The Horizon Project

I got a DVD today, with a film that I has sponsored through crowdfunding (Kickstarter.com).
It felt a bit special to know I have helped people to make a dream come true, even though I didn't gave that much.

But then I saw the film. It was okay. Not the best film I have ever seen, but fine. I just didn't understand the story. Sorry guys, but the story just didn't get through.

It is a post apocalyptic story and there is a virus in the world. And people want to be a part of the Horizon Project that will lead to a better place. That much I got. But then I just got lost...

And that made me think about my own movies...! People are supporting me in my filmmaking career. And I don't want to make them disapointed. I just want to make a film that people will enjoy and understand and want to support.

Well, I am happy I helped fellow filmmakers out there by supporting them with crowdfunding! I hope they will succeed with the film and that the will continue to make film! And I will continue to support filmmakers as well.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/536006487/the-horizon-project-a-short-film

nooMaraton 2013

Last day it was the yearly film contest "nooMaraton" here in Sweden.
It is a really funny contest where you get 24 hours to make film from certain criteria, and people all over Sweden compete at the same time with the same criteria.

This years theme: "requirements marked" (not sure of translation here)
Locations: Under a lightpole, in a hut and in a lineThings: Bracelet, app and music instrument

We were a bit worried while filming since we somehow lost control and only had 6 extras, but those extras did a wonderful job! :)
But we gained control in the editing and we started out with 26 minutes of raw material. (The film cannot be more then 5 minutes) Then we edited it some more and got down to 7 minutes.
My partner then said that no way we can get it any shorter. Ha, he was so wrong!
We managed to make a film, with credits, that were 4 minutes and 57 seconds long.

Now it is up to a jury here on Gotland to pick a winner, from 11 different contributions, and that winner to the big finale in Stockholm! And even if we don't win we had a great time making the film!

What I do like about this competition is that it is not about the best quality of camera or image. It is how to make a story! How to get all the criteria in to the film in the best storytelling way as possible. That is what filmmaking is all about! To tell a story!

Here is our contribution for this years nooMaraton. And we hope you'll like it!

My movie or Our movie?

Well, how should it be? 

A friend, who is involved in The Rain that I am producing and directing, said she went around and said "What are WE going to do?" "What do WE have to fix?" and so on. Then she stopped and thought about and realized she said "we" instead of "you".

And then she asked me if I thought it was wrong of her to do that. 

All I could say was: no! Even though I am the producer and director it is not my movie. It is OURs! All of us that are working with this project. Even if you just are an extra fo half a day, we couldn't have made that scene without him or her. 

And those set runners are more important then you think! 

I concider my team to be equals no matter what position you have. And to hear someone say "we" just makes me happy. Then I know there are more people that are engaged into this project. I can stop feeling alone. 

But some people say: " I am making a movie. It is my movie"

I think that is selfish...

Be humble towards those who work for you and helps you. Without them hou would never be able to make a movie!

Quiet...

Right now I am sitting in my bed with only one single lamp turned on and it is oh so quiet. 

And I am blown away how much the quietness can sound so much! It is just a roar in my head and I can't focus, but still there isn't a sound in here....

I guess there is time for me to shut down some parts in my life so that I can get back to life...

I have lost my life the last two months. I have given my life to something else. Something that eats me from the inside and out... But something that still makes me whole. 

There is no need to be poetic about it. There is just a need to speak without speaking. To talk without words. To hear without listening....

My life is dedicates this right now: www.sponsume.com/project/rain

Production life

 

Making a film demands a lot of work and effort.
Making this film demanded a little bit extra, since we all got ill. But we managed somehow to make a fantastic filmshoot and got material that weas something out of the ordinary!

I am glad that I have the skills and abilities to make films. Not too many that has the same opportunity as me. And I do feel glad that I have something to do that I love more than anything else.

And I am also gald for all the kind of support I get from everywhere. That makes it even more fun to work with what I am doing.

