Each week, for the next six weeks, we'll be profiling one of the six finalists in this year's Orange FilmFour Prize For Short Film.

This week: Patrik Bergh, Writer/Director of Veronique

Patrik Bergh (pictured left), Swedish born writer/director living in North London

Patrik studied at The Lee Strasberg Institute of Acting in London, then at The Playhouse West Theatre in Los Angeles before attending the London International Film School. As a student he directed and co-produced What Was That, a 16mm one minute commercial that came runner up for Overall Achievement in the Kodak Student Commercial Film Awards before winning the award for Best In Brief at the Commercial Film Awards.
Patrik has also been shortlisted for the VISION 5 Commercial Competition with Channel 5.

His credits include: 2000 - Adidas Shorts (Co Director, Mini DV, twelve 4min Documentaries), 2000 - Caroline (Writer, Director and Producer, Super 16, 5 min Short Film), 2001 - Flamenco (Writer, Director and Co-Producer, 35mm 3min Short Film)

Patrik is currently working as a freelance runner/2nd Ad for commercials and promos.

The name of Patrik's short film is Veronique. A young teenage lad gets on the bus and falls in love with a young teenage girl. Her name is Veronique, she's French and she's an actress, or so he tells his best friend. Is this his first true love, or just the overwrought workings of his romantic imagination?

We asked Patrik to tell us a bit more about himself and Veronique

Tell us a bit about your background.

I was Born in Stockholm and moved to London in 1983 where I've lived ever since, except for a short spell in Los Angeles and Sydney. Studied at The London International Film School for a while whilst working as a bartender in soho. Mixing drinks for the likes of editor John Smith and diretor Jonathan Glazer, I decided that more seemed to be gained out in the 'real' world than in a classroom. For the last three years I've been working as runner, 2nd assistant director or researcher whilst writing, producing and directing my own short films.

Did you think you had a good chance of getting onto the shortlist for the Orange FilmFour Prize For Short Film?

I did think that the script was good and yes, in the back of my mind I thought that I had a pretty good chance. I always thought that if I at least could get to the interview stage I could make a good presentation as to why this script would be a good film.

How long did it take you to write Veronique?

Actually writing the script took about two days. I usually spend a lot of time thinking about a script before sitting down at the computer and writing it. (see answer to next question)

What was your inspiration for Veronique?

The initial idea actually came up last summer when a friend told me he wanted to write something about a boy falling in love with a girl on a bus. Personally I could relate to that straight away since it actually happened to me when I was about 15 and so decided this was a good script idea for this particular competition. My friend and I were up in this little cottage in the deep woods in the north of Sweden and in the evenings we sat around talking about all these crushes we had when young and how intense they could be.

What is your favourite film or short film and why?

One of my favourite films is Paris, Texas. I guess I judge how much I like a film by my initial reaction to it, without really analysing it too much. It's more about how the film managed to move me rather than anything else. I think my favourite scene in the film is the scene in the peepshow between Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinsky. The two monologues in that scene are just brilliant.

Who is your favourite director?

Don't really have a favourite feature director. If I have to mention a name is has to be Jonathan Glazer for his commercials and promos. No one gets even close to being as good as him.

What are you most looking forward to about having your film made?

To find out if it's going to work: to see it and know that you've succeeded in making the film you wanted to make.

What will you do with the money if you win the prize?

Have a good wrap party for everyone working on the film. The rest of the money would have to go on another short film!

How did you find the day of the interviews?

I'm glad that I had my producer Mark Murrell there next to me. I feel really uncomfortable being in front of the camera. I want my job to be behind the camera.

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