August 2010 by Egmont

AUGUST 2010 / THE BEST THING IS MAKING CHILDREN HAPPY / BRINGING POPULAR WEEKLIES INTO THE WORLD / FLEMMING

/ FROM CINEMA LIGHTS UP FILM

This is

USHER AND

my job

TO TV

SCHEDULING SUPERVISOR / E3 IN PICTURES

4 Content 4 Egmont country managers in Istanbul Country managers from Egmont Kids Media met in Istanbul this summer. Read about the conference. 8 Pace is the name of the game Susanne is always on the go at Egmont. She tries to reach out to customers through unconventional channels. 10 The best thing is making children happy Daniel Carlsson from Egmont Kärnan in Malmö develops magazines and comics, making sure they always have the right content. 12 From cinema usher to scheduling supervisor Ever dream about earning your living watching films all day long? Christian Rønnow has done just that and made film-watching his career. Every year he pre-views 300 films before selecting the titles to be screened in the cinema. 14 Bringing popular weeklies into the world To be a printing technician you have to know your primary colours and how to adjust the big rotary press. Read about how a magazine comes into being at Egmont’s rotogravure print works.

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18 Jill-of-all trades in a pink world Karolina helps develop books and magazines featuring Barbie and other characters destined for worldwide distribution. 24 Flemming lights up film and TV No-one can make films and TV programmes without light. That’s why Nordisk Film employs a gaffer, Flemming ˝Light˝. 26 The joy of my work Eva Helweg is head of the Løvehjerte project supported by Egmont. You need strong nerves for this job, as the project focuses on children and young people whose parents or siblings are suffering from a lifethreatening illness or have passed away.

28 Who’s Who What do you suppose Egmont’s top managers do in their spare time? Where do they go for their holidays? And what brightens up their day?

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Dear colleague In Egmont, we are separated by time zones, geography and divisions, but gathered around the wish to create and publish high quality media products. In smaller organizations, where everyone knows everyone, the question ”what are you working on right now?” would be in great danger of providing only dull answers. In Egmont, these answers cannot avoid creating interest. The answers are interesting both because there is a long way from the children’s book author in Cappelen Damm to the scheduling supervisor in Nordisk Film. But they are also interesting because 6.800 employees in one organization provides an ample opportunity for letting knowledge and experience flow across the organization – also to and from those colleagues that you do not happen to meet at the water cooler. For this purpose, you can use Insight and the newly launched Office Communicator, which lets you connect with your colleagues through chat, video and audio, lets you have online meetings, and lets you share documents quickly. When you are set up with the programme, collegeagues can even see on Insight if you are available or in a meeting. A look over the shoulder of our Egmont colleagues reveals that we master thousands of technical terms and specialized areas. In this issue of Hardcopy, we tell the stories from nine different colleagues and you can find many more online on Insight. As a new feature on Insight, you now have the chance to write a short status message about what you are working on right now. Maybe it turns out, that a colleague in the Egmont family can help you with practical knowledge from the office next door – or from another time zone?

Colophon

Mika Bildsøe Lassen Vice President Corporate Communications

EDITOR Jan Sturm sturm@egmont.com CO-ORDINATOR Susanne E. Olrik olrik@egmont.com

EDITOR RESPONSIBLE UNDER DANISH PRESS LAW Mika Bildsøe Lassen mbl@egmont.com PRINTING Rosendahls Bogtrykkeri A/S LAYOUT Ole Jensen

PHOTO Steen Brogaard Kristian Krogh Corporate Communications Vognmagergade 11 1148 København K Denmark Telephone +45 33 30 55 50

Egmont country managers

in Istanbul EVERY YEAR THE EGMONT KIDS MEDIA DIVISION GETS ALL ITS COUNTRY MANAGERSTOGETHER WITH IDEA MANAGERS AND SELECTED SENIORS. THE MEETING AIMS TO SHARE AND DISCUSS IDEAS AND PLANS TO BUILD PROFITABLE GROWTH AND ALSO TO CELEBRATE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS. By Dawn Cordy

his year’s event was held in the city of Istanbul and kicked off with the Kids Media Awards. Awards were given for Best Innovation Project, Employee of the Year and Best Performing Company. The awards ceremony took place at the Sait Halim Pasa on the bank of the Bosphorous and was attended by those who had been shortlisted and representatives from all the Kids Media companies. The winners were announced by Steffen Kragh, CEO, and Frank Knau, Head of Kids Media division, followed by a celebration dinner. The Country Managers meeting started

the following day, and over the next two days there were presentations and discussions about strategy, updates on the economy of scale projects and other key initiatives. This year we introduced an ˝Exchange Café˝ set-up which gave people the opportunity to hear about successful initiatives across the division and to exchange information. ECONOMY OF SCALE UPDATES Over the last 2 years the division has been working on various projects with the aim of working closer together to achieve econo-

mies of scale and/or leveraging our divisional strength. At the meeting, the project teams presented their latest findings and recommendations ready for implementation by the local businesses. PRINT AND PAPER Jimmy Weir from UK, Martin Dusseldorf from Poland, Imke Feldman from Germany and Carsten Moller from Egmont Kärnan, Sweden – known as the ˝G4 team˝ – set about seeing how the division could achieve economies of scale in print and paper. Through a great team effort and with the

Frank Knau, Executive Vice President, Kids Media

help and enthusiasm of production departments around the division, the G4 have established a potential total saving of more than a million EUR. These savings can be achieved through format standardization and print rationalization. CONTENT CREATION Rob McMenemy, Rolf Bangsgaard and Peter Schlecht worked on this project together with the help of publishers from across the division. Their findings and recommendations are based on smarter working. LICENSE ACQUISITION The team - Marika Bark, Jacek Beldowski, Emma Cairns-Smith, Velizara Dobreva, Bastian Mai, Ann-Marie Nielsen, Anna Reyburn, David Riley, Iwona Tessarowicz and Tomasz Urbaniak – aim was to help the division get to more, bigger and better licensing deals. They also looked at ways of improving communication and faster information exchange across Kids Media; 

FRANK KNAU, WHAT IS THE VISION FOR KIDS MEDIA? To be the leading children’s publisher in Europe and China and to engage with children on any platform from print to any screen or device. WHAT IS THE MAIN AMBITIONFOR THE EKM STRATEGY? It’s to grow the business profitably with the target of ¤ 500m and 10% EBTIDA by 2014. WHAT DOES THE STRATEGY FOCUS ON? Our strategy builds on a strong foundation of market leading positions in most of our countries, with a wide geographical coverage spanning 30 countries and very attractive license agreements. We are well under way with the 2012 Business Plan that aims to improve our profitability considerably. What we need now is to also build growth in terms of revenue. To achieve this we have developed a Kids Media strategy for 2010 to 2014 that builds on our core business with four pillars: 1. Regional strategies to build profitable market positions: Nordics, German speaking area, English language area, Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, China, Thailand 2. Refocus geographically on growth. Grow aggressively in core business: English language area, China, Russia. Streamline in mature markets: Nordics 5

