I am what you can call a multi media artist, a musician, maker of music videos and commercials. Of Dutch origin, but French by culture, for I moved to France when I was 12 years old. After a few school years at the Lyceum International in Paris I studied enough Architecture at the Beaux Arts in Paris to find out that I did not want to be an architect. Home computers saved my life.
I discovered in the eighties that you could paint and make music with home computers (Amiga, Apple, …).
I started as paint-box operator and have directed about 50 music videos for major French artists.
Since 1996 I have made more than 250 commercials around the world – often full of special effects – for brands like Ford,
Volkswagen, Audi, Lexus, Toyota, Toyota F1, Nissan, Infiniti, Citroën, Dodge, Cadillac, General Motors, Opel, Mercedes, Peugeot,……… ;
Pepsi, Coca Cola, Tropicana, Panasonic, Timex, Danone, T-Mobile, SFR, etcetera…
I also worked with many celebrities for L’Oreal, like Beyoncé Knowles, Claudia Schiffer, Mila Jovovich, Natalia Vodianova and Virginie Ledoyen and with Daniel Wu in Hong Kong, Katrina Kaif in Mumbai ; as well as many athletes: International soccer players for Pepsi and Danone, rugby players, Formula-1 pilots, skydivers, roolerskaters, surfers, parachutists…
Many films won prizes in many international festivals, like Golden Lion and Bronze Lion in Cannes, Epica Awards, Golden Drum Award Portocros, and more. I also support ‘Reporters sans frontières’ (‘Reporters without borders’) and the Hulot Foundation, for whom I made several films.
I have always tried to stay on top of the technical evolution of picture and sound.
Since 2008, I am involved in the development of an animation & CGI company : www.delapostparis.com
As you might be able to tell: I’ve been spoiled…
I’m not in therapy, don’t play golf and sports cars do nothing for me (it’s work !!).
I’ve never stopped making music. I share a vintage, analogue recording studio with my friend and composer Marco Rosano and own a large collection of vintage synthesizers and keyboards. Together we composed and produced most of the music in my commercials.
Besides making music to accompany pictures, our studio also produced music.
For years I was a frustrated artist, not able to create a single painting that I really liked.
Since two years I started painting again, with passion and ambition. Finally happy with my work on the canvas : www.vroegop.fr
Is it better than before? I have no idea…
Have I aged? Definitely.
Have I lost my energy and passion? I sure hope not!