Patricio Elizondo began his studies with the first group of students at the international department at  The Icelandic Film School this august.

We asked him first how he came across the school?

A few months back I did some research on film programs around the world. I was searching for a place to workshop scripts, produce films and tell stories with people who shared my interest of inspiring others and shifting ideas for the greater good. I stumbled upon the CILECT website which is the association of the world’s major film and television schools, when you first enter their site there is a map of the world with red pins of the different schools placed all around… I found a few options I was very interested in and one of those red pins I chose was in Iceland (IFS).

Mr. Elizondo majored in Radio, Television, and Film at the University of Texas at Austin.

I finished my bachelor’s degree there back in 2015. I mainly focused on 3D storytelling, editing, cinematography, and horror screenwriting.

And he is happy with his first months in Iceland.

Things are going great. Classes have been enriching and inspiring. A while back I had lost my motivation to write and produce stories, which is why I came here in the first place, but it’s been exciting to work with every new teacher we’ve had and get the most out of anyone who is there to help us. I am also eager to collaborate with the other students from the different departments and get to know this beautiful place through their own eyes and personal experience.

But if any, what would he say are the perks of studying at IFS and in Iceland?

I got a feeling during my Skype interview… that sensation you rarely get when something that crosses your path is right and nothing else is. I was asked personal questions and was expected to give truthful answers with meaning. I felt they cared for my vision and my passion and I believe one of the perks of being here is growing within an institution that fosters the truthful development of my own voice… Working with professionals and other students who tend to what I stand for and my goals.

I also think Iceland is very special. It’s exciting to be here during this change, growth, and development it’s been having these past few years. I have been given the opportunity and access to this place, its people, and its culture in ways only very few are lucky to have experienced.

The goal for Mr. Elizondo is to produce documentaries and films that will help shape ideas about certain subjects; i.e. social class disparities, LGBT issues, what is happiness, how to measure morality, dreams, fears, and many others.

I am here to get formal training and practice screenwriting, directing, and filmmaking in general. I come from a country that lacks opportunities for the majority but I have been lucky enough to stand here now and learn from the world and what it’s got to offer… I want to work towards providing this opportunity for everyone else. I am here hoping to find inspiration, myself, and my own voice. I want to experience everything this country has to offer, learn the language, understand the culture, make great friends that will last a lifetime, and call Iceland home.

Growing within an institution that fosters the truthful development of one´s own voice – Patricio Elizondo on IFS

1st semester students continued their first course, TAEK 107, where all the departments of the school learn the basics of film making and began shooting their first film, which they will be premiering soon.

2nd semester students of Directing and Producing took a course in scheduling for television with the 3rd semester of Acting, under the guidance of Baldvin Albertsson, as well as taking art history with Lee Lorenzo Lynch. They also continued a course in Directing with Börkur Gunnarsson (Thetta Reddast) with the students of Script writing and Directing. 4th semester students did a course in documentary making with Helga Rakel Rafnsdottir (Keep Frozen, Salome) and a script course with Huldar Breidfjords (Pabbahelgar, Under the tree) with the 4th semester of Script writing and Directing, where they will be working towards a script for their graduation project.

2nd semester students of Creative Technology sat a course in cinematography with went to the set of a new Icelandic film with their teacher to assist, as well as beginning to shoot their short film without dialogue. 3rd semester students began a course in sound editing with and finished a course in film effects with Sigurgeir Arinbjornsson (Stella Blomkvist, Star Trek: Discovery). 4th semester students took a production course with the 4th semester of Script writing and Directing under the guidance of Arnar Benjamins (A Reykjavik Porno, Þorsti) and continued preparing their graduation projects with their guide Olafur De Fleur (Borgriki, Malevolent). 
On top of that the 4th semester sat a course in founding production companies and applications, as well as a class in current film history.

2nd semester students of Script writing and Directing sat a course in script writing for television, where they will write a pilot for their own show under the direction of Dogg Mosesdottir(Höfundur Óþekktur, Me & Bobby Fischer), art history with Lee Lorenzo Lynch and sat a course in Directing with Borkur Gunnarsson (Thetta Reddast) along with students of Directing and Producing. 
4th semester students sat a course in producing with Arnar Benjamins (A Reykjavik Porno, Thorsti) and a course in rewriting a full length script with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Kurteist Folk, Borgriki), as well as a course in founding production companies and applications, as well as a class in current film history.