It is over.... Our shooting period is over, and did we have fun or not!
There is something special about being on set and just see the progress of filming. Kind of sad when it is all over. Kind of hard to realize that all that chaos actually can be a film!
But so many has been so dedicated to this project and has done a wonderful job! We are so amazed of the love and joy we get from people.

We are aiming for the stars, Cannes International Film Festival 2013, and maybe we will reach all the way, maybe not. Only time will tell. But we are sure that our film are good enough for Cannes!

I am just thrilled that this might be my comeback as a cinematographer and director. And if so, I feel confident that I will have much more to do in the future. :)

So much fun!

We had a rehearsal today with our actors Anders Eng and Britta Calamnius, for the short film "Det som göms i snö".
And it was such a joy to hear Anders dialogue for the first time and work with both Anders and Britta to make the dialouge and characters alive! I laughed and giggled like a little child and just felt such a joy inside of me to see the development of the story and are so convinced that this film will be my comeback as a director and filmmaker!

I have the privilege to work with pure talents that has a heart and soul for what they are doing! Who listen to what you want and interpet it right and transform it all so my vision can come true.

I am so happy right now! :) If this film wont be sold on the film market, then something is seriously wrong.... ;)

Anders Eng as Jonas and Britta Calamnius as Agnes

Long time for someting special!

August 11th I was with my filmcrew on location at Vikingabyn in Tofta to shoot a pilot sequence for my feature film "Karins Saga", a medieval drama about a mayors daugther who has to choose between her carieer or her heart.

We started our shooting at 6 p.m. and had around 20-30 extras, 6 actors and a small crew of 10 people, running around in the middle of the night and just had fun together.
Then we hoped it would be done by October with all the editing and so. And then we changed us until November. And now, finally, December 5th, we are done!!!!

We can finally present the pilot for everyone.

Incredible how long it would take us to finish this, and now I can only hope that people will enjoy what they are seeing, and will support us in the future.

I will write more about the project later but can already follow us a Karins Saga official page

Hope you will like what you are seeing!

Karins Saga - The pilot

Why is it so hard?

Why is it so hard to make a film these days? Or I should ask, why is it so freaking hard to get fundings?

Without money it is just so hard to manage to what I want to do, and then I have to ask for help. But does any one help: No!
And then I start to wonder why.... Is it that no one belive in project except for me? Is it that no one has any money? Is it that no one actually wants to fund projects or is it simply because it is I who am doing this....

I know people have money since people are supporting other projects.... I know people belive in the story I am making, since they have said so for a couple of years now....

Well, even if people can't afford as little as $10, people can atleast afford to spread a link. So please do. Just spread this link where ever you can: http://igg.me/p/255615?a=292023

Thank you...

Film time again!

Oh yes!

Now I have this really weird kamikazee project going on....!
A few years ago I want to make a film called The Rain. But we never got fundings to make that film. Boring as hell....!

So now we have decide to make that film anyway, but with very little money. And not as high quality as we first wanted.
No we will make the film just because we want to and to make a film that we can stand for.

Wanna know more or even help out?????

Please just click here below and spread the word! :D

An other short film...

My life is a lot about making film. That is what I love almost the most. And now it is time to release an other short film that I made 4 years ago.

This time is is a really strong drama about three siblings woring up alone in the family home. And they had a really bad start in life that has made them who they are today.
One day a man knocks on their door and presents him as their older brother. He is there to know more about his family and to find his way back home....

This was one of the hardest short films I have ever made. The script was really challenging to write and to direct, just because it is so real! I wanted this film to show what is behind the headlines in the news paper when you read about people that his been hurt over a period of time.
A lot of the inspiration came from Dave Pelzer's book "A child called 'It'", who is one of the worst stories I have ever read, but it moved me so much.
And I started to realize what was behind all these headlines we read from time to time.

