WeeVoyages: Interview with creative and interesting people! Ina Lerner Grevstad.

The blog has moved to

Hi everyone,
We are going to publish an interview with interesting and creative people once a month!
Today we interview, without any doubts, a very creative person, Ina Lerner Grevstad. She works as a movie director in Bergen. In addition she is directing a quite popular reality show "Farmen" in Norway.
We really hope that you can find some interesting things from the interview that can inspire you! ;)

1. Tell us about your main achievements to date.

I feel my main achievement at my job is that I have been working with great people both in front and behind the camera. My first job in the movie business was in January 2007, and after that I have always been recommended for further work. I have worked at different positions such as director assistant, coordinator, directing extras, etc.

Last year, as a director I made a short film "Høstreise" that is now touring festivals. This year I attended The Berlinale Talent Campus at the Berlinale film festival. In addition I have made a teaser for my first fictional TV series. Now I am also directing the Norwegian reality show "Farmen".

2. Who are you in the future: a director or an actress?

I think I will be a director till I get old and grey. I love working with different type of people and making creative stuff together.I have a lot of stories to tell, both drama and funny stories. It is a great feeling to be a part of the process: from scriptwriting to being able to bring stories to live and follow through it. It can be very hard to be a director because you often have to make your own projects in order to have a job. However the positive happenings at my work are bigger then all the negative.

3. As you are a director, what is your dream movie?

I really want to make a character driven family drama, where I could work with actors in rehearsing and use time for characters to develop. I love drama myself,especially Danish ones. At the same time I love comedy and action stuff, so if I got a chance to direct Charlie's Angels 4, I would say YES and love doing it.

4. Is it difficult to be a woman-director in Norway?

I do not think it is more difficult then in other countries. I think female directors do have challenges, but some of them are inside ourselves. You have to fight your way to be seen, if you are a woman and work as a leader among men-leaders. At the same time we sometimes can learn from men, for example, how they do things, how they do not think too much over things and about people's reaction.

Now I am writing my series, making the teaser for it, not knowing yet who will show it. It is scary, but at the same time a very satisfying feeling. It is also challenging to get a family and children, because movies are not a normal day job. That makes more women to step out of the work.

5. Is is important for a woman in the movie industry to follow fashion?

For me it is not important to follow fashion. It is more important to find your own style, without having the best and the most expensive brands. It is about people and their stories than their clothes. However, to dress up for premieres and parties is fun.It also depends on which role you have in the movie industry. When you are on set it has to be practical and comfortable clothes that counts for me. When you are a producer you have to present.

6. Which style do you prefer?

I prefer a relaxed and young style. Today I usually wear pants, not skirts or dresses, both for daily basis and for parties. And when I wear pants I do not think to sit correctly and so on, I can move as I like. I also see that my style has changed from very colorful and childish to more growth.

I really do not care about brands, so I do not need to buy and use all my money on the most fancy and expensive clothes.

7. Do you have any people, books, or magazines that inspire you?

I get inspired by people who dare realize themselves in whatever business. They dare be different and honest. I can also be inspired by good directors and by people who treat other people with respect.

I read the cultural magazine of Aftenposten "K" and the movie-magazine "Rushprint". Sometimes I read different woman magazines. I read all kinds of book: old, new, comedy, drama. It inspires me in different ways despite which project I am doing.

8. The last question: what is the future of Norwegian movie?

Personally, it seems there will be more international movies with bigger budgets mostly in comedy and action spheres. There are several Norwegians who have become known outside Norway, most of them are specialized in horror and action. I think It will be more of this. It is like a fashion. There will be more low budget movies with a very little crew. For example, such a great movie "Eventyrland" was made by very few people and small money. I hope we will be able to make not only plot driven stories, but also more character-driven stories where we can use time on developing characters and actors!

Here you can find her teaser "Ingen Retur"