Niko Karo - director, photographer, author & soulmate, was born in Reutlingen, Baden-Würtemberg. After school he studied life as a junior hippy, price winning film student and traveled the world as an outstanding commercial director. Founded Yakuza Film in 1985 with his best HFF filmschool mate at that time Sönke Wortmann. Yakuza films became pretty successful and helped the careers of great talents like Caroline Link and Anno Saul on their way up. Encouraged by the British Feature& Commercial Director Alan Parker he founded GAP- German Answer productions in 1991.GAP quickly established itself as a major player for the production of high quality and long running commercial and advertising campaigns.
C&A Daydream was the first breakthrough for the young company. C&A Indian Spirit was voted Best Campaign of 1994 and inspired a new generation of young filmmakers and commercial directors in the art of free spirit storytelling.
Nikolai Karo's commercials are small pieces of 'feel-good-art', spiced with deeper meanings and hidden messages, that reflect his mastery in storytelling and creating a strong emotional impact. By using evocative imagery, sound and music, he puts an indelible mark on campaigns for C&A, Gösser, Nivea, Lufthansa, Deutsche Post, Mattoni,, Jacobs, Deichmann and many others. His 'Tuareg' commercial for Jacobs Coffee, started as a project for smaller markets and turned out to became a worldwide runner. Amongst numerous commercial awards and prizes on all major festivals, Niko Karo has won the Bundesfilmprize in Gold for 'Noblesse Oblige' (1988).
Creativity to him means to see the world with the eyes of a child, to risk a deeper look without prejudice and to experience what lies beneath in every moment.
Creativity is the hope to inspire the world with Art and Beauty.
Creativity is Mitakuye Oyasin - the believe, that all belongs together.
In 1999 he founded soulmate, as an independent global alliance of artists and friends .
2000 he shot 'Catching the stars' around the globe for the Bertelsmann Foundation.
2001 moved with familiy and friends to live in Capetown.
2003 / 2004 Travelled the world developing the feature film project: La ultima Hora - The story of Ché & Tania
2006-2009 Developing the feature film project: 'Zeit der Fische' (nach Ödön von Horvath’s 'Jugend ohne Gott').
Publishing of the short stories and novels (Kreuzzug 129, Wandering Spirits)
2010 joining the artist group 'Gruppe Zwanzigzehn', first exhibitions as a photographer
2011 ‘Life is a Hipsta - 111 days in the life of Bob' - Hipstography exhibitions.
2012 Developing of the Bushman feature film project: Land of !Kho'.
Travels India & Namibia. Time & Complecity teachings in Moskow and Capetown.
2011-2014 Photographic project: Camera Obscura – die geheimnisvolle Camera
He's a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Art Directors Club Germany and the Deutsche Filmakademie.
Niko Karo lives in Munich (c/o soulmate) with his painter & artist wife Babette Brühl and their two children.
History:
Parents - Papa coming home from Jordania |
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Niko Baby |
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HFF Student - Hubert Kah & Trommler |
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Erste Kamera ' Le Blimb' am Set von 'Am Abend aller Tage' | ||||
Am Abend aller Tage ( feat. Sigfrid Steiner) | ||||
HFF Producing with Sönke. the very first days of Yakuza Film |
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Noblesse Oblige with Thomas Merker ( D.o.P) |
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Bundesfilm Prize for Nobless Oblige with Sönke |
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Winston Poster/Nikolaus Ronacher on the set of Winston |
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'With love from Winston' Group shot ( incl. Sönke Wortmann, Ewa Karlström, Anna Foerster, Laszlo Kadar, |
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'Kameramann' Group shot ( feat. Margit Geissler) |
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C&A Daydream Sunflower 2 |
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On set of 'Alice in Fashionland'... |
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On set of 'Don Quixote' with Martin Langer |
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Rodeo shoot in Syria |
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Deauville shooting for Lufthansa |
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Shooting for 'Culture' in Angkor Wat (Cambodia) |
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Roundtable Discussions |
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Top 50 (with B.E.) |
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First feature contract (that never happend;-) with Horst Wendtland and longtime companion Babette Brühl |
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The 'American job', end of exclusive overseas deals |
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Half way up Mount Everest |
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Recce over le grande Erg (Sahara) way up Mount Everest - With the three Lobsangs shooting 'Catching the Stars' |
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'Catching the Stars ' Sunrise at the Pyramids |
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In Bushman Lands (Namibia) |
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Ape head massage with little Josh being amused - Directing little Bedous |
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Underwater with 'the Posh' |
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Bushman papa |
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With the 'Nhoma Nhoma' tribe in eastern Namibia |
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1.Feb.2004- Birthday in the Andes ( Chile) |
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On set with my beloved producer Paula Bergner & Emily |
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Napoleons Home in Elba with Luca & Joshua |
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Shooting at Lago Miscante |
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N.at Lago Miscante |
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Klaus & Niko |
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Chris & Niko |
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Ewa & Niko |
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Back to Russia - Kolja in front of his summer home in Crimea |
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Sönke & Niko, on their way to the top in August 2013 - Shooting Gösser with Salcher Louis |
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Gruppe Zwanzigzehn vor dem Geburtshaus Lenbachs in Schrobenhausen |
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Bab & Niko at the opening of 'Gruppe Zwanzigzehn' exhibition in Stuttgart ( April 2014) |
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K&K Monarchy live 1981 |
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At Africa Burn ( April 2018) |
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Africa Burn 2018 |
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Africa Burn 2018 |
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With soulmate Jeff at the burn |
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At the burn 2018 |
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In Botswana with photographer Xiomara Bender |
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Farewell to Gösserland ( Juni 2018) |
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A la jardin avec Kathi et Bab.2018 Juli |
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Joshua returns from South America trips |
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Filmfest Munich with Diane |
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Filmfest Retrospektive with old mate Philip |
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Back to Moskow |
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Shooting Hipp Russia |
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Lovely Irina |
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Moskwa River banks |
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Shooting Hipp Russia |
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Dieter, Leo & me at Tretjakow Gallery |
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No luggage return |
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Shooting Mönchshof |
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Shooting Mönchshof at our river |
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Dionysos Stadt with Kathi |
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Schwanenprinzessin et le grande Christoph |
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Back in Istanbul |
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Family at the Bosporus |
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Luca & Josh Istanbul |
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Us on Bosporus |
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Yakuza weekend with Sönke & Anno |
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Anno & Sönke at Buhne 16 |
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Globi Lenzerheide |
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Soulmate home Januar 2019 |
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Camara Obscura release April 2019 |
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Mathias Hornungs Exhibition in Cape Town Feb. 2019 |
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Shooting Nivea Sun at Llundudno |
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Back at Llundudno Beach |
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With lovely Dunty |
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Back to Llundudno |
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On tablemountain with Dieter the eater |
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On top of the world ( photographed by Dieter) |
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Bahnwärter Easter Rave with Luca & Joshua |
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Rave with Luca |
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Easter Rave with full posse |
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