Swedish filmmaker and producer Daniel Bramme finds success in Hollywood

THE SWEDISH film industry is increasing its interest in the North American film industry. While Hollywood is searching for Swedish talent, investors in Sweden are looking to invest in Hollywood. Daniel Bramme, the Swedish producer and filmmaker, finds himself positioned well in this new development. He has been asked to find and acquire Swedish films to be distributed in the U.S.

BRAMME says, “I received proposals from production companies in Los Angeles to work as a producer for European music videos. This was a couple of years ago. I was invited to meet them when I visited L.A. but I soon realized that it was nothing I actually wanted to work with at that time. Instead my mentor, Mr Cody Shearer, asked me if I were interested in working with feature films, adaptations and distribution. That was something that hit me in the face since I always wanted to combine my contacts in politics, economy and culture. I was introduced to a well-known distribution company, and they had the same ideas as Idid. On Christmas Eve, I received a work offer and proposal from this company.”

BRAMME IS ORIGINALLY from the music video and documentary side of film production and developed an interest in international distribution with his work for The Swedish Trade Council in Stockholm now known as Business Sweden. He now has gained recognition internationally as a matchmaker in the film industry.

“THE SWEDISH film industry has always aimed to reach Hollywood in one sense or the other. Even people outside of the industry in Sweden sometimes dream of going to Hollywood, being an actress or actor, producer or director. Our market and industry is small compared to the one in the U.S. so getting a movie distributed, sold or remade in the U.S. is something filmmakers in Sweden strive for.”

DANIEL BRAMME grew up in Haninge, a suburb south of Stockholm. He studied at The Fredrika Bremer College and later attended The Stockholm Film School where he enrolled in a two-year master’s degree course.

“MY INITIAL INTEREST came from — as with many other filmmakers — the family’s first video camera. At that time it was just a hobby. The beginning of my professional career came with my first paid job, a music video, at the end of my studies at The Stockholm Film School. I think that’s the point where it all started; I understood that I was actually able to work with something in which I was genuinely interested,” says Bramme.

“WHEN I first started out, I was one of the younger in the Swedish film industry to actually approach companies and artists outside the country. This gave me an opportunity to create lasting relationships, which I still have today. At that time I was involved in many of the music videos filmed in Sweden. Later on I ran some of the major film productions around fashion shows and catwalks for different brands.”

NOW Daniel Bramme works with feature films and documentaries, helping people getting connections and opportunities that might not come so easy.

SOME OF the companies and artists he has worked with are L’Oreal, Hunky Dory, Whyred, The Hives, Johnossi and Ison o Fille.

“WORKING WITH The Swedish Trade Council was probably the best thing that could have happened to me outside of the film industry. It was there my interest for international relations were awakened and that in turn is the indirect reason to why I now work with American distribution.”