3. Grow footprint in Eastern Europe: driver of Egmont Kids Medias children’s fiction initiative, together with English language area. Expansion in Turkey 4. Build a digital position. Mandatory core: e-books, e-magazines, digicomics. Potential new business areas: edutainment for pre-school, on-line/mobile gaming, e-shops for fans. WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS STRATEGY PROCESS? I’ve been working closely with my regional managers Jacek Beldowski, Rob McMenemy and Georgi Alexandrov and we’ve used Price Waterhouse Coopers to analyse market data and trends, to help us raise the bar and challenge our assumptions. This strategy, which is a work-inprogress, was presented to the Managing Directors, Idea Managers and other seniors at the Country Managers meeting and through break-out sessions we discussed the challenges, solutions, resources needed and next steps. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? This is a work-in-progress and we will be using the feedback from the Country Managers to help shape and influence our plans for implementation. Before we progress further, all the MDs in the division are sharing the strategy locally with their teams, as it’s important everyone knows, understands and gets a chance to ask questions about our future. All of us will be involved in working towards this strategy.

Egmont Kids Media Awards

BEST PERFORMING COMPANY Winner: Children’s Fun Publishing, China Our joint venture in China seems to be unstoppable with impressive growth over the last 3 years outstripping the national average. CFP achieved 30% year on year growth and 20% return on sales through a great team effort and an eye for efficiency, innovation and collaboration.

2009-2010 being ready for the next big opportunity; improved processes and standards; best practice and improving the image of Egmont in the eyes of licensors. The team has established a network of scouts together with various tools to help - Find It! Win It! Keep It!

THE SOURCING HUB Based in Hong Kong the sourcing hub is one of the biggest undertakings. Björn Vöhl leads a dedicated Egmont team whose objectives are to act directly with the covermount producers so we can start cutting out the use of agents, act more responsibly

by ensuring safety regulations are being met and to achieve cost efficiency. The rationale for this is to ensure we are delivering safe added value cover mounts for the consumer, legislator and licensor. The setting up of such a venture has been a real eye opener on what has really

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Winner: Erdal Karakaya, Financial& Administrative Manager, Dogan Egmont, Turkey Erdal went well and truly beyond the call of duty in tackling book piracy in Turkey. Erdal helped the police sieze over 5M pirate books with a value of ¤ 16M in an operation that covered 9 cities and 22 different locations and led to 57 arrests.

been going on. The benefit of having more direct control is priceless due to the high risk nature of entrusting others to follow our rules. The hub, publishers and promotion teams are working together to hit at least 500 orders via the hub to get a critical mass and a pool of 20-30 safety compliant factories by the end of this year.

BEST INNOVATION PROJECT Winner: Business to Schools, Egmont Polska Tomasz Polakowski’s idea, passion and support from a great team generated ¤ 2.8M from 20062009 with a 46% C1 in 2009. This year the forecast is ¤ 1.7M – the results speak for themselves.

For full details, photos and awards film see Insight and the special Kids Media Awards magazine - for a copy contact Claire Greaves, Egmont UK.

PERFORMANCE In 2009, the division faced the economic crisis but have weathered the storm well and managed to deliver a profit. However the division’s ambitions are greater than this, so EKM have formulated a strategy and rationale for further profitable growth. ▀

Pace is the name

Communities, reader events and major activities are some of the key words for Susanne Damm’s work. She is marketing manager for the magazines ˝ALT for damerne˝ and ˝RUM Interiør Design˝ at Egmont Magasiner.

of the game 8

SUSANNE DAM GETS HER SHARE OF THRILLS AND SPILLS TAMING THE WINTRY SKI SLOPES AND DIVING INTO THE OCEAN WAVES ON HER SURFBOARD IN SUMMER. BUT SHE ALSO ENJOYS THE PACE AND CHALLENGES OF HER JOB AS MARKETING MANAGER FOR ˝ALT FOR DAMERNE˝ AND ˝RUM INTERIØR DESIGN˝. By Lotte Ilsøe

here is no such thing as a typical day for Susanne Dam. She is the marketing manager for the women’s weekly ALT for damerne and the monthly home interior design magazine RUM. ˝My phone starts ringing at about 8 am as I drive to work. My days are full with lots of interruptions, and no matter how well I prepare, I’m always interrupted by customers or new projects to consider. There isn’t much time for inner reflection or concept and product development, which have to wait till after 5 o’clock,˝ says Susanne with a wry smile. BRING ON THE CHALLENGES! Susanne has worked for Egmont since 1993 and held seven different jobs in that time. She has worked as management assistant and commercial director and helped to develop a VOD service for Nordisk Film. She has tried her hand at many things, enjoying a career typified by her willingness to seize challenges. ˝I’m very keen on bringing novelty and innovation to the table in the areas I work with. I’m a glutton for knowledge so I can make well-informed decisions. But I’m not afraid of leaping into the unknown without a safety net,˝ says Susanne. So Susanne did not hesitate for a second when she was offered the job of marketing manager for ALT for Damerne three years ago. This year the run once again spurred women of all ages to put RUN, WOMAN, RUN on their trainers, and, more importantly, ALT for damerne’s website As marketing manager, one of Susanne’s tasks is managing the ALT played a bigger role than in past years. for damerne brand. Meeting readers through the printed magazine ˝My job also involves catering to and integrating digital interis not enough, they have to be reached through other channels as ests. The women’s run persuaded 37,000 entrants to sign up via well. To this end, ALT for damerne organises a range of recurring www.altfordamerne.dk. Afterwards they could view their finish line annual events, one being the ALT for damerne women’s run held in photos, download their diploma, join in a running community and several Danish cities. try out lots of other features. Last year altfordamerne.dk recorded ˝Our editorial brief focuses mainly on articles, health and fashion 800,000 hits in connection with the run – for women aged 25 to 45. So health and this year the figure more than doubled, to exercise are strategically important areas for 2 million, with the site recording 267,000 ALT for damerne, and an event like a fitness visitors,˝ says Susanne, who concludes: ˝The run gives us an opportunity to generate digital media are the way forward, and synergy through the printed magazine, the while we have to develop this further to My phone starts ringing website, our advertisers as well as in the meet the needs of our existing customers at about 8 am as I drive to and readers, it’s also imperative to attract public arena. Our presence on all four platforms ensures that we have our customers’ new interested buyers to the world of ALT work. full attention,˝ explains Susanne. for damerne.˝ ▀

