Pfadfinderei are an international design bureau that work on a variety of visual productions: from club nights to major events, all using the latest multimedia design technology. So far their big live events have included the SONAR festival and the opening of the flagship Louis Vitton store playing a live video set for Pharell Williams. “Pfadfinderei offer a work range that crosses the borders between functional design demands and advanced multimedia art,” says the company’s Tobias Goetz. “Finding and visualizing paths was the approach that led to the name ‘Pfadfinderei’ (which means pathfinders/boy scouts)”.

The company started in Berlin as “a vector orientated print design bureau” but soon expanded into the fully-blown multimedia design house that it is today. Pfadfinderei have several areas of expertise but focus on the live visualization of music. The design of multimedia room installations has been Pfadfinderei’s biggest passion.“We started as VJs in various Berlin clubs”, says Goetz. “Nowadays we plan, create and perform visual installations on an international level. Pfadfinderei functions as a collective of individual characters united by a similar approach to aesthetics, style and daily beauty”.

The company obviously embrace technology as Tobias explains… “Back in the late nineties we used the Apple Pismo with video out. The next big step was the ability of laptops to perform video in native resolution. This was followed by the technical ability to work on video content in real time and to be able to create personalized applications for the live context”.

However, he is keen to point out that technology is not the be all and end all… “Most importantly it is crucial to realise that ideas are not based on technology, but technology is based on ideas”.

“Our long fingernails got stuck between the keys of our laptops, so we felt a change was necessary”, jokes Goetz about Pfadfinderei’s choice of a Lemur controller. But he soon reveals other good points offered by the Lemur: “Strong look, bright appearance, more freedom on stage”, he states simply.

So how does Goetz and his team use the Lemur in practice?

“We use the Lemur mainly for performance”, reveals Goetz. “We will use it for upcoming recording sessions similar to the ‘Labland’ DVD [an inspiring DVD with music from Modeselektor] as it can serve as a good replacement for the traditional video mixer”.

And what have the company got left ambition wise?

“We want to entertain, to distort, to please, to create, to travel, to enjoy and to influence the time we’re living in”.