Original subtitles

Here is where our journey started:

Bremerhaven.

Once upon a time the thriving gateway to the world,

Shipyard town and starting point for shipping.

From here, great sailors started.

Pioneers, discoverers, heroes.

All of them have had a mission,

looking for the adventure, trying new things.

Not being persuaded not to do something

because it is too dangerous or unsafe.

"Bremerhaven is an up-and-coming big city.

It is still young

it is not finished yet,

but everywhere new buildings fill the gaps."

It's a bit different today.

High unemployment,

Poverty,

Germany's poorest city,

many problems.

At least that's what you hear,

when others talk about Bremerhaven.

The many good things that happen in Bremerhaven,

the reason why we are still at home here,

is often forgotten.

Bremerhaven offers a lot of good things for us.

Here we have the opportunity to do what we feel like doing.

You are not one of many here. No number.

Here you can really move something.

You do not always have to be in New York or Los Angeles,

to start something.

If you ask here,

you get support from all sides.

A cohesion, like in no other city.

Bremerhaven has become a home for us.

There could not be a better city

to implement crazy ideas.

Here we met.

3 completely normal guys,

who just like to do their own thing.

Tim grew up in the rural Weserbergland

and taught photography to himself as a child.

Still a real doer,

who does everything that has to do with photography and movies.

An all-rounder who only stops

when it is really done.

Dennis, who does everything for good shots.

An absolute techie who only starts to panic

if the SD card is full and the battery is empty.

He does not think long for the perfect shot

and therefore one or the other time

put his life at risk.

How deep is this hole?

- 30 meters.

30 meters?

Tim and Dennis grew up in the same dump

and have been studying together in Bremerhaven for 5 years.

Something with media.

And Michael,

who found his destiny early on: Nature.

He was already everywhere as a photojournalist and expedition leader,

where nobody else dares to go.

Rogue states and polar regions somehow attract him.

If he does not stop us with extravagant explanations of fun,

he makes sure that we are alive and well and

return from the trip in one piece.

We all dream

to make our own movie in Antarctica once in a lifetime.

The landscape,

the animals,

adventure.

The seemingly unattainable.

This area of the earth has always excited us.

We want to see where our limits are

and find out how far we can go.

In doing so, make the journey to ourselves and

hold onto them with the camera.

It is an experiment.

Look, Dennis.

Yes, wait

Should I look at the camera or to you?

Actually over it.

Yeah, actually over it.

So Ijust look at you, right?

At the mic. Not too high.

Well, that's how you say

I think this narrative style is really cool,

if you talk a bit more.

If you ask questions and you're there,

then I look at you and not at the camera.

Yeah, that's okay too.

Only most of the time I'm looking at it

to see if the focus is sharp and so on.

But that does not matter, I can still talk to you anyway.

Yes.

You can talk to me

Yeah, that's good. Fits like that.

Yes.

You have to look a little bit how it fits.

Yes.

But we can do that.

Should I try something?

Now you have wasted the good candy.

I still have 10.

Then I want one too.

We always heard "Get a real job!"

Artist, photographer, filmmaker.

Fun?

Work does not have to be fun.

Do something safe, well-paid,

of which you could later feed a family.

It's a bit loose, right?

Do you think so?

But I've heard that they have to be loose.

Many people get up for something every morning

that they do not really care about.

It was always clear to us

that we never want to number among.

That's Radio Bremen 4, right?

Yes. Do we want to ring the bell?

Yes.

Hello?

Mornin‘ Granny. What's up?

This is Tim.

Oh!

You are lucky that you caught me!

Yes. See.

My dear. From tomorrow you are not there anymore?

Exactly,

we leave from Bremen and then we switch in Frankfurt

and from there we fly to Buenos Aires

and then from Buenos Aires Domestic Flight to Ushuaia.

So 3 ways to lose a piece of luggage.

That's why we distribute all lenses and cameras on several suitcases.

That is, if a suitcase does not arrive,

Then it’s just one missing camera and maybe 3 lenses,

but it is not the whole set gone.

Do we want to order pizza?

Yes!

Exactly, with Dennis and Michael.

We 3 together.

We're all 3

freelance filmmakers and photographers

and are usually commissioned.

Now we have just said: "We start something own

and really go completely to our limits,

really far away, really long and really cold."

None of us ever had a secure plan

how exactly their future should look like.

We only knew that we would seek ways

to do what we really want,

what we are fired up for.

The University of Bremerhaven made it possible

that we get a van now,

to bring our equipment to the airport.

As students we had the opportunity

to find out what appeals to us.

Therefore, our own projects were

always more important than the perfect grades,

the super renowned university,

and the complete CV.

Excitingly, quite some awesome

things resulted from that.

To be honest, that's one of the reasons

why Tim and Dennis have not completed

their studies to this day.

Or is this your Bachelor?

The Bachelor is in there, so to speak.

So, the Bachelor is an occasion,

we just connected it with it now.

As I said, it is our dream

to enter the Antarctic once in a lifetime.

That should be damn difficult.

Because such a trip is just too expensive,

to be able to pull it through just like that.

Also, Antarctica is

14,000 km away from us.

We were looking for a project,

that brings us to our limits.

We needed a place for that,

that is as far away as possible.

There was so much left to do,

much has arrived yesterday or today

But we do not do that every day.

The idea of Antarctica just does not let us go.

What if we just try it now?

And not just travel there,

but also shoot a movie?

Then we would not just fulfill a dream,

but still have a mission:

Tell as many people as possible later.

And who pays?

Now get to the point.

Not yourselves, right?

It gets paid -

that's what our sponsors pay for.

We have collected sponsors for it together.

Honestly people,

I also want to see a bit of nature,

not just you at work.

You also have to look into the lens.

If you look over it, at the screen,

then it’s going to be weird.

If that really works,

we need a precise plan and a concept.

I think it's better if we talk to the camera.

Then we’II talk more to the viewer.

Okay, I admit

our concept is still pretty bad at first

and nobody took our idea very serious.

But we will not give up

and continue working for a whole year.

Until someone finally listens to us

and we get the basic funding from our first sponsor

for a trip to the Antarctic.

So we can afford the trip and the most necessary equipment.

Of course, with a movie comes

also costs for production and advertising.

So hundreds of emails and appointments follow,

until the costs are partially covered.

