Finally

Hi there!
Believe it or not, but finally I have received a green light!
It won't be LA nor Dallas, but in the middle of the Pacific Ocean again - on the Hawaii islands. The director is inviting me to participate in a project run out of Kona, where I have actually been before. I might be participating in an indie feature as well, meaning an indepentently produced feature film.
I will hopefully leave around Jan 15, if the visa process runs smoothly.
Will keep you updated!

Advent

Time flies and almost a month went by. The Christmas lights have entered the Swedish cities and people are planning where to go for holidays.

Myself, I'm starting to plan for the next year. It seems now I will have an opportunity to go to Hawaii again. At the moment, the Dallas project has been moved and is on hold for a while. But there are other projects coming up. I wish I could talk more clearly, but these opportunities might be even more interesting. In the following two weeks I will probably know about dates.

Meanwhile I have been helping a company in the preparations for taking one of the most famous cinematographers in the world to Sweden. I have also had the privilege to connect with more people in the Swedish film and television industry. And, writing on my script and continuing our work on the YWAM videos.

I wish you some meaningful "Advent" weeks and I'll update as soon as I have information about next year. Thank you so much for taking interest in my journey.

Some people are historymakers...

Hi there

Here is a preview shot of our last YWAM promo film. Ha ha, we had fun! I hope it comes out well in the editing too (I'm not the person editing it).

Am I tired of moving around?

Yes I am. Last three months I've been living in suitcases, figuratively and literally. My "stand-by" situation for over three months now has been a real challenge to me. Well, at least I now have a little more understanding of how it is to be homeless!
And I am thankful to my parents and my dear friends, letting me live a little here, a little there. God is taking care of me. Such is the life of an adventurer!

Yesterday we had a chat with our fellow director again. And now new things are happening. Key people are persevering on this, in spite of uncertainties and resistance. And, we, the to-be interns, at the moment have been moved to.... Hawaii! I don't know if to dance or sigh or if I'm even "in" still. In a couple of days we'll have more information. But let's be positive, he? In the long run it'll all be better than we first could imagine.

Am I being abstract? Sorry. I hope to be able to clarify as soon as possible.

Another things I haven't even talked about here is my new sales job at an international film company in Gothenburg. A company that both produces film and holds workshops in filmmaking. Quite interesting! I'll tell you more later!

Promotion video for YWAM

Last Saturday was fun. We made another promotion video for YWAM (Youth With A Mission). Or better said, we recorded it. Most of the job was made in all the hours of idea development, planning and phone calls during the weeks before. Anyway, I hope to be able to post you some pictures soon. It's the seventh of our "new" promotion films (the previous ones can be seen at http://www.vimeo.com/ywamrestenas).

I also look forward to tonight. We'll have another direct chat with our director for the upcoming "big" project. We haven't heard from him for a month so I'm excited. I'll keep you posted.

Shifts taking place

Dear readers,

I wish I could say "I'm leaving", but I'm not yet there. Isn't that unbelievable? But this is "normal" for many projects in Hollywood - they remain uncertain until distribution. But as you know many films that have been considered "uncertain" show out to be successes.

From what I we hear some major shifts have taken place in this project and one of the major companies has backed out. The biggest company is still in though, and they seemingly want to move forward but we are waiting for the start approval.

For myself all this of course is a challenge, regarding finances, housing, practical things and so on. Thank you for your involvement and support. I'll keep you updated as soon as I know more.

Closer to launch! (but still waiting)

Dear friends.

Yesterday we got to know that the project where I have been invited to join as a film intern is coming closer to a launch date - probably around end of September.

As you know the Discovery space shuttle recently was delayed before departure, but didn't it finally take off? It did. Anyway, I think you get my point. Things are being considered, scheduled and triple-checked, all to maximize the project's potential. And can I be more specific? At the moment no. :)

Meanwhile I try to use the waiting time somewhat. Recently I informally participated in a 24-hour film contest, “Noo-maraton”, where we had 24 hours to make a film according to specific requirements. It was great fun. I also continue some scriptwriting and help YWAM Sweden with video promotions. I intend to look for a short-term job also, even if it can be hard to find one under the current circumstances. These coming weeks I will spend in Gothenborg and Ljungskile.

Friends and supporters, thank you so much for your involvement in this voyage. It is you who make it possible.

Waiting for the green light...

Dear readers,

I am sorry I haven’t updated this blog for over two months! The reason is I have been waiting for a green light to go to Dallas for my internship at a major film production. I thought as soon as I got the greenlight I would update the blog, but I think it’s time to tell you what’s going on.

At the moment it seems the green light will come very soon. The reason the start date has been postponed is that the project is going through the last preparations to be secured financially. This shows this is a serious project.

Anyway, meanwhile I try to use the waiting time wisely. Except taking a good portion of rest, enjoying summer in Sweden and connecting with family and friends, I have been doing things as:

• Writing on my own feature film script
• Helping YWAM Sweden preparing for new videos
• Studying film financing and distribution
• Helping out in a YWAM "photo exhibition cafe" in Uddevalla

One thing I am very thankful for is that my apartment will be rented out and that I have several people who have committed to support me financially during the internship - although I still need more to cover the expenses.

Thank you so much for taking interest in my journey and please remember me in your prayers – I need them. I’ll be back soon!

Last weeks in School of Digital Filmmaking

Can you imagine, this school was so intense, I didn't even have time to write in my blog the last three weeks. Now, we have had our short film Premiere night (picture here) and our final test, we have received our grades (I got an A, yipee!) and everybody is getting ready for either departure or another school. Something that I am really proud of, is that our whole team got a 100% grade on our last film, and I just want to send a big thank you to my team; Alex, Emmanuel, Catherine and Sean.

The last weeks were awesome and some highlights were:

• Studying film history
• Acting/directing seminars with Kallan White, an experienced TV actress
• Production classes with Hollywood producer Mike Leahy
• Planning, shooting and finishing our short film "Let it Out" (see picture below)
  
• Premiere Night, showing all our films for the whole campus

I should be really tired, because several nights I stayed up until early morning to edit our film. But I'm not. At least not now. Joy gives energy!

In a couple of days I will be going back to Sweden. Originally there was supposed to be an internship coming up here just after this school, but that internship is now offered in the fourth quarter of the year instead. But there is another intership that attracts me even more, and that is one offered in Dallas, starting in August. This is a big project intended for world cinema distribution.

The project has just begun and in August we will be part of the starting preproduction. Director is going to be a very established one and some real Hollywood companies will be involved.

Our classes with Mike Leahy were awesome. Mike has produced 25 feature films and shared generously from his vast experience in Hollywood. What does producing mean? Producing means to oversee and administer the whole production. While the director has the artistic responsibility, the producer is responsible of planning and financing.
Anyway, Mike has a lot of credibility and he also has an interesting vision of how to continue in the future. It's a person to keep in touch with.

So how can I summarize this school? It has been extremely intense. I would even say it corresponds to a year of "ordinary" film school (a former student, when showing his credits from here, was allowed to skip two years in a four year film program in Canada).

Thank you all of you who have been with me in prayer and support. This is not the end!

Eighth week in School of Digital Filmmaking

This week we had the opportunity to present ("pitch") ideas for our final short films in the school. Only three ideas were to be made into films. All the students and staff voted for the ones they found best. I was nervous when I presented my idea - about a guy whose crazy body "tics" show out to be hip-hop moves. But it worked and I got selected!

That means I will get to direct another film... which I look forward to. I immediately had to start working on the "first draft" (the first script version) and submit it, which I have now done. The next step is to finetune the script, then start the preproduction process (prepare locations, actors, props*, storyboard etc). Lots to do...

Another highlight this past week was a second session with Hollywood director David Cunningham. He had a workshop and gave us some advice for working in the movie business.

We have also gone further into lighting, which is a whole science. There is so much to learn about it. Today we made some assignments and we learned how to light a fake moving car (see picture).

Simultanously we are editing our first projects (see picture). Luckily it seems I don't have to reshoot anything.

Now I wish you a good week wherever you are!

*Props are physical things that actors use in the film.

Seventh week in School of Digital Filmmaking

This week has been the most demanding so far, but also the most fun. We have been shooting our short films, the ones we hade prepared so much during the preceding weeks.

Everyone had to deliver a whole package of paperwork to receive "greenlight".

The package included script, visual and technical storyboards, budget, legal forms, call sheets, shot lists... and at the same time we had to find locations and actors for our films.

Finally we were all greenlit and I shot my film... so fun! I had a crew of three persons working with me, doing camera, sound and lighting.

It all went well, in spite of a rather high time pressure. I had 74 shots to make in two days, and practically all of them required retakes. And we used both dolly and smoke machine (see picture).

I also was camera operator on two of my classmates' films, and sound operator in one. It was all great fun. Filmmaking is something you learn by doing.

My own short film was about a single father who wants to talk to her teen daughter so much that he locks her in to his apartment (see picture).

Next week we will be editing, and I am both scared and eager to see the result of my filming.

Today there was a national memorial day, and we were all free. A bunch of us went hiking to a waterfall on the other side of the island. It was an incredible experience. We swam in a natural pool and looked up to an about 100 m high, 90 degree steep, waterfall coming down right upon us.
A good ending of a challenging week!

Sixth week in School of Digital Filmmaking

This week has been very busy. The themes have been editing and production administration, and we have also begun on our short film projects.

Is this an intense school? You bet. I feel like we have covered knowledge equal to one year of study - in six weeks!

We have gone through the whole process of paperwork with a film production - budgeting, scheduling, legal documents, script breakdown and more. Every student now has to prepare their film including all the paperwork, and the whole project has to be "greenlit" before shooting can start. And this while we all do our best to find actors and locations!

We have now split into groups where everyone gets to direct their own short film, with a crew of trained people (fellow students). During nine days our group will shoot four films. On the first one I was DP (Director of Photography, basically equal to cameraman in this setting). It was fun.

I won't be long this week - I think the picture here pretty much says how it is right now - film work all around the clock. But if you love what you do, you can do it a lot!

Thanks for your support!

Urban

Fifth Week in School of Digital Filmmaking

This week began with a day with David Cunningham, a Christian film director who directed a couple of Hollywood features and TV series: To End all Wars, Expelled, Path to 9/11 and Little House on the Prairie.

David gave us a picture of his way into Hollywood, and it was very interesting to hear it directly from him and to be able to ask questions.

We also have made more assignments. In one of them I was cameraman in the other director. The first one was a "noir" piece that we shot during night, making it black and white (see photo). It came out really well, and I hope to publish it on YouTube soon.

The other one was a scene from a real film, with a pre-written, weird dialogue. As location we chose an autoshop (where vehicles are being repaired) and we shot also this one during night, to have complete control over the lighting.

This week we also discussed the different departments and positions in a professional film crew. There are countless of tasks: producer, director, assistant director, director of photography, script supervisor, gaffer, cameraman, production designer etc etc.

Meanwhile we continue to work on our short film scripts. Each student will make a 5 min short, where we will have our own crew, consisting of other students. I have been struggling with the script, because believe me, it's easier to write a longer film than 5 minutes if you want to tell something. On the other hand it is important to learn how to tell things concisely.

Today (Sunday) I got the opportunity to see a beach called Mile 88. This beach is really small but it's a little pearl. Who doesn't like turqoise water?

I wish you an awesome week wherever you are. Thanks for reading this!

Urban

Fourth week in School of Digital Filmmaking

This week we have dived more into practical filmmaking, learning lighting and going further into sound and visual storytelling.

Simultanously we have been developing our short film scripts, with supervision from the school staff and according to scriptwriting theory.

We have been doing more and more group assignments, where we split into teams of about five people, where each has a specific role like director, audio mixer, boom grip, cameraman etc.

I got to be the director once (that's the role I most want to pursue), and it was really fun.

It's a little taste of what it is having a professional crew to cowork with, where each person is skilled and trained in his or her specific role.

Me and some classmates are going to a little church on Sundays, and I keep being suprised how good the sermons are. They are really instructive and applicable. This Sunday the theme was how to see what Jesus sees, in a very practical way. Jesus saw people who other people ignored, and he paid attention to them, just like God pays attention to every detail in our lives.*

With the help from God we can also start paying real attention to people around us, to listen to them and care about them.

*Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (A deliberate understatement!)

I wish you a really good week wherever you are.



...and, yes I got permission from the guys to publish photos!

Third week through!

This has been an awesome week. (see how I start to sound American?)
The topic has been "Screenwriting", which means how to "write a film", or rather its script. Teacher has been Kevin Miller, who wrote "Expelled", which is a movie that debates evolution theory. He took us on a journey through the prevailing models of writing for the screen, and even shared his own "synthesis" of it all as a Christian writer.

We got many writing assignments during the week, which we were to apply to our short film idea. "It's all about character transformation" was one of Kevin's main principles. I'll try not to forget that.

Can you apply the same principles for feature films as well as for short ones? According to our teacher, yes. It all comes down to: storytelling. "Even if you're passionate about filmmaking, view yourselves primarily as storytellers, not filmmakers", said Kevin.

He also said that if your "called" to filmmaking, the best you can do in this business, is to be good storytellers. And write about what you're passionate about!

Simultaneously I am getting to know my classmates better and better. I am so thankful to be on this place - which place could be better for me right now? Youth With A Mission is such a great place to be if you enjoy international environments - we have got almost the whole world represented here, or at least the major parts of the world. My closest roommates right now are actually African!

Next week we are going further into technical aspects such as lighting and camerawork. 'Gonna be fun! We are also going to continue to develop our short film ideas. The plan is to shoot them during the last two weeks of May, and by then everything has to been set up. So I need lots of inspiration! I am also thankful to you who read this, and for you who are praying for me or supporting me financially. I wish you a super week wherever you are!

Urban

PS. Did I get to see a beach yet? Yes I did, once!

Second week

My second week at the School of Digital Filmmaking in Hawaii has ended. It has been an intense week and the theme has been basic cinematography and sound. Teachers have been mainly staff from the school, going through camera operation, lenses, composition, image continuity and microphone operation. Things I am quite aqainted with already, but the school goes quickly forward and expects us to have a very fast learning curve, which I like.

We have also had several assignments with the equipment. We use video cameras that shoot in "high definition", and the goal is to achieve images that resemble the "film look" of the bigger 35 mm cameras. Something I have appreciated more is practicing working with a "dolly", which is a sled that filmmakers use to make smooth moving shots with the camera.

We have also handed in our first short film synopsis, and I am eager to get some feedback on mine. Next week we are going to be taught screenwriting, also something I have studied before, but I am sure I will continue to learn new things. We are also watching two feature films a week and have to write an essay on one of them.

Filmmaking is teamwork, and I will definitely gain more experience in working in groups during this school.

Prayer requests are my finance and general inspiration and strength. Thanks for your involvement and interest!

Urban

First week accomplished

Hi there!
My first week in the School of Digital Filmmaking in Hawaii has ended! We started out with some classes by a British musician, giving us advice about managing a life as a Christian in a creative and chaotic world.
This first week has also been an introduction of what is to come. We have received our 800-page book - "The Filmmaker's handbook", which teaches not only video but also film ("real" film). We are also to watch two feature films every week and write an essay about one of them.

My impression is it's going to be a quite demanding school, which is good. That means the school is going to keep up its word in the business. They say this is probably the most intense school in whole YWAM. We are expected to be ready to analyze any of the 106 films we were to watch before coming here, and we have already begun "pitching" (presenting) our first ideas about short films. In the middle of May we are going to shoot the first film, but at then everything including script, storyboard, production planning and so on have to be submitted and approved.

Our campus here is about 200.000 square meters wide - quite impressing - and it is situated about 500 meters from the Ocean. About 700 students and staff are living and working here.

An important prayer issue is my finances, so please pray for them! If you are already supporting me - thank you so much, it's really a gift to be here, and I will be praying for you too.

My challenge now is to come up with a super clever idea for my short film. So please pray for my inspiration also. In my next posting I might reveal some of my ideas!

After this 3-month school there are opportunities to do an internship, either here on Hawaii or in any film company. We'll see where the Lord leads!

Thanks again, for your interest in my life and for your support and prayers. I really need it.

Urban

The trip went all fine!

Finally I'm here - on Hawaii! The 23-hour trip went just fine. I'll crash into bed quite soon!
God is amazing - he provided with a friend-of-a-friend who picked me up at the airport and offered a night to stay (before school starts).
And not only that, again I came to share my flights with film folk - first a secular Swedish filmmaker (who films windsurfing!), then a fellow student from my upcoming school.
The same happened to me on my outreach to Cuba. Of all people in the airplane I came to sit at the side of a filmmaker! Thanks for your little signs, God!
Tomorrow I'll take a day off, then school begins Friday. So exciting!

Ja, jag börjar skriva på engelska nu. Så kan flera av mina internationella vänner följa med också! Hör av dig om du vill ha tillbaka det på svenska så kanske jag kan ge med mig.

Om en vecka bär det av!

Nu är det bara en vecka kvar till jag reser - till filmskolan på Hawaii! Jag börjar plocka ihop mina grejer här på Restenäs och börjar tänka igenom vad jag ska packa ner.
Jag lyckades få tag på en riktigt bra flygbiljett med ganska korta stopp, i London och San Fransisco. Kvällen den 1 april är jag framme. Spännande!

Samtidigt är det lite sorgligt att lämna Restenäs. Jag har fått nya vänner här och tiden här har varit väldigt bra.

Här är ett par bilder från Restenäs sommartid:

Så kan det se ut

Tänkte jag skulle publicera några bilder från våra inspelningar...

På väg mot Hawaii!

Nu har jag gjort det - köpt flygbiljetter till Hawaii. Jag är alltså på väg till UMU:s filmskola "School of Digital Filmmaking", en skola på tre månader med möjlighet till praktik på tre månader.

Den 1 april flyger jag från Landvetter, via London och San Fransisco till Hawaii. Varför Hawaii? Därför att det är där Ungdom Med Uppgift har den största basen för sitt universitet. Där finns ett stort antal kurser inom kommunikation, vård, teknik, kultur, mission mm. Och en filmskola.

Jag är alltså på väg till ett campus med cirka 700 studenter från hela världen. UMU:s filmskola är en grundkurs men skolan verkar ha en ambitiös inställning, därför tror jag att jag kan få ut en hel del av den även som erfaren filmare. Och inte minst kan jag vidga mitt nätverk.

Ett suveränt "mediateam"

Tiden springer i väg här på Restenäs. Nu har jag varit här i två månader och det är bara två veckor kvar innan jag flyger i väg mot Hawaii.

Det har varit en härlig tid här, speciellt är jag tacksam över vår arbetsgemenskap. Vi är tre personer som jobbar ihop på "Media Department" - Rob, Lydia och jag. Rob är en sprallig och dynamisk amerikan på 45 år med stor erfarenhet av design och ledarskap. Lydia är en intelligent tyska på 21 år som vill lära sig så mycket hon bara kan om foto och film. Och så jag själv med en vilja att producera film så mycket det bara går.

Och film har vi gjort. Vi satte upp ett mål att producera en film åt respektive kurs som ges här på Restenäs. Hur skulle vi göra filmerna? Vi kom fram till att vi ville göra riktigt korta filmer som ingen blir uttråkad av. Samtidigt ville vi ha en så professionell nivå som möjligt på dem. Så vi bestämde oss för att göra 30-sekunders filmer, dvs samma format som många reklamfilmer på tv. På det sättet tvingar vi oss att komma med ett relevant budskap på kort tid. Ingen överflödig information!

Så vi satte oss och brainstormade. En process som tog veckor när det gällde vissa av filmerna. Men till slut bestämde vi oss för några koncept och började planera manus, inspelning, skådespelare mm.

Och filmerna? Ja, snart kan du förhoppningsvis se dem. Vi ska lägga dem på vår hemsida (här) och på YouTube.

De här kurserna gör vi filmer åt:

DTS - Discipleship Training School
SCF - School of Communication Foundations
BCC - Bible Core Course
SBS - School of Biblical Studies
SOSM - School of Strategic Missions
FCM - Foundations of Counselling Ministries

Rivstart på Restenäs

Välkommen! I den här bloggen vill jag berätta lite om vad jag gör som "filmmissionär". Jag har nu varit medarbetare på Restenäs utanför Ljungskile i drygt en månad. Restenäs tillhör Ungdom Med Uppgift, en internationell missionsorganisation som på engelska heter Youth With A Mission.

"Basen" Restenäs består av åtta rejäla byggnader utspridda på en yta av runt 90 hektar. Restenäs ligger bara några stenkast från havet, strax utanför den lilla orten Ljungskile på Västkusten.

Här på Restenäs jobbar cirka 80 (!) personer, alla oavlönade. Ungefär hälften är svenskar, resten kommer från hela världen... från Sydkorea, USA, Kanada, Sierra Leone, Nya Zealand, Danmark, Frankrike, Norge, Finland, Tyskland, Holland... och nästan alla av oss kommunicerar dagligen på engelska.

To be continued...