The best thing is making children happy DANIEL CARLSSON HAS NOW BEEN A MEMBER OF THE EGMONT FAMILYFOR TEN YEARS AND STILL FEELS A SENSE OF PRIDE IN ACHIEVINGGOOD RESULTS. AS THE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT EGMONT KÄRNANHIS JOB IS TO RENEW AND DEVELOP THE RANGE OF MAGAZINESPUBLISHED EVERY WEEK. By Pernille Krogh

fter qualifying as a journalist, Daniel Carlsson worked it seems only natural to ask how the infamous financial crisis has for a number of years on various daily papers until he affected the magazine industry. was hired by Egmont ten years ago. His first position was ˝Although you’d think serial publication would be a tough busias a layouter at Egmonts magazine department in Malmö where ness to be in at the moment, things are going pretty well. I’m not as he worked for four years – and subsequently as managing editor pessimistic as you might imagine, because new graphic illustrators of children’s books and comics in Sweden. Swedish Daniel Carlsand creative writers are popping up all the time,˝ says Daniel. son’s official title is ˝development manager˝ Collaborating with graphic artists and for Egmont Kärnan, where he works with creative writers is indeed one of Daniel’s five skilled project managers who handle responsibilities. His job partly involves the daily production of comics, books and scouting for new talents, whom he often magazines. comes across at one of the numerous comIf an artist or a writer Daniel’s primary task is assessing readers’ ics fairs or when authors submit ideas for a has a problem, it’s my job cartoon series. And partly brainstorming and needs to find out how to infuse new life into existing publications. Reader surveys are one turning over ideas with established artists to help them. of his brand monitoring tools, and in 2010, and writers. The aim of all these efforts is to

Daniel breathes new life into existing publications – and is on hand when the creative minds need fresh ideas and input.

achieve the best possible result. ˝The moment I relish is standing in a shop and watching a child snap up the latest issue of their favourite comic from the shelves. Not everyone gets to savour that enjoyment, and that gives me a very special sense of job satisfaction,˝ says Daniel, continuing: ˝And then there are of course specific measures of success. If a title sells well, I feel really proud, because that really shows we’re doing things right.˝ HÄLGE THE MOOSE AND ROCKY THE DOG As with most other jobs in the creative industry, it’s almost impossible to describe a typical working day for Daniel. As well as working as managing editor for five project managers, he also helps develop a range of publications in Sweden. These include licence-based brands such as Disney’s Donald Duck and local titles featuring Hälge, the ever-popular moose, Elvis, the temperamental tortoise and Rocky, the ferociousdog. When a magazine like Hälge is on the drawing board, Daniel and project manager Germund von Wowern work closely with the writer. If necessary, Daniel helps develop a script for the cartoon, and also offers inspiration if an artist or writer suffers a mental block. ˝If an artist or a writer has a problem, it’s my job to help them. Sometimes it’s enough to look back at how we’ve resolved a similar problem. If they are running out of ideas, a good trick is to check out the net and see what solutions other writers have come up with. The type of humour they use, their style and so on.˝ And then there’s brainstorming – one of the parts of the job Daniel enjoys most: ˝When you’re brainstorming with a creative person like an artist or a cartoon writer, you can’t help getting the craziest ideas. They don’t all materialise into something, but being part of the process is great fun,˝ Daniel concludes. ▀

With headquarteres in Malmö, Egmont Kärnan AB publishes a large variety of children’s and youth media and commands a strong platform in games, soft toys and children’s music CDs. The company is divided into four main areas: Character Publishing Marketing and selling book and magazine series for 3-12-year-olds. Games & Activities Traditional activity toys such as jigsaw puzzles, as well as experimental games in DVD format, for example. Editorial Magazines Editorial magazines (sport, music, icons, etc.) for children and young people. Egmont Editions Produces serial magazines and books for children and adults. Titles published include Warcraft and a range of manga magazines.

AT EGMONT MAGASINER’S PRINT WORKS NEAR COPENHAGEN, THE PRINTING PRESSES WHIR AWAY AROUND THE CLOCK FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY TO PRODUCE FIVE EGMONT WEEKLIES. THE PRINTERS WORK IN THREE SHIFTS, MAKING SURE EVERY SINGLE COPY IS PERFECT. By Jan Aagaard

hen a printing press churns out 42,000 forty-page magazines an hour, even the smallest error can be a costly affair. So printing technician Torben Ellesøe and his colleagues keep a close watch on the array of screens and flashing buttons in the control room.

Or the ˝desk˝, as it is commonly referred to by the printing staff at Egmont Magasiner’s print works near Copenhagen. Every week, five Egmont weeklies are produced here in print runs averaging 170,000 copies. The large number of pages and different paper grades mean that each

magazine production has to be divided into several folds. Along with the large print runs, this means that the rotogravure presses are in action 24 hours a day from 7 am on Monday to 7 pm on Friday. Many print shop employees therefore work in three shifts.

1. Engraving

gmont’s print works in Skovlunde on the outskirts of Copenhagen is the only printing house in Scandinavia that employs rotogravure, an age-old technology that has proved its worth for long-run printing. Every minute, 365 days a year, the huge copper-engraved cylinders at Egmont Magasiner A/S in Skovlunde are turning, cranking out 10,743 pages a minute on average. Rotogravure uses multiple plates, one for each colour, each plate etched with deeply recessed grooves that transfer colour to the paper. The ink is absorbed by the grooves

under high pressure, producing an image with fine rasters and an even impression. Just setting up and starting the presses is expensive, making it particularly suitable for large print runs of 30,000 copies or more. Compare one of Egmont’s six rotogravureprinted magazines with any other magazine you might like to choose and you will notice the difference. Since rotogravure printing nowadays is entirely automated, it takes only 56 employees to print the 45 million magazines shipped every year from the print works to our customers and retailers. ▀

The 800 kilogram copper cylinders are re-used after being cleaned and fitted with a separate foil layer (a special ballard skin) before the thin layer of copper is placed on the cylinder. Once the copper has been put on the cylinder it has to be engraved. A slender diamond needle is used for the precision work of etching the numerous different grooves that ultimately determine how much ink will be transferred to the paper and thus the final printed appearance.

Torben Ellesøe checks the dyes used by the printing press and adjusts it in preparation for new printing jobs. Minimising paper waste is the goal. But even when the machines are correctly calibrated, things can still go wrong. Paper can tear or the press may develop technical problems.

This also applies to the printing technicians based in the heart of the large factory building who work at the desk in a room without daylight but with windows that dull the noise of the giant printing presses outside. ˝Our main job is to monitor the printing process. We check that the colours and fit are correct, which means, for example,

adjusting machine temperature and steam when necessary,˝ explains Torben Ellesøe. FOUR-MAN TEAMS There are four technicians to every shift, and each technician has his own special function. The ˝reel˝ man works in the basement, feeding the printing presses with paper

2. The copper cylinder is ready for printing The ultra-thin engraving has created the image of next week’s magazine. During the printing process, the most deeply recessed parts of the plate will contain more colour, and thus transfer more printing ink to the paper. Each page is etched onto the cylinder, which can accommodate up to 72 pages.

from huge reels that have to be regularly replenished as white paper is transformed into colourful weeklies. The lead technician has overall responsibility for starting the printing process and monitoring it from the control desk, while next to him, his second-in-command keeps watch on the different stages of the process. 

