We are EinZ
We’re delighted you’ve found your way here!
We’re Conny and Nils; we’ve been living in Menden in the beautiful Sauerland region since 1996 and have been sharing our lives together for almost three decades. We decided early on to forge our own path together – professionally as well. It hasn’t always been the easiest or the most straightforward, but it’s been our own.
Over the years, we’ve experienced, tried out and created so much. There have been highs and lows, wonderful encounters, crazy ideas and more than a few challenges. It’s certainly rarely been boring.
What binds us together is far more than just our shared creativity. We believe that nothing stands alone. Everything is interconnected, influences one another and leaves its mark. This outlook on life also shapes the way we interact with people, animals and nature – and, of course, our art.
Two people, lots of ideas
We’ve been running our little creative workshop, EinZ Design, since 2001. Over the years, we’ve designed websites, drawn, painted, composed music, produced films, directed and developed countless ideas. Often, our different areas of work have intertwined; sometimes this has led to entirely new directions.
Incidentally, Nils has been missing his left forearm since birth. For him, this is nothing out of the ordinary, but simply part of his personality.
Today, we’d like to focus more strongly once again on what has driven us from the very beginning: our own ideas and artistic projects.
We want to tell stories, make music, create images, question things and combine different forms of expression, because so much moves us and because we have to do something. Our times have become too crazy, too contradictory, too loud. We simply cannot bear to stand by and watch.
Why EinZ, actually?
For us, EinZ is more than just a name. It stands for our shared journey, for the feeling of being two yet one. At the same time, it embodies uniqueness – because every person, every living being and every idea is special in its own way. We believe that nothing really stands alone and that we are all part of a greater whole. This isn’t about being the same or erasing differences. It is precisely this diversity that brings the whole thing to life.
Two people. Two personalities. A shared journey. EinZ.
On these pages, we’d like to share our world with you: what inspires us and, above all, what is yet to come.
If you’d like to find out more about our journey so far and our projects, you’ll find a detailed article by Karin Drolshagen (formerly of the Mendener Zeitung) here.
We’re delighted that you’re joining us for a while.
Music
Nils began playing the organ at the age of nine – and took to the stage with his first band at the age of 14. His first major musical steps followed in 1992 with ‘The A.C. System’. From 1996 onwards, he embarked on tours across East and West Germany. His manager at the time, who had previously worked with the Kelly Family and Blind Passengers, amongst others, recognised his potential and encouraged him to devote more time to producing his own music.
Over the years, Nils delved ever deeper into the world of music production, set up his very first studio and produced numerous bands and artists from the region and beyond.
During this time, in 1994, Nils met Conny at the Soundgarden in Dortmund. Two years later, the pair moved in together and Nils also took on the DJ role there on a regular basis. Alongside the music, they developed a shared creative endeavour: they designed websites, created flyers and posters, and organised parties and concerts. This also marked the start of their joint self-employment.
Making
music together In 2000, the idea arose to make music together with Conny. Their first original tracks were not long in coming – including ‘Alles ist …’, ‘Licht an’ and ‘Du bist mein Leben’. This was followed later by the releases ‘Demoworks’ (2009) and ‘Verlaufen’ (2011), the latter in collaboration with a band. Under the name EinZ, they also played a number of live concerts, including in Menden, Hagen and Iserlohn.
In the years that followed, Nils devoted himself to various musical genres – from film scores and jingles to original compositions. Their musical collaboration with Conny always remained alive, even when other projects took centre stage from time to time.
And today?
In the meantime, quite a few new tracks have been created. We’ve been writing a lot, trying things out and experimenting musically, and we’re looking forward to releasing new material. 🙂
Our EP ‘Retrospektiv verlaufen’, which we released on Bandcamp and Spotify, also dates from before the pandemic.
Drawing & Painting
Conny was born with a pen in her hand.
Even as a child, she was fascinated by the idea of creating something visible out of nothing using lines and colours, and bringing her own world to life on paper. After training as a design assistant, she was advised to study art. But the deeper she delved into the world of ‘established artists’, the clearer it became to her: she didn’t want to think or work within predefined boundaries, but to forge her own path. And that’s exactly what she did!
How it all began – seven years at Soundgarden
In 1994, Conny started working behind the bar at Soundgarden in Dortmund. That’s where Conny and Nils met – practically on the very same weekend. Two years later, the pair moved in together and eventually relocated to Menden. Professionally, too, they developed a lot together at Soundgarden. Conny and Nils, working as ‘painters’, created imaginative murals in the nightclub. They designed posters, took care of the web design and organised parties and concerts. Their initial shared ideas gave rise to a versatile creative collaboration, and our ‘EinZ-Design GbR’ was born.
This was followed by further commissioned work, including wall designs for another nightclub, projects for private clients and portraits. At the same time, Conny’s own artistic work continued to evolve. Her first solo exhibitions followed in 2004.
What emerged from this was a creative journey full of curiosity and a willingness to experiment. She drew, painted, experimented and continually developed new forms of expression. Portraits, expressive black-and-white works, acrylic paintings, illustrations and free pictorial compositions are just as much a part of her body of work as her exploration of different techniques and materials.
