Ulf Synnerholm, managing partner at Sweden’s B-Reel Films, unpacks how his production company has navigated a tricky market to land shows with Netflix, TV4 and SVT
B-Reel Films is based in Stockholm and LA, two very different places, but we’ve always believed that great stories told creatively transcend borders.
Sweden is a small-language territory, but we like to think that B-Reel Films has punched above its weight to carve out a position in the global entertainment landscape by delivering television series and films rooted in Swedish intellectual property that resonate with audiences all over the world.
Our latest drama series are diverse but have this common thread.
There’s The Helicopter Heist for Netflix, which was inspired by the Vastberga Helicopter Robbery in 2009; The Pirate Bay, which is a tech-origin drama about the Swedish founders of pioneering file-sharing site for SVT; and the second season of The Congregation/Knutby, based on events in an evangelical community in rural Sweden, which will soon be on TV4.
In Sweden, we face the same challenges as producers everywhere. Smaller budgets, rising costs, and fewer commissions mean creativity is not just found on screen, but is required in assembling co-production teams.
Full, straightforward commissions are becoming rarer, so having a solid network of domestic international co-production partners and understanding how to best collaborate with them is more important than ever. Being independent gives us freedom and the power to find and choose the best partners for each show - something we truly enjoy.
Triple principle approach
In an attempt to manage this increasingly complex industry landscape and deciding on where to focus our energy, we have developed three guiding principles.
Firstly, a passion-driven development philosophy; secondly, a commitment to creativity and belief in combining our art-house origins with a broader, more popular, creative ambition; thirdly, our focus on identifying and securing the best Swedish IP, with international appeal.
These principles are at the heart of B-Reel Films and what we do. So far, our approach seems to demonstrate that Nordic narratives can captivate local and global audiences alike.
Passion is the creative compass of everything we do. It’s B-Reel Films’ first principle because we’ve always believed the best stories are born out of genuine enthusiasm, and that belief is what drives our approach to both development and production.
It also means putting talent at the centre of everything we do and fostering an environment of respect and care for the creative process and the talent. We pour our hearts into the projects we choose to pursue, so each production has authenticity and depth.
We’re not cynical, we love what we do and our projects will never be ‘painting by numbers’ content - for us it’s about the stories that move people.
Over 25 years, we have transformed from being an art-house pioneer into producing feature docs like I Am Greta, international drama series like Helicopter Heist, and feature films such as Midsommar.
We’ve tried to adapt to the changing dynamics of the industry without losing sight of our artistic identity. Every project we undertake remains unmistakably ‘B-Reel Films’ in its vision. As with the Helicopter Heist, what could have been a conventional Hollywood-style heist series is given far greater depth by the gang’s character-led brotherhood.
Finally, Swedish and Nordic IP is central to B-Reel Films. Sweden has an abundance of culturally rich, universally resonant stories - a wealth of fables, fairytales and factual stories and it’s a privilege to bring those stories to life.
Securing the IP for Helicopter Heist, and outmanoeuvring Hollywood heavyweights in the process, was a triumph, not just for us as a company, but for Swedish storytelling as a whole. We’ve recently secured the rights to Jävla Karlar/Bloody Men, Sweden’s bestselling novel of 2023, and we’re excited about developing it for international audiences.
2024 was a great year for B-Reel Films, and we’re both humbled and inspired by what we’ve accomplished. The world is increasingly hungry for authentic, boundary-pushing narratives, which deliver universal entertainment with a distinctive voice and I’m confident that by staying rooted in our identity, we’ll continue to make an impact on the global stage.
- Ulf Synnerholm is managing partner at Swedish production firm B-Reel Films
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