10th Anniversary of Scan Design Foundation Partnership

The 2020 festival marked the tenth consecutive NFFTY that received support from Scan Design Foundation to power our ongoing collaboration with Station Next! Scan Design Foundation is our largest historical contributor, and has been a keystone to our success. Over the past decade plus, the Scan Design Foundation Masterclass has brought world-class (and Oscar® recognized) Danish film creators to NFFTY for enthusiastic audiences of emerging and aspiring filmmakers. Over 2000 NFFTY alumni to date have had the opportunity to learn directly from one of the world’s most recognized nations in cinematic excellence, Denmark. A unique three-way partnership, Scan Design Foundation, NFFTY, and Station Next look forward to another decade of providing high quality experiences and educational opportunities to rising filmmakers.

About Station Next

Station Next is a film school for young people between the ages of 13 and 20 from all over Denmark, with students attending classes one evening per week for three years or attending film camps. Their instructional philosophy is to give their students hands-on experiences and responsibility for their own productions, using professional filmmakers as teachers/coaches and placing focus on the final product through emphasis on the production process. It was founded in 2000 as the result of a joint pedagogical, film and TV initiative with The Municipality of Hvidovrew, The Film Town, Danish Children & Youth Film Clubs, The Association of Danish Film & TV Producers, Nordisk Film and TV A/S, Zentropa Productions A/S, TV2 Denmark and The Danish Broadcasting Corporation. It is based in The Film Town in Copenhagen, Aarhus Jutland and Faaborg, Funen. Station Next is integrally tied into the Danish film industry and works with over 80 freelance filmmakers on a regular basis to provide instruction and mentorships.

About Scan Design Foundation

Scan Design Foundation is comprised of two separate Foundations established by their Founders, Inger and Jens Bruun, one located in the United States and one in Denmark. The US Foundation is based in Seattle, Washington. It’s mission is to grow, develop, and encourage dynamic relationships between the US and Denmark, inspired by the legacy of Inger & Jens Bruun. The US Foundation was established in 2002 and has awarded grants to support the organizational mandates since 2004. The Danish Foundation is based in Aalborg, Denmark, was established in 2002 and has awarded grants to support the organizational mandates since 2007.

Scan Design Foundation Masterclasses at NFFTY Over the Years

Below is a compendium of Scan Design Masterclasses, produced by Station Next and presented at NFFTY over the years:

NFFTY 2022: Martin Strange-Hansen “USING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN YOUR FILMMAKING” - You probably have heard the phrase “write what you know”? In this talk, Danish director Martin Strange-Hansen takes us through the personal experiences, traumas and events behind some of his award-winning short films. From his Student Academy Award-winning graduation film FEEDING DESIRE, over his Oscar®-winning short film THIS CHARMING MIND to his new short film, the Oscar®-nominated ON MY MIND.

NFFTY 2020: Isabella Eklöf & Lin Alluna “PAINTING IN TIME” - Similar to real life, the complex villains of Isabella Eklöf’s films are both attractive and repulsive at the same time, but what is the key to casting and working successfully with actors? In this Masterclass, the Danish director and former NFFTY award-winner Lin Alluna talked to the award-winning Swedish director and scriptwriter Isabella Eklöf, who dares to have fun with her art, while ruthlessly using her personal experience as honest inspiration for her unusual films.

NFFTY 2019: Anna Emma Haudal - Writer and director Anna Emma Haudal took us through the development of her web series DOGGYSTYLE and discussed how it started as a graduation script for a feature film and ended as a web series that screened on national broadcast tv. A masterclass about research, developing and the anxiety of being a successful artist.

NFFTY 2018: Aske Bang “THE ART OF SHORT-FORM STORYTELLING” - Oscar®-nominated Danish filmmaker Aske Bang led us through his burgeoning career, from film school to his 2017 Oscar nomination. Explore his films' themes and characters: quirky individuals looking for their niche in "normal society." He also told us his experience of journeying a low-budget short all the way to the Oscars®. Plus: audiences enjoyed a screening of his Oscar®-nominated short, Silent Nights.