Animals play a special role. They fascinate Conny not only because of their beauty and uniqueness; she is also deeply moved by the often difficult and cruel living conditions to which animals are subjected. This compassion is repeatedly reflected in her artistic work. Her pictures are therefore not only beautiful to look at, but can also move, stir and inspire reflection (and, ideally, a change of perspective).
She is not concerned with remaining true to a particular style or meeting expectations. Rather, she is guided by ideas, moods and her own intuition. Sometimes works emerge spontaneously and intuitively; at other times, a painting develops over a longer period. Sometimes it takes many lines, sometimes just a few, to express something.
Despite her love of experimentation, however, there is one constant: the ballpoint pen. It is, and remains, one of her most important tools. She uses it to create detailed black-and-white drawings that can easily reach DIN A1 size. An everyday object thus becomes a tool for astonishingly complex visual worlds.
Over the years, a highly distinctive artistic style has emerged, one that defies easy categorisation. And perhaps that is precisely the key point: always remaining curious, not feeling the need to repeat oneself, and having the courage to break new ground.
True to the motto:
“My path is not mapped out – I draw it myself.”
Video & Film
In 2010, we wrote our song EinZ – ‘Euer Auftrag’ – and we were determined to produce a music video to go with it. However, after meeting a few directors, it quickly became clear that we couldn’t afford it. So, without further ado, we bought a camera and simply shot our first music video ourselves.
The response was fantastic. Suddenly, the first enquiries for further film projects started coming in. What had originally been born out of necessity developed into an integral part of our creative work.
Our apprenticeship
in filmmaking A very special apprenticeship began with a project by Bodo Schulte. He commissioned us to produce a quiz series for Sparkasse, working alongside his well-known WDR puppet character Klemens Schulte-Vierkötter – the ‘Farmer’, whom some of you may still remember.
We learnt an incredible amount from this: about camera work, editing, scripts, sound and the many challenges – both big and small – involved in film production. We remain grateful to him to this day for the trust he placed in us and the opportunities he gave us back then.
Films, people and plenty of ideasNumerous other commissions followed: documentaries, interviews, music videos and a wide variety of film productions.
We also produced various trailers and film projects for KatastrophenKultur and the SCARAMOUCHE Theatre, including the “Presseclub” and the almost feature-length “Der Große Dinggang”. We also produced several works for the PASSAGEN Arts Festival, including the short films ‘Das Filetstück’ and ‘LiebeLeben’. Over the years, numerous other videos and a wide variety of film projects were added to our portfolio.
At the same time, we were actively involved in creative education for many years. In collaboration with the adult education centres in Menden, Hemer and Balve, we developed and ran artistic courses – ranging from painting and creative activities to projects centred on global learning.
A particular focus was on film projects with children and young people. Countless short films emerged from over 700 children’s birthday party courses and numerous intensive workshop series. Together, we devised stories, wrote scripts, took on roles, shot scenes and produced films.
Two of these productions, ‘Fame at Any Price’ and ‘1,000 Good Deeds’, were even honoured as ‘Tip of the Month’ by NRWision at the time.
It was a wonderful and fulfilling time, during which we not only made films but also discovered creativity and brought stories to life together with many young people. Unfortunately, this area came to a virtual standstill with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today: Film, Music and Live Production
Today, we carry out a wide variety of film projects – from concept development through filming and directing to editing and live streaming. We often compose and produce the accompanying music ourselves. This results in productions where image and sound are conceived together from the very beginning, which stands us in good stead for our own productions.
And here are a few more selected film productions we’ve been involved in (filming and/or cinematography, editing, direction, music, streaming, etc.):
Playlist20 videos
Director
Directing has been part of our work ever since we made our first films. What began in 2010 with a self-produced music video has, over the years, developed into a multifaceted practice spanning film, music, acting and the stage.
We develop ideas, write concepts and scripts, direct, and combine different media to create our own narrative forms. We are particularly interested in the interplay between imagery, language, music and atmosphere.
Since 2024, we have been developing our own stage productions for the KunstFest PASSAGEN.
From the camera to the stageIt all began with ‘Walden – An Attempt at a Reading’, which we developed and staged in collaboration with the actress Martina Eitner-Acheampong. The collaboration had already begun in 2022 with the film adaptation of her staged reading project ‘Molly’s Dreams’. The world premiere of ‘Walden’ at the KunstFest 2024 was enthusiastically received by a sold-out audience.
This was followed in 2025 by ‘DADA – The World Turned Upside Down’, a multimedia evening exploring Dadaist ideas, social criticism and artistic freedom. The cast and crew included, amongst others, the actor Jürgen Hartmann, Klaus Ullrich (narrator), Wowo Weist (videos) and the Dada ensemble ‘Der vierte Mann’. This production, too, was performed to a sold-out house.
In 2026, “heimatSPLITTER – Was bleibt” was created, a multimedia exploration of home, memory and what remains. The piece was developed and performed, amongst other things, to mark the 750th anniversary of the town of Menden.
