We held our graduation ceremony this weekend from all departments. All graduation films were shown at Bio Paradis and after that awards were presented to the best films in each department.

The recipients of the awards were as follows;

Graduation winter 2018 and awards presented

Last weekend, Elsa G. Björnsdóttir’s short film The Endless Story, won a prize at the Clin d’Oeil  festival in Reims in France.

Elsa who is deaf graduated from the Icelandic Film School in 2010 made the film to commemorate a century in history of deaf where sign language was banned in the years 1880 until 1980.

“Deaf people were made to read lips and challenged to show off speaking to non-deaf people. The film is a cool review of this period of time.”

The Clin d’Oeil festival is an important asset for deaf artists from all over the world and Elsa’s prize of 1000 Euro is sure to help her underway to her next film project.

Elsa G. Björnsdóttir wins a prize at Clin d´Oeil in Reims

First semester students finished their first course, TAEK 107, where all departments learn the basics of film making, which ends with each of them making a 1 minute short film.

2nd semester of Directing and Producing took art history with 
along with other 2nd semester students, they took a Directing course with Borkur Gunnarsson (Thetta reddast) with students of Screen Writing and Directing, began a course in Screen writing with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Borgriki, Kurteist folk), where they will, among other things, write a script for a short film they will produce at the end of the semester. 4th semester students did 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, as well as taking a directors course with Hilmar Oddsson (Kaldaljós, Tar ur steini) where they continued working on their graduation project. They also took courses in founding and running companies, as well as current film history.

2nd semester students of Creative Technology 
took art history with Lee Lorenzo Lynch, and an editing course with 
 3rd semester sat a course in cinematography with where they are preparing to shoot their own documentary, and took a screen writing course with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Kurteist Folk, Borgriki). 
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 (Hofundur Othekktur, 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 began a course in directing with 
Hilmar Oddsson (Kaldaljós, Tar ur steini), 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), a course in vocal training with Thorey Sigthorsdottir (Agnes, Kaldaljos). 
Nemendur á 3rd semester students sat a course in art history with and worked with acting technique with Hannes Oli Agustsson (Metalhead). 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. They also took a course in the making of a showreel and rehearsed for auditions, and the 4th semester sat a course in founding production companies and applications, as well as a class in current film history. On top of all of that they put on a musical in Idno with class and enthusiasm, that had been rescheduled from the last semester. Never a dull moment at The Film School.

Our offices will be closed through the holidays, but you can email us at 
kvikmyndaskoli@kvikmyndaskoli.is

Spring semester will commence on January 16th at 9am.

We wish you happy holidays, thank you for the passing year and we look forward to 2020!

An interesting project landed the other day when our own Elfar Thor Gudbjartsson was asked to record and direct a scene for the coming film “Miracle Valley”, by Greg Sestero at The Film School. BjorgvinFrans Gislason acted in the scene and Elfar got students from the school to assist, among them Thorsteinn Sturla Gunnarsson, Karolina Baehrenz Larusdottir, Snorri Sigurbjorn Jonsson, Ottar Andri Ottarsson, Halfdan Hordur Palsson og Kristofer Smari Leifsson .


It was actually kind of funny how this came about. I was just relaxing at home when my friend Rakel sent me a message and asked if we could chat. She calls me and tells me her friend, Greg Sestero, needs some help to shoot a scene here in Iceland for his upcoming film. Before I knew it I was talking to him daily about the project. The reason that he needed it shot here was that Bjorgvin Frans was not able to travel abroad. Greg, like everyone that gets to know Bjorgvin, loves him and he had to have him in the film so he got me to make it happen with the greatest students in the country! So you could say that I really fell backwards into the assignment.

You can safely say that there is never a dull moment at The Film School.

Greg Sestero films a scene in the Black Studio at The Film School

Reykjavik Fringe Festival, still open for applications !

