While working on the enormous powerboat-projects „Topaz“ and „Azzam“ out of a sudden I was asked by Peter Lürssen and his PR-department to come up with an idea and conception for an image film, that should be debuted at an event in China. Lürssen was the copartner of Chopard who were hosting this event and this year Lürssen had the possibility to present themselves via a film during this party.
Peter Lürssen explained during the briefing, that the general atmosphere is very vivid during that night. The situation that everybody is talking when the film should be presented had a high chance. So, the film would need something to grab the attention of these guests.
The timing was very tight, I was given about 5 days to come up with a conception for this. When we discussed it, I was finally able to convince the Lürssen team, that I needed a Jazz-Diva for this film besides the more expectable.
3 days later Barbara Ludwig, Marc Lorat and I flew to Istanbul. The only yacht available under this tight schedule was „Capri“, at that time located at the Bosperus with a crew ready to support us. Arriving Thursday night, we shot all Friday on board – also the shots with Dionne Wudu as the Diva singer. Saturday morning we continued, rushing back to the airport in the afternoon, arriving late in Bremen at Lürssen. Sunday we did the indoor shots in the shipyards sheds and docks, also with Dionne. Rainer Thiebing and his assistant Simone Degener supported us very setting up a green-screen set for shooting on that same day. Monday we continued with the statements of Peter Lürssen, as well with some outdoor shots of the yard. Afterwards rushing back to Hamburg for the editing.
A couple of days editing to my imagined storyboard with the deadline of getting the film in time on the plane with the Lürssens to China. That was it!
About 10 days later I met Peter Lürssen while shooting on Azzam in the docks. He was happy, congratulated me for that film. He reported it had worked wonderfully. Actually, it was quite loud as expected, when the film started. But then, when Dionne Wudu appeared already during the third scene of the film, all quieted down and the audience stayed focussed to the very end.