As a director it was very tough to direct two of your best friends in an incest scene, almost a rape. Well, it was a rape, just not one of those wich were physical destructive and happens out in the streets...
That scene almost broke me as a person, but it became so good that it lifted the film totaly!

Have a look at it and please feel free to leave a comment about it. We know we are not the best filmmakers in the world, but this time it was all about the story.

We won!

I am just so incredible happy right now!

Last night we won a regional film contest with our film "Strandfynd". And we are so freaking happy about that!

Strandfynd was a film made during 19 hours in a contest where you get 7 criteria that you had to have in the film.

We were very nervous, specially I, during the evening and we knew we wouldn't be safe until the had revealed the winners, since there was a jury that decided, and not the audience.
And we got on first place!!!!!! :)

The motivation from the jury was: "With an evocative and stylish storytelling engages the film and presents the viewer with a dark interpretation of this year's theme. The different conditions for the competition passes unnoticed because they are so well integrated into the story. The message is ambiguous and lets the spectator to self reflect on concepts that abuse over generations and human destinies."

Now we will go to Stockholm to participate in the big final, that takes place the 29th of September! We just hope that we will win there, and promise to represent Gotland!

But just the fact that the first time ever we are participating in a film contest we are winning, that was so important for me. Now I know I am good at what I am doing and will continue to work with film. I needed this confirmation so badly.

And here is our winning film. Please share it to every one you know!

Wow....!

Wow... That is like almost all I can say right now.... Wow!

Was participating in a film contest called Noo Maraton, this weekend. It is a contest in Sweden where you get 24 hours to make a film out from some certain criteria, and with no budget at all.

The theme for this year was: Temptations
And the criteria were three places ( A ditch, in centrum and on a bed) and three objects (Message in a bottle, an old cloth and a spatula).
Saturday morning at 9 a.m. we got those criteria on the phone and then it was just of to work. 24 hours of complete chaos.
The most important thing in this contest is to make a story that works. It is more of a storytelling contest than a film contest, even though the jury will look at the technical work as well.

We worked with the story for about 7 hours and then we started to shoot the film. And worked with the shooting for about 7 hours and then we edited the film during 6 hours.
At 4.45 a.m. Sunday morning we were done and the film were uploaded at youtube. And Friday the 14th of September there is this regional contest and if we win we will go to Stockholm and participate in the national competition.

Our story became breath taking and strong in many ways. We realized that we had a very dark mind and that we needed to do something like this, just to proof for ourselves that we don't need to go safe in our story.

And when we got the music from Jorge Mendez, a young talented composer from Mexico, everything just came to place and we almost had tears in our eyes while looking at what we had done.

A big thanks to our actors and a slightly bigger thank to our child actors, Ludvig Rödland and Samuel Kåring, who did such an excellent work with such short notice.

I guess there is just one more thing to do and that is to show you the film now! Please share it with every one, and it even has english subtitles.

Love to you all and keep your fingers crossed the 14th.

Busy life...

Oh, and the were the three dots again (...)
I really don't know why I love them so much, but they actually means something for me.
July... Summetime... Vaccation time, they say. Not for me.

Once again I have to much to do! This summer I am working on my normal work, and above that I am working at our Viking Village in Tofta as their Herb Master. And above that I am in a play that will be running during Medeltidsveckan på Gotland, week 32, this year.
I am playing three different parts and even am a dancer. So a lot of rehersals, but that will be fun! You have to come and see they play!

And above that I am running my company.

Vaccation time? No way....

Oh, and I shot a short film for a guy called Kristoffer Persson. He wanted to make a viking age short film and asked me to be his cinematographer. I think we did a great job. Short of time and no budget, but we had fun!

Here are some pictures from that shooting. Shot at the Viking Village in Tofta. Starring: Jakob Hellgren, Sandra Ahlqvist and Rikard Dahlberg.

