To promote the novel ‘Richard’ (written by M.M. Visser and R. Hulshof), director Martijn Rijnberg, musician Roly Porter, and actor Leon Herbert (Alien 3) joined forces to create a teaser that shows what the mind is capable of and how you can be caught up in your story. Roly Porter created a unique custom made musical composition that together with Leon Herberts voice guides the viewer through a short existential journey. The novel tells the autobiographical story of the co-author M.M. Visser, in which her past experiences keep her from having a life of love. A bit like taking the red pill in The Matrix, she discovers that everything she believes in and stands for, is nothing more than a story to keep her going.

Director’s Statement

For the film Richard (a teaser for the novel Richard), I have tried to let the viewer experience how it is to get trapped in your own stories, and how you can be liberated by accepting that all these stories are nothing more than just stories. The water droplets symbolize these stories, where the water streams symbolize thought streams. I have tried to mimic the chaotic and random feel of rain, and how there is beauty in its randomness (a bit like the plastic bag in American Beauty). When focussing on this single droplet at the end of the film, there is this moment of clarity, where there is awareness, and then there is the moment to let go. The whole idea started when I was taking a shower, and I was watching the droplets on the shower glass wall, thinking about how to visualize the novel Richard (the authors are my friends and clients). Suddenly, I saw these water droplets very clearly, and the idea started to grow. I have started to do a lot of experiments, with many lenses and setups, all in the same shower. I have shot everything in Raw, building up an enormous collection of huge files, to get the right natural feel, and movements of droplets. Working together with the highly talented Roly Porter and brilliant Leon Herbert was a joy. We are now working on a new film project together. A big one 🙂