Germany women’s coach Valentin Altenburg on the DANAS documentary which was produced during the home nation’s EuroHockey Championship last summer
How did the new DANAS documentary come about?
“The NDR first approached the DHB and then me to ask whether we could imagine a camera team accompanying us with a view to being nominated for the Olympic Games. I then discussed this with the team to see whether we could imagine giving a more intimate insight, with a camera team that could accompany us everywhere.
“The team then decided to do so and we were very happy when we found out that Christina Schröder would be leading the project from NDR. I and many of the team know Christina very well. That certainly made working together a lot easier and it felt very good, given everything that happened on site.”
Why did you as a team agree to be accompanied at such an important tournament as the home European Championships?
“The aim of the DANAS is, independent of any documentation, to inspire the new generation for the sport of hockey. That means inspiring all children and young people. That’s why it was important to the team that when we do something like this, it is real, authentic and intimate Impression is created so that the documentary doesn’t become something run-of-the-mill.
“We wanted to give a real insight into the inner life of this team, which is also very courageous from both NDR and Christina and the team Compliments to everyone involved!”
“The fact that Christina led the project certainly contributed to the fact that we always had the press and the camera with us at such important tournaments as the home European Championships and the Olympic qualification. It was very pleasant to have Christina there because she handled everything very sensitively.
“After a short period of getting used to it, we actually didn’t even notice it anymore. Christina was there as a matter of course and never disturbed us. Everything went smoothly and with a lot of sensitivity for the situation on her part.”
What do you think of the final product?
“I think the documentary is very successful because it manages to present our great hockey sport in an attractive way and beyond to give a very intimate insight into the life of this great team. At the same time, the documentary reflects the emotional sporting rollercoaster ride from the home European Championship to the Olympic qualification and presents the very different player personalities that shape this team. Everyone who watched the documentary got a super honest insight into the life of a national team and a national player. That was the ambition of the documentary and it succeeded extremely well.”
