Lenard F. Krawinkel

Education / Career: After studying art history and medicine in Paris, Budapest and Geneva, I worked for television magazine in Berlin. In German cinemas I debuted with the feature film "Sumo Bruno" in the spring of 2001 after having released several short- and TV movies previously. Later I applied myself to building a studio for computer animation and was the producer and director of "Back to Gaya", Germany's first computer animated film that ran in the movie theaters. Since then I have been working on creating Zoobe.
 
What is the most important invention since Konrad Zuse?
Lenard F. Krawinkel: To me that's the mobile phone or rather smartphone. While the mobile phone could be used in the beginning to simply make phone calls or write text messages, it has evolved into a communications all-rounder.

To what extent do you follow the tradition of Konrad Zuse?
Lenard F. Krawinkel: Just like Konrad Zuse in the 1930s, we also use the Berliner pioneering spirit for the development of solutions in regards to communication and evolving needs. My goal of making visions into an emotional experience connects me to Konrad Zuse.

Berlin is ...
Lenard F. Krawinkel: ... startup capital, since the industrial revolution of the 19th Century. Also in 2012, the city provides daily inspiration for new ideas that might not revolutionize the world, but certainly make life a little more livable.

How did you get into IT?
Lenard F. Krawinkel: Through the Film and Movie scene. People working on computer animated films come not past IT. Only with the use of modern technological possibilities we succeed in developing products that meet the demanding entertainment and communication needs of our target group.

How did you get the idea to Zoobe and what it all about?
Lenard F. Krawinkel: My passion is the storytelling of motion pictures, specifically the animated film. Since such films are very complex and expensive in the production only a few people create their own animated adventures. With Zoobe anyone can be a producer of his own video. The protagonist is a little character and a personal message gives the mini-movie it's action.

The user can create in a first step – by choosing between a colorful selection of 3D animated cartoon characters, background and audio files – a setting that brings their personal message to the fullest advantage. The next step is then to record your own voice message. In a minute, the selected own words are placed in the mouth of the character via lip sync. Now the message is associated with the character and the environment. The result: a personalized, animated video message that can be sent via email or SMS or share on Facebook and YouTube with friends. Our goal is to emotionalize the online news experience, and to personalize it by bringing the communication needs of people in line with their desire for entertainment.
 
How IT will evolve in the future?
Lenard F. Krawinkel: The possibilities for further development of IT in the field of communications are endless, so it's hard for me to make a prediction. Most important to me is that the people's needs will not be ignored within the technical progress. It is one thing to develop technology, crucial is however that people must be able to cope with this technique.

About zoobe
With Zoobe one can create personal voice messages for any occasion that then can be converted into animated video messages. The personal message will be then spoken by an animated 3D character whose appearance is rounded off by the right background and audio files. Within seconds, the individual message can be sent via Facebook, e-mail and soon via an iPhone app.
 
Contact
Zoobe message entertainment GmbH
Lenard F. Krawinkel
Kurfürstendamm 226
10719 Berlin
Telefon: +49 (0)1805-009778
Mail: info@zoobe.com

www.zoobe.com