Working side by side with students from other courses

Tim Meyer initiated the ambitious project titled AKILA, a dance film that merges his love for composition and film with the dynamic energy of dance. Reflecting on the project, Tim shares, "In the past months, I’ve been working on a film called AKILA. This project involves students from various courses at ArtEZ, and it's a testament to how life is all about the relationships between things rather than singular objects. For me, this project is about the collective effort that brings it to life, not just about any single person within it."

Tim: thankful for incredible collaborations

“The core of this project are the people I get to work and collaborate with”, says Tim. “The film will be a dance film, so naturally I’m working with students from the bachelor’s course Dance Artist in Arnhem.” One of those students is Bernat, who is the choreographer. Bernat works with seven dancers from the first, second and third year.

In addition to the dancers, there are many more students from all kinds of bachelor’s courses involved in the project. Tim: “Everybody’s doing their part creating and realising a vision and story, using their own crafts and talents. For example, other composers are helping me with the shoot itself, a Product Design student built a custom mirror for the set design, as well as students from Fashion Design, Jazz & Pop , Dance Artist and Music Theatre for the costumes, lighting setup and hair & make up design.”

This project would not have been possible without all of my incredible collaborators who already made this project into more than I could have ever dreamt it to be.”

Tim's inspiration for AKILA stems from a book he read on quantum physics, which profoundly influenced his view on connections and relationships. "The two reasons I did this project were: one, the book on quantum physics that highlighted how life is centred around relationships rather than individuals; and two, my passion for working with dancers. I finally had the chance to direct a film and saw it as the perfect opportunity to combine these interests and explore what happens when they come together."

Bernat: the choreographer’s perspective

Bernat, who choreographed the dance for the project, found the experience incredibly enriching. "Being the choreographer for Tim’s video project was an amazing experience”, says Bernat. “It was incredible to work closely with Tim as a composer and collaborate with the dancers. The concept Tim gave me was quite abstract, involving ideas from quantum physics about the connections between individuals and groups in society. Surprisingly, these concepts translated very naturally into movement."

The openness of Tim’s concept allowed for a lot of creative freedom.”

Bernat’s ability to interpret and translate Tim’s abstract ideas into dance underscores the powerful synergy that can emerge from interdisciplinary collaboration. "The openness of Tim’s concept allowed for a lot of creative freedom. It was fascinating to explore how an individual's behaviour in a group and a group's behaviour towards an individual could be expressed through dance."

When you have a burning passion for art in your heart, there’s often no other option but to pursue it.”

Composition for Film & Theatre

Tim shares: "The bachelor’s course Composition for Film & Theatre has been a great place to tell my own stories, create music I love, and share it with the world in a narrative that extends beyond just the music. When you have a burning passion for art in your heart, there’s often no other option but to pursue it. The best thing you can do in life is to follow your passions and do what you love."

• More about Composition for Film & Theatre

Dance Artist

Bernat’s course, Dance Artist, trains you to become a dance artist with a solid physical and theatrical basis that will enable you to define your own position in the dance field. Performance, co-creation and creation go hand in hand during this course.

• More about Dance Artist