company’s reputation for efficient rental operations and innovation in lens design and manufacture soon spread. Eighteen years later, as part of a strong, steady approach to sustainable growth, the company opened Vantage Paris. From Day 1, when the new operation hosted the camera crew of Taken 2, Vantage Paris has been busy with commercials and feature work.
In the ensuing decade, the expansion to France has proven prescient. Vantage Paris marked its tenth anniversary in 2021. Celebrating the milestone, Vantage Paris principal Alexander Bscheidl looked back on the evolution of Vantage Paris, and what the future holds for the operation.
Question: How and why was Vantage Paris conceived?
Alexander: The goal of incorporating Vantage Paris was to make our products and services more easily available in western European markets. At that time, France was among the top three feature film producers worldwide, and Paris has always had a very active luxury commercial market. Of course, diversification strengthens us against temporary regional downturns. We envisioned a boutique operation and a Vantage base in the west, and Paris was the most attractive option. Don’t forget – France is truly an anamorphic country. Henri Chrétien, a Frenchman, is credited with inventing the optics behind anamorphic cinematography during World War I.
Question: The feedback from customers was immediate and overwhelming. Why?
Alexander Bscheidl: In the early 2000s, anamorphic lenses were not sufficiently available locally. Our idea was to remedy that situation. The top French directors of photography knew our equipment and quality of service from working in Prague and elsewhere, so we had a foothold. Another reason we were so well-received in Paris is our philosophy: Our most important customers are the cinematographer and the camera crew. We are in constant exchange with crews. We consult on equipment choices, based on the visual goals of filmmakers and our own experience on crews. We have been providing “ready-to-go” equipment from the beginning, and we continue to assure the most complete and sought-after camera packages. At the time we started in this market, this was a game-changer. Whether it’s a big or small customer – everybody gets the same attention and service. It’s not about squeezing the last penny out – it’s all about general customer satisfaction. We are protected from the cutthroat price competition that’s out there. Crews trust us completely, knowing they can focus on the creative aspect of their job, and that is a very good place to be.
Founding team of Vantage Paris, from left to right:
Mehmet Aktas, David Ostier, Jean-Claude Ruellan, Alexander Bscheidl, Marina Jégo
Vantage Paris crew in 2020
Question: Obviously, hiring the right people was crucial. How did you approach staffing in the early days?
Alexander Bscheidl: It was clear that we needed a small, talented and polyvalent team to get the company started. We wanted to make a clear statement to the French industry: quality first. We started with four very experienced industry experts that were willing to join the journey, and that core team is still with us ten years later. That consistency and experience is the foundation of our success. We completed the senior team with young and aspiring staff members. The result is a mix of experience and adaptability to new markets. We have been working with eight to ten staff members for a long stretch, and we have plans for the upcoming years. We are young and hungry. Our teamwork and dedication to each project and its crew are the most important factors in our success. A big thank you to the French team as well as everybody from the Vantage group who contributed to make it a success story.
Question: In 2010, Arri introduced the Alexa camera system, the real start of the digital era in practical terms. How did that affect the launch?
Alexander Bscheidl: That meant Vantage Paris could be a purely digital company from the beginning, which was an advantage. If we needed film cameras, we could get them from the Vantage group. As part of this digital focus, based on feedback of cinematographers and their assistants, we continually introduced specific equipment adaptations and solutions like Preston FIZ Systems, Blue Handle, OConnor Randall Handle, Vantage MB-Flex, Vantage Diopter Holders, Vantage Retro Macro Adapters or the famous French Kinoptik lenses. These tools were adopted by the Vantage group at large. Meanwhile, Hawk was constantly widening its product portfolio, expanding our lens inventory and selection.
Question: From a business perspective, how did you endeavor to build on the immediate success of Vantage Paris, and make it sustainable?
Alexander Bscheidl: It has always been our goal to bring the company forward at a slower pace, maintaining balance and keeping an eye on the medium and long-term perspective. We aim for an average of 10% growth every year. So Vantage Paris has been profitable from Day 1. Our purchasing decisions are always driven by real demand and our knowledge of the market. Vantage has never pursued trendy technologies like 3D or virtual reality, for example. We like to be convinced by the technology itself, and we invest with the goal of making daily life easier for our crews and customers. As a result, we have only few obsolete items in our inventory.
Question: Much of the rental business currently seems to be in a cycle of consolidation into large conglomerates that offer everything from stages to lighting and grip. Why is Vantage different?