During the entire production period of more than 2 years

We don’t want to withdraw a single penny,

to put the entire budget in the movie.

In the end Michael succeeds

to secure us a place on an expedition ship

through his professional contacts.

Before I start crying now:

All the best and come back healthy.

All we need is to somehow get

our complete equipment to the other end of the world,

to take pictures for a whole movie

And to make it back alive.

Yes, it is cold, but

we will survive it.

Somehow this plan really doesn't sound

like a "real job".

Soon it will be done

and then we can finally go.

Awesome!

Then I wish you a good journey and say:

Goodbye to Bremerhaven.

Thanks, bye.

See you then, bye.

Bye!

Bye Bremerhaven!

Oh f***, here we go.

Must be enough, right?

End of story!

But that is exactly our motivation.

This rethinking,

And the...do it anyway“.

We wonder:

How far can you go?

Is it possible with this setting

to really reach your goals?

Or was it rather coincidence

that the first steps towards the journey worked?

Can you fulfill the craziest dreams,

if you just want it badly enough?

No idea. Let's find out!

Okay.

Are you still alive?

Yeah, halfway.

I would like to create a bit of a mood,

but I am really f*****d up.

Yay!

We have to wrap up the gimbal now,

because unfortunately the packing machine,

where you can make this film around the suitcases,

is not vacant.

And you're sure

that we do not wrap up a corpse now?

It looks like that.

Who knows.

Let's see if everything arrives in one piece.

Which switch is it?

This one?

No, here.

Bulky luggage.

Have you given up bulky luggage before?

No never. It’s my first time.

But there is always a first time.

Exactly.

Here you go.

So, all gone?

Yes, Sir. Now we made it.

20 minutes, but we still have to

be checked in.

Only in the middle of the project preparation does Michael learn

that he becomes a father.

At the time of departure

his wife Lena is seven months pregnant.

If everything goes right,

the child should only be born one month after

our return.

The farewell of course is difficult.

We’II be on the road for 4 weeks...

without internet, without contact.

Bye!

Bye!

Get home safe.

Bye!

Well. What now?

All gone!

Now we are alone.

Now there is only fate and us!

How long will we be flying now?

One hour to Frankfurt

and then 13 and a half hours to Buenos Aires.

Arrived late in Frankfurt.

How much?

About 40 minutes.

Let's see what is going on at the gate now.

Yellow One, Yellow Two: Check!

Backpack: Check!

Backpack 2: Check!

And the laptop bag: Check!

Well Dennis, excited?

Oh no.

Still fine.

And you, Tim?

Yes, rather tired.

And Michael, how are you feeling?

I can not wait any longer

to go through customs in Argentina

with ten boxes of equipment.

Do we have to bribe them?

Yes, bribe or

sell the prettiest of us.

Yeah, that's definitely

Me!

Too bad, Dennis!

Well, girls?

Mornin‘.

Buenos Aires, here we are!

And rested, Tim?

Yes, was okay. Was a bit tight back there.

And you?

Yes.

All good. All good.

Sleep done up

and found out that our connecting flight

departs 3 and a half hours later.

Oh. Is that good or bad?

Does not matter to us.

I mean, we have enough time, but

Now we have to kill some time.

That worked out fantastic

with "This side up".

and we're going on board.

We are now at the airport and the customs officers

Document number 3

There's a problem!

Change the ticket.

Customs office?

Aduana!

Aduana

What should we do here now?

Questions, play helpless and hope

I hope you can help me!

Excuse me?

- Espafiol!

I call the ship's agent,

she speaks Spanish.

I found someone from customs,

he hardly speaks English.

So, he is clarifying something with his colleagues,

but he'll be right back,

Maybe then I can hand the phone over to him.

Did Michael say where he was going?

Yeah, I think he wanted to go back in.

Talk to them again.

We are already waiting for half an hour?

We're at the customs office now.

They pulled us out at customs and they said, "Well, you have to register the import",

but that is only possible on Monday.

What I do not understand -

why this is only possible on Monday.

But we do not know what to do now.

because our flight to Ushuaia departs in 3 hours.

Yeah, yeah...

No, no, no...

I have to book the temporary import for Argentina.

Yes, yes, there are customs officers.

We are already out of the control area.

They said we can go, but our luggage stays there.

No, they kept our luggage.

Okay thank you.

So far everything went a bit too well, right?

It was said we only had to

register an import here in Argentina,

If we stay longer than five

working days in Argentina.

But we are only in transit,

because we want to go to the ship.

We only needed freight lists

which we have.

And of course a registration from the ship's agent.

We have everything

and yet they bagged all the equipment,

and we only have our bags

with the clothes.

Now we only have two hours left until departure.

And we still need an hour to go there, right?

The good thing is:

There's a McDonalds ahead.

Can one stay at the McDonalds overnight, too?

I think they do not close here at all.

We have to stay here until Monday,

because nobody is there,

who can return the luggage to us.

Yes,

our flight is gone now

and now we’II see,

that we‘II get a new one,

in which we can give up

our 10 pieces of luggage too.

If we do not get our luggage on Monday and will have yet

to clarify this

I think then we have to cancel -

the project.

We have quite a lot of luggage.

We had previously registered it.

I do not know if they had to state that at the

Argentine airline as well.

We have to stay here until Monday,

because the customs do not seem to know their own rules.

In any case, that's a bit weird

and super annoying.

But you have to say

that maybe it's not wrong

to be in Buenos Aires for a few more days.

It's not bad either

and it is warm, too.

I think 20-25 degrees.

Lost in Paradise.

I think we're in the wrong country, Tim.

A little too warm here.

Did we not want to go to Antarctica?

Yes, first of all Argentina.

They said that we can not continue without a salsa course.

Hello!

Hola!

Hola!

Okay, Michael.

Here comes your Christmas gift.

We may have to open the windows

and hold the thing out of both windows.

No! Where is the seat belt?

Admit it, you just wanted to grope me.

Yes.

Yeah, please keep that up for later.

So we're stuck in Buenos Aires.

The flight has been rebooked, on Monday at 16 o'clock.

Everything that is left:

Our clothes and two small, almost empty cameras.

Unfortunately no charger.

Via our Facebook page and via e-mail

we get a great amount of help and advice.

One should go directly to the German Embassy,

in Argentina, things are not right with something like that.

