Tuwiah Neustadt – The Mastermind Behind Innovative Television Production
When students at CME Content Academy speak of Tuwiah Neustadt, you can hear the awe, the respect, and even a little bit of their nervousness. “Tubi is my motivation, my inspiration,” said student Tereza Vlčeková. “He is everything I want to be.” “I felt challenged to give him better answers,” said Matěj Skop after he faced “difficult, thought-provoking” questions from Tubi during his application interview for the academy. “He asked me why I was wearing a suit. Is that how you dress? Then he said, ‘next time when we see each other, I want the real Matěj.’”
When Tubi hears that students are rattled by his questions and awestruck by his presence, he laughs.
“It’s a calculated action,” he explained. “I’m testing them because I want to see how they react under pressure. In this business, it's crucial to handle challenging situations, so I put them under pressure to see if they have what it takes.”
Tubi is the CME Content Production Director, with a long career of developing and producing successful prime-time television shows both in Europe and in Israel. He is also one of the powers behind the Content Academy, which is designed to develop talented newcomers into the scriptwriters, showrunners and TV producers of tomorrow. TV Nova and TV Markíza created CME together with The Television Institute.
“We compete with giants like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney. The only way to stay ahead is by nurturing new talent through our own academy,” Tubi said. Successful graduates will move on to careers at TV Nova or TV Markíza, which are owned by CME.
One of the academy’s biggest advantages is the access students have to some of the most talented people in the TV industry – Tubi being one of them.
Tubi was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, but grew up in Germany. He moved back to Israel at 18 to serve in the army. His career started when a film student invited him to act in a short film for a school project.
“It was so fun, so good,” Tubi said. “I’ve always been a very entertaining guy. I love to entertain. I’m fascinated by the power and impact of storytelling. In my early years, I tried several professions within the filmmaking process: assistant director, camera operator, and actor. All those experiences from different fields gave me the most valuable insight into understanding the whole creative process.”
Tubi then co-founded the production company GAT, which developed many hit shows. Their show Blind Date became the most successful show in the history of German television. Tubi produced it for 15 years beginning in the 80s.
“There have been many projects over the years that I have been particularly proud of,” he said. “Some of the most significant that have influenced my career dramatically are Blind Date; Surprise, Surprise; and The Voice.”
In 2015, Tubi joined CME as the Content Production Director, where he leads local production for six countries, with a combined 43 TV channels and the streaming platform VOYO. He says his role is to inspire more than manage, to support creativity, to push people out of their creative comfort zone and to challenge them.
“I am okay with people making mistakes,” he said, “because making mistakes is part of learning, and creativity is about making a lot of mistakes and learning from them. What I dislike and what my team knows is that I do not take NO for an answer. We work in creative production, and we are the ‘make it happen’ department. There's always a solution; we just need to be flexible in our thinking and approach.”
Tubi said he is pleased so far with the students at the Content Academy.
“I’m really impressed with their creativity,” he said. “After they graduate, I can send them immediately on a project. They’re exactly what I need.”
His advice to students or anyone interested in a television career:
“Get as much experience as possible. Be patient, open to learning, and stay curious. Familiarize yourself with TV shows, and don't forget about networking—building relationships in the TV industry is essential. And if you have the opportunity, catch my class at the Content Academy. That's the best way to kickstart your career.”
Author Andrea Bisconti