For us, directing means more than just staging a production...
Whether it’s a film, a music video or a stage production: we are inspired by the idea of creating a world of our own from a single concept. We conceive stories not only in images, but also in sounds, movements and moods.
We enjoy collaborating with other artists and incorporating different perspectives into our productions. Sometimes we create something planned in advance; other times, an idea only takes shape as we work. For us, both are part of the process.
We enjoy experimentation, unconventional approaches and the freedom to do things differently for a change. Because, ultimately, it’s always about creating something of our own that moves people, surprises them or gives them food for thought.
EinZ-Design GbR
Graphic design, print, web design & social media
We’ve been running our little creative workshop since 2001. It all started with flyers, leaflets and our first websites – back then, for ‘Soundgarden Dortmund’, amongst others. A lot has happened since then. We’ve met lots of people, carried out a wide variety of projects and learnt a great deal in the process. Over the years, some of our clients have even become good friends.
Of course, quite a lot has changed since our early days. Back then, it was mainly about printed materials and websites; today, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms are also part of our everyday work. Sometimes we find ourselves wondering just how quickly it’s all developed.
What hasn’t changed is our enjoyment of developing ideas and creating things together with others. We love small projects just as much as large ones, unusual ideas and people who want to make a difference.
What we do:
- Graphic design: logos, brand identities and anything else that needs designing.
- Print: Flyers, posters, brochures and sometimes quite different things altogether.
- Web design: Websites that not only work but also reflect the people behind them.
- Social media: Posts, images, videos and managing various channels.
- Film & animation: Moving images, short stories and creative experiments.
And what else?
We’re curious and love trying out new things. After all, not everything fits neatly into a box.
Drawings and paintings commissioned by clients
Conny has been working with lines and colours ever since she was a child. Drawing and painting are simply part of who she is. Her pictures often arise from a spontaneous idea, an observation, or simply the desire to try something out. Sometimes there’s a story behind them; sometimes it’s simply a matter of playing with colours, shapes and materials.
As well as her own work, Conny also regularly takes on commissions. These include portraits of people and animals, illustrations, wall designs or very personal artistic concepts. Every project is slightly different and presents new challenges.
The result:
- Portraits: people, animals and special memories.
- Free-form painting: colours, shapes, materials and a constant stream of new experiments.
- Illustrations: Original visual concepts for stories, animations and projects.
- Wall art: Artwork that can sometimes be a bit larger.
- Commissioned works: Personalised ideas and requests that take shape together.
Sound productions, music and voice recordings
Music has been a part of Nils’s life since childhood. What began years ago with his first instruments and a lot of trial and error is now an integral part of our work. In our small studio, we create music productions, voice recordings, jingles, podcasts, soundtracks and audiobooks.
It’s not always about large-scale productions. Sometimes it’s a voice that needs recording; sometimes it’s a musical idea still searching for the right sound. We record, edit, process, mix and take care of the mastering. And sometimes we see a project through from the initial idea to the finished product.
Recently, this has resulted in a wide variety of projects, including the ‘Wanderweg der Lieder / Wanderweg der Geschichte’ (AktiVokal), the audiobook ‘Der Hühnerpuster’ by Helmut Kruse and the inclusion project ‘Snake:In Energyboost’.
What we produce:
Music productions: Original music, arrangements and musical ideas.
Voice recordings: Narrator recordings, interviews and narrative formats.
Audiobooks & podcasts: From recording to the final edit.
Jingles & soundtracks: Short melodies and soundscapes for various projects.
Editing, mixing & mastering: To ensure everything fits together and sounds great in the end.
Video production, film editing, streaming
We’ve been making films for quite a long time now. It all started with our own music videos; later on, we moved on to projects involving children, short documentaries and live performance recordings. Since 2008, we’ve produced a wide variety of films – and it’s never really got boring.
In recent years, we’ve taken on a number of new projects. We’ve covered events, filmed exhibitions and brought our own film ideas to life. These have included, amongst others, the LEGO exhibition (exhibition films), KunstVerrückt (trailer), SINGKLUSION – the festival (documentary) and many other projects.
Live streaming has also become part of our daily routine. Whether it’s SINGKLUSION, the mayoral election, RATS-TV, or programmes like “IMW hakt nach”, we bring events to people who can’t be there in person.
Sometimes we’re right in the thick of things with the camera; other times we spend hours in the editing suite or take care of the technical side of a live broadcast. Every project is different, and that’s exactly what makes it so interesting for us.
What we do:
Film productions: music videos, documentaries, event films and reports.
Camera work & filming: capturing people, stories and special moments.
Film editing: turning lots of individual shots into a film.
Live streaming: Broadcasting events, concerts, sport and other happenings live.
Post-production: Sound, image editing, animations and the final touches.
We share our knowledge in workshops across a range of creative and technical fields –
for example, in painting and drawing, music composition, film and streaming.
Our next steps ...
Do have a look at our Facebook and Instagram pages as well.