NFFTY 2017: Wikke & Rasmussen “LONGEVITY WITH LEVITY” - Steen Rasmussen and Michael Wikke teamed up at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in the 1980s, forming their own production company Graested Film & Television. With over three decades in the industry, they have served as producers, writers, directors and actors in a range of film, radio and television projects. During the NFFTY 2017 Masterclass, Wikke and Rasmussen took the opportunity to share with the visiting students, film enthusiasts and visiting filmmakers insights into their long, successful career. And how creativity and offbeat humor helped to propel their careers forward. Rassmussen and Wikke were well received, with the audience enjoying stories on building a successful career in the industry.

NFFTY 2016: Christian E. Christiansen “THE INDIE FILM HUSTLE” - Danish filmmaker Christian E. Christiansen helped us navigate the hard- fought road from indie openings to Oscar® noms. It’s the beginning filmmakers’ conundrum: you have a barely-there resumé and no money, and yet you need to balance business, story, and production while creating your own platform and staying in control. He also told us about the difference between making movies in the US and making movies in Europe – through the lens of his own career, venturing from a low-budget Danish movie to a #1 opening at the US box office.

NFFTY 2015: Rasmus Heisterberg “THE JOURNEY FROM IDEA TO STORY” - Danish screenwriter Rasmus Heisterberg led us on the intricate process from an idea to a story. Often we see films where the idea was strong and original, but the whole script never completed the intentions. In this workshop we explored how to find the right path for an idea so it can develop into characters, plot and themes. We also learned how to stay on that path throughout the writing process with the goal of turning ideas into scenes and sequences, and finally a whole script.

NFFTY 2014: Kræsten Kusk “YOUR STORY, YOUR WAY” - Danish director Kræsten Kusk has always used his own personal stories as a creative motor in his filmmaking. Since 1998, he has directed over 15 short films. His collaborative film ”Sundays” will screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2014. As a filmmaker, Kræsten constantly balances retaining his creative integrity while still allowing room for collaboration with other creatives. How do you manage to put your own private story into a film and harness the input of an entire crew of colleagues? Is it possible to use collaboration as a creative drive? This workshop fcoused on Kræsten’s very personal take on filmmaking combined with the collaborative approach. Kræsten showed clips from his latest film ”Where the Light Gets In“ and from the unfinished “Sundays.”

NFFTY 2013: Pernille Rose Grønkjær “DOCUMENTARIES THE DANISH WAY” - Danish documentary films are winning awards the world over for their unique artistic storytelling. In this masterclass award winning documentary director Pernille Rose Grønkjær dove into why that is. Based on her own work and the work of other great Danish directors. This masterclass covered insights into cinematic vision, the crucial personal motive to make a film, universal and international understanding and the funny, eye opening and surprising experience of the process of making great documentary films!

NFFTY 2012: Caroline Sascha Cogez “FINDING YOUR VOICE” - The tiny country of Denmark is a filmmaking powerhouse. Last year the Oscar for best foreign film and the Cannes Lion for Best Director went to Danish directors. How are so many powerful films being made without big budgets or special effects? The Stories. Award winning Danish Director Caroline Sascha Cogez will guide you through a personal journey of discovering how to tell the very best story. What elements could inspire you as a filmmaker to find your inner voice? What makes a good story, how does a filmmaker create compelling storytelling and character development? Be prepared to walk away from this panel with vast inspiration and knowledge.

NFFTY 2011: Martin Strange-Hansen “STORYTELLING: MY WAY” - Academy Award winning director Martin Strange-Hansen traveled all the way from Denmark to share his storytelling expertise. This masterclass featured clips of Martin’s work and conversation about his unique perspective relating to how tomorrow’s storyteller can best ensure that their story has the greatest possible impact and value, along with anecdotes on lessons learned and what he can share as an artist.

THE NextFilmFestival Award

TheNextFilmFestival International is both a film competition and a camp for young filmmakers, and is a program of StationNext. StationNext has partnered with NFFTY and with a group of the best international film festivals and film schools to send their top student filmmakers to the festival along with a film teacher.

Films in the competition were represented by two young filmmakers with a dedication to filmmaking. The 20 international talents were teamed up with 20 selected young Danish film talents for days of workshops, masterclasses and networking. This was a unique opportunity to learn from some great Danish masters and to make connections for future projects.

Young filmmakers (aged 20 or under) from the PNW were selected to screen their work and be accompanied by a film teacher/chaperone to attend the festival in Denmark, thanks to the generous support of Scan Design Foundation.