Watch the entire film
Please note: English and Danish subtitles available (click right hand corner of video)
Also: Please watch the film in the highest quality (HD) you can. It greatly improves the viewing experience.
Original film website
More videos
Outtakes / Bloopers Reel
Trailer (Subtitled)
Music Video / Preview
Video blog #1: Prelude
Video blog #2: First Recordings
Video blog #3: Finishing Recordings
Video blog #4: Going North
Video blogs also filmed and edited by Lars Kjær Dideriksen.
Music by Esther Maria (original album demos used)
About the film
Danish singer Esther Maria travels to New York with her musical partner Torsten Stistrup Cubel. They must record an entire album with American producer Kramer in just five days.
In the film we hear Esther Maria’s thoughts about the subject matter of her songs and how she tries to reach the right frame of mind for the project. Kramer shares his philosophy on the creative proces and how he experienced working with her. We follow these three creative souls as Esther Maria’s debut album “The Abyss” starts to take shape in a small flat in Tribeca.
The music itself and the urban landscape of New York City play their own part in the film alongside the three musicians.
A few words from the director
Having worked with video and music for years this documentary short – my first – was a natural step. My aim was to combine the music with images of New York and the recording proces while having the artists share their thoughts on it at the same time.
But this should not be a film with people sitting and just talking about music. I wanted all the elements to merge together and create an experience that did not feel just like a cut and dry factual documentary.
I aimed at being just a bit poetic – and the elements of pictures, sound and thoughts that I had at my disposal helped me in that direction.
– Lars Kjær Dideriksen
The collected written blogs about the making of the film (in Danish) (download pdf)
Data
Download fact sheet as pdf: English / Danish
Running time: 30 minutes
Filmed on DV-tape with a Sony PDX10 camera
DVD content
Film (30 minutes)
Bonus features:
Four internet video blogs (23 minutes)
Outtakes (8 minutes)
Trailer
Photo Slideshow
Danish subtitles (film)
English subtitles (film and outtakes)
Director’s commentary (Danish with no subtitles)
Credits
Sound Of Perpetual Astonishment &
The Quest Records present
Esther Maria in
FIRST YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES
– Five Days In The Abyss
A film by Lars Kjær Dideriksen
Filmed, directed & edited by Lars Kjær Dideriksen
Words and music by
Esther Maria
with Torsten Stistrup Cubel
Produced by Kramer
Supported by
Aarhus Filmværksted and
Ophavsretsfonden (Dansk Journalistforbund)
Also thanks to
HP Møller Andersen
Carsten Meinhardt
Ulrik Lyhne
Additional musicians on “The Abyss”
Soma Allpass
Jeff Linsenmaier
Filmed in TriBeCa, New York, October 2010
“The Abyss” was recorded with
microphones from Oktavamod.com and
preamps from Tritonaudio.com
Copyright 2012