Synthetic Mountains

Why did you choose Synthetic Mountains?
It was a song that appealed to me because of its rather unusual cadence. Moreover, it was instrumental, and the absence of lyrics gave me the freedom to create my own narrative around it.

How did the song inspire your screenplay?
Synthetic Mountains reminded me somewhat of a funeral march, a marche funèbre in French. When I discussed the song with Joost, a cinematographer, he saw water with it. Death + water subsequently led to the Styx. That is the river in Greek mythology that separates the upper world from the underworld. And that in turn reminded me of the ferryman, Charon, who subsequently became the main character of the music video.

Do you consider it a problem that some, perhaps many, will not understand the references to Charon, Greek myths, the coins and such?
Not really. It is a music video, a format that lends itself well to multi-interpretable imagery. Everyone is free to give the music and the images their own interpretation.

Why did you choose these three/four characters alongside Charon: the stoker, the writer, and the girls/the girl?
They also represent three generations. After all, death is not reserved solely for the elderly. The stoker represents a profession that no longer exists, a 'dead' profession, so to speak. The writer struggles with fake news, with censorship, and therefore with being muzzled. Finally, the girls, or rather the girl, struggles with her internal conflict. Extraverted or introverted, cheerful or sad, that sort of thing. If the internal conflict becomes too intense, the unique individual can cease to exist.

Why did you choose a 10-year-old boy for the role of Charon? Usually, he is depicted as an old man.
Good question. I enjoy working with children, partly because of their innocence. Charon decides who is or isn't allowed into his ferryboat. I thought it was an interesting concept to have an innocent child in charge of that. We then added a blindfold to it, a symbol of impartiality, which is also a form of innocence.

Why did you film Charon in black and white, and the three/four other characters in colour?
I wanted to give Charon gravitas. The three or four secondary characters, on the other hand, briefly come to life, and colour suits that better.

What gives you the most satisfaction during the creative process? Writing the screenplay, the organisation, the filming, the editing ...?
The filming itself. There and then it has to happen. Moreover, it is teamwork, and when everything falls into place during the shoot, well, that is most satisfying.