Prometheus - The Movie

Went with some friends last night to see Prometheus at the cinema. And I have to confess I got disappointed. It was not what I had expected it to be. One of my very good friends, who knows I am a chicken when it comes to scary films, told me to bring a pillow to hide in if it got to scary... Well, let's just say I didn't need a pillow at all. At three times it go a bit tensed and I raised a hand to cover my ears, but also, the sound was to freaking loud in the cinema. Prometheus... It was a bit cool, nice effects and so, but the story. Come on! It felt like it had no story. The came, they saw and then you just felt: What?! I wanted more. I actually wanted to be scared. I just left the cinema with a big question-mark printed in my forehead. Also to see your swedish actress Noomi Rapace in the leading role was disappointing. Really... I mean, you could hear she was from Sweden when she talked, even though she had go a lot of training. The only actor in the film that made a really good work was Charlize Theron. Excellent work and a very good performance. Can I recomend Prometheus? No, it was not worth spending 120:- SEK to see a film in 3D, that would be just as good as in 2D, maybe even better. And the story just makes this film worth to see when it comes out on Blu-ray and DVD. Sorry Ridley and Noomi... I know you can do better than this.

Here is our bloopers-reel from the horror film "Ont Blod" (Evil Blood). We will upload the main film on youtube during the weekend! :)

Exhausting...

I have realized that when you really want to do something you enjoy, you just get in to that so much that you forget everything around you, and then, when you finally "wake up", you realize that you have forgotten to sleep, drink and eat...
No wonder I am exhausted after been learning more 3D-stuff by watchin clips at youtube and then working in the different programs. :)

I almost couldn't sleep just because I got all this crazy ideas that I want to do. Build 3D buildnings, add real live people in to that scene, add some music, special effects and so on...
And then, when I'm now rendering my first 3D sequence ever, you learn that 4 seconds of film takes 20 hours to render out....

Oh crap! That's all I can say.... And then I get exhausted just by knowing I can't do anything for the coming 20 hours, so that my PC can work smoothly.....

Long time...

I know it's been a long time since I was here... But I have been on vaccation! :) And some work too.

During the eastern I went to Gotland. My beautiful island. My place of birth! And did I have a good time or not! The weather was perfect and it was realxing and quiet.

I was there with my friends to help them with their wedding. They want to get married on Gotland next year, so we took a trip around the island to find a church, a place for the dinner and party and a place to take the photos at. We found the place to have the dinner/party at! :) It was so great.

Then, when they left, I decided to stay for a little longer, just to meet my friends and relatives. And to have some time of my own. The only problem was on monday, when I was supposed to go home.

I sat by my computer and decided to look at the homepage for the ferries to see if the run normal. Then I saw that there was no ferry that left the time I had booked... I just felt how my stomach twisted... Ran to look at the ticket, and of course! I had booked the wrong day.... I was supposed to leave on the sunday..... And this is the worst travelling weekends of the whole year!

Called the travelagency to see if I could solve this somehow... I had to by a new ticket for 600:-, and at the same time get a hold of a car so I could get hom in the middle of the night!

I just love my friends! The helped me out. :)

So I got home a 1.30 a.m. and got up a 5 a.m. to drive back to Stockholm and leave the car and then go to work....

I just couldn't realize I had booked the wrong day! Because I told all my friends that I was going back home on monday. Not sunday... Well... Shit happens. Now I know how important it is to both think and look twice! :P

Back in Stockholm I have been working on a feature film, called Psalm 21. It is a suspensed thriller that will have premier later this year!

We had some pick up days now. So we did a fire stunt, and then last day we got in a car and drove 60 swedish miles up north in the country and did some helicopter-scenes! :) And to be in a car with three other people that as humor as I don't know what... That was an experince! A really fun experience. It was a long time since I laguhed so hard!

After the helicopter-scenes we had to drive back to Stockholm. So after all, I was in the car for 120 miles during that day....

So after all, I have been busy. I will write more soon. I promise you! :) And tell you more about the filmshooting, and about what's going on in my life. But right now, I am happy! :)