ID CARD
- Name: Maxime Buck
- Age: 18
- High school: Michel Rodange
- Hobbies: rock climbing; programming; science projects; crafts
- Strengths: Composure in all circumstances. Doing and participating for the fun of it.
- Favourite subjects: All of them! As a result, Maxime doesn't know what to choose later on...
- Motto: “ The key to overcoming stress is to have fun ”.
Maxime, very much at ease during the interview, impresses with his calm, well-constructed answers. The 18-year-old is used to stress: before Take Off, he had already taken part in a number of national and international competitions. Last year, thanks to the Jonk Fuerscher Wettbewerb, he joined an international group of no fewer than 1,800 competitors in Dallas (USA)! And at the start of this year, he headed off to Taiwan, again thanks to the Jonk Fuerscher. And yet, despite this impressive track record, Maxime remains zen under all circumstances - how does he do it? What's his secret?
When you signed up for Take Off, what were your thoughts? What was it like signing up with your sister?
“First of all, I didn't know there had been a first season! I found out about Take Off from posters in my high school inviting students to take part in season 2. I liked the idea straight away, and signed up with my sister. We knew that the pre-casting would be the most difficult stage, since three quarters of all contestants are eliminated then. So, statistically, it's the most difficult test to pass. My sister passed the pre-casting but was eliminated afterwards; despite this, she's been very supportive and is determined to take part in the next season.
So it was during the pre-casting that I was most stressed; I knew that the rest would be easier. But right from the start, I told myself that this was a game, and that I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. Without pleasure, there's no point in taking part."
Was Take Off what you'd imagined it to be?
“Once I'd signed up, I watched all of the first season. So I knew what to expect. Overall, the show was just what I expected: practical challenges and a lot of logic. A few challenges were a little more special: I was very surprised by the return of 4 eliminated contestants! (Editor's note: episode 10) We had to get to work straight away, without knowing what their role would be; at that point, I could feel the pressure building.
Another difference with the first season was the role of the hands-on work, which I felt was even more important.”
Are you a born handyman?
“Yes, I've been tinkering since I was a kid. At my grandparents' vacation home in France, I built a large tree house several meters up in the air - while taking care to protect the trees. I had to devise a system of metal cables stretched between the trees, on which a platform rested, so as not to damage them. I also built a rather special terrace, designed to allow water to pass through (see photo)”.
What strengths of yours helped you during the show?
“Calmness, mainly. But also logic. You don't need any prior knowledge to succeed in Take Off: you're given all the information you need at the start of each challenge. Then, all the way through, it's logic that keeps you going - rational thinking.
However, you can prepare yourself for the craft! Handling tools, being able to imagine feasible constructions, being familiar with materials... This helps a lot. But no worries for future contestants: there's a briefing on all the tools involved, with several hours of practice, before the show starts.”
What was your favorite challenge?
“The one where we had to build a car powered by burning ethanol. The solution was to put ethanol in a plastic bottle, shake it hard to allow the ethanol vapors to fill the bottle, then light the whole thing with a lighter. The resulting combustion creates a very powerful thrust, enabling the car to move forward - quite spectacularly - and cross the finish line.
To build the car, we used a small tractor as a base, which had to be completely dismantled to rebuild a new, lighter chassis, using the tractor's axles. This took a lot of time.
Our car was so efficient that it even made a complete turn on itself before crossing the finish line. It was impressive, especially as the fire extinguishers were making a hell of a racket - every time they were used, we thought it was the noise of one of the other cars, that they'd managed a jump start and we'd lost!”
How do you manage your stress?
“Concerning the show, I told myself that only the pre-casting was difficult. That took away some of the pressure. After that, you have to tell yourself that it's just a game and that you're in it for the fun of it. The final prize is not the ultimate goal: having fun takes a lot of the tension out of it. I apply this principle to all my challenges.
The thing that unsettled me the most was the strain of the others, which is contagious! Fortunately, we had a psychologist on the show who taught us anti-stress methods (such as breathing) which helped me. You have to breathe deeply.
In everyday life, I very rarely feel anxious. I've already had to make presentations in front of hundreds of people, in front of large juries... But if you're well prepared, there's no reason to worry. And afterwards, if you've done your best, there's no reason to feel guilty.”
Speaking of stress: were you afraid of the cameras?
“No, I wasn't. I was used to it from other competitions. It didn't break my concentration.”
How did the people around you react when you signed up?
“During the shooting, of course, we weren't allowed to reveal any details to those around us. It was hard to keep everything a secret. Sometimes a shooting could last several days in a row, so we had to say that we'd signed up...
However, there were times when the people around us were kept in the loop, for example for the theater episode: my family members helped me rehearse and gave me feedback on my script. We even built a little stage in the garden so I could practice. They were very helpful and happy for me to have this experience. They were all invited to the preview and couldn't wait to see me.”
What was the best moment of the show for you?
“I can't think of a specific moment: I enjoyed the whole experience. The team was really nice, the coaches were great, the stay in the youth hostel too... Really, the whole experience was fantastic.”
What advice would you give to those thinking of taking part in the next season of Take Off?
“Watch the first two seasons! Tinker. Be confident in front of the cameras. And maybe do a little acting beforehand if you're under a lot of stress?”
What are your hobbies outside Take Off?
“I like climbing a lot. It's both strategic and very muscular. You need a lot of determination. I mainly do block climbing (editor's note: climbing on a wall without a harness, up to 6m high) and it's like a puzzle that you have to solve every time. Here too, you have to stay calm; it's above all a competition against yourself.
Apart from climbing, I do a lot of DIY, and I'm also an avid programmer."
Do you know what you want to do later on?
“I'm passionate about everything. Whatever direction I'm going to take, I feel it's going to motivate me. I want to choose a Bachelor's degree that's a bit more universal to keep all the doors open. Maybe something to do with artificial intelligence?”
Author : Diane Bertel
Editors : Lucie Zeches (FNR), Joseph Rodesch (FNR)
