Since Easter, Øvergaard has taken what he describes as an early vacation. Considering his accomplishments in this time frame, it's hard to believe him. Since The Gathering, he has won an Amanda prize for the best children's and youth film with «Til siste hinder», travelled to Lofoten where he held lectures about video production for teenagers, while at the same time planning a documentary from the same journey.

The Gathering recently met Øvergaard i Copenhagen, after he had just completed and delivered his entry for this year's Videomarathon competition. The twist with the competition is that the contestants are given only 48 hours to make a short film with a given theme. This year's theme was "Straff", Danish and Norwegian for "Punishment".

– I think it's fun to work with time constraints like this because you need to be incredibly creative, says Øvergaard.

– We've tried to think outside of the box. Instead punishment being something negative, we've asked ourselves if punishment can be positive.

– Punishing someone to get attention, he examplifies.

– I've worked a lot with low budgets and when you do that you can take a few extra leaps of faith, it's not as if you waste millions if you fail. You can dare to try more, he continues.

A silhouette example

One example Anders Øvergaard keeps on using is the short «A silhouette story», with which he won the «Best Direction Award».

– It's not certain that I would have made it like that if I had a lot to lose, he tells us.

– I've played a lot of video games and I believe that has helped me as well, by making me think faster… I've read that some scientists have come to that same conclusion.

«That prize is ingenius!»

Øvergaard himself was not aware of the creative focus at The Gathering, until a friend tipped him off about the movie making competition.

– I did not know a lot about The Gathering beforehand and thought it was all about gaming, he tells us.

– But I have a friend who has been to TG and develops games, it was he who sent me an email, notifying me of the competition.

– When I saw what the prize was, I did not tell anyone… Because I thought to myself «I really want to win, that prize is ingenious», he says enthusiastically.

Winning changed his mind.

– But afterwards, I've spread the words and asked lots of people why they didn't participate in the competition, admits Øvergaard chuckling.

– So, will you be going back next year?

– I will have to see where I am and what I'm doing, but I would like to go back.

– Among other reasons to follow my friend who develops games.

– And of course - the feeling of The Gathering is fantastic.

Øvergaard mentions, not surprisingly, the shouting of «Arne» as something that defines the TG experience.

– When you hear so many people shout it, that's when you realize just how many people there are there… It isn't easy to see, but when that roar comes, it sounds like to armies going to war.

Multi artist

Besides being a skilled movie maker, Øvergaard also makes his own camera gear.

– I've made different kinds of camera gear, that I've sold.

– Among the gear I've made is a hand held steady cam. It's among the first things i made and it works just as well as the ones with a west, so long as your gear isn't all to heavy, he claims.

No problems for Øvergaard then, he uses a Canon dSLR to capture his movies.

The last creation, a shoulder camera rest shows just how far he has come since the first edition. The shoulder rest simply looks professional.

Besides making camera gear, directing and filming, Øvergaard also makes music and sound effects and for the Amanda winning  «Til siste hinder» He even made the poster.

Currently writing Norwegian Sci-Fi

– On top of that, I'm writing a script. But it's s much going on right now that it's hard to for me to write and I can't write when I'm stressed, I need to be able to take the time I need, he explains.

Øvergaard reveals that what he is writing is sci-fi that can be made in Norway. The Gathering's correspondents were told some details, but can not say anything at this time but that we are looking forward to see what Øvergaard makes of this.