But as we are afraid of losing time,

we want to wait for the official decision of customs.

We are also looking for accommodation.

Problem:

All hotels are fully booked for a large IT conference.

But we are very lucky

and get yet a very decent room

with detours.

Yes, our flight departs in exactly

5 hours.

And we still need about

45 minutes

from the hotel to the airport.

Yes.

Everything will be very close.

I hope we do not miss that

already rebooked flight.

That would be really bitter.

I called the agent twice again,

but he does not answer his phone.

I'm going crazy whenever I can not do anything.

All this waiting drives me completely crazy.

Hi, Michael here.

Okay, of course.

He needs a copy of our passports

and from this note,

I got from customs.

Where is he?

At the airport.

I'm supposed to send it via WhatsApp now,

so he can submit that to customs.

That seems to work now.

Okay, passports

We're going to an electronics store now,

to either get a USB-C cable

or at best

to buy a charging cable for the batteries,

50 we can recharge

our last camera,

because we only have one more battery

and when it's empty,

then we have to wait until Monday and can not film anymore.

At least, we have found

a USB cable for the GoPro now,

that means we can at least charge the GoPro.

That's better than nothing.

Yes, that was a fail. No batteries.

All in the suitcase.

Now we have to see what we do.

Sh**.

The sun is shining and

we have a blue sky.

It's kind of nice

but we can not enjoy it at all,

because we do not know if we will

arrive at the ship on time,

if we still come to Ushuaia.

That's why we're all pretty nervous right now.

It drives you crazy.

You just can not do anything.

These are not the pictures that -

you want to see from an Antarctic trip.

We basically have missed -

the target a bit.

There is good news and bad news.

The good guys are:

We have the papers from customs.

All that is missing is a signature from the person in charge,

they are still waiting for him.

The bad news:

Our flight departs in 1.5 hours

and we need 1 hour to get to the airport.

We will not make it to

check in all our luggage for the flight

and to get there.

Then I'll probably call the Lufthansa office

and ask if they can rebook our flight.

Because -

we will not be able to make it anymore,

if he does not respond in the next 15 minutes

and says he has our luggage.

"Hi Michael, I'm not sure if you can fly today.

Give me 5 minutes to clarify that. "

That's about 35 minutes ago.

So.

Last day before our ship departs for Antarctica.

There are only a few hours left.

Yesterday, when we were eating,

we realized how little time we have left.

The days before -

we took that with humor

and thought, it will work somehow.

But now we only have a

few hours left and -

that will be really close now.

What's the plan?

No idea, Ijust turn my knife back and forth.

Are you getting aggressive?

Slowly impatient.

This is my 6th espresso this morning.

The customs broker

is already at the airport.

The customs office was still closed.

Now he has been waiting there and is now trying

to arrange something with them.

This is such a pain.

I see that he's typing

but I do not see the message yet.

No message?

No.

He typed and nothing arrived?

He typed.

He typed, but

no message arrived.

The broker now meets with the chief of customs

and then something is being discussed in the back room.

I do not care.

The main thing we get the Sh** back.

The agent sent us a voice message on WhatsApp.

"Hi Michael,

our customs broker talks to the chief of customs.

As soon as I get feedback,

l’II call you and tell you what to do.

"As soon."

"As soon, as soon" yeah. As late, as late!

That's all -

way too slippery.

The guys are working on it

but then it says:

"5 minutes left, then we'll get in touch"

and then no one answers for 5 hours.

All we can do now is go to the airport

and try to meet anyone.

So off to the airport.

Yes.

It has never been as quiet between us,

as on this drive.

We all know, if it does not work now,

There goes our dream and the movie.

For ages, we have earned the trust of our supporters,

to be able to make this journey.

And now something like that.

We’re getting scared

that we’II have to return to Germany empty-handed.

The worst thing is

that we can not do anything, except waiting.

We still have a few hours left.

Tomorrow morning, the already rebooked twice plane will depart.

The last chance to reach the ship.

Our project Antarctica is now

solely in the hands of Customs

and this customs broker,

we want to meet on site.

Since the ship's agent can not help us over the phone,

the broker now is our contact in Buenos Aires.

Mediated: By Customs.

Does it still work today?

He did not hear it, right?

Please repeat it.

It has to work today.

It must work, today, at this moment!

Do you understand?

Yeah

The lists

we had them with us.

Yes, Yes, Yes...

We had the guarantee letter with us.

They did not care.

I told them: There are 3 guys,

who make a trip with a ship

to make a documentary!

They said, "Okay, okay."

Then I went back in with this man

and asked:

How does it work?

Do I have to pay something or -

I do not know.

Yes.

In the whole time in Buenos Aires

This white door cost us all of our nerves.

We’re waiting for hours, stare at it

and hope some customs officer comes out

and finally gives us back our stuff.

Behind this door, there’s just the whole mischief

of this situation.

And the pressure is getting bigger.

At 5 o'clock the customs are closing here.

and that's only

about 2 hours from now.

Put the camera away!

l’m coming with this paper

What time is it?

The flight departs already at 8:35am.

We will not make it.

8:35 o’clock.

8 o'clock in the morning.

Ah, 8 o'clock in the morning

I'll break down right away.

I did it wrong.

I thought

The plane leaves at 8 PM in the evening.

Do they want any money?

We can give them money.

The customs broker keeps going

to the counter next to the door.

Suddenly he calls us to come over

to sign some documents in Spanish.

I'm 72 years old, I know all the people here,

since they were little.

We are all friends.

Everyone helps each other.

They help me and I help them.

Come over!

Then everything goes super fast.

We can grab our stuff and just want to get out.

Everywhere there are more sophisticated suitcases with technology around.

So obviously we are not the only ones.

Dude!

I'm trembling.

We have the stuff back.

There are all suitcases with all the locks on them!

I registered everything.

That was not the problem

I have registered the value and so on.

What they did not want to believe:

That this is not for sale.

Next hurdle:

The plane can not be delayed tomorrow.

We'll definitely fairly hug him.

He deserves that.

A sweaty, warm hug.

At the time of recording

the customs broker is our hero.

But later we’II get an invoice,

which blows up everything,

we had planned for such difficulties.

Several

thousand

Dollar.

So we are unsure

which role the agent really played.

What happened with the money?

