LISA ÖSTBERG

Note from Lisa

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I have worked as a creative in performing arts, musical theatre, feature film, drama series, reality TV, and documentaries. At first glance, my curriculum vitae might not make sense. However, I think there are common denominators, such as an endless curiosity for the joy and art of creation. And sometimes, naivety, which I believe can be a great asset. I’ll try to explain below.

 

I recently completed a documentary series about the Swedish turn-of-the-last-century artist couple, Karin and Carl Larsson. Learning about the art scene in Paris/Scandinavia in the 1880s was fascinating, but to make these characters relatable for a contemporary audience was a real challenge. Especially with a limited budget from Swedish public service. Fortunately, Photoshop upgraded its software, allowing easy colorization of black and white footage. Thanks to a blanket deal for public service, I also got to play around with music. For example, I included Ghostface Killah in a segment about Carl in Paris. This unexpected blend of old and new added a contemporary touch to the narrative. It was a commissioned project, and despite having never tackled a historical documentary before, I enjoyed pushing the boundaries of what was possible.

 

When I wrote the play "Alltid vara vi" with director Alexander Mørk Eidem, I had never written anything for the stage, except for some fun lecture-performance work with Norwegian artist Kim Hiorthøy. The premise: A band that suffered a bad breakup ten years ago must now reunite to record a new album - but is the studio big enough for all the drama? The premise was a famous band’s reunion, after a bad breakup ten years ago, meeting in the studio to record a new album. The set design was gorgeous, inspired by "Sympathy for the Devil" by Godard. In the story, a documentary is being made simultaneously with the recording of the album, and the backdrop features an enormous screen showing what the camera was filming. This allowed for close-ups and reaction shots not visible to the audience otherwise. This tool allowed me to utilize skills from creating shows such as "Wahlgrens Värld" (Swedish Kardashians). Writing for the stage is quite different from the screen; you can't cut between scenes... However, I used my spatial awareness from my dancing days and my TV/documentary skills to write realistic fiction for the stage.

 

Moving between different disciplines has been of great benefit to my writing. Knowing practical issues and having been on the floor/hands-on so much has influenced my storytelling. I am a dedicated collector of experiences and stories, and somehow it all blends into fiction.

 

I've always had a lot of contrasts in life and work, which is further underscored by my two upcoming projects: writing a horror movie and writing a jukebox musical. Perhaps I like to toe the line of genre because I feel every story, as in every life, contains a little bit of everything. Or maybe I'm just being naive :).

 

I’m always open to new collaborations, so get in touch if you have an idea you think I'm right for!

 

 

Lisa