Since 1998 Manfred Schmidt is working as executive director of the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung GmbH (MDM). From 1969 to 1981 he was a member of the Berlin “Maxim Gorki” theatre.
This followed a seven-year period of free-lance work as author and dramatic adviser. Within this time Manfred Schmidt has taken correspondent courses at the Leipzig Institute for Literature. In 1988, he started working as script analyst and author at DEFA studios for documentary films; from 1990 to 1992 he was the deputy chief editor at this studio. Before being appointed to CEO of MDM he worked as deputy programme director of the culture and science department at the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) broadcasting station from 1992 to 1998. Manfred Schmidt is member of the European Film Academy, Kuratorium Förderverein Deutscher Kinderfilm e.V., Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, Member of the GOLDEN SPARROW foundation and Board member of CineRegio, Member Advisory Board of Script EAST.