We will never know.

Yes!

We can finally shoot.

Shoot properly!

There's our movie equipment!

We made it!

Dude, such a stress.

I have, honestly, given up,

that we will still get the stuff back

He went in and -

told them: “Yes, 8 o'clock is good."

Then he came out and said

"8 o'clock tomorrow is cleared. In the evening, right?"

And we’re like: "No. In the morning!"

"We need the stuff in the morning,

in the morning the plane departs! "

I gave up.

Is that a bubble gum?

Yeah, I put that down

It's yours? For later.

Still edible?

Well, it’s not from you?

From whom is the bubblegum?

I think, from a customs officer, right?

Yes!

charger!

A charger for our batteries.

Your SLR camera.

Oh yes!

It’s still alive.

We will definitely recharge all batteries first

and reorganize ourselves

and sort everything again.

And then, tonight:

Let's go for a drink!

Now we can finally relax

and enjoy the last hours in Buenos Aires.

The time without our suitcases

really welded us together again.

Definitely a chapter,

that we will not forget so soon.

Always put a lock on it.

Definitely.

Ready?

Ready.

Off to the airport.

Dennis is really happy

that he has his toy back.

Yes!

It's 5 o'clock in the morning.

We are still a bit nervous.

The ship departs in a few hours

and we are still thousands of kilometers away from Ushuaia.

Nothing is safe yet.

Finally.

Finally!

We're almost on the plane.

Hardly anything can go wrong.

Finally we are at the right place!

The whole tension is blown away.

Ushuaia,

the southernmost city of the world.

The city,

if you want to go to the Antarctic.

Actually, there's still a small camera submarine

that was meant to be for our planned underwater shots.

Unfortunately it will not arrive on time.

The Ortelius is waiting for us!

Formerly a Russian research ship.

Built in Poland in 1989,

ice-strengthened.

Nowadays the Ortelius

is an expedition ship.

90 meters long

and cozy 10 knots fast.

Converted about 19 km/h.

This thing will be our home for

the next 4 weeks.

Of course not only for us,

but also for the ship crew

and more adventurers.

The Ortelius is operated

with diesel, instead of heavy oil.

It is designed for the polar code,

the UN Codex

for shipping in the polar waters.

It includes in addition to higher safety regulations

especially rules for environmental protection.

It forbids the draining of oil,

toxic and harmful liquids,

waste water and garbage in polar waters.

Also food must stay on board.

So we can not even feed the birds.

To finally be on the ship

is a super-cool feeling for us.

Simply because we know

that almost nothing can separate us from our goal.

We are already

dead tired and done for from the last days.

But we know it was worth fighting for.

Project: Antarctica can finally start.

From Ushuaia, we will drive through the Beagle Channel,

in between pick up the helicopters from Chile

and starting tonight we’II keep

keep going south on the open sea.

With the helicopters we want to search for

Emperor Penguins later

and film the landscape from the air.

Because you can not fly in the Antarctic with camera drones.

To apply for a special permit,

takes almost 2 years.

We will be here for several days

traversing the Drake Passage,

one of the stormiest sea passages in the world.

If everything works,

we will really make it to the Antarctic.

Actually, to the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula.

To the Weddell Sea.

How was the first night on the ship?

Very relaxed and long.

8 hours are rather uncommon for us.

But -

it was good to finally sleep again.

Now there is food.

It is always said:

"One hand for you,

and one hand for the ship. "

This is, I think, a very good motto,

otherwise, you will fly around.

Oops!

Always hold onto something.

Usually -

here the sea can tower up to 16 meters,

in the worst case, up to 20 meters.

But we have fantastic conditions.

Sunshine

and hardly any wind.

We call that

"Drake Lake",

because it is more like a lake for the Drake Passage.

So, the gimbal has 3 axes

and they will all be

balanced,

so that the horizon always stays straight.

And -

that is quite interesting here on a ship.

The ship is moving,

but the gimbal still remains horizontal.

That should give a very interesting effect.

Let's see what that looks like.

I was watching my phone all the time,

to make the settings

and almost puked in the water, a few moments ago.

Now, firstly I will

insert -

a suppository.

Welcome to our

small empire.

My bed,

Dennis' bed,

Michael's bed.

Storage space for the bags,

desk,

shower.

Actually, everything you need.

Dennis will vacuum everything.

Also all backpacks,

that we will use.

Camera tripods.

Everything that comes into contact

with the Antarctic soil or ice,

must be cleaned and disinfected beforehand.

And that's also done every time

before we go ashore.

Especially dirty objects

and areas have of course to

be cleaned very intensively.

That's just what Dennis is demonstrating.

An idiot in the Antarctic

is still an idiot.

Who wants to walk around in Antarctica,

has to keep a lot of things in mind.

And we also learn many, more rules

in case we go ashore.

Amongst other things:

We should disinfect our shoes, empty all pockets,

so as not to lose a handkerchief at the end, for example.

In addition, to keep a minimum distance of

5 meters to all animals.

However, if the animals get closer by themselves,

That's fine.

We sign now,

that everything we’re carrying or using in the countryside

that came in contact with other nations

or continents before

has been cleaned.

From now on we are in contract.

Lynn just announced

whales can be seen on the horizon.

There are bubbles on the horizon.

Oh, rad.

Do you want to film that?

Yes, man!

Unfortunately we missed the blue whales.

Sh**.

We got up too late.

It's all because you put on some pants.

You do not see

where they are next.

It's easy to just film a whale, right?

Yes...

No.

What did you say? Breakfast?

Yes, let’s have breakfast.

You must have earned that first.

What?!

Why?

If we do not catch whales now,

there will be no breakfast.

Apple or orange?

Orange.

Good morning!

The wind has actually increased,

at speeds up to 60 knots,

we have reached real, Antarctic conditions

and we have a big iceberg off our starboard side.

Our first iceberg!

You do not see it on the video.

Then we have to show some later.

We can make some kind of an arrow in the video later.

So:"There it is!"

How many emperor penguins will we see?

You? None!

We will not let you off the ship!

Better question:

When will we see the emperor penguins?

I can show you a book!

Yes, so now

there is just a very, very strange mood here.

You hardly see anything

the whole ship is foggy

fringed

and the first chunks of ice float past us in the water,

but the swell

it's kind of quiet.

