Joel Henry - Multimedia Composer, Producer & Artist
Up-and-coming Dutch media composers show their recent work and tell us who they are
Joel Henry (artist name of Joël Werleman) is a media composer and artist working across film, documentaries, and songwriting. His music leans on clarity and atmosphere, aiming to underline the story.
His path into film scoring started in 2018 with the 48 Hour Film Project. What began as an experiment quickly grew into more work across different formats - audiobooks, podcasts, short films, and documentaries. Along the way, certain projects stand out: Dat Vergeet Je Nooit! (2020), a television documentary about the Second World War in the village of Baflo; Lola (2021), broadcast on NPO 2Doc and Dutch television; Van de Straat (2023), a raw documentary on unhoused people made with director Rianne Aalbers that reached nearly 300,000 views on YouTube; and Vijf Minuten (2023), a short film that won the Rotterdam 48 Hour Film Project. More recent work includes the feature film De Kloof (2025, 86 minutes) and the documentary Letters Die Dansen (2025), about people struggling with literacy.
Joel studied Media and Entertainment Management, which gave him a broad view of howcreative projects come together both artistically and in production. He later studied Composition and Music Production at the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen, further exploring his voice as a composer. This mix of experiences helps him work closely with directors and producers while staying close to the core of the story.
Music has always been part of the picture. He started classical guitar at age ten, later moved into songwriting and performance, and those early roots still influence his work today.
Project Video’s
Van de Straat (2023)
Van de Straat follows three formerly homeless people in Groningen, sharing raw, intimate stories and illustrating belonging, struggle, and resilience.
Director - Rianne Aalbers – visit rianneaalbers.nl
Music/Sound design - Joel Henry - visit Joel on Instagram
Letters die dansen (2025)
Letters die Dansen portrays people in Groningen struggling with reading and writing, highlighting personal stories, daily challenges, and the search for support.
Director - Rianne Aalbers – https://rianneaalbers.nl
Music/Sound design - Joel Henry - visit Joel on Instagram
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