Haggai Birnir Moshesson - Directing and Producing
Haggai Birnir will be graduating from Directing and Producing with his film "Last summer"
Last Summer
Sigrún moves into the countryside for a summer job as a home care worker. There she meets Sævar and forms a bond with him over the summer.
What is the first film experience you remember that had an impact on you?
I think my earliest movie memory is watching "Monsters Inc" with my dad, although it may not have had much of an impact on me as a filmmaker, it is still my favorite cartoon to this day. But Star Wars is by far the film that had the biggest impact on me and made me wonder what goes into making movies and then led me to do some research.
What fascinates you about filmmaking?
First of all, the fact that this is a collaboration and at the same time an art form, where, if people do things right, everyone is working together on the same creative work, and I see it even better after my time at this school how important it is to have good a team you trust and respect.
Why did you choose Directing and Producing?
To be honest, I started on the path of Screenwriting and Directing and then decided to switch to Producing. I found that I would rather spend more time working with people on set than sitting alone at a computer writing. When I find myself burning for a script, I find it more important to sit at the computer and write, but I am very grateful for the experience I got from interacting with people. I learned more about filmmaking as a whole from producing.
Did anything particularly surprise you during your studies?
I was surprised by how much I'm interested in things I didn't think I'd be interested in, like editing, lighting or sound mixing. Also how good the spirit in the school is and how people are willing to sacrifice a lot for each other.
What do you want to do in the film industry after graduation?
I started this school because I said "I want to make a movie" when I was asked what I want to do before I die. A film that I write, direct, edit and produce myself. Now that I'm done with school, I feel like I've achieved that goal, but I'm still by no means done with filmmaking, and I'm anxiously waiting for the passion to ignite for the next project.
