You Can Do Anything, If You Are Willing to Fight For It by Co-Writer/Co-Director André Hedetoft
(Read the full post on FilmCourage.com here)
Film Courage: Where did you grow up?
André Hedetoft: I grew up in Oxie, a suburb to Malmö in Sweden. As I kid I had an active imagination up to the point on where I actually thought I could fly from the second floor stairs when I wore my favorite superman costume. My mom had her hands full to say the least. My father worked in advertising, so early on we had access to an analog video camera and basic editing software on an old Mac that I started playing around with. My parents have always been very supportive of my wild dreams and it’s from them I’ve learned the most important lesson of all. That you can do anything you want, if you are willing to fight for it.
Film Courage: Did you go to film school?
André: When I was little I used to spend hours and hours alone in the bathtub fantasizing myself away on fantastic adventures. I had this bag stuffed with everything from old action figures, to LEGOs and other dolls I’ve found in my sisters room. I used to throw it all in the bath and jump in spending the next couple of hours making up stories. I’m only half-joking when I say that I wrote some of my best material there. In a lot of ways not much has changed since then, I’m still just playing around making up stories today.
Other than that my practical film school has been the shorts me and Andreas have been doing over the last couple of years. Nothing beats learning by just getting out there and start making stuff.
Film Courage: Best movie going experience as a kid?
André: Jurassic Park, hands down. My parents took me and I distinctly remember to this day sitting between them, peeking through my fingers at the velociraptor opening scene. Very scared, but completely mesmerized. It was at that exact moment I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Take people on fantastic adventures through the movies.
“I have three daughters and a wife who each day inspire me more than anything to be brave when I’m making films. I’m just telling stories with amazing heroines on fantastic adventures that my daughters can grow up with. It’s as simple as that.”
André Hedetoft, Co-Writer/Co-Director of ORIGIN Movie
Film Courage: Your twitter bio says you’re a geek? What makes this so?
André: I was born seven weeks early in an elevator and had to spend a lot of time in hospitals growing up. At one point my parents brought me a comic book, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t one of those comic strips ones I’ve read before. This one was filled with amazing people with superpowers saving the world. I’ve must have read it over and over again that first day until I started wondering what happens after it ended. Instead of waiting for the next issue I started to try imagine and fantasize up the superheroes next adventure. And the one after that. And after that. Geek culture saved me from boredom during those hospital years and it’s been a lifelong relationship ever since.
Film Courage: If you really are a geek (in the nicest terms!!) — is it easier as an adult “geek” versus being a “geek” in school?
André: It has certainly been an interesting couple of years where a lot of the geek culture have gone from being smaller more obscure interest for a few, to exploding into pop culture for the many. I mean I think it’s pretty awesome that many more can discover some of the best stuff in life more easily today. Who knew that all those years of reading obscure comics, staying up all night to watch movies no one had heard of with your friends, trading Doomtrooper cards in secret or playing with action dolls would finally pay off. Also, as a side effect of geek culture going popular, we will be able to tell even braver stories. The origin stories we see today is just barely scratching the surface. That’s like issue #1 material in comics. There’s a whole world of interesting stories and amazing diverse characters that’s just waiting for bigger audiences to discover. We live in interesting times.
Film Courage: How does where you live influence what you make?
André: If one were to write up a recipe for my films I think it would both contain a healthy dose of unique Swedish storytelling together with a big cup of awesomeness from American geek culture. But I would actually say that what influences me the most is not just where I live, but rather who I live there with. I have three daughters and a wife who each day inspire me more than anything to be brave when I’m making films. I’m just telling stories with amazing heroines on fantastic adventures that my daughters can grow up with. It’s as simple as that.
(Read the full post on FilmCourage.com here)
CONNECT WITH ORIGIN MOVIE:
iTunes Pre-Order Link for ORIGIN
Twitter for ORIGIN
Twitter for Andreas
Twitter for André
108 Media Film Page
BIO:
André Hedetoft is a visionary Swedish director that through his vivid imagination and blend of extraordinary high-concepts with an emotional core have become best known for his debut feature film “Origin” and viral short films “Double Trouble” and “Logan” seen in over 150 countries and featured on Wired, Aint It Cool News, Slashfilm, Firstshowing and many other media outlets.
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