It's a bit different than in the last few days.

There was a bit more swell in the Drake Passage.

We are almost in Antarctica.

Shortly before.

You can already see the icebergs.

That's so cool!

This iceberg ahead,

is about 10 times the size of the ship.

only the part that is above the water.

If you imagine:

The water, where we drive,

is about 400 meters deep.

And these big table icebergs

are so deep that on the bottom

they drag along and get stuck.

Meaning they do not go with the flow,

inevitably,

they just get stuck because they are so deep.

That's wicked.

If we get through this thicker ice here,

then we can go look for animals in this

area, tonight or tomorrow morning.

Look at that!

It's getting cold now -

without a jacket.

So pretty!

Are we going in?

Yes.

We have been at sea for 3 days now.

One of our favorite places on board is the bridge.

An almost magical place.

The silence expressly demanded by the captain,

the concentration of the crew members,

and the even sounds of navigation instruments.

No emails or calls,

no Internet,

no stress.

As if time stood still.

On the high seas, we realize,

how hectic our life in Germany is normally.

We run from one appointment to another,

to master our everyday life

and constantly share news on Facebook or Instagram.

This time on board

is now ours.

We enjoy the time

and we forget the time.

What's the hottest thing about Antarctica for you?

Well, the best, I think

is, that it's just such a place

where humanity is simply out of place today.

No matter how well you are prepared,

the risk to -

to die there is relatively high.

Always.

It’s somehow a very

calming thought for me,

that somehow there are still places

where we can just -

not -

limitless

and beyond measure

just do anything as we want to

but that there is still such a limit.

Naturally,

you can not move in the Antarctic,

without leaving a trace.

On the other hand, you also can

convince people

very difficultly,

to protect something

that they have never seen before.

Something that is so far away -

where it's not obvious,

why they should care.

The Antarctic has the largest freshwater reservoir

of the world.

The ice.

In front of us lies:

The Antarctic.

An incredible feeling.

Pure goose bumps.

The whole stress on the journey is forgotten.

We see the first animals.

And we see, besides ice, also rocks and land!

Whole mountain ranges.

It's like a new world,

like on TV.

Incomprehensible.

But this is too good,

too great not to be real.

In addition to the polar code for shipping,

there is by the way the Antarctic Treaty

and more contracts,

that follow super strict guidelines,

to burden the mainland of the Antarctic as little as possible.

The Antarctic is independent.

It is owned by:

No one.

And that, even though it is twice as big as Europe.

Many nations of this earth have such a

great interest in the raw materials:

Petroleum, fresh water and many more.

Therefore, the treaty protects the continent

from exploitation and war.

It assures peace.

To the Antarctic may only go,

who does research activities,

touristic or journalistic

Activities.

We-

are finally here anyway.

We have an appointment with the pilots now.

And now they tell us,

where we can tape,

can fix

the GoPros to.

So we get the coolest possible images of the Antarctic.

800 horsepower that thing has.

Yes, should be enough.

For you definitely, fatso!

We got lucky today and are allowed to fix it to the tail.

And that's, I think, the hottest perspective.

Can you move the seat further back?

A little, yes.

Then you could film out here perfectly.

The only the question is -

whether we can take the doors off.

That would be awesome.

That's the moment,

which I was most looking forward to the whole time.

Finally to be here

and to have these helicopters on board,

is so cool!

Afterward maybe it starts.

Then we could make the first flights.

We have just installed the GoPros.

Yes, I can not wait.

Again, there is this small area,

if only we could get there.

For the helicopter,

the wind is not a problem,

it's more about how it affects us on land.

Yes.

Where we are,

it is hard on the border between

ordinary and extraordinary wind.

So we have to hope

that the conditions do improve

and we reach this green marked, calm area.

Yes, so

Just wait!

Just wait.

We had to scrub the

helicopter flights.

Literally,

because we have serious 50 to 60 knots of wind,

which comes close to 100 kmlh.

That's why we can not fly.

We are at -3 degrees Celsius

outside temperature,

but because of the wind the

cooling effect is so big.

We would not be able to endure 2 hours ashore.

We are watching the weather now

and wait for the "Go!" from the captain.

Our cameras are ready,

batteries are charged.

We hope that we

can fly as soon as possible,

but -

the conditions are not looking fantastic right now.

So slowly we’re getting time pressure.

The dream of Antarctica seems to come true

but what about our mission,

to make a movie there?

The weather has been this bad for 3 days now.

If that does not change soon,

the idea of visiting the penguin colony is done

because then we have to start our

first, very long way back

to make the stopover in Argentina.

Without setting foot on Antarctica at all.

What about our camera submarine?

Yes, that -

is definitely already in Buenos Aires.

Okay. Is that good or bad?

That's the good news. It's in Buenos Aires.

The bad news:

It's at the customs.

Oh no!

The weather forecast for today was actually

Sunshine and calm.

And we see:

We've got blowing snow,

blizzard

and up to 50 knots of wind.

That's no good.

We can not fly in this weather.

No chance.

The weather was just too bad.

The helicopters could not fly

and we basically could not do much.

And then, on top of it all,

now the camera broke.

This 360 degree camera.

It’s done now.

The whole underwater camera system

is now at customs,

but in the warehouse of DHL.

Well, it’s something.

So it can not get going until Tuesday

because Monday, tomorrow,

is a national holiday in Argentina.

And he also writes:

"If the value of the camera

Exceeds $ 1,000

then it is not allowed

to be shipped."

Yes,

that's stupid now, because:

The camera system costs about $ 65,000.

It was so obvious that it would not work.

This sh** submarine.

We have the best weather!

The sun is shining and we have 10 knots of wind.

80, perfect conditions.

We've got -3 degrees Celsius and

absolutely amazing light.

Perfect light.

So we can fly?

We can fly.

The first 2 helicopters already took off and

are doing the exploration flight today.

Explain briefly what you got there.

I've got

my clothing,

my radio holster

with a clock with time alarm,

against freezing,

gloves for taking pictures,

ear protection, life jacket, a watch with compass,

Backpack, rescue ropes,

Replacement gloves, a fleece pant,

snow goggles,

fur cap,

radio, gloves again

and a first aid kit.

Now the automatic is deactivated.

If the helicopter falls into the water,

it does not inflate automatically.

