Andreas Nilsson may be known for directing weirdo music videos and commercials, often using a zany comic style, but according to members of Queens, he’s “the worst in the world.” I used to play guitar in an alternative rock band with the band name of. of the stone age. He also has a background in his design of theater and live music productions, which was the focus of his career before directing commercials. So when he was asked by his video game developer DICE to direct a live show at the Royal Swedish Opera to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary, it was the perfect opportunity for him to return to the stage. I felt that.
In his epic project, DICE at the Opera, he collaborated with composers such as Hildur Guðnadóttir and Solar Fields to create a stunning orchestral score from DICE’s hit games Battlefield, Star Wars: Battlefront, and Mirror’s Edge. We designed the show and played it all live. Accompanied by custom video projections and electronic video installations on stage.
To achieve an evocative combination of historic venues and contemporary performances, Andreas worked closely with lighting designer Ishai Mika (who most recently worked on ABBA Voyage) to capture the poetic moments of each game. created a visual representation of the , connecting elements such as color and landscape. video projection. The show ran six times during the month of October.
LBB’s Alex Reeves told Andreas about this unique show.
LBB> How was this project originally described and what were your initial thoughts?
Andreas>I have previously worked with the Royal Opera in Stockholm and have also worked with several composers, so when DICE and Opera were looking for a creative director for their 30th anniversary concert set, it was a good choice. It felt like a match. And a well-curated ensemble of people.
My first thought was, “I can’t have a wargame celebration.” Obviously, I didn’t know much about these games before, so I had to do a lot of research to understand the basic narratives of these games.
LBB> Where did you start?
Andreas> I started with music. Music is a script. everytime.
LBB> How did you visualize what the show would look like, how the orchestra, projections and onstage installations would interact and work within the space of the opera house?
Andreas> It’s a pretty complicated production flow. But of course it’s a collaboration between different creatives, with musicians, composers and conductors determining the overall atmosphere. In this case, he was Ishai Mika, a very talented designer from Stockholm. Honestly, the process isn’t too far from shooting and cutting film. Script it, block it, build the set, light it, cut it.
How did you choose the most iconic parts of the LBB>DICE game?
Andreas> We wanted to avoid the graphic imagery of war and also avoid reading the aesthetics of the game too literally. I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the game, but I didn’t want the game images to explain it if that made sense. You told me. I didn’t have time to play all these games, so their guidance meant everything – Viktoria Anselm, Ben Minto and Stefan Strandberg were very important collaborators for this.
LBB> This show brought out so many skills that might not be available in a normal film director life. In that regard, what aspects did you enjoy exploring the most?
Andreas> As I said earlier, I don’t think there’s much of a difference. And the stage is where I started working, so doing this is like coming home.
LBB> You’ve worked with some of the real world leading talent here. What part of the collaboration process still sticks in your mind?
Andreas> What I appreciate about projects like this is that everyone involved is allowed to do what they are good at and no one is expected to replicate someone else’s vision. is.
LBB> What have you learned from this project that you will use in your future work?
Andreas> I don’t know if I’ve necessarily learned that from this job, but this proves that working in different formats is important to keep yourself engaged and inspired. I think I did.