3. A copper cylinder for each colour

Four colour units are used in the rotary process, one for each of the primary colours used in printing, cyan, magenta, and yellow, plus black. This copper cylinder has been used for the yellow colour. The print shop uses an average of 60 kilograms of ink every hour all year round. One of the huge advantages of rotogravure printing is the higher colour density and greater clarity than can be achieved through other printing methods.

Last man on the team is the ˝stacker˝, who operates the machines that gather the newly printed magazines in long stacks before they are stapled, cut and packed in a separate part of the printing works. The printing technicians rotate between the four different functions. Today Torben Ellesøe is number two on the evening shift, monitoring the printing process via 12 screen displays of technical data and camera images from different parts of the press, as well as keeping an eye on various measuring dials and indicators. CHANGING THE CYLINDERS The print workers are particularly busy when one magazine print run finishes and another begins. The rotary presses are stopped so the big, heavy copper cylinders that are engraved with the magazine pages

can be replaced with new cylinders for the next print job. A shift often includes two, sometimes even three changes, which gives the printers plenty to do. As soon as the printing unit gets underway, the machines must be quickly re-calibrated for the next production. ˝It’s a question of wasting as little paper as possible, because discarded paper costs the company a lot of money,˝ says Torben

Did you know… Egmont has print works in Denmark as well as the print shop run by Hjemmet Mortensen in Oslo, Norway. The print works in Denmark is the only rotogravure-based printing business in Scandinavia.

Ellesøe. However, even when the machines are correctly adjusted, things can go wrong. Paper can split or a machine may develop technical problems. ˝The best days are those when things run smoothly, which fortunately applies to the vast majority. But sometimes things go wrong for one reason or other, and that’s a bind. The challenge of my job is to make everything run perfectly,˝ says Torben Ellesøe. PRINTER BY ACCIDENT Torben Ellesøe was always interested in the graphics industry, but became a printer by accident. Originally he wanted to be a lithographer, but was offered an apprenticeship in a printing works, and now almost 20 years have passed since he qualified. His many years of experience stand him in

4. The rotary press ready for a trial run The rotary press is calibrated before each print job. The amount of ink can be adjusted for each machine, as well as the pressure and speed of the press.

5. The rotogravure printing press

Once the press has been run in, printing is a speedy process. The large machines can print as many as seven million four-colour pages an hour.

Egmont Magasiner’s printing works

Prints ALT for Damerne, Hendes Verden, Hjemmet, Her & Nu and Hemmets Journal plus Kino (Nordisk Film)

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Employs about 50 staff

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Produces weeklies 24 hours a day, 5 days a week

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Prints 45 million magazines a year

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Uses 10,000 tons of paper and 500 tons of ink a year

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good stead and help to relieve the pressure when unforeseen problems arise. ˝A good printing technician must keep his wits about him and be able to keep a cool head in any situation. But generally the job is fairly routine without much variation,˝ says Torben Ellesøe. However, daily routine is offset by the close contact with colleagues and the unique jargon spoken by the small team of men, who can be pretty down-to-earth. ˝This isn’t a ladies’ hairdressing salon!˝ as one of Torben’s colleagues puts it. ˝You have to get on with your colleagues – otherwise the shifts seem very

6. Stapling and binding

Most of the magazines contain various sections and covers. This means they have to be arranged in different layers in preparation for the machines that assemble and staple the sections that make up the finished magazine.

long. We have to be able to work well as a team so things go without a hitch. You can’t mind your own business for eight hours at a time,˝ says Torben Ellesøe. PROS AND CONS He works each shift – day, evening and night – for a week at a time, and has learnt to live with the rotating shift work. ˝I’ve never done anything else, and there are clear pros and cons to the system. During the day I often have time to do things at home that wouldn’t otherwise be

possible. But the evening shift takes its toll on family life, and I’m not crazy about the night shift in summer, when it can be difficult to sleep during the day,˝ says Torben. Right now Torben Ellesøe is definitely wide awake, which is all for the best. He is keeping an eye on the monitors in the control room while the presses rumble away, churning out a steady stream of weeklies on the other side of the glass. Right until the last shift shuts down on Friday evening. ▀

GH N INSI O O E ID nt THE V at Egmo WATCH the entire process y filmed Hardcop in Skovlunde. er Magasin

7. Pallets ready for delivery The finished magazines are stacked on pallets, which are collected by lorries round the clock. They are either sent direct to post offices or delivered via distributors.

From cinema usher to scheduling supervisor MOST PEOPLE ASSOCIATE THE CINEMA WITH FUN, ENTERTAINMENT, POPCORN AND CULTURE. BUT FOR NORDISK FILM BIOGRAFER’S EXECUTIVE FILM SUPERVISOR, CHRISTIAN RØNNOW HANSEN, IT’S JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE. By Pernille Krogh

he thermometer shows 22 degrees Celsius, which means summer has finally arrived in Denmark this Thursday morning. But in the lobby of Scandinavia’s largest cinema, both the air conditioning and ABBA’s greatest hits have been turned up full blast. Although it’s now summer according to both thermometer and calendar, Christian Rønnow is looking ahead to autumn. As film supervisor, he is one of the people in charge of planning the film screening schedule for Nordisk Film Biografer. He’s about to see one of the upcoming season’s family films in the cool cinema theatre – a 3D animation entitled Grufulde mig. It really doesn’t sound the worst way to start a working day. After the screening, Christian, father of two boys, says ˝There’s too much adult humour in it,˝ and he should know. Because when you go to the cinema to watch a film, you can be sure he saw it six months earlier - just one of the roughly 300 titles he sees in the course of a year. CINEMA ATTENDANT OR BUSINESS STUDIES Christian started his career in the cinema industry in 1986 when, having passed his upper secondary school exams, he became a cinema attendant in a Nordisk Film cinema. His original plan was to take a university degree in business economics, and, to be admitted, he had to accumulate extra points. Although Christian was offered a place at Aarhus University, he turned it down. He enjoyed working in the cinema, and over the years gained experience in the business, working his way up from scratch to what can rightly be termed the top of Nordisk Film Biografer. ˝I’ve taught myself the trade. There isn’t really any formal training for my job. It’s been a process of learning by doing,˝ says Christian, 24 years after he started out as a cinema attendant in the cinema.

I’ve taught myself the trade. There isn’t really any formal training for my job.

