Talent Midt-Norge in Film and Gaming – How the Talents Are Progressing

Talent Mid-Norway in Film and Gaming – How the Talents Are Progressing

Talon Darren Winsnes has been working on a feature film project, in addition to several short films since the program began.

“The talent program has been a process that has given me the opportunity to dive deep into my own artistry, both in good ways and challenging ones. The program and the mentorship scheme have been essential in allowing me to thoroughly work through and really shake up my project, enabling me to make major progress in a short amount of time.

I’ve also completed a short film during the program and used some of the available resources, such as the mentorship scheme, to streamline the process and maximize the film’s potential. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Bente Maalen, and we’re now planning to start a new short film project together that is rooted in the region.

I’ve also had the chance to travel quite a bit. Among other things, I attended the Berlinale, which was an important trip both for meeting people in the film industry and for conducting research for my feature project. I was able to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience back with me to Trondheim.”

Looking ahead, Talon has identified a clear direction for the second half of the program. He is now preparing to make the most of the time leading up to Kosmorama 2027 to ensure everything is ready by then.

Sondre H. Johansen has focused on documentary filmmaking and also completed a master’s degree in film production at NTNU this spring.

“Being selected for something like this feels like a real vote of confidence, and it’s incredibly rewarding for me as I’m now taking the leap into filmmaking professionally. It helps me trust myself more and gives me the courage to fully commit.

The program has allowed me to strengthen the connections I’ve built within the industry through excellent mentors I’ve been able to work closely with, and I’ve had several great travel opportunities as well.

The talent program is probably one of the main reasons I’ll stay in the region and pursue a career as a producer. It’s fantastic to build networks and meet people not only from the same industry but from other fields as well. It really opens your eyes to new ways of working with film.”

Now that he has submitted his master’s thesis, Sondre is looking forward to dedicating his full attention to the talent program and further developing and realizing his projects.

He says that his next major step is to apply for funding and, hopefully, secure support for a professional film project.

“I’m also really looking forward to next year’s festival, where I’ll get the chance to showcase what I’ve been working on. Just having the opportunity to present your work at Kosmorama to such a large industry audience is incredibly valuable.”

Malena Totland Persson’s focus during the program has been developing her own video game while exploring and expanding her skills across different areas of game development.

“The talent program has truly accelerated my project, and I’ve come much further at this stage than I ever imagined I would when I started. That’s entirely thanks to the resources provided by the program.

It has also helped me sharpen the project’s focus and prepared me to start applying for funding for further development.”

Going forward, her main goal is to dig deeper and identify the core of her game project while using the resources available to make the game as strong as possible.

“Maybe Talent Norge can help give the game that final finishing touch!”

For Kosmorama, the development of these three talents is clear proof of the value of long-term investment in emerging talent within film and gaming.

“It has been incredibly exciting to follow the development of Talon, Sondre, and Malena throughout the first year of the program. They represent three different directions within film and gaming, but they all share exceptional talent, ambition, and a strong connection to the region.

We are already seeing results from the program, and we look forward to following their journey toward Kosmorama 2027. At the same time, this initiative would not have been possible without the support of Talent Norge and SpareBank 1 SMN.

Their contribution makes it possible to develop and retain creative talent in Central Norway, which is important both for the industry and for the region as a whole,” says festival director Silje I. Engeness.