More on Walt at Nordisk Film

Nordisk Film's Ove Sevel (1922-2006) wrote his memoires in the book "Nordisk Film ...set indefra" ("...seen from within"). Sevel started at Nordisk in 1946 as assistant director, became head of Nordisk Film Junior, then CEO of Nordisk Film from 1971 to 1982, and was chairman of the holding company Nordisk Film Fund until 1990. His book is interesting, though maybe not always completely accurate. In any case it does have some items in it that are worth noting, the following image, on page 74, being one of these:We see Sevel with Walt during Walt's visit to Nordisk Film - for the date dilemma and a link to more images of Walt during this visit, see yesterday's posting. What is Walt scrutinizing? It is a relief map of the Nordisk Film premises. It is still there, too, as witnessed by this picture I took today:If you want to "Be Like Walt" and scrutinize it for yourself, here it is, and next to it a version with A/S Nordisk Tegnefilm's location outlined and an arrow pointing to where the map itself is located. The map was repainted even since it was pictured in the 100 year anniversary book for Nordisk Film of 2006, for there it is pictured in quite a dilapidated state. Also, no mention of its date!If you look at Nordisk Film from above now, using Google Maps or the Danish