2nd semester students of Acting did a course in acting technique with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a Leik) and finished a course in stage battles along with the 3rd semester, guided by Arna Magnea Danks (Trapped, Stella Blomkvist),with a wonderful display. 3rd semester students also took a course in scheduling for television with the 2nd semester of Directing and Producing headed by Baldvin Albertsson. 
4th semester sat a course in script writing with Kolbrun Anna Bjornsdottir (Svartir Englar) , a refresher course in vocal work with Thorey Sigthorsdottir (Agnes, Kaldaljos) and then a course in the making of a dance video with Kolbrun Anna Bjornsdottir (Svartir Englar) and Rut Hermannsdottir. 
On top of that the 4th semester sat a course in founding production companies and applications, as well as a class in current film history.

The Icelandic Film School is celebrating its 25th year this September. We plan to commemorate this in various ways and there are many exciting things being prepared, but the full schedule will be revealed later this month. To start with we will be showing films from our vast archive that has almost 2000 films. The schools employees have, to start with, chosen 25 films that will be shown on our social networks until October and we will start this weekend.

The Icelandic Film School is 25 years old !

IFS graduates make a colorful Color Run Video

Bolli Mar Bjarnason graduated from Acting at The Icelandic Film School and has been doing good things since. We got a hold of him and asked him about his time at The Film School and what the future might hold

I was just the other day looking at a picture of me from the first day of school. I was rocking denim on denim and a black cap. I knew little about what I was getting myself into, just thought I wanted to be an actor. I realize now when I think back how incredibly bad I am at remembering things from the past, I just get a certain feeling when I think of the years at school. But it is a warm and good feeling so that must say a lot and I always feel gratitude when I think of that time and the step I took. IFS is run by beautiful ideals and stubbornness, elements that move mountains and give a kid like me tools to work with in life. It still follows me and always will.

To describe what I do today it is best summarized by “This and that, mainly that”

I am working at Pipar\TBWA, an amazing advertising agency where I make commercials with ridiculously fantastic people from all over the place. The studies is of great use for me in this business, I make videos, write a lot of texts and of course take a position in front of the camera. All of these are certainly jobs that the school tutored me in but possibly the most important fact is that at IFS you learned to work within a group with nothing but an idea and then having to apply everyone’s individual talents to make quality productions. That is exactly what I do at work now. The idea simply has to be solid enough to carry all that is added.

Then every once in a while interesting acting jobs will come my way and I am looking to do even more. The teacher Agusta Margret once offered me to help me make a showreel and of course it is ridiculous that I have not done it yet. Does the offer still stand Agusta? And then I have some interesting material I have been working on with boys at the Film School. It will be shown in due time.

As those close to me know I am a football fanatic and my team Throttur Reykjavik has a giant place in my heart. Which is why I am on the administrative board for Throttur Football division. A good win in Laugardalur (the heart of Reykjavik) on a good Sunday makes life whole. And speaking of making life whole, I met my girlfriend at school, Berglind Halla Eliasdottir. She is now completing her final year in acting at the University as well as being with me, a full time job to begin with. But joking aside, she is truly amazing and a hugely talented actress.

Plenty on the drawing board with Bolli and the future will be exciting

As Eggert Thorleifsson said in the legendary film “Dalalíf” (Dalelife): „Líf og fjör” (Exciting times)

Bolli Mar Bjarnason, a graduate of Acting

Dadi Einarsson is a graduate from Screen writing and Directing at The Icelandic Film School and we got a chance to find out what he is working on

Dadi Einarsson on “The Darken: Echoes of the End”

The new film, Albatross, that premiered in Iceland earlier this summer has been well received by audiences and critics.

Snævar Sölvi Sölvason, an IFS graduate is the author of the film.

“I needed to be around other creative film enthusiasts”  says Snævar and he adds that he already, before his studies at the school, had some ideas for future film projects.

“I realized that no one works alone in the film business. So the first thing to do was to create a net of contacts. I had heard good things about IFS and that was my trigger to apply.”

Learning to deal with critique on one’s ideas, from the schools teachers as well as the fellow students was a valuable lesson, says Snævar: “I was a film maker, if only in my mind even before starting school.”

Snævar says he decided to go for his dream and instead of getting a summer job in the summer of 2014 he started making  the film he had in his mind.  This lead to him asking favours of locals in his home town, Bolungarvík in the western part of Iceland. Everyone there was willing to help and assist him in any possible way, free location, food and lodging for almost nothing was a great asset. He chose to shoot the film mostly outside as the budget was tight but the great landscapes would lift the film to another level and he took advantage of that.

“Before I knew it, I was writing a script about a golf caddy chasing his dream and eventually filming it.”

Snævar has already gotten a grant from the Icelandic Film Fund to develop his next project.

“So now the wheel is turning for that project”.

IFS congratulates Snævar on his success and is looking forward to his future projects.

A new film by IFS student sparks attention

First semester of Directing and Producing sat a course in production with Hlin Johannesdottir (Bokeh, Svanurinn) and directing where they worked with actors under the guidance of Thorsteinn Bachman (Let me fall, Vonarstraeti) along with first semester students of Screen writing and Directing. Third semester went to SAM, where they had a chance to work with other students shooting as well as preparing a short film they will shoot at the end of the semester.