Kinema, the student association of The Icelandic Film School, had its yearly gala last weekend and a wonderful time was had by all, as can bee seen in the pictures

Kinema yearly gala, pictures from the evening

Arnorsson CFX artist in Canada: IFS helped me to understand how the industry work

The French Film Festival in Reykjavík starts on Januar 26 – February 4

We were happy to have the Canadian Inuit actor from Igloolik, Nunavut, Mr. Natar Ungalaaq as our guest today, January 25during lunch at Siggasalur.

All students were welcome to come and enjoy the time with Mr. Ungalac

His film “Iqaluit“ will be shown in a free entrance showing at Haskolabio on Saturday, January 27th at 9 pm

We got to watch the trailer of his film “Iqaluit” before the talk he had with our students, among the discussions he told us about his home, Iglooik, Nunavut, a small island in North Canada, an extremely isolated community

Natar has won best actor in Canadian and American festivals earlier in his career and is also a film maker, just making his debut as director in a recent film “Searchers”

We were very fortunate to get a visit from Mr.Ungalaaq and look forward to seeing his film on Saturday

A script has been chosen for The Les Arcs Film Festival !

First semester students in Directing/Producing finished a course in music videos under the guidance of Erlendur Sveinsson (Kanari), edited videos they shot the week before and began a course in producing with Hlin Johannesdottir (Bokeh, Svanurinn) and directing where they go through working with actors with Thorsteinn Bachmans (Let me fall, Vonarstraeti) with first semester students of Screen writing/Directing. Third semester students finished a course in remaking scenes with other third semester students, where they remake a scene from known films. Teaching were  Agusta Margret Johannsdottir (UseLess), storyboard master Sigurdur Valur and director Vidar Vikingsson (Draugasaga).

First semester students of Creative Technology sat their first course in editing with David Alexander Corno (Undir Halastjornu, Woman at war) as well as beginning a course in film effect change with Sigurgeir Arinbjarnarson (Everest, Star Trek Discovery). Second semester students sat a course in sound editing with Kjartan Kjartansson (Sodoma Reykjavik) and began a course in film effects where the are working with after effects under the guidance of Sigurgeir Arinbjarnarson (Everest, Star Trek Discovery).Third semester students finished a course in remaking scenes with other third semester students.

First semester students of Screen writing/Directing finished a course in writing for television shows under the direction of Otto Geir Borg (I remember you, Astropia) and began their first course in script writing for full length films with Hrafnkell Stefansson (Kurteist folk, Borgriki) where they will begin the work on a script that they will work with in coming semesters. Third semester students finished a course in remaking scenes with other third semester students. Students in the fourth semester sat a course in directing with Gunnar B. Gudmundsson (Astropia, Gauragangur) where students prepared their graduation films.

In Acting, first semester students sat a a course in vocal training and singing with Thorunn Erna Clausen (Loi), acting and movement where they work with the expression of the body, guided by Gudmundur Elias Knudsen, and then had a demonstration of what they have been doing in acting interpretation with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a leik, XL). Second semester students sat a course in vocal training with Thorey Sigthorsdottir (Agnes, Kaldaljos) and did acting technique with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a leik, XL). Third semester students finished a course in remaking scenes with other third semester students.

Kinema, the Film Schools student organisation, offered a Script Workshop and Karaoke night on Tuesday and Game night on Thursday as usual, and then celebrated Halloween on Friday evening.

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


Vocal training and remaking famous film scenes among this weeks projects

The Icelandic Comedy Film Festival will be held for the third time from September 13th to the 16th at Flateyri.

At The Icelandic Comedy Film Festival happiness and humor is the goal, where both old and new Icelandic comedies will be shown. During the festival over 20 comedy shorts will be viewed, a guest of honor will show up with a classic comedic film, a comedy play will be performed and closing off with a wrap party and an amazing country dance.