Christian Rønnow Hansen watchesmore than 300 films a year.

a festival like Cannes, Christian can easily notch up 40 titles to get through in a week. On average, a film lasts about 100 minutes. With a little mental arithmetic, that makes about 66 hours of films. With his extensive experience Christian can tell within the first ten minutes whether a film is worth spending so much time on. ˝With some genres I don’t need to see the film to know what it is. When you’ve seen – and have to see – as many films as I do, you can quickly sort out what type of film it is and the type of cinema audience it will attract. Now that doesn’t necessarily affect the way we distribute the film in Denmark, but we can usually predict a film’s commercial success,˝ says Christian. It sounds like a dream job for film aficionados and anyone else mildly interested in films. But the bottom line is that life as a film supervisor is no more thrilling than so many others, and Christian is quick to say ˝no˝ when asked whether he would like to see his own life portrayed on the big screen: ˝It’s just a job – fortunately one I find both fun and stimu lating.˝ ▀

Although it was Christian’s interest in films that initially drew him to the cinema, over the years, the opportunity to shape his own career has become an equally important factor. For Christian it’s not just a question of having a job that to many sounds like a dream, but also about striking a balance between work and family life. A workplace that is both flexible and stimulating is clearly an advantage. But what sort of workplace is it? 4,000 MINUTES OF MOVIE-WATCHING A WEEK It can be hard to describe an ordinary working day and even where it takes place. Being involved with finances, marketing and consumer contact means Christian follows the progress of a film from its early beginnings to its final screening in the cinema. So number crunching might be on the agenda for Christian in his office in Axeltorv in the heart of Copenhagen, but the job also has a more glamorous side: film screenings. Either in one of Nordisk Film’s own cinemas or in an international venue at one of the world’s film festivals. And there are plenty of films to see. For example, at

Jill-of-all-trades in a pink world

THE JOB OF EDITOR AT EGMONT CREATIVE CENTER MEANS BEING IN DAILY CONTACT WITH COLLEAGUES AND BUSINESS PARTNERS IN MANY COUNTRIES, EXPLAINS KAROLINA HJERTONSSON. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS WORKING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORKS SET BY THE LICENCE HOLDERS. By Jan Aagaard

arolina Hjertonsson operates in a pink universe. The Mac screen in her pink office in Egmont’s Copenhagen headquarters is alive with images of chic Barbie girls sporting pink fashion in pink settings. The bookshelves around Karolina’s are crammed with pink-bound books and magazines, and on top of the shelves is a pink world of sundry activity books, note paper and games. At the back is a lone figure of Barbie herself – the worldfamous doll neatly packed in a box just like those opened by thousands of little girls the world over every day. The Barbie dolls and their pink world are an important part of Karolina Hjertonsson’s daily life where, as an editor at Egmont Creative Center, her job is to develop and create products for Egmont Kids Media departments in Europe and Asia. She thrives in the pink universe, which girls aged 4 to 7 find particularly enchanting. ˝I clearly remember playing with Barbie dolls myself when I was a child, so it’s very natural to put myself in the girls˝ shoes and focus on what interests them. I probably listen to my inner child a lot,˝ Karolina says. ˝Being involved with creating some very eye-catching products is also fun. My job is about giving the target group what they want,

and, in the Barbie universe, things simply can’t be pink enough!˝ she says. EVERYTHING HAS TO BE APPROVED However, not everything is pink. As well as Barbie, Karolina is also responsible for brands such as Cars, Star Wars, Clone Wars and a number of other universes. The large majority are world-famous brands with rights owned by international corporations like Mattel, Disney and Lucasfilm. This means the licence holders have to approve all publications and products before they can be put into production and launched in country markets. ˝As I work solely with licence products, I operate within clearly defined limits where everything has to be approved by the licence holders. This is a major challenge, which can sometimes be difficult and frustrating. But you gradually become an expert in the various universes, get a good grasp of them and understand how to make your way around them. This also makes it easier to push things through,˝ Karolina explains. In practice, she and her editor colleagues at Egmont Creative Center focus both on developing new products and on localising

Egmont Creative Center Creates licence-based content primarily for Egmont’s 22 publishing companies but also for customers outside the Egmont Group. Has produced content for Donald Duck since 1963 and is now a supplier of many other products under licence from companies such as Disney, Mattel and Sanrio. All material is developed in English and translated locally by customers.

Has a staff of 40 employees. Together with a freelance team of about 70 authors, illustrators, colourists and graphic designers in the USA, South America and Europe, they develop material for magazines, books and activity books. Annually publishes 170 book and activity book titles plus 250 magazine titles.

are to be published and when in the course of the upcoming year. existing products to different markets and languages. For the ediMany of the products manufactured in the Nordic countries are also tors, it is a matter of timing publication to coincide with the licence to be launched in other markets, Eastholders˝ activities. For example, when ern Europe, for example, and a number a new Disney film is in the offing, the of extra publications and changes inevieditorial team has to decide – together tably crop up along the way. with local publishers in the countries concerned – which products would be It’s a job where I’m in A GOOD FEELING relevant to launch in connection with touch with people in lots Karolina spends a lot of time every the release. of countries. I enjoy that day communicating with local editors, licence holders and a freelance network A DYNAMIC WORKING DAY dynamic. of graphic designers and authors on all Karolina enjoys her role as the person kinds of issues, from tiny details to mawho has to develop ideas, take a stance jor plans for new products. For practical reasons, she usually comon projects and assess every detail, from text to illustrations, colours municates by e-mail as many of these people are based abroad. On and paper grade – generally putting her professional stamp on the top of this comes development work, where, in close collaboration products. After four years in the job, she has accumulated experiwith a graphic designer, for example, she addresses issues regarding ence and skills that make it easier to keep a cool head in a position illustrations, colour choices, logo, and so on. that requires meeting many deadlines, making many decisions and ˝It’s a ping-pong job with numerous deliberations and discusongoing dialogue with colleagues and business partners. sions involving both aesthetics and purely technical details. I enjoy ˝It’s a job where I’m in touch with people in lots of countries. I the creative process immensely,˝ admits Karolina Hjertonsson, who enjoy that dynamic. No days are the same, and I never quite know derives special satisfaction on the days when she gets a licence what will turn up in my mail box. So I also have to plan flexibly,˝ says holder’s approval for a finished product. Karolina Hjertonsson. ˝It’s a great feeling to get final approval when you’ve worked so However, plans have to be made, and, as an editor, Karolina long on a project you’re personally satisfied with. Then you’re ready bases her planning on the publishing programme decided by the to throw yourself into the next challenge,˝ she says. ▀ publishers in the Nordic countries. The plan sets out which products

Broad background Swedish Karolina Hjertonsson came to Egmont in 2006 and worked for the first 18 months as a local editor for Sweden but based in Copenhagen. Before working at Egmont she held various positions, such as editor at another publishing company, a

journalist on a local Swedish paper and a web editor for two different companies. She has a degree in comparative literature from the University of Lund and has also completed courses in film studies.

