When Sten Hellevig was 14, friends and family gave him nothing but cash for his confirmation — everyone knew he dreamed of a Canon E808 video camera. He bought it and carried it everywhere, even to school, where he secretly filmed a teacher — a VHS hit across the entire school.
Later, Sten left his imprint on Hotel Cæsar, becoming the first in the series to use black-and-white, Steadicam, slow motion, and source music. This makes YESS so proud! Today, his career spans numerous TV assignments, countless music videos and commercials, with awards from Gullruten and Gullblyanten, as well as strong reviews for his feature film Dryads (2015).
Hellevig has a distinct analog/digital style, often letting the camera tell the story — and the music set the tone. Alongside his strong focus on actors and casting, he has always explored new ways to push the boundaries of filmmaking.
In 2004 he directed what is considered the world’s first music video shot on a mobile phone. A couple of years later, he and artist Thom Hell made Europe’s first 3D music video — designed for red/blue glasses. Oh, and in the picture above, Sten’s looking at you through one of Kubrick’s lenses.