The festival has been quite popular the last 2 years, but over 700 people attended the events. The funniest film of the festival will be chosen by the audience and The Film School has had quite the success there, as many great comic shorts have been from their students through the years and this year will be no exception,

There is still a possibility to enter, by sending a link to the film along with the directors name and production year to the email ej@glama.is

Mid-july marked the opening of the film Webcam produced by Magnús Thoroddsen Ívarsson who graduated from the IFS a year ago.

“I have been making short videos since I got a camera at my confirmation.”

Magnús says all his experience became most valuable now when he produced his first major work since the team on set was often small, mostly consisting of three crew members. Knowing all sides of the business helped him being able to jump in as a gaffer, boom operator, make-up artist or even costume-designer or bringing the coffee to someone.

“This film is the fruit of a cooperation between me, Sigurður Anton Friðþjófsson, screenwriter,  and Telma Huld Jóhannesdóttir. It has lasted some years now.  Anna Hafþórsdóttir came into this later but we actually knew all along we were going to get her for this project. She had left a good impression after an audition at the IFS some years back, for a short-film.”

Magnús is taken by the all the good exsperience he’s been left with from the dozens of films students have to make at the IFS during the two year curriculum.

“The work at the school showed us the importance of efficiency, discipline and organization. The courses trains you in the business, not only to know which cable to use, but to get the job done”

Since graduation Magnús has kept in touch with his class from IFS and he had a few of his classmates working on location.

“Þorlákur Bjarki worked as a sound man for six days, Lovísa Lára produced for three days and worked on assistant direction for another four days and she even brought a couple of younger students to assist as well.  So one can really say they all played a big role with mostly only three of us behind the camera.”

New scripts are beeing worked on and there are hopes next big thing might be shooting as early as the fall.

“For now I’m shooting a rap concert tomorrow night and I’m very excited about that”

The importance of efficiency, discipline and organization – Producer of the film Webcam

First semester students finished a course with the head of Directing, Hilmar Oddson (Tears of Stone), in visual story telling where they directed a practice project and began a course in commercials with 
and script making with Kolbrun Bjornsdottir. 2nd semester students finished a course in screen writing with and began a course with other 2nd semester students, where each of them will shoot, edit and premiere a short film that demonstrates their personal style. Their teachers are and Linda Stefansdottir (The Fifth Estate). 
4th semester students took a screen writing course with Huldar Breidfjord (Under the tree), as well as work on their graduation projects.

1st semester students took a course in sound editing with the head of Sound, Kjartan Kjartasson (101 Reykjavik). 2nd semester students finished an editing course with the head of Editing, David Alexander Corno (Woman at war) and began a course with other 2nd semester students, where each of them will shoot, edit and premiere a short film that demonstrates their personal style. Their teachers are and Linda Stefansdottir (The Fifth Estate). 
3rd semester students finished shooting their own documentary film with and beganan editing course with the head of Editing, David Alexander Corno (Woman at war). 4th semester students took a production course under the guidance of Arnar Benjamins (A Reykjavik Porno, Þorsti) and Filming with Bjarni Felix Bjarnason (Borgriki) where they prepared shooting their graduation projects.

2nd semester students finished a rewrite of a pilot show with Dogg Mosesdottir (Me & Bobby Fischer) and began a course with other 2nd semester students, where each of them will shoot, edit and premiere a short film that demonstrates their personal style. Their teachers are and Linda Stefansdottir (The Fifth Estate). 4th semester students took a screen writing course with Huldar Breidfjord (Under the tree) , as well as work on a full length script rewrite with Hrafnkell Stefánsson (Borgriki) that they have been working on since their first semester. 

2nd semester students of Acting did a course in Acting Technique with Runar Gudbrandsson (Svartur a Leik), a course in vocal training with Thorey Sigthorsdottir (Agnes, Kaldaljos) and Acting and movement with Gudmundur Elias Knudsen. 2nd semester students finished a course in Acting Technique withand began a course with other 2nd semester students, where each of them will shoot, edit and premiere a short film that demonstrates their personal style. Their teachers are and Linda Stefansdottir (The Fifth Estate). 3rd semester students sat a course in Acting Technique with and Acting history with4th semester students sat a course in the making of a dance video under the guidance of Kolbrun Anna Bjornsdottir (Svartir Englar) and Rut Hermannsdottir, a course in the making of a show reel, training for auditions and a course with Arni Beinteinsson in Dubbing. All departments then finished the week in Bio Paradis with a course in Film History.