If I'm still conscious,

I am able to get out of the helicopter

and inflate it manually.

My wife said when I crash

she rips my head off.

So that's not possible.

Everything in subjunctive.

Well, then I would say:

Let's go!

We are finally here!

We landed on the ice.

And behind this iceberg

lies the penguin colony.

That’s awesome!

Just great!

3 days we were completely stuck on the ship

and did not do anything.

Finally we are on the ice!

This is the first time since

2013

that we can land here.

Oh!

Actually, it's the first time since 2013,

So it's very special!

We are on our way

to the colony of Emperor Penguins.

To reach it at all,

many factors have to interact with each other.

The weather must be right,

the ice must be thick enough

so that the helicopter does not break in

and the colony must not be too far away from the ship,

in order to reach it safely.

Generally, you have to find the colony at all.

To see what's on the display,

you have to take off the glasses.

But:

If you take off the glasses, you are totally blinded.

You film almost blind.

So if there are blurry shots anywhere -

that’s why!

Let’s go!

We have to go to the penguins!

To set our foot to Antarctica,

feels like a moon landing.

Unbelievable that we are walking on sea-ice.

That there is only water beneath us.

We have the many rules of conduct in mind

and can now really imagine

how sensitive this habitat must be here.

Very slowly we realize,

that we are really there.

We are super happy and grateful.

Did you hear that?

What kind of planet is this here?

We really did it!

We are now really at the colony,

in the Weddell Sea.

For years

it has been really hard to get here.

The whole penguins have chicks,

which are still really fluffy.

Just fantastic!

And in this fantastic light.

The light could not be better!

Yes, we will be picked up now

and then the day is over.

But we also did a lot today.

We set foot on Antarctica!

These are real, free-roaming penguins!

You have to realize that first.

Yes. This is not a zoo.

No!

This is wildlife, dude.

Wildlife!

Hey, how was it?

It was just fantastic!

Today was an incredibly rad day.

I can not put that into words.

I have -

never -

done anything that was even close to how awesome this was.

Well, we really wanted to go

under deck and work on the footage already.

But it is just

impossible,

because you always have this landscape in sight.

That's just so incredibly beautiful.

How does Lena feel

about you being gone for weeks so often?

Yes, that's not easy, of course.

When the child is born,

of course I can not go on expeditions that much anymore,

as I have always done.

I do not want to anyway, but -

she got to know me like this,

that I am constantly on expeditions.

We also met on an expedition.

That's why she understands that.

Good night!

Good night, Michael,

Good night, Dennis.

Good night, Tim,

Good night, Dennis.

Good night, Tim,

good night, Michael.

We are now leaving the Antarctic waters.

We are driving past the South Shetland Islands.

In a few minutes we’II pass through

the last 2 islands of the chain.

And -

then drive into the Drake Passage,

into the open sea,

where a storm awaits us.

We have to secure the cameras again.

Because we are going to drive towards Ushuaia now,

where we again take provisions and -

get new equipment.

And then we drive back,

to the other side of the Antarctic Peninsula,

for the next tour.

The first journey is behind us.

Halftime, then.

Ahead of us are many days at sea.

We look forward to the short stopover in Argentina.

Hopefully we can still pick up our camera submarine.

We definitely need more footage.

Because we were only ashore, shortly

and still have a lot to do.

On board with us will again be

a mix of adventurers, athletes and journalists from all over the world.

People like us, who want to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Immediately after the stop, we will be at sea again.

On the way to the west side

of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Depending on the weather, it will cost us more than a week,

until we see Antarctica again.

At least when wind and waves make it possible.

What kind of patch is that?

This one?

This is against seasickness.

So I won’t feel sick.

So far it works very, very well.

In the beginning -

I've always felt sick.

But now I have taken the plaster preventative

and it’s good.

But you have a few side effects.

You do not see so well anymore

and I'm a bit tired all the time.

It feels a little bit

as if you were drunk.

But that can also be due to the ship

that's shaking all the time.

You could really think that.

The last time it was

still green for the wind on the map,

this time it is purple.

So-

it will probably bang quite a bit.

Would it be boring without the Drake Passage?

What do you think?

You need the Drake,

the Drake is great!

Why?

It makes the point of going to Antarctica

If you can not deal with the Drake,

you should not go to Antarctica.

Okay.

Some people have to -

sufferjust a little bit.

So that was a really bad night today.

We woke up 10 times,

because the size of the waves has increased now.

They are already at 10 meters.

Against the ship's side wall,

right behind our heads,

the water always sloshes.

That's really loud,

as if you would hit a rain barrel.

Bad news.

Yes?

No 360 degree camera.

They have now tried to order several,

but -

it won’t get here.

The technology lets us down.

The Argentinian service lets us down.

The Argentinian customs

have pranked us -

again.

That's just crazy.

I think that's the hardest,

I ever -

experienced at the sea.

Welcome to the Drake Passage!

Thanks!

So this is the Drake Passage as you know it?

Yes.

It's a bit more than usual

but well,

definitely within the expectations.

So in your eyes everything is still okay?

Yes, everything is okay.

Good, all right!

Everything okay!

Wonderful!

On the trip we get to know Bill:

A Scotsman.

Crew member with passion.

73 years old,

retired art professor,

and a really tough guy.

In summer he drives into the polar regions

as an expedition guide.

In winter, he trains the Scottish ski rescue.

There are times where you go out

and think: Hm.

I'd better go back now because it's on the limit.

But it's good to do that!

You should not have a life

where everything is totally comfortable.

You want little bits of -

pulse racing and

discomfort,

you know?

This is a great stopover now in Ushuaia -

It has completely knocked me out

last night.

I have fever and a cold.

Today is this

dark red to purple here.

That's 40 to 60 knots of wind,

from the west.

That's the state now

at this time.

If we continue to click

For tomorrow it looks like

that we are driving exactly into this -

storm.

And we won’t get out there that fast

because it spreads, to the south.

Here's the wave forecast:

This dark magenta

are 6 to 9 meters.

And this purple, blue

that will be 12 to 14 meters.

We have to fasten our whole equipment

and hope we do not break

on this crossing.

But no matter. We have bigger problems.

Our ROV, the underwater camera system,

is still stuck in customs in Buenos Aires.

Total crap!

That's so annoying.

The weeks of preparation and paperwork for the ROV -

everything for the birds!