Visiting Romania with DISNEY HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE TOY STORY 3 FILMS RELEASED THROUGHOUT EUROPE THIS SUMMER. HARDCOPY JOINED SOME ROMANIAN COLLEAGUES AT A PRESS BRIEFING AND EVENT IN THE LIBERTY MALL SHOPPING CENTRE IN DOWNTOWN BUCHAREST TO MEET WOODY AND BUZZ. THE EVENT WAS THE FIRST IN A SERIES FEATURING EGMONT’S TOY STORY BOOKS AND MAGAZINES WHERE CHILDREN CAN TRY OUT THE PRODUCTS FOR THEMSELVES. By Jan Sturm

With its thousand years of history, mountainous countryside and old Transylvanian castles, Romania is the epitome of fairytale for many people. With a population of 21 million it is also the largest country in south-eastern Europe – and an important market for Egmont, which has had a Romanian presence for over a decade. The team of 20 produce 11 licence-based magazines and a large range of books from the head office in central Bucharest.

Toy Story dancing competition The prospect of meeting the Toy Story stars has attracted a large crowd of children. Here they are taking part in a dancing competition that brings a smile to their parents’ faces.

Woody and Buzz Before being hired by Egmont Romania as marketing and advertising manager, Georgeta Coman worked on a daily newspaper in Bucharest. Now she is in charge of children’s products and has organised part of the event staged for the Toy Story 3 release. Hardcopy asked her about the job. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY FOR A ROMANIAN MARKETING MANAGER? There is no typical day because no two days are the same. For example, we’re on our way now to an event in a shopping centre – but last week I was sitting in front of my computer in the office. WHAT DOES A MARKETING MANAGER DO IN ROMANIA? First, we try to promote our magazine as much as possible and reach the target group. The main challenge is reaching customers. In kiosks, customers are exposed to countless magazines and newspapers, so our products have to stand out and be as attractive as possible. HOW DO YOU DIFFER FROM OTHER MAGAZINES? Above all by having well-known licence products. In Romania, having a free toy

with the magazine is a huge advantage. Kiosks quite simply display our magazines more prominently if they contain relevant gimmicks.

There always has to be time for fun! Assistant Manager Cristina Oanea shares a joke with Brand Manager Cristina Calin before presenting Egmont’s products to the children who have turned up.

IS IT HARDER TO MARKET CHILDREN’S MAGAZINES THAN OTHER PRODUCTS? It’s more fun because children are the target audience. I have to think like an eight-yearold princess! In fact, last year when we were planning our product presentation for advertisers, we even considered dressing up as princesses and turning it into a real event. It’s a question of being constantly creative and thinking outside the box.

Final preparations The Toy Story press briefing in the Liberty Mall is scheduled for 12 noon, with the large children’s play area due to be opened afterwards. The last details fall into place just before the press briefing.

VIDEO H C T A S W RVIEW E T N I AND IGHT ON INS

˝Helping with events is fun. I help the children with their drawings and show them how to use our materials. I adore kids, and see this as a great chance to laugh and feel young,˝ explains Assistant Manager Cristina Oanea.

Portrait of an employee:

John Erik Riley AS WELL AS BEING PUBLISHING DIRECTOR IN THE NORWEGIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY CAPPELEN DAMM, JOHN ERIK RILEY IS AN AUTHOR IN HIS OWN RIGHT WITH A LONG LINE OF TITLES TO HIS NAME. HE IS A WELL-KNOWN NORWEGIAN DEBATER AND A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR IN THE NORWEGIAN PRESS. By Ingunn Lindborg WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR DAILY DRIVE? Bringing innovation to children’s literature. That means being familiar with the various genres while having an eye for the unusual. But above all you have to be receptive to the authors and illustrators. They are the people who drive us on, both culturally and mentally. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK? I always find it hard to answer that type of question. There are so many good books, and my favourite depends on when and where you ask. If you ask about books for children and young people, my answer would have to be A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. It’s a wonderful story that appeals to all ages. I suppose I must have read it four or five times. It has all the ingredients you could wish for – a moving story, both boys and girls in the main roles, travel through space and time, and lots of arresting use of language. YOUR GREATEST SUCCESS? My day-to-day work. Perhaps I’m happiest when we do well both financially and culturally. Cappelen Damm wins more literary awards than any other Norwegian publisher. We have a good commercial profile and are experts at developing new series and concepts. The department has also had success with re-cycling formats – ways of extending the life of books. WHAT MAKES A GOOD DAY FOR YOU? The best days are those when we discover a book, an illustrator or an author who can do something new and exciting. Fortuna-

tely, this happens on a weekly basis in our company. It gives me a special kick when we track down something no other Norwegian children’s publisher has thought about or spotted. YOUR MOST FUN EXPERIENCE AT WORK? It’s hard to pinpoint particular incidents – because we have fun every day. But seeing one of our authors receive the Ragazzi Award in Italy was obviously one that stands out. That doesn’t happen for many publishers. WHAT IS THE SECRET OF A GOOD PUBLISHER? You have to have an eye for a lot of things at once. You can publish loads of good titles and still not make it as a publisher, simply because you don’t keep the books alive. You also need a sense for what’s new and innovative. You can plan minor successes, but major financial successes almost always take the publisher and author by surprise! So a constant focus on quality is a must. What may appear to be a niche title at first glance may turn out to reach a far larger target group than you thought. And again, you have to focus on all sales channels. WHAT MAKES A GOOD CHILDREN’S BOOK? The best children’s books are just as multifacetted, complex, surprising and classic as any good book for adults. They never lose their hold over you, never mind how many times you read them. Norwegian children’s literature is very varied, thanks partly to the country’s good support schemes but also to the determination of authors and illustrators to be innovative. ▀

Flemming lights up film and TV AT NORDISK FILM HE GOES BY THE NAME OF ˝FLEMMING LIGHT˝ BUT ˝LARSEN˝ IS HIS REAL SURNAME. HE IS THE LAST STAGE ELECTRICIAN EMPLOYED BY NORDISK FILM, AND ACTUALLY TOOK THE JOB TO RELAX BUT THINGS DIDN’T TURN OUT THAT WAY. By Lotte Ilsøe

lemming has been with Nordisk Film for 22 years now and, although the job content has changed considerably since he first began and the department has shrunk over the years, he sets off for work every morning with a smile. His official title is still stage electrician, but his role now is more that of

stage manager since the number of lighting assignments has dwindled. Flemming knows all there is to know about the film studios at Nordisk Film in Valby. He maintains them, making sure everything is ready for the customers’ arrival. He is always on hand when the studios are in use to answer questions like where can

you connect a 22,000 Watt HMI lamp, or what’s the best place to build a huge indoor swimming pool. A FAR CRY FROM RELAXATION When Flemming first started working for Nordisk Film back in 1988, the new Danish TV channel TV2 had fully booked studios

˝Shadows are the most important thing about light – shadows give depth and life to the subject,˝ explains ˝Flemming Light˝, stage electrician at Nordisk Film.