Kinema, The Film Schools student body, celebrated many things this week like Bunday and Mustache March, but they also had their yearly gala and here you can enjoy some photos from the event

New courses begin and the students enjoy their yearly gala

To celebrate the 25th year of The Icelandic Film School we will be showing 25 selected works of our graduated students. This time we will be showing the short film “Aurar” from the spring semester of 2012.

The short film “Aurar” was the graduation project of Emil Arnar Morávek that graduated from Screen writing and Directing in the spring of 2012

Speaking with Emil Arnar, director and screen writer, he said;

When I started my studies at the Film School in the fall of 2010 I only had a vague idea of what I wanted to do with the knowledge the school provided.I was interested in film making, producing, artistic work cooperation and the development of story telling. I therefor decided to embrace the studies with an open mind and give it my all.The school gave me a good and varied knowledge to the forms of film making, both in script writing, producing and a clearer picture of what I liked about film making and what I did not.

There I also met a lot of people that were on the same wave length in life as I was and I made many good friends that I am still in touch with today. There were also many individuals that were teaching at the school and introduced me to internship in the business doing interesting jobs, which resulted in me working more in the industry itself rather than the art of it after my degree and I have found my niche.

I have for instance been a part of service to large and impressive Hollywood projects, world renowned television shows, Icelandic films, advertisements and music videos. In these projects I have worked in production assisting and shooting locations, location management and assistant directing.I have also taken on teaching film making on a college level and held courses for that age group.Even though I still have a dream to set off with my own project, I really like working in this industry and will surely continue it. In the mean time I collect ideas on the computer.

Here is the short film “Aurar”, please enjoy

The shortfilm  BROTHERS by IFS graduate Þórður Pálsson (Thordur Palsson) has been invited to this year’s Palm Spring International ShortFest.

Pálsson recently graduated from the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield and recently signed up with the Sayle Screen agency in London. He graduated from the Icelandic Film School in 2012 as a Director/producer and has won numerous awards at  international festivals for his graduation film, A HARD WORLD.

 In 2015 Thordur graduated from the prestigious NFTS with an MA in Directing Fiction.

IFS graduates film to appear at Palm Springs ShortFest

The fall semester has begun today, Thursday the 16th of August. An outstanding group of freshmen has begun their studies in all four departments of the school. The group is excited and we expect many enthralling projects during the semester.

At the end of the ceremony our traditional picture was taken in front of the school, including both students and faculty.

A new semester had begun at The Film School

Sigridur Bara Steinthorsdottir, graduated from Acting in the spring of 2018 and here you can enjoy her showreel

We congratulate her and will be following her future career

Sigridur Bara Steinthorsdottir, a graduate from Acting

Search results

Graduation winter 2018 and awards presented

Elsa G. Björnsdóttir wins a prize at Clin d´Oeil in Reims

A musical and multiple courses

Happy holidays !

Greg Sestero films a scene in the Black Studio at The Film School

Reykjavik Fringe Festival, still open for applications !

Kinema yearly gala, pictures from the evening

Arnorsson CFX artist in Canada: IFS helped me to understand how the industry work

A special visit

A script has been chosen for The Les Arcs Film Festival !

Vocal training and remaking famous film scenes among this weeks projects

Laughter is the best medicine

The importance of efficiency, discipline and organization – Producer of the film Webcam

New courses begin and the students enjoy their yearly gala

“Aurar” by Emil Örn

IFS graduates film to appear at Palm Springs ShortFest

A new semester had begun at The Film School

Sigridur Bara Steinthorsdottir, a graduate from Acting

Diplomas

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