In 2005, the second edition of high school video competition Expose Your Talent was launched. After winning the first edition in 2004, we were rearing to go again. The most important questions, to my mind, were: what story shall we tell, and what techniques shall we experiment with this time around? Having previously told a sad story in non-chronological order, my instinct was to plump for something happier and more straightforward. Inspiration came during a Dutch class. As I’ve always been a doodler, I translated the lecture on romance in the Middle Ages into little sketches of knights, damsels in distress and, for no particular reason, dragons. Connecting these doodles with the video competition, I had found the concept for Courtly love.

Right, so that was another old film from my past, all done, move along now. Oh, you’ve heard there’s more to tell about this one? Well, yes, I suppose there is. Are you sure you want me to continue? It’s going to get quite embarassing, you know. Still curious? Okay, then…

The organisation behind the competition had made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. They asked me if I would like to keep an online journal, about the making of our film. With it, I might inspire the new contestants, give them some tips, that sort of thing. So, alternating with fellow-alumnus of the 2004 edition, Martijn Hoogland, I wrote a few blog posts. But that wasn’t what excited me most. At the time, Peter Jackson’s King Kong was about to be released. Throughout filming and editing, Jackson and his team had published production diaries in the shape of short videos, showing every aspect of the making of King Kong. Now, have I mentioned I’ve been a huge fan of Jackson’s since his The Lord of the Rings films? Well, you can guess what happened next, can’t you?

We ended up doing exactly 10 ProduXion diaries (the X being a riff on the Expose Your Talent logo). Looking at them now is a lesson in humility, I can tell you that much. Still, most people feel awkward when seeing or hearing themselves back on video or in other media. I wonder if Peter Jackson feels the same? Anyway, have a look, while I, uhm, look the other way.

1 – In which 16-year-old me introduces the team, consisting largely of the Fatal cast and crew, with a few omissions and some new faces.

2 – In which 17-year-old me bangs on about how to format a script. Looking at it now, I’d say I was right about the general idea, but utterly wrong in every detail. God, I’ve learned a lot since then…

3 – A blooper reel, really. Or, to put it another way, an example of some of the difficulties of filming.

4 – In this one, I was trying to set up a mystery. Thing is: the mysterious project never happened in the end. I was hoping to make an ‘Expose Your Talent all stars’ film, with the organisation and winners from last year. It fell through when it transpired there wasn’t enough time. (A.K.A.: The production diary in which I develop what might optimistically be called facial hair.)

5 – Campy Christmas wishes, ahoy! Singing dolls, girls wearing silly hats, what more could you possibly want?

6 – In which our little production takes over a Dutch class. Fitting, considering an earlier Dutch class was the inspiration for our story. Our teacher, Mrs Kol, is an absolute hero for having made this possible. (Warning: The video contains Younger Me bragging about my education and a then-recently won award. Doofus.)

7 – This one is quite a good little mini-documentary for a 17-year-old and his mates, if I do say so myself. A proper production diary. It includes a brief appearance by Sjaak Jansen, our arts teacher, my unofficial mentor throughout high school and a friend to this day.

8 – More bragging about awards, I’m afraid. Plus the rather pompous reveal of the fact that our film contained animated sequences, with the bathroom door as a clunky metaphor for access to our non-existant animation studio.

9 – The word ‘clunky’ keeps suggesting itself in relation to the animation, which gets its own behind the scenes featurette here.

10 – The last one! And I still haven’t died of shame. That’s unexpected. To be honest, I think it’s quite an enjoyable finale, despite the long title sequence. There’s a lot of coverage of the Expose Your Talent 2006 award show, presented by Dennis Weening and director Johan Nijenhuis. (I wonder where my beard had gone…)

Still here? Oh. Hmm. Well, I guess I can throw in one more video. Please enjoy a photo gallery, set to the original music my talented sister Céline wrote for the film.