By Meredith Hritz, ’10, A&E Editor

Baldur Tangvald, a junior, has a love and natural talent for film.  Baldur has always been interested in film, but it was the influence of his two older brothers and support from his parents that jump-started his own experimentation in film. To learn more about directing, Baldur initially listened to the directors’ commentaries on his favorite movies and then moved to books on how to create films. However, none of this would have been possible without the influence of his family. His brother Rainor, Baldur says, “has always been a big advocate for taking risks, following your heart, and living your life so that you’ll be happy.”

To learn more about his craft, Baldur attended a directing program in Los Angeles through the New York Film Academy over the summer, where he plans on returning next summer to further his understanding of film. However, Baldur says that acting has best influenced and helped his directing. Baldur believes, “Directors really need to be able to communicate with their actors, so being in the place of an actor helps maintain that connection.”  It is in acting and watching movies that Baldur finds his inspiration. As Baldur watches a film, he often “gets spaced out and starts thinking about characters and dialogues between them and action sequences.” Some of Baldur’s favorite directors to watch and learn from are Edgar Wright, who directed Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead and Zack Snyder, director of Dawn of the Dead, 300, and Watchmen.

With his junior year only just beginning, Baldur has already put a great deal of consideration into his career path. Baldur’s decision is among “director, picture editor, or movie trailer editor.” If his film career does not take off, he plans to be a science teacher, but he says, “I’m not planning on failing.”  Baldur’s love and dedication for directing will without a doubt catapult him into the fast-paced film industry and onto many great successes.