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documentaire
Aap tot Aap
Aap tot Aap is a documentary by Meike Schaapveld exploring why humans physically express emotions, such as blushing from shame, crying from sadness, or screaming from fear. In collaboration with cognitive psychologist Prof. Dr. Mariska Kret, the film investigates the emotional parallels between humans and apes. Meike’s personal reflections add an intimate and vulnerable tone to the scientific narrative.
Even though the film is set within an informative, scientific context, Meike still made sure the film carried a personal and emotional thread. My goal was to bring that to the surface through music. The central theme, written with syncopated rhythms in 5/4, reflects the playfulness of apes and recurs in various forms throughout the film. Live recordings of violin and vibraphone brought the score further to life, thanks to Camille Rabot (violin) and Francesco Rubin (vibraphone), with support from recording engineer Jens Loeven. Working closely with the rest of the audio team during post-production was a highlight. The final mix with engineer Thom Verbree, alongside Armani van Engelen (sound design) and Cyril Jansen (foley), helped bring out the nuances and refine the film’s sound.
Original music by Floris Heemskerk
Directed by Meike Schaapveld | Featuring Prof. Dr. Mariska Kret
Live recordings: Camille Rabot (Violin), Francesco Rubin (Vibraphone)
Recording engineer: Jens Loeven
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Animatie
Void
VOID is an animated short by Bertus Dokter, shining a light on mental health issues, specifically the fear of leaving home. The story follows a character overwhelmed by the outside world, until he finally steps outside…
The music begins with piano and clarinet. The clarinet was chosen to express loneliness and emptiness through its ‘hollow’ character. As the story progresses, the music builds in intensity, culminating in an orchestral version of the main theme inspired by Puccini’s Nessun dorma, symbolizing struggle and triumph. The clarinet — which initially symbolized loneliness and emptiness — now returns at the end to convey the exact opposite; turning the narrative around and showing how the same sound can now express safety and calmness, like birdsong that comes when the danger has passed.
Because the clarinet was central to expressing both this fear and the resolution, I recorded these parts live with clarinetist Isis van Loosdrecht, supported by recording engineer Jens Loeven. Even though I was able to create the big explosion sound effect myself to make it work together with the music, I called in Dickenson Eekman to help further refine the sound design. All of this elevated the production beyond what I could have achieved alone.
Original music by Floris Heemskerk
Directed by Bertus Dokter | Clarinet: Isis van Loosdrecht | Recording engineer: Jens Loeven | Sound design: Dickenson Eekman
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NPO ZAPP Pilot
The Biznizzkid
The Biznizzkid is a pilot episode for the Dutch public broadcaster NPO Zapp, about a child who takes over his father’s business. Composer Joep Boode asked me to co-write the score, and we chose a jazz big band style. It felt like the perfect match: playful yet polished — much like the story itself.
Joep and I divided the scenes and occasionally composed side by side in the studio. For this particular scene, I took the lead, especially on the brass writing and orchestration, while Joep contributed guitar parts and arrangement ideas. With help from Maas van Gogh we recorded the saxophone parts, which really brought the much needed energy to the music. Although the pilot didn’t develop into a full series, it was a valuable chance to explore a genre I love and collaborate closely on a project my good friend Joep Boode.
Original music by Floris Heemskerk & Joep Boode
Directed by Rosa Meijer | Saxophone: Maas van Gogh