An Interview With Filmmaker Christian Søgaard

Short of the Month: 'Are You With Me?'

Hi Christian! Let's start off with you telling us a little about your background and where you are at in life right now?

Sure! I'm a creative originally from the ad agency world, and I went fully freelance in 2020. That was really the beginning of my career as a director and filmmaker. Since then, I’ve mainly worked on commercials and some music videos. Most of my portfolio is commercial work or branded content, but now I’m shifting focus and trying to move more toward narrative filmmaking. That’s the direction I want my career to go in.

It really strikes me that each of your projects is incredibly unique in its identity. Do you find it challenging to express yourself creatively in the commercial space, for example, as in that case there is a client to be considered?

Great question. I think I’ve been fortunate that in most of the commercials I've done, I’ve also been the creative. I often pitch the concept myself, so I’m there from the very beginning. That allows me to bring in bold ideas and have a clear voice as a director. Of course, there are projects where I’m only brought on to execute a concept, but generally, I’m part of shaping the idea.

That said, in commercials, you’re always balancing your vision with the client's needs. And at the end of the day, it’s their film, not mine. I try to leave my ego aside and push creatively where I can, but I also respect that I’ve been hired to bring someone else's idea to life.

Interestingly, I’ve noticed that outside of Norway - like when I shot a commercial in London - brands tend to be more open to bold, cinematic storytelling. In Scandinavia, the humor-driven, minimalist style is more dominant. My style doesn’t always fit that mold, and that’s been a bit of a challenge.

Why do you think your filmmaking is seen as “not typically Norwegian”? What are the influences that have shaped your approach?

I’ve been told my style is more unpolished and authentic - someone once described it that way, and it really resonated. Since then, I’ve embraced that as a core part of my voice.

I use a lot of handheld camera work, natural light, and lens choices that lean toward documentary aesthetics. Also, I aim to create emotional resonance more than push a clear message. Especially in commercials, I like to entertain - I think that’s really important - or evoke a feeling rather than directly sell something. Of course, if the brand message or slogan has to be in there, I work it in - but I try not to be too heavy-handed.

One of your main focuses seems to be combining sound, visual language, and production design to provoke something within the viewer. How do you find a balance between experimenting with these elements, but also creating an overall coherent piece?

On Are You With Me?, for example, the whole process was an experiment. It started with a very loose script - just the situation and emotional stakes. There was no dialogue written, and I told the actors upfront that the scenes would be mostly improvised. They had to fully embody the characters and stay in the moment until I called cut.

I also played music and sound references for them on set, so they could feel the emotional tone I was aiming for. For example, during the underground scene, I played the score beforehand so they understood the atmosphere - even if we didn’t have dialogue. They were encouraged to stay in that tension and discomfort, because that was the emotional truth I wanted to capture.

I’ve brought that approach into new projects as well - talking with composers early, shaping the soundscape before the edit. I find that music, sound, and rhythm are crucial to the emotional core of what I make. When everyone on set has a sense of that mood, it elevates the whole production. I think all that helps maintain a balance between being creative and playful, but also creating a tonally coherent piece of film.

How important is the relationship with your DP?

Very important! I used to be a still photographer. And I've also been DPing for myself. So I’m quite picky!

It's important for me that me and the DP can discuss and challenge each other, but at the same time, they have to understand my need to be experimental - to make choices that are not typical of film school. I’ve also learned not to choose a DP until I’ve figured out the story for myself. Once I have the idea clear, the references, the flow - then I can pitch it to the DP. And then when they bring their ideas in, it aligns with the world I’m trying to build.

A DP for me is basically an extension of me as a creative - someone who brings the technical expertise to the table but is still aligned with the story and style. I worked with Vi Duc on Are You With Me?, and actually, most of the work in my portfolio is either with him or with two others. I think he’s one of the DPs here in Norway that really pushes the boundaries of visual style - not afraid to go gritty or dark, really tuning into that moody aesthetic, which I love.

How important is edit for you? Is that something you pre-plan a lot or do you still find yourself exploring ideas in that stage too?

I always like the idea that the first edit is the script. Because I’m a writer-director, I try to write the film as it's going to be edited.

Are You With Me? was the first time I worked with another editor on a narrative and personal project. So it was really important for me to find someone who understood that the story could be ambiguous, and that the edit didn’t have to follow traditional logic. I needed someone who could bring in influences from music videos, or experimental styles - and not be afraid of that.

The editor I worked with was totally on board with all of this - jumping back and forth, fine-tuning the story, experimenting. Because it’s a poetic story, it’s more about mood and emotion than about plot. The scenes didn’t have to “land” in a traditional sense - they just needed to show a certain state of mind.

When it comes to Are You With Me?, is there any one thing in particular you hope the viewers get out of the film, or would you say the message is more subjective and will relate differently from viewer to viewer?

I do like the idea that when you see the film, you get a personal exploration of the story. One person might relate more to one character, another to another. That way you basically become curious about the story itself. If there’s one thing I want people to get, it’s that - it’s the curiosity. Being curious comes from a self-doubting state of mind.

You have this push and pull between two states of mind. Each character is going through their own things, but if you’re not curious about other people’s experiences and struggles, you get lost in your own self-doubt and self-reflection.

The film explores different people, showing them in their own “six degrees of separation” state of mind. They know each other in one way, being part of the same group in Oslo, but don’t understand what others are going through because they lack curiosity and understanding. And if you’re not open to being understood, you also lock people out from being curious about you.

There’s also a poetic side about identity and brotherly love. Most main characters are men, and the idea steps into young men not being curious about each other’s lives. So I would say, one of the other main themes is definitely that, it’s identity.

You've explored a lot of experimental work, but аre you at all curious and wanting to make something that falls more into the narrative medium - something a bit bigger in scope?

Yes! I have two or three short films currently in development. They’re more ambitious than Are You With Me?. One of them is already written, and we're trying to get funding for it because it’s not something that can be self-financed. I'm also outlining a feature debut, but it's still in the early stages. So right now, I'm in a phase where I’m always developing projects, ideas, and figuring out what’s next. I’m excited for all of it.