Exclusive: Netflix widens partnership with Filmtalent Denmark to train young series creators

In its third year, the joint initiative ‘Serieskolen’ will include for the first-time pop-up workshops with top screenwriters and a collaboration with THIS Festival in Aarhus.

Set up in 2021 by Netflix and Filmtalent Denmark - the organisation promoting and nurturing film talents in the Danish regions - Serieskolen (the Series School) is playing an important role in supporting young serial storytellers in Denmark.

In the last two years, more than 100 aspiring filmmakers have taken part in the intensive talent development programme, which offers 3 weekend workshops in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense for 12 selected talent teams, masterclasses, mentorship from companies including Drive Studios, SAM Productions, Nimbus Film, SF Studios or Zentropa.

So far seven finalist teams that have developed their series projects from idea to pilot, have also received individual grants of DKK100,000 along with equipment and coaching to produce their proof of concept.

Among those finalists and grant recipients is upcoming Danish producer Signe Høiholm Fejer who attended Serieskolen 2022 with her project For alt i verden (For Anything in the World) directed by Pernille Lund based on a script by Sofie Krogh Grud.

Discussing the training programme, she said: “We had a broad idea for our series, the characters and overall vision. Serieskolen was extremely helpful with the masterclasses and input from highly skilled industry people who helped us develop our project. We met our co-producer Katrine Dolmer through Serieskolen 2022 among the other participants and it is great to collaborate and get the project going,” she added.

For the third edition, Netflix and Filmtalent Denmark headed by Jeanette Reutzer, have added three two-day workshops in Odense, Aarhus and Copenhagen to foster diversity among the future generation of Danish series storytellers.

Mentors taking part in the new workshops are actress/screenwriter Diêm Camilla and Super16 film instructor Nivetha Balasubramaniam.

Furthermore, the finalist teams, recipients of the individual DKK 100,000 grants, will be offered a chance to pitch their series proof of concept to professionals at Aarhus’ THIS Festival this fall.

Jenny Stjernströmer Björk, Vice President Content Nordics, Netflix said: “At Netflix, we are incredibly thrilled to continue this great collaboration with Filmtalent Denmark. Netflix invests in the production of Danish films and series, but we also want to continue our contribution to the ecosystem by investing in talent development, to make sure even more young creatives across Denmark get a shot at film and series development and that even more fantastic content can be made in Denmark in the future. Serieskolen enables us to do just that. The first two years of this project have been a big success, and the reactions from participants have been very positive. With the newest additions to the programme, we have high hopes for Serieskolen 2023 to be at least as successful,” she said.

Netflix has also been involved in a tailor-made writing programme in Sweden - the Alma X Netflix Writing Academy for storytellers - authors, journalists, actors - with no (or little) previous experience in series or feature film screenwriting.

For further information on Serieskolen, CLICK HERE.