Image or sound? The combination is my favourite. I manage nine students who produce all kinds of videos for the university, from instructional videos to summaries of PhD defences. I handle everything around that, from scouting locations and finding the right shots to sending invoices. Making videos has always been a passion of mine, but my background is in music. I studied electronic composition and sound design, and I compose my own music. Not in the traditional way, writing sheet music at the piano, but on a computer, designing and editing sounds. I’m currently working on a score for a short film that’s premiering in late November. I love switching between the worlds of image and sound. I wouldn’t want to choose between the two.
When was the last time you laughed? [Thinks] Can it be a moment when I laughed and cried at the same time? That was when I heard my nephew, Sjefke, had been born. It made me so happy and emotional – new life, an addition to the family. It’s too special to put in words.
"We make it work together, we're a cheerful bunch"
My brother and sister are my best friends. I wouldn’t call my family that. The bond you have with each other is so different, more special. Friends are special too, but family isn’t something you can just switch off or let go of. You really have to make it work together, and we’re very good at that. We’re a cheerful bunch. All three of us ended up in creative fields, which is something we got from our parents. My mother is an artist and my father has always been into music, just like my grandfather, a talented pianist. It’s just something you absorb growing up.
What is your greatest fear? That we’ll end up destroying the planet and making it uninhabitable. I’m quite an optimistic person, but I’m also realistic, and things are clearly headed in the wrong direction.
What is the best film you’ve ever seen? Well, the one I’ve seen most often is The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. You can really tell that some scenes were built around the music instead of the other way around, using the music as a starting point instead of adding it later. It’s almost like an Italian opera in that sense. I also love Twin Peaks – not a film, but a series in which the relationship between image, sound and music is masterful. I wish I could watch all of it again for the first time.
"I meditate, it’s not the same as placing your problems in God’s hands, but I’d say there’s definitely some overlap"
Do you ever pray? Not in the traditional sense; I don’t turn to God. The word “religion” carries a lot of weight, but I do think that believing in something can bring people together. I miss that in today’s society, where there’s so much division and so little compassion. I meditate. It’s not the same as placing your problems in God’s hands, but I’d say there’s definitely some overlap. I once did a course in transcendental meditation in Utrecht – it’s about looking at all the things that occupy your mind, including the unpleasant ones, from different perspectives, and then letting go. You shouldn’t avoid things; you have to face them, even when it’s hard.
If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere, where would it be? I’d actually like to observe myself for a day, to see how I go about things, especially when I’m composing. When I’m working on music, I’m very much on my own. It’s nice to work alone, but it can also be confronting, like when I get stuck and there’s no one to ask for help. It’s hard not to be overly critical of myself. It would be interesting to see that from an outside perspective.
My greatest love… is Loes. It’s wonderful how we can spend whole days together without getting on each other’s nerves. That’s quite special, I think. It helps that we can talk about the same things and share a lot of the same interests. Loes loves music too, though she’s even more into dance. They complement each other perfectly.
"I hope we can find some optimism in the future"
What’s the best trip you’ve ever been on? I find it a shame that so many people think they have to travel far to see something beautiful, for example to Southeast Asia. There’s so much to discover in Europe. You’d be amazed at what you can see here. I love England, Ireland and Scotland – not just the cultures, but also the stunning landscapes. After Christmas, my family and I are going hiking in Yorkshire, which I’m really looking forward to. It helps me unwind and process things, switch off for a bit. I sometimes struggle to turn my thoughts off at night. Instead, I worry about things or replay the day in my head.
What is your dream? To keep doing what I’m doing, in a way that feels right to me. To stay inspired, and for new things to emerge from that. And I hope we’ll eventually manage to fix the world a bit and find some optimism again in the future.