Alexander Bscheidl: When we started camera rentals in 2011, most French companies specialized in one area like camera or lighting. By now, almost all of them have become universal providers of all kinds of equipment. We are proud to say that we concentrate to one expertise – camera rental. In a fast-changing world, the passion, knowledge and investment needed to stay on top in any particular area is incredibly high. The Hawk/Vantage group has been successful in the camera rental business since 1993, and we plan to continue that successfully over the next decade, thanks in part to that specialization. We provide cameras from Arri, RED and Sony, and lenses from almost every maker, including Arri, Canon, Cooke, Fujinon, Kinoptik, Leitz and Zeiss. Our cameras belong to us. Unlike many rental houses, we don’t rent out gear owned by cinematographers or crew members, which means we are a neutral service provider. It all comes down to trust.
Question: In 2016, Vantage Brussels was launched, and in 2019, Vantage opened a regional office in Morocco. Both of these locales have strong ties to France. What was the strategy behind these moves?
Alexander Bscheidl: Both Belgium and Morocco have a long history of co-production with France, and both countries provide tax shelters. The goal was to further develop feature film markets, and both agencies were designed to work with Vantage Paris as the hub. We represent most of the Hawk lenses exclusively in France, Belgium and Morocco. Even before opening the Marrakesh operation, we had successful business there. Now we have a company with testing facilities. Morocco offers locations that stand in for more than 20 other countries, and good infrastructure for filmmaking. We see great potential there for our rental operations.
Question: How do you envision the next ten years of Vantage Paris?
Alexander Bscheidl: We feel that we are in a favorable situation in a powerful and dynamic French market. As we emerge from Covid, things will continue to pick up. In the meantime, travel restrictions have diminished off-shoring to cheaper labor markets, which has meant additional work domestically. Producers have discovered that almost anything can be filmed right here in France. The tax shelter incentive from 2017-2018 has brought international filmmakers back to France. We feel that we have found a perfect mix of short- and long-term projects. Also, France will host the Olympic Games in 2024, and Vantage Paris headquarters is located in the epicenter of that event. All in all, the future looks bright.
Alexander Bscheidl
Alexander Bscheidl grew up in Weiden, Bavaria where his interest in photography began at age ten. Later he worked on television documentaries, applying the keen sense of composition, exposure and timing he had developed shooting stills. During a fateful search of the Yellow Pages, he found Peter Martin and Wolfgang Baumler, who offered to train him. The year was 1993, and Vantage Film was a production company shooting TV spots and industrials.
Soon Bscheidl was crewing on big productions all over. One particularly memorable experience was on The Black Dahlia, under master cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC who was nominated for an Oscar on the film. His friendships with Baumler and Martin eventually led him to return to Weiden, where Vantage was going strong.
Today, at age 45, he has 30 years of experience in every aspect of the cinematography field.
“I treasure my collaboration with Vantage,” says Bscheidl. “It’s an honor. Peter and Wolfgang are my friends. Also, I learned so much from them. For example, both founders are very much quality fanatics, and I think I brought this fanaticism with me to France. Even today, if I get a new staff member, they feel that dedication to quality. It’s part of the company’s DNA.
“To me, Germany is the country of film technology manufacturing, and France is the country of filmmaking,” says Bscheidl. “So I’m taking the best of both worlds, and bringing it to our clients at Vantage Paris.”
Vantage CEO and founder Wolfgang Baumler about Alexander Bscheidl:
"Alexander is a trusted colleague who brings a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to quality to our Paris office," says Vantage CEO and founder Wolfgang Baumler. "But much more than that, he is our friend. Because he brings a background in filmmaking, Alexander's deep understanding of the needs and concerns of filmmakers takes our service to another level. He's not only providing a service or renting equipment -- he's an ally. We're proud and grateful for what he's accomplished."
Vantage CEO and founder Peter Martin about Alexander Bscheidl:
"Our first ten years in Paris have been a success due to the consistent quality of our service and lenses," says Vantage CEO and founder Peter Martin. "It's also a tribute to the tireless efforts of our dear friend and colleague, Alexander Bscheidl, who brings the Vantage philosophy to the operation with his own inimitable flair. We owe Alexander and his staff our deepest gratitude, and we look forward to seeing what the next decade brings to Vantage Paris and the entire filmmaking community served by the operation.”
images: Vantage Film / Fanny Coustenoble / Anthony Boivin / David Quesemand, AFC