We will continue in a few hours

and without ROV.

Yes.

We have a new room

for camera equipment.

Right, Dennis?

Yes, if the thing does not work right away,

then we have one camera less, too,

because I will throw this thing -

in the water.

That really makes me mad.

No input!

No Input

The salt water destroys our cameras.

I think there is nothing worse than salt water -

for electronic equipment.

Yep.

Oh man!

What's that?

Look, it does not stop.

Yes

F***. I do not know why.

Gradually, we realize

that too many things are not going according to plan.

We're starting to panic,

that we may not get the other shots

we need.

Therefore, we’II organize ourselves again completely new.

Because we will arrive in the Antarctic

in a few days for the last time

and really need more perspectives for our film.

Especially ashore.

Besides, we hope

that Michael will soon be fit again and fully operational.

Paracetamol.

What's going on?

I feel sick! Again.

Again?

Me too.

The last few days it was still funny.

But now it's getting worse and worse.

You can not go anywhere else.

No matter where you are on the ship,

it wobbles.

I think the body is just not made for it.

The disgusting thing is,

that the patches

change the size of the pupils.

And only one-sided.

It starts to affect your psyche.

You get crazy here.

This here is like a crazy house.

Caught on a ship.

I'm already becoming a ship.

I'm melting into it.

I, myself, feel like a ship.

What's wrong with you?

I think I got infected by Michael.

But that is obvious

when you share such a small room.

Woke up today

with a sore throat and so on.

You see,

that we were stuck in the middle of the Drake Passage.

And now you do not only get sick but

on top of it you can hardly breath.

I'm actually wondering,

what we’re even doing here.

The waves is already extreme.

We're only making 5 knots somehow, I think.

We're not moving forward, more or less.

That's live right now.

Real time.

That's what's going on right now.

Not the most awesome day, today.

Michael, how are you?

Oh, kind of okay.

But my nose is blocked.

I have pressure in my forehead.

I have thrown in -

a few paracetamol again this morning.

The doctor said:

"Just stay in bed."

How long have you been staying in bed?

Since yesterday.

You look a bit sh**ty.

I feel sh**ty, too.

So we are back in Antarctica.

We hardly realize it,

because we are in bed with fever.

At least, our 360 degree camera is back in function,

because we met Nacho.

Nacho was born in Ushuaia.

A crew member,

a real joker

and he managed to fix that thing in the ship workshop.

I have like, I do not know,

loosened about 15 screws.

Tiny screws!

In addition, in Ushuaia Shawn has joined.

An athlete from the USA.

Hey Shawn, how was the hike?

Hey, yes that was fierce!

It was -

very long and went up steadily.

Was a good workout!

Close to the summit

it started snowing really hard,

the wind became stronger,

you could hardly see anything.

But not everyone is as happy as Shawn.

Actually we had planned to drive Zodiac,

to hike, to climb uphill.

But we can’t do it anymore.

The motivation to get up now

and haul our equipment through the area at sub-zero temperatures,

is down to zero.

We were prepared for a lot,

but that we would get sick and stay ill -

we did not plan that.

And at the temperatures

we can’t recover just a bit.

Our mission threatens to fail.

On the other hand, we knew from the beginning,

that this would not be a vacation.

We have the goal and need to make a movie.

We always remind ourselves of that.

So let's get our sh*t together now

and still give everything,

to gather enough perspectives from Antarctica.

The worst thing is,

that I am still not quite fit.

And Michael isn’t either.

But -

we'll manage it!

Is that the dream

which we absolutely wanted to fulfill?

To do it anyway

although everything contradicts?

How far should we go?

Will we be happy with the result in the end?

We have to hurry up a bit!

Why?

There's a storm, look!

How dark that looks.

If the thing breaks,

then we will not have a camera anymore!

Back to the ship, fast!

Before the camera is completely broken.

Michael, do you need help?

Okay, Tim!

We're stuck somewhere, right?

Get away from the stone!

You did not even see anything through the glasses.

The hardest part was to keep the equipment dry and

you were hoping all the time,

that it won’t fail completely,

because it was already soaking wet.

Our display

already has the first signs of -

of damage -

a water damage, probably.

We have to put it in rice again or something.

At the moment it is difficult

to get good shots.

In the storm.

Yes.

New tissues for the boys.

They’re emptying one box after another.

Here, Dennis!

Oh man, Dennis!

You’re destroying all the shots!

We'll take that anyway!

As if you're taking something like that in a movie.

Of course, man!

Of course we’re fighting sometimes.

Really rare, but right now with flu and time pressure

the tension is really big.

Since it's always about little things,

we talk it out for a moment and everything is back to normal.

Oh, kiss my A**!

Unfortunately, the rest is -

not okay.

Lots of melt- and splash water

causes further problems.

We were especially

prepared for extreme cold.

Not for positive degrees and snowfall.

Our mistake.

Many of the much-needed shots

will just not be good.

Either the technology does not work,

the weather does not fit,

or we can not focus

and make mistakes.

How should we ever make a movie out of this,

that anyone wants to watch?

In short:

We are totally f***** up.

But -

we always have to think about Shawn.

That motivates us not to give up.

Because Shawn has his own mission,

which is almost crazier than ours.

I always have many great ideas,

which I then try to plan

and try to adapt to them.

This time, the challenge was to come to the Antarctic,

to a strange place

to find out if I can climb here.

15 years ago, I lost my leg

in a traffic accident,

therefore I walk with a prosthesis since then.

When my leg gets warm and sweats,

then it does not fit properly anymore.

That can force me to slow down,

or can cause pain 0!" worse.

So as soon as I walk for longer,

I have to control it again and again,

once an hour or so.

Just to make sure it fits perfectly.

For the past 15 years, I have tried to stay active,

to try different things

and to push my abilities to their limits.

The only way to find out how far you can go,

is to push yourself and

to try different things

to see what works and what does not.

And you will be surprised

what you can do with a little help,

and with some experimentation.

If you try and fail,

at least you know that you tried.

We have a saying in the USA:

If you reach for the stars,

you may not get the stars.

But you may get the moon!

And it was not so much about reaching the summit of the mountain,

it's about challenging yourself

and going further and further.

Try things that make you uncomfortable!

Try things that teach you more about your body

and about yourself.

