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