TV's Detective Inspector Nick Tschiller can clear out his desk: with nearly 20 years' experience and some 200 cases solved, the »Pfefferkörner« are definitely Hamburg's top criminologists.
The five youngsters have been doing detective work in Hamburg's Speicherstadt since 1999, in a team whose members have changed from time to time. So, it was only a question of time until one of their cases took them to the Elbphilharmonie.
As of 1 December a new group, consisting of the five detectives Nele, Levin, Kira, Tayo and Femi, has been running the investigations. In the episode »Das Wunderkind« (The Child Prodigy), a young musician is kidnapped from the Elbphilharmonie, and the Pfefferkörner have to take up pursuit.
Making-Of
Apart from a chase through different parts of the Speicherstadt, a large part of the scenes were filmed in the sacred halls of the Elbphilharmonie. From the Plaza and the foyers to the artists' dressing rooms, the young Pfefferkörner viewers enjoy not only an exciting story, but an interesting look behind the scenes at the Elbphilharmonie as well. And it goes without saying that a unique concert is part of the package.
Behind the Scenes
»This episode is a super opportunity to give children a better understanding of classical music in an exciting way.«
Regisseurin Andrea Katzenberger
For the five young Pfefferkörner actors, and especially for the production team, filming inside the Elbphilharmonie was a very special experience: after all, it was one of the first major TV productions to be allowed in.
The Elbphilharmonie's tight schedule made filming inside the Grand Hall, in particular, quite a challenge, as all the scenes had to be filmed twice. The reason was that a young music student, Lucy, had to step in to give the »child prodigy« the nimble fingers necessary for the part. The fingers on the piano keys were filmed separately from the face to ensure that the viewers don't notice.
It was certainly worth the trouble: after a premiere at Hamburg's MICHEL film festival for children and young people in early October and the first television broadcast on 1 December 2018, the episode can now be watched in the NDR Mediathek.
Text: Julian Conrad, last updated: 29.11.2018