3 and 4 in Valby. In fact, when Flemming took the job, he envisaged being able to relax a little after many years of being on tour with theatre productions, but he soon realised his mistake. There was not much spare time when the entire department had to be built, and in addition to the TV programmes recorded in the Valby studios during the week, Nordisk Film also handled the recording of TV2’s sports programmes at the weekends. When not on a football pitch screwing in bulbs, he devoted all his energy to studio 3, where the popular Danish entertainment show Eleva2eren was recorded in the first half of the 1990s. ˝Every week featured a new celebrity, and I had to design the lighting for every artist. I was experimental, but no-one ever rejected my designs. We didn’t have the smart equipment that the stars used on tour, so we had to make do with what we had. When Tina Turner was here, for

Every week featured a new celebrity, and I had to design the lighting for every artist. example, we didn’t have mobile lamps. So instead we attached a long pole to the stage lighting and one of us pulled it so the lights could be moved to follow the music!˝ Flemming explains. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SKAW PAINTER Although there is less call for Flemming’s lighting expertise these days, he keeps his

skills up-to-date. He is currently in charge of the lighting for Anna von Lowzow’s new documentary about the crown jewels of the European royal families. He also designed the lighting for a documentary film about the Danish Skaw painters. ˝’You know, I really should have been a Skaw painter! Art has been a big part of my life, and I’ve learnt a lot about light, shadow and cropping from the works of the artists of the golden age. So being involved in the production and meeting relatives of the Skaw painters was awesome,˝ Flemming recalls. After so many years of setting the stage for others, Flemming has fallen victim to a few occupational hazards. ˝I’m always critical about what I see, but I can forget about the technical aspects as long as I feel entertained. If what I see bores me for even a second, I start counting the lamps,˝ he grins. ▀

The joy of my work

SUPPORTED BY EGMONT, THE LØVEHJERTE PROJECT OFFERS COUNSELLINGTO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE PARENTS OR SIBLINGS ARE SUFFERING FROM A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS OR HAVE PASSED AWAY. EVERY DAY THE PROJECT MANAGER, EVA HELWEG, GIVES THERAPY TO ABOUT THREE CHILDREN, BUT SHE ALSO HAS TO WRITE UP PERSONAL RECORDS AND LETTERS, AND SHE ACTUALLY ALSO QUITE ENJOYS BOOKKEEPING. By Lotte Ilsøe

va’s enthusiasm for her work is clear to see when she describes her job, her colleagues and the children with whom she is in touch every day. She explains that the great thing about her job is the huge variety of tasks, but she gets particular joy from her interaction with children. ˝A mother once arrived an hour early with her child simply because they really enjoyed being here – playing with the toys and reading the books. I’m so proud to

have helped create this environment,˝ says Eva Helweg, and continues: ˝It also gives me great pleasure when young children with little life experience open up and tell me about the most painful things in life. And then watching their progress and actually seeing them improve.˝ Even though children are asked to talk about the most difficult and painful things in life when they visit the Løvehjerte counselling centre, they look forward to coming all the same. But working with children is

a commitment that means you have to be ˝focused˝ all the time and flexible. ˝It’s important that we do our utmost every day and are attentive and open-minded. And I’m glad my colleagues feel the same way. When we’re with the children or answer the phone, we have to be fully there because we might be asked to make a decision on the spot. For example, if a father calls in to ask whether he should pick up his children from daycare because their mother only has an hour left to live, we have to be

Eva’s office is full of dolls’ houses, toys and colourful children’s pictures. The children make lots when they visit Løvehjerte. Sometime it is easier to express thoughts and feelings through drawings rather than words.

prepared to talk to and advise him,˝ Eva explains. SAME ADDRESS AS DONALD DUCK Based in Egmont House in Copenhagen, the Løvehjerte centre shares offices with the Egmont Foundation’s Aid and Grants Administration. Eva has learnt a lot from the commitment and pleasure Egmont employees take in their work, and is proud to be part of Egmont. ˝We’ve learnt a lot in this building where people are very open, enthusiastic and interested in our work. There is an atmosphere of infectious happiness and pride here, not only individually but also in a broader sense. Belonging to a larger entity has taught us some important lessons,˝ Eva explains.

If a father calls in to ask whether he should pick up his children from daycare because their mother only has an hour left to live, we have to be prepared to talk to and advise him.

Eva Helweg heads up the Løvehjerte children’s and youth counselling centre, a project supported by the Egmont Foundation since 1999. Being part of Egmont has been a rewarding learning experience and working with children has been a daily pleasure for Eva.

Working under the same roof as some of the companies that specialise in children’s universes has offered a unique opportunity for starting conversations with children. ˝When you are able to start a conversation by explaining that Donald Duck comics are also made in this building and that if they look at their schoolbooks, they’ll probablysee the name Alinea on them, this helps to make things seem more normal. These are all things children are familiar with from their daily life, and it gives us a unique way to reach them,˝ says Eva.

LEAVING THE NEST The Egmont Foundation has financed and supported the Løvehjerte project since its inception in 1999. This year, a resolution was passed to merge Løvehjerte with ˝Unge og Sorg˝ as of 1 January 2011. The new organisation will be called ˝Børn, Unge og Sorg˝ and will offer counselling for children and young people from 3 to 28 throughout Denmark. ˝Leaving Egmont will be hard. We’ve learnt so much here, and we will take our enthusiasm, commitment and pride with us when we move in with ˝Unge og Sorg˝. We don’t see ourselves moving from something but rather moving towards something new that can bring on the project and ensure we can carry on offering therapy to children and young people who have suffered a loss,˝ Eva concludes. ▀

WHO’S WHO WHO’S WHO

WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE EGMONT’S TOP MANAGERS DO IN THEIR SPARE TIME? WHERE DO THEY GO FOR THEIR HOLIDAYS? AND WHAT BRIGHTENS UP THEIR DAY? IPHONE AND IPAD ARE AMONG THE FAVOURITE GADGETS WHEN EGMONT’S TOP MANAGERS REVEAL THEIR MORE PRIVATE SIDES. BUT WHO IS THE PROUD OWNER OF A HOMER SIMPSON SINGING PIZZA CUTTER? AND WHO TURNS UP THE VOLUME WHEN STROMAE’S ALORS ON DANSE IS ON THE RADIO? FIND THE ANSWERS TO THESE AND MANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE.

CEO

Your favourite author

I enjoyed Leif Davidsen’s Min broders vogter

Your favourite website New York Times editor’s choice for iPad or iPhone Your favourite hobby

Activities with my children, travel and hunting

Your favourite gadget

iPhone

Your favourite film

I recently re-watched the Jason Bourne trilogy. Great entertainment.