Otherwise you can sit around at home,

and pity yourself,

but that is not much of a life to have.

Our last day in the Antarctic

begins at the research station Almirante Brown.

It is located on the foot of a mountain

and we make our way up,

to enjoy a last view of the Antarctic.

We are still a bit excited,

because we do not know if our material

will ultimately be enough for a movie.

Stay here, not too far to the left!

There is an overhanging scarp.

Okay.

Come on, final spurt.

Only a few meters.

Go Tim, almost done!

To our luck

of course it's snowing again, but

that's Antarctica.

The weather changes within minutes.

I can not look at this

as you dance around the edge.

Yes -

will do.

Sh**, my display is broken!

I will not film anymore.

It is too much.

Why?

Because the whole camera is soaking wet again.

Look, if I do that,

the thing wobbles.

Sh**.

The camera is broken.

Then we realize:

We were so focused on our problems all the time,

that we did not even notice

that the weather has just completely cleared up.

So we use the moment and enjoy the view.

This moment basically represents the whole project.

We were very concentrated all the time

on what we had planned.

We did not notice until the end,

that everything that happened instead,

was even more exciting.

We have enough cool stuff,

just because not everything was perfect.

Last but not least, Shawn motivated us

to make something positive out of every situation.

So we will do that now.

Because we are here now.

On this mountain.

In Antarctica.

Somehow a key moment for us.

Let's see that we get down soon, right?

Why are we even walking?

Hey Tim, what's up?

What a day, Lynn!

Yes, it is amazing!

That's what I love so much about Antarctica.

We bid farewell to the Antarctic

and we start the return journey.

What a journey, what impressions.

A nice feeling,

that our dream has come true.

Also the mission of the movie seems -

to be on a good way.

Together with the crew members

and the other adventurers

we have a really fun time on board.

Course:

Ushuaia.

After 2 whole weeks

the flu also slowly let’s go

and we feel better again.

It is outside, behind the glass!

What are you doing?

Land!

Finally, having solid ground under your feet again.

Now you've done it!

You are ashore!

Yes, finally!

This is the first hard drive.

and that is the -

second hard drive.

80, kids. Come on?

Do we want to go in?

Pretty tired

Now we’re going to fly for 13 hours!

You may be wondering how we funded the movie.

Now you know it.

How long did you have to stand in the pedestrian area?

and make bubbles,

until we could do the movie?

If you ask,

what our cabin looked like:

A very good question.

Now we are pretty exhausted.

We probably do not just need holidays,

but a therapy, but -

it was worth it.

So is it enough to want something?

Can you fulfill the craziest dreams,

if only the will is strong enough?

Can work be fun?

What can we learn from

what we have experienced?

What did we get told?

When we told people about our plans in advance,

they called us insane.

And they were right.

It was a crazy project.

We had to fight,

have come to our limits

and a lot did not work as we had imagined.

Much of our journey actually -

did not work at all.

We were not satisfied.

But in the end, that's what made the project so special.

That you could just not plan everything.

Of course we had our doubts.

The project was hanging by a hair more than once,

but in the end, we have reached our

goal that was 14,000 kilometers away

and finished this movie anyway.

This is up to you,

as you watch this right now.

No matter how old you are,

no matter at which point in your life you are:

We made this movie to tell you that

what we would have liked to hear a lot earlier.

At school, from our friends or from the family.

Sure, we're still in the beginning

and do not want to annoy you with our advice.

Nevertheless, we learned a lot from Project: Antarctica,

that we would like to share here:

Do your thing!

Fight for it.

And stay tuned.

The greatest potential lies in the things

for which you burn for.

Find out what you're burning for.

There is always a way to do

what you really want to do.

You need more time? Take it.

Do you want to do things differently? Do them differently.

Listen to your gut feeling.

Because ultimately it is your life.

You are responsible.

If the conditions look bad,

try it anyway.

Maybe that makes the difference.

That you even tried.

That's why we're sure

that all this is not just for the job.

You can apply this attitude to any decision

that has to do with your own future

or a specific goal.

It's worth fighting for a dream!

We are sure,

anyone can start a project or a mission.

Because everyone has their own Antarctica.

What is yours?

After some back and forth,

we come back to Germany.

It feels like we've been gone forever.

Unfortunately, our sense of time soon accelerates again.

Because at home, not only is Christmas waiting for us,

but also over 130 hours of footage

and the mission,

to make a complete movie out of it.

11 months until the premiere.

That literally means:

For the entire next year, we have

no life anymore.

An absolute full-time job,

which fully brings us to our limits again.

We have no script or something.

Furthermore, this time, we only live off our savings

and stay afloat with small side jobs.

This is of course stressful, because -

at the same time we take care of cinema preparations,

Social Media, our sponsors and partners,

the PR work, and �

our book about the movie,

that would have never been possible without some big support.

We also travel through Germany,

to negotiate deals,

to introduce Project: Antarctica.

Then the new website goes online,

we show our 360 degree pictures.

We reach more people on Facebook

and start our Instagram.

The first press reports appear.

After Germany, we’re now also getting

screening and TV requests from abroad.

We put together a team:

Bernhard, as a composer and sound designer.

Hendrik and his crew for online marketing.

In the end we are more than 10 people,

who work on the project because it keeps growing.

Although we have our doubts about whether we can afford it,

we also contact one of the biggest music publishers in the world.

In addition to Bernhard's music, we want

to license our favorite tracks from Moderate

In the end, it really works.

Unfortunately, the project costs keep growing properly, as well.

Until the premiere, we are looking for more sponsors and film distributors,

so that we do not run out of money.

A relaxed project looks very different.

Most of the things in this project

we learned on the go.

We had to improvise a lot.

We already had some experience with videos and filming,

online marketing,

but the cinema industry is completely new to us all.

We ask our friends and contacts for information,

in Germany and also in America.

And we do a lot of research online.

Oh yes!

The bachelor thesis.

We still have to do a written part.

That's what we'll take care of

when the theatrical phase is over.

Alright.

Scout's honor!

So we can hardly believe it:

Project: Antarctica seems to have finished.

Has the experiment succeeded?

We leave the answer to you!

But to answer the question from earlier:

Yes. We are happy with the result.

Because we see again,

you have to dare

to keep going,

and above all, do it.

But what is a "real job",

you have to decide for yourself.