Reaching the Third Act with Rúnar Ingi
Photos by Lilja Jónsdottir
Rúnar Ingi is an Icelandic-born filmmaker and commercial director known for his work with Land Rover, Lidl and Volvo, among many others. Repped by Sequoia in Canada, his projects have garnered global awards and nominations from Epica, CameraImage, Webby, Roy, Edda, and the Icelandic Ad Awards.
Since arriving on the commercial scene with a 2012 Nike spot featuring triathlon athlete Sarah Reinertson, his advertising and narrative films have developed a reputation for impactful storytelling with a distinct emotional and visual style. Rúnar Ingi’s fascination with improvisation, found moments and poetic, and real-life imagery can be seen throughout his work.
To learn about all this and more, Rúnar sat down with LBB’s Josh Neufeldt for a chat.
Photos by Lilja Jónsdottir
LBB> Tell us a bit about yourself! How did you get started in film, and what led you to this industry?
Rúnar> I started making short films in my teens with a Hi8 camera my parents gave me after begging for it a few years prior. I was so inspired at the time by cinematography and short format directors that I wanted to create something myself. The major influence was mostly coming from music videos, but I do remember seeing the movie ‘La Haine’ at an early age, which left a deep impact on me.
At the time, my parents were separating, so I spent a lot of time with that camera, inviting friends over to shoot impromptu shorts - often inspired by family conflicts and usually with a comedic twist. The more I did, the more serious I got.
A few years later, I got a job at a production company where I was mostly working on international commercials (Iceland is quite a great hub for it), and I was very influenced by that experience. I started snatching 16 and 35mm film ends and directing music videos on the side. And because there was no development or telecine facility in Iceland, I was fortunate to be connected with an Icelandic post producer at The Mill in London, which was generous enough to give me off hours in the telecine with its amazing colourists at a decent price. That was a huge inspiration.
From these music video opportunities, I got a chance to write, direct and develop a commercial for Nike via a collaboration with another company which was really well received and just opened me up to the commercial world - something that had always been my aspiration and drive.
LBB> Tell us about how your work and directing style has evolved. What was your style before, during and after the pandemic, and how has your approach grown in that time?
Rúnar> As a young director, you’re always trying to push and prove to yourself that you can do it, so you make the most of every opportunity. At first, I felt like I needed to prove to others that I could create these big and complicated frames, but as I did more, I started carving out and skimming the layers to just the bare bones of sincerely capturing the emotion and tone of the film or the character being portrayed.
In time, as I did this more, I started trusting my instincts and the environment. Even if the boundaries were set, I made sure to allow for freedom within. After all, everything is connected to family and human dynamics. You have to be creative, flexible and make the most of the moment. I'm very much inspired by people and human connections, and you have to approach that with a certain openness.
With that said, I’m also interested in the unplanned. Going back to my love of stories of the human condition, it’s about striking the right balance and getting the story across. As I edit, I continue to write. I want to reach the third act as much as possible.
Photos by Lilja Jónsdottir
LBB> How did you end up working with Sequoia in Canada, and what made it the right place for you?
Rúnar> After good years in Iceland, I moved to Sweden which through several projects there opened the door to international projects. I started working in the US, Germany, Canada, France and more. During this time, Sequoia saw my work and reached out. I really jived with them and admired them. Not only were our conversations amazing, but they're just good people, which is something I always try to surround myself with.
Beyond that, they just help me. They’re there for me! If I'm doing a special project, I share it with them, and they support me. Truly, I'm very happy to have found a home with them.
LBB> Seeing as you’ve worked in several markets, how does Canada compare?
Rúnar> It's actually quite similar to the other places - even Iceland where I’m from! The landscape is comparable, being north with mountains and cold.
With that said, I’ve collaborated on a couple of Canadian jobs, but from my experience, the crews are fantastic, and there is an especially good pool of cinematographers.
Photos by Lilja Jónsdottir
LBB> What are some of the most significant projects you’ve produced in collaboration with Sequoia? Tell us about how they came to life!
Rúnar> The last project I did was a car commercial in Vancouver, and it was a great experience. We really focused on strong sound design, acting and direction, and that won us the pitch. All in all, it was a very professional process from start to finish; good structure - everything.
LBB> You’ve been getting some recent attention for your Icelandair work! Tell us about this. What was the process like behind this?
Rúnar> I already had a nice relationship with the client over the years, but what made it extra fulfilling and rewarding was to have it produced with my company in Iceland, Norður. I’m very collaborative and I love to bring everyone on board, so being able to do that here and share the journey of creating was a real treat.
The process itself was very organic and collaborative, both with the agency and the client. Once we had nailed the blueprint, we were very insistent that we’d give the stage to the actors, in order to find the right tone and really capture the essence of a mother-daughter relationship. Everything felt true, and it was really just a joint venture from all crewmembers and cast during the shoot. Incredibly rewarding.
LBB> Seeing as you’re also working on Norður in Iceland, how do you split your time? And how do you approach wearing the many hats between various roles?
Rúnar> I’m mostly wearing the director’s hat these days, but it’s nice to see other people shine too through a company like Norður, and to be able to have some influence. The company is meant to be a cheat - an outlet for strong creative, whether it’s in film, publishing or theatre (hopefully one day). When things develop organically, you don’t really think of what hat or roles are in play. You just kinda ‘do’. And that’s sort of been the journey.
LBB> What are you hoping to achieve in 2023 and beyond?
Rúnar> It’s already been a great year. Recently, a Norður produced short film called ‘Fár’ competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and won special mention, which was wild! I’m also right in the middle of developing a four part scripted series which we will be producing next year, so keeping my fingers crossed all will work out. Also, there is continuous work in commercials.
Beyond that, I just hope to continue on this path, and to create memories and special moments, both professionally and personally.