Your favourite TV programme

Efter deadline

Name

Steffen Kragh

Your favourite music

Family

Married to Helle, two daughters, 13 and 16

This week it’s Stromae’s Alors on Danse

Your hero

Huey, Dewey and Louie

Your favourite travel destination

Asia in general because of its climate, food and exciting attractions

WHO’S WHO

CFO Your favourite travel destinations

New York, Barcelona, Stockholm, Hornbæk

Your favourite author

I have lots, including P.D. James and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Your favourite website Kampanje.com (work), pgatour.com (leisure)

Name

Hans J. Carstensen

Age

Family

Married to Mette, who designs exhibitions for the Experimentarium science centre. Children: Laura (15) and Carl Philip (12)

Your favourite hobby

Golf

Your favourite gadget

My black notebook with my iPad coming a close second

Your favourite film

Cinema Paradiso

Your favourite TV programme

The West Wing, TV2 News

Your favourite music

Broad taste in pop/rock (from Robbie Williams to Muse)

Your hero

Nelson Mandela

Your favourite travel destination

San Francisco, USA.

Your favourite author

Paul Auster

EGMONT MAGAZINES

Your favourite website Commercial site: www.nespresso. com Your favourite hobby

Mountain biking

Your favourite gadget

iPad

Your favourite film

Godfather

Your favourite TV programme

Klovn

Torsten Bjerre Rasmussen

Your favourite music

U2 and Coldplay

Age

Your hero

Lots!

Family

Married to Sanne. Three children – Ludvig, 9, Elvira, 5, and Herbert, 3.

Your favourite travel destination

All the countries in which we have offices. I love visiting our teams.

Your favourite author

Nick Hornby

Name

EGMONT KIDS MEDIA

Your favourite website Bild.de Your favourite hobby

When I’m not travelling I spend time with my family.

Your favourite gadget iPhone Your favourite film

Love Actually; About a Boy; An Education.

Name

Frank Knau

Your favourite TV programme

I tend to zap – are there any good TV programmes at the moment?

Age

Your favourite music

Coldplay, George Michael

Family

Married to Maike, a daughter, Chiara, 17

WHO’S WHO

EGMONT NORDISK FILM

Name

Allan Hansen

Family

Married to Susanne Pihl Hansen, who works as a freelance consultant. We have a son, Simon, 15, and a daughter, Ida, 10.

Your favourite travel destination

Your favourite author

Your favourite website I don’t have a favourite site as such at the moment. For news and content I still think www.dr.dk offers the most substance and breadth – and the information is presented in an easily accessible way. www. variety.com and www.gamedaily. com are two of the sites I use for film and games news and top charts, with www.release.no an example of a good local Norwegian site.

There are many wonderful places to choose from. But if I were to pick two, I’d have to say Bornholm and Newcastle (UK) with my English family as the places where I relax and find inspiration. I have followed Swedish crime writer Arne Dahl for many years and he is undoubtedly one of my top favourites. I am delighted that we’re going to produce screen versions of his ten books. I have also recently read the three Jussi Adler-Olsen books about department Q, where the last title in particular, Flaskepost fra P, is outstanding.

Your favourite hobby

Football – both as a player and coach for my daughter, and I watch football and a little golf, time permitting.

Your favourite gadget

I brought an iPad back home from the USA. It’s almost better than … well, I’m tempted to say it should lie in the middle of the bed!

Your favourite film

The Deer Hunter and Godfather movies have both stood the test of time.

Your favourite TV programme

DR2 Deadline, and my family is currently addicted to its daily dose of 2½ Men starring Charlie Sheen.

Your favourite music

Bo Kasper’s orchestra will always hold special place in my heart.

Your hero

There are masses of great heroes to choose from. I’ve just flown back from Los Angeles, and the in-flight movie was Invictus, about Nelson Mandela’s life during his first term as president. If there is even a grain of truth in the story, this film portrays a man from whom we can all draw inspiration. The role of Mandela is played brilliantly by Morgan Freeman.

Your favourite travel destination

Hardangervidda

Your favourite author

As a publisher it’s impossible to answer that question!

BOOKS NORWAY

Your favourite website www.expectingrain.com

Name

Tom Harald Jenssen

Age

Family

Married, two sons, 21 and 27

Your favourite hobby

Cross-country skiing and kayaking

Your favourite gadget

My dog

Your favourite film

Godfather

Your favourite TV programme

House

Your favourite music

Although it’s tempting, I can only say Bob Dylan

Your hero

Muhammed Ali

WHO’S WHO

BOOKS DENMARK Your favourite website The stream of news in all Danish media, amazon.com, aldaily.com, aok.dk and I check the weather at yr.no

Name

Anette Wad

Age

Family

Two sons, age 16 and 21. Living with Hakon.

Your favourite travel destination

Iceland. The worse the weather, the more beautiful the island becomes.

Your favourite author

It all started with Johannes V. Jensen in my childhood, and nothing’s changed …

Your favourite hobby

Reading and anything to do with the sea – kayaking, fishing, swimming or just watching.

Your favourite gadget

Homer Simpson’s singing pizza cutter

Your favourite film

Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander

Your favourite TV programme

The Tudors (Henry VIII) and Mad Men (advertising on Madison Avenue – the life and doings of art director Don Draper) – I’m waiting impatiently for the next seasons.

Your favourite music

Rock and roll where you quickly get to the chorus. Long guitar solos and Miles Davis are not my scene.

Your hero

The former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright

Your favourite travel destination

Trøndelag

Your favourite author

Knut Hamsun

TV 2

Your favourite website Nothing in particular

Name

Alf Hildrum

Age

Family

Co-habiting. One son, age 34, and co-habiter’s son, age 35, two lovely daughters-in-law and two grandchildren age 1 and 2.

Your favourite hobby

Keeping fit and nature

Your favourite gadget

Nothing in particular

Your favourite film

Nothing in particular

Your favourite TV programme

The news

Your favourite music

Chopin’s piano concerto no. 1

Your hero

None

E3 i billeder EVERY SUMMER ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE FROM THE WORLD OF GAME CONSOLES GET TOGETHER AT THE E3 EXPO IN LOS ANGELES FOR MEETINGS, NEW GAME PRESENTATIONS AND TESTS OF THE LATEST CONSOLES. SUMAN RATH FROM NORDISK FILM INTERACTIVE IN FINLAND WENT TELLS ABOUT IT HERE

Microsoft has launched its own Kinectic Motioncontroller, corresponding to our EyeToy camera game on PS2. However, Kinectic was not as convincing a product as MOVE.

The 3DS was a positive surprise from our competitors. The handheld 3D console produced a 3D effect that worked particularly well in games like Paper Mario and Metal Gear Solid. You could almost feel the characters jumping through the little screen!

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Sony demonstrated the cool LittleBigPlanet 2, which lets players create their own levels and even their own games. The idea is to play, create and share. This is a sequel to LittleBigPlanet, which was released in 2008 and immediately generated a new game genre, creative gaming, in which players create their own game experience.

The 3DS queues were the longest at the expo, which attracted hordes of guests eager to witness the unveiling of Nintendo’s handheld 3D console. PlayStation has pulled out all the stops in presenting the new MOVE controller, which makes the PS3 game experience active and realistic. SingStar Dance and the sports games shown give a realistic experience. As a golfer I loved the accuracy and realism that MOVE gave the Tiger Woods 2011 game, and queued up for ages to try out the new controller.