Iain Forbes: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker

As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Iain Forbes.

Iain Forbes is a Scottish/Norwegian film director based in Oslo. He has studied film directing at Nordland College of Art and Film and the Norwegian Film School. His graduation film Revisited won a Student Academy Award in 2023. Previously he has directed short films such as Snowman (2015) and Semper Fi (2017). His latest short, After Dark, won Best International Short Film at the Oscar-qualifying Foyle Film Festival in 2024. In addition, he has extensive experience as a first assistant director on Norwegian feature films, including Disco, Knerten og Sjøormen, and Dancing Queen in Hollywood.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?

I was born in Scotland, but already at the age of three, we moved to Norway — my mother and father desired a colder climate for skiing! We ended up in a small Norwegian coastal town called Lillesand, where my mother worked as a teacher. From an early age I was fascinated by my father’s stories about our Scottish heritage; lost castles, droning bagpipes and family crests embellished with swords and wild boars. As such it’s hardly surprising I became an ardent fantasy fan, drawing and writing stories from an early age, and while not doing that I was painting Warhammer miniatures. I wanted to be an author initially, and at fifteen I self-published my first novel, “The Keepers of London”. A pulpy mash-up of The Matrix and The Wheel of Time which you’d find me selling at my small booth by the local market. If I could be either daydreaming or building magical worlds, I was very happy. I’m very grateful that my vivid imagination received a lot of encouragement from both my parents.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I believe there are two major events that have led me to where I am. Firstly, it was a camera gifted to me by my uncle for my confirmation when I was fifteen. It was primarily a stills camera, but it happened to have a barely functional video mode — we’re talking the absolute minimum of pixels in motion! But it was enough to launch an obsession that has refused to let go ever since.

Secondly, I have understood that the death of my father to cancer when I was thirteen has defined me as a storyteller. I cannot escape that grief, and my films have been defined by a sense of longing that I attribute to that emotion. The films I’ve made, the people I’ve met making them, all of that branches out from that loss. In that, there is at least a certain beauty to the tragedy.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?

Filmmaking is little more than a series of absurd situations. But the first thing that came to mind was the parade of snowmen made for my aptly named short “Snowman”. Outside this small house in the woods there was a production line of people building everything from an over-dimensioned snowman, a stunt snowman, a damaged snowman, a hero snowman — you get the picture. Watching a team of grown men and women frantically trying to assemble these in turn before the sun went down — it’s a situation that has stuck with me for its absurdity.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career as a director and First AD to have worked alongside the majority of the professional actors in Norway. Experiencing how effortless it looks when the best get to work, and how you immediately find yourself drawn to the monitor when they are performing, has been extremely edifying.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There have been many great mentors on my journey so far, but the most influential is without doubt writer and director Lilja Ingolfsdottir. I first met her at a one-year film course when I was 19. She was the first director I had encountered in my life. I was awestruck, and I remember having a thousand questions for her. Her most important advice to me was “write what you know”, and so I put aside all my grand sci-fi and fantasy ideas and started to examine my grief for the first time. That small, intimate short got me into my first film school, and ten years later she was my teacher once more at the national Norwegian film school, where she coached me on my graduation film — which ended up winning a Student Academy Award. A true full-circle mentorship, and it’s been very encouraging to have her believe in me.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I think my father’s saying of “It’s not the problem, it’s how you solve it” has been the most defining. It’s easy to become obsessed with setbacks, delays and unexpected challenges. Ultimately there is so much we cannot control. The only thing we can take power over is our response to adversity, and how we approach our search for solutions.

I can also find some solid advice on my family signet ring: “Non temere”. Don’t fear! Don’t worry too much about whether it will be perfect, just try your best and if you fail, well, you’re still braver than those who’ve never tried!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’ve never had more projects in development than right now, and they all excite me in different ways. While I have a feature film in development that is the culmination of my artistic examination of grief, I’m also terribly excited about a short film I’m going to shoot next summer about gaming in the 2000s. We’ve developed a hybrid format blending live-action and animation of a fictional videogame built in Unreal Engine. It’s been a blast exploring animation as a director, and I can’t wait to get this new short out there!

Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?

Impact. I tell stories because I want to affect people in some manner. With my films, my desire is to spark conversation.

This happened earlier this year. I was visiting a secondary school to screen my film Revisited to the pupils. It’s a short film in the magical realism genre. It’s about a young woman, Tyra, who returns to visit her family, on the 20th anniversary of her beloved father’s death. But everything changes when her dad comes knocking on the door that same evening — forcing the family to examine what grief has done to them.

As is no surprise after reading my previous replies, it’s a personal story. What moved me at this screening was a teacher asking on behalf of a pupil if he could have a link to the film. The pupil had lost his father the previous year and he wanted to show the film to his mother.

It was a true full circle moment. A young man had experienced the same kind of loss I had — at the same age, and wanted to use the film to connect with his remaining family. I was deeply moved and just thinking about that reaffirms my purpose in what I do. Those kind of encounters are what matter the most to me.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. The race is long.

It’s poisonous to spend too much time considering how your peers are progressing. The road is so much longer than you think it is. Some peak early, some peak later. Ultimately you are only competing with yourself. If you’re steadily improving, then you are winning.

2. Put yourself out there

Filmmaking is all about collaborating, and you have to be able to network. I spent way too much time waiting to be discovered, when I should have been knocking on doors.

3. Don’t wait, just start

Don’t hold out for the perfect idea for a feature or short. If you have an idea, start working on it. It might not end up becoming a film you can make, but the exercise you get from writing it will not only improve your skills but might ignite the ACTUAL idea that launches your career to the next level.

4. Don’t worry about finding your style

I was very pre-occupied with finding my “voice” and style early on. I did a lot of experiments trying to force a filmic language. Ultimately I’ve realised that the images and sounds I naturally want to use ARE my voice. So don’t rush it. Keep making stuff you like. Suddenly you’ll realise it’s more distinct than you thought.

5. It’s all about staying power

Okay, so this was something I was told at the very beginning of my career. But it’s such great advice that I’m gonna relay it anyway. The longer you hold on, the greater the chance of success. Ultimately it is a stayer’s game. Perseverance beats talent etc.

When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?

I have to tell the story that fascinates me the most. The only way I can ensure it will delight an audience is if I desperately want to watch it myself. If thinking about it makes me laugh, cry or send chills running down my spine then I trust that instinct more than anything else.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I’d want everyone to start playing roleplaying games. Yup! I think if people were allowed to gather and play, tell each other stories, feel like they’re a part of a campfire community, they’d be happier. It’s an aspect we’ve lost in modern society which I think many people don’t realise how much they miss.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

Peter Jackson. His influence on my life through his Lord of the Rings trilogy is unmatched. That would be my ultimate “meet your hero” moment. I’d love to pick his brain on world building.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Yes! Find me on instagram: @iain90.

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!