SIDNEY JOHN VOLLMER

CONCEPT, COPY & STRATEGY. WELCOME.

My name is Sidney. Sid for short. I like to think and tinker, read and taste, puzzle and solve. I get goose bumps when a great idea comes along and I manage to grab it by the tail. I like to think I'm a modestly provocative intellectual that is eclectically dilettantish. Sometimes people say I'm just into multi-syllable words. I like to surround myself with people that are smarter than me and help them go further.

In 2012, I published my first novel and award winning bookapp. In 2014 a diary made from tweets. I published a podcast show on digital technology and culture. In 2017 I published my third book, ON/OFF: searching for balance in digital times. I currently develop concepts driving innovation and humane technology for others and write my fourth book for myself. If you need some help solving puzzles, maybe I can help.
Every drop of water on earth was probably brought here by a meteorite.
Rain is cool.

2023: CHANGING FOCUS

Rain isn’t so bad. No, really. I could tell you stories that would make you love every single drop of clammy, chilling wetness you ever felt.
.

But for now, let’s keep things nice, dry and simple.

I’ve been educated in telling stories irregardless of the medium or audience. I have made films and published books, and have applied those skills for startups, governments, big and small brands alike. In a world that’s becoming increasingly fractured, polished and polarized, I consider storytelling an increasingly relevant skill. A skill that I not only enjoy deploying, but love helping others hone in on.

From 2023 onward, I want to help discover and tell stories primarily for organizations that help heal our planet and fight the climate collapse.

You can read more about my previous work below.
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Tell me more about yourself? Quite busy. Portfolio please?

THINGS I MADE AND LESSONS I LEARNED:

How to work with big dreams on micro budgets

KEEPING TRACK: MY FIRST SHORT

Thing made:

A moody short fiction film about inevitability and love lost. I made this instead of an internship while studying for my MA at Utrecht University. I even took the film to Tribeca. Funny story.

Lesson learned:

How to direct big shot actors & a crew of twenty – aged 22 – in the worst November storm of the decade.

Also learned:

Making a film with little knowledge & no budget is really educational. And lots of fun.

A DUTCH SCI-FI. WHY NOT?

Thing made:

I wanted to make something extra-curricular while studying at the Dutch Filmacademy. This is an enigmatic science-fiction film about growing up and becoming curious if there’s more to life.

Lesson learned:

Sci-fi is cool. But people that help you build an entire set, employ robotics and design visuals effects are way cooler.

Also learned:

Duncan Jones released Moon within a year. Having 25,000 times our budget didn’t mean you had to steal our story, Duncan.

DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL SKILLS

THIS. IS. SPARTAAA!

Thing made:

While writing columns and outlining my first book (2009), Sparta (the bike brand, not the ancient city, nor the football club) asked me to make a moodfilm about their e-bike. We pitched and made “Bert Haanstra in the 21st century”, directed by yours truly. (together with wonderful ad agency True Ideas)

Lesson learned:

The power of sound. I am still impressed with how good this edit works on the rhythm of real factory noises.

Also learned:

Making creative work for commercial clients is pretty cool. I should do more of that.

A FREEBIE FOR AD LAND

Thing made:

A webcam game + TVC I concepted (2010) to show that I could direct as well as think out commercial concepts. “Korting Kijken” gives discounts as long as you keep your eyes glued to a screen.

Lesson learned:

Making a freebie concept into a TVC isn’t the best way to get your foot in the door with ad agencies. But putting a man on fire sure is cool.

Also learned:

“Man, I really dig this advertising stuff. I’ll finish my book and then really dive into that.”

WRITING A NOVEL & MAKING AN AWARDWINNING APP

TWO PRINT EDITIONS…

Thing made:

A novel about a 19-year old musician that tries to break through in the music bizz the year his father dies.

Lesson learned:

How to write a book, how to work with editors. And how to deal with thousands of groupies.

Also learned:

How to get a coverphoto from the great Anton Corbijn. You need a little help from friends to get it there, but once it’s there and the jokes land, the master responds.

AND ONE REVOLUTIONARY BOOKAPP.

Thing made

An award winning iPad app that takes digital reading to the next level. (See details of the app in my portfolio)
*Golden Spinaward – best innovation*
*Eurobest Shortlist – best mobile*
*Best literary app – Boekblad*

Lesson learned:

Now I know a thing or two about how to direct, write and work with stories in digital media, too. The digital realm holds an amazing toolbox.

Also learned:

It feels good to win awards. It feels better to know people read your book. And partners in crime Buutvrij for life and Codedazur deserve credit for this, too.

PUBLISHING TWEETS – INTO A BOOK.

Atlasvlinders

A €1400 book. And 139 other copies.

Thing made:

Atlas butterflies, a diary made up of about a thousand of my tweets. Because some of those were too good to be that ephemeral. Digital pop-art, if you will. Read more about this summer 2015 project here.

Lesson learned:

Teaching myself to work with Indesign is fun. I should probably do that before designing my book, next time.

Also learned:

Art director Jarr Geerligs really is very good with scissors, playdoh and an old atlas. A fantastically oldschool cover, indeed. (Hats off to the few people that actually bought a book filled with tweets.)

ON/OFF: searching for balance in digital times.

On Off Sidney Vollmer

My first work of non-fiction.

Thing made:

On/Off, a collection of six essays on digital media technology, its setbacks, illusions and dangers and how to improve our interactions with it. Published by Nijgh & Van Ditmar, Dutchies can read more about it here, English people here, and reviews can be found here.

Lesson learned:

It is possible to develop a healthier relationship with digital technology. But it takes time, knowledge and persistence. And writing non-fiction is a *lot* more work than fiction.

Also learned:

Adding footnotes is more fun when you’re not writing an academic paper.

PORTFOLIO

Update November 2022: Below you'll find some older examples of my commercial work as well as some artistic endeavors. Some of it is best discussed in person, such as work for Liander, Heineken, Google, T-Mobile and some Dutch ministries, including the ministry of Security and Justice.)