First semester students of Creative Technology sat their first course in editing under the direction of David Alexander Corno (Undir Halastjornu, Woman at war) as well as a course in film editing under the guidance of Sigurgeir Arinbjarnarson (Everest, Star Trek Discovery). Second semester students sat a course in sound editing with Kjartan Kjartansson (Sodoma Reykjavik) and also a course in after effect with Sigurgeir Arinbjarnarson (Everest, Star Trek Discovery) and a course in set making with Ari Birgir Agustson /Hjartasteinn, Grafir og bein). Third semester engaged in the first part of choosing their specific area of focus and will get an assigned mentor to explore that particular field in details as well as SAM, where they have the opportunity to shoot with other students. 

First semester of Screen writing and Directing sat their first course in full length scripts with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Kurteist Folk, Borgriki) where they will begin working on a script that they will continue working on through the coming semesters, and in direction where they will work with actors under the guidance Thorsteinn Bachman (Let me fall, Vonarstaeti) along with the first semester of Screen writing and Directing. Third semester finished their course in full length scripts with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Kurteist Folk, Borgriki) where they wrote their first draft of their full length script. Fourth semester students finished shooting their graduation films that will be premiered at the end of the semester.

In Acting, first semester students finished a course in vocal training and singing with with an impressive introduction, acting and movement where they work with the expression of the body, guided by Gudmundur Elias Knudsen, and acting interpretation with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a leik, XL).  Second semester students sat a course in vocal training with Thorey Sigthorsdottir (Agnes, Kaldaljos) and finished a course in acting technique with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a leik, XL),and did acting and movement with Alfrun Ornolfsdottir (Dis) where they work with the body in yoga, along with third semester students. Third semester students started a course in acting and voicing with Thorunn Erna Clausen (Loi), where they began work on a musical they will be showing at the end of the semester.

Kinema, the Film Schools student organisation, offered a Script Workshop and Karaoke night on Tuesday and Game night on Thursday.

The week ended as usual with film history at Bio Paradis movie theater. 

Shooting has begun on graduation films and there is music in the air

Gudsteinn Fannar Ellertsson graduated from Acting in spring of 2018 and here you can enjoy his showreel

We congratulate him and look forward to following him in the future

Gudsteinn Fannar Ellertsson, a graduated actor in 2018

The first year after graduation I finished two short-films for IFS graduating after me, from the Acting department. Aside I concentrated on my writing.

Guðni Líndal Benediktsson says he tried his luck to have his own short-films brought to as many festivals as possible in order to attract attention. And he was indeed successful.

Cannes, RIFF (Reykjavík International Film Festival) and Reykjavík Shorts and Docs come first to my mind. The last festival even awarded my film “No homo” with their first prize, “The best Icelandic short“. I then felt the urge to take a break from directing and tried out working on the set in a few of the bigger film productions here in Iceland;”Thor: The Dark World” and “Of Horses and men”. Following that I started writing a children´s book, Blóðey. I was successful in that work and it brougt me the Icelandic Children´s Book Prize 2014, leading the way to a further book-contract,  a sequel to be published this October.

It´s an eventfull fall for Guðni. He has just entered the Screen Academy Scotland, studying towards his MA in screenwriting.

I found this course by coincidence. My girlfriend is studying here in Edinburgh and through her I just bumped into this. I was immediately taken by the descriptions of the courses and of course, the location is enchanting. We have three semesters,taking from September 2015 to September 2016 and I will leave school with my Masters in screenwriting that fall.

It will be a very expensive year for Guðni since Iceland is not a member  of the European Union. However, he was fortunate enough to win a scholarship for non EU members, to half his tuition fees down to 6000£ a year.

I had researched all scholarships in the area hoping to find something but discovered that I was not eligible to apply for any of them because of my nationality. To be quite frank I had lost all hope of financing this with anything else but our Icelandic student loans, probably leaving me in a financial abyss for the rest of my life. But at the eleventh hour I got a mail from the Academy tipping me off to apply for the Garrick scholarship. It was a long shot since they only award one or two students every year but I thought it would be worth having a go. I wrote a long letter of application and posted it on a Wednesday receiving the good news on the following Friday. It seems things involving bureaucracy are more efficient and quicker over here in Scotland than back home in Iceland.

It is difficult for Guðni to describe what it exactly is that attracts his attention when his stories come to live.

I guess I´ve always been drawn to everyday stories. Let´s face it, very few of us lead an exciting life as… for example Jason Bourne. Still, there are these tiny moments in our lives where we still are left feeling that our lives are just as exciting as his. To drop a glass and catch it before it breaks on the floor – slip on ice and still land on our feet – finish your test in a split second before the time is out. These would be situations where you should feel yourself as being a part of an epic story – even if it is only in a minimized context. I know this answer doesn´t exhaust what I am saying but it will give you an idea in which wavelength I´m trying things out in my writing.

