It’s Friday afternoon around 12:30 – a special moment in the week: Our shared lunch.
Every week, someone else draws the short straw and cooks for the whole group – eight to 10 people in total. The rest of the week we’re running from one meeting to another, scattered across the island or even across the other islands. But on Fridays, whenever possible, we’re all together.
Like in so many teams, our lunch table is always a cheerful kind of chaos. One person tries to grab food first, another serves everyone generously. Some chat quietly while the chef of the week is still putting the finishing touches on the meal. And during lunch, we talk about everything – news of the week, things on our minds, work topics that still need to be discussed. Sounds familiar, right?
But this Friday is different. We’ve just received the very first rough cut of the first episode of the WOW! documentaries. It’s the episode about Curaçao. There’s still a lot to do – the voice-over hasn’t been recorded yet, colour correction is missing, the sound isn’t balanced, and the music still needs to fall into place. And, yet … I already feel it’s worth showing.
The day before, I had announced that I wanted to show the rough cut during lunch and the response was instant enthusiasm. And this morning, I could already hear people talking about it. They were curious and full of anticipation.
During lunch, I pick my seat carefully. Not just to have a good view of the screen, but especially to watch my colleagues’ faces. I’m so eager to see their reactions. I know there are already a few magical moments in the documentary, and I want to see with my own eyes if they feel it too.
And, yes, within minutes, the first “WOW!”s fly across the table. I see wonder, sometimes even disbelief, in their eyes. As I observe them, I suddenly feel how deeply this moment moves me. This is it. This is the very first moment when something that existed only in my imagination six years ago becomes real. The first images of WOW! are being shared with people I care about. I’m touched. While they continue watching, I quietly wipe away a tear.
Afterwards, we talk about it. Everyone agrees the stories are powerful. Some are visibly moved; others say they even learned new things about Curaçao they hadn’t known before. And, of course, there are also helpful suggestions on how to make it even better. That’s exactly what I love about this team; the openness, the honesty, the shared drive to make something beautiful even better.
Still, it’s nerve-racking. Not just showing this first cut, but also thinking about what’s ahead. I know there will be many opinions – people who love it, and people who are critical or disagree with how certain things are portrayed. It feels vulnerable to share this, because no matter how pure your intentions are, there will always be criticism. And yet I think: Bring it on. Only together can we make it better.
A few days later, fantastic news arrive: Our cinematographer has won a prestigious film award in the U.S., and our co-producer takes home a Golden Calf, the audience award for The Wild North Sea.
At that moment, I know for sure that WOW! will truly be WOW!