This winter Guðni is planning to stock up on manuscripts, to be sent to different places.

Of course I am planning to direct my first full length film within the next few years but I´m also keen on writing manuscripts to sell to production companies. I have also tried myself at writing scripts to computer-games and I am very excited to explore that field further. Most computer game companies nowadays look out for writers with an MA in screenwriting so I think I´m on the right track. Last but not least, writing books seems to suit me , so that would be fun too.

IFS wishes Guðni Lindal Benediktsson all the best and for those of you who want to learn more about this young artist you can visit his homepage at: www.gudnilindal.com

An eventful year for graduate Guðni Líndal Benediktsson

Vilius Petrikas, producer of the upcoming film “Axlar-Bjorn”

Kolbrún Vökudóttir is the second deaf actress to graduate from The Icelandic Film School but she has been very active in the Icelandic cultural life in recent  years.

For some years she has been musically active, interpreting music in various concerts with sign language. Iceland’s entry, Unbroken, was shown in sign language at the European song contest in Sweden last month after the performance. Vökudóttir felt the urge to improve upon it and you can see the results in the video below where Kolbrún translated and performed.

Kolbrún Vökudóttir graduated from the Icelandic Film School last month.

IFS actress performs Eurovision song in sign language

Film School students have quite a few films this year in the Frostbiter Film Festival

Emil Alfreð Emilsson, a graduate from Screen Writing and Directing at The Film School, recently received an award for the best script for his film “Three Men”.
The Film Festival Cinemaiubit  is an international festival, certified by CILECT, the international association of film schools, and Emil well deserves the recognition

We got hold of Emil and got to pry a bit about the process from the beginning

There was never a question of what course I would choose to study on. Screen Writing and Directing are the two aspects that enthrall me the most. The quality of teaching, speaking from my department of course, was fantastic, you get to sit in a class for two years with all the most qualified people Iceland has to offer. I mean that. And to me the most important lesson is not a special trick within itself. All these amazing teachers we had are there because they are ready to do the work needed. And that is probably what sticks out for me the most

How did Emil come to applying for Cinemaiubit?

Sigrún Gylfadóttir, the project manager for The Film School, is completely incorporated into the film world and she sent me a message about this festival. It is nice knowing that even though I have graduated, I am still in her mind and I recommend that you give her a high five when you see her, she is a top quality person

And what does the future hold for an awarded screen writer?

I was honored by the fact that the cinematographer Óttar Ingi, who shot “Three Men”, asked me to join his team for his graduation film that will probably be shot in March and we are developing that film at the moment.
Besides that I have never been much of a planner so to speak. My only plans are to keep practicing and try to improve as much as possible. If you do the work something good might happen, that is how I see it in any case

We of course congratulate Emil on his great success and look forward to following this film maker in the future

Emil Alfreð Emilsson received an international award for his graduation film

There is always a reason to celebrate when our former students undertake interesting projects and it is safe to say that the play “Media” falls under that category. Among the performers are students from the Acting department of The Film School;  Andri Freyr Sigurpálsson, Birgir Egilsson, Sara Rut Arnardóttir, Sigmar Ingi Sigurgeirsson and Sigurður Traustason.

Andri Freyr was available for us to learn a bit more about the project and its process

The play “Media” is a devised theater play. We started the process in November by taking on all kinds of material. We began working from the concept of “social media”and took a close look into all the available social media and apps and did both written projects and group projects where we created scenes from the information we gathered. As social media can be found in every aspect of life and in most all machines, we quickly began looking at the technology itself and the technological development, along with the biggest technological discoveries of humankind and wondered how it and social media will shape our futureWe did a lot of work by dividing into groups and taking on different tasks and performing original scenes, often only scripted from words and basic concepts. Slowly the project got headed into a certain direction where we were going and after a full month of creating and coordinating, it was time to piece it together into one script, which turned out to be very challenging. We got access to the old Herkastalinn and have been working very hard to transform it into a real theater by building a stage set in the auditorium

“In 1879 the first light bulb arrived, we had discovered electricity. The industrial revolution followed. In 1892 Henry Ford made the first automobile. In 1903 the first airplane took off. In 1959 we created artificial intelligence. In 1969 the internet was discovered. With added communication the era of technology began . In 1973 the first mobile phone was made and in 2007 we had the Iphone. In 2003 Myspace.com was created, in 2004 we had Facebook, 2010 it was Instagram and in 2012 Snapchat. In the year 2068 Media arrived.

The Student theater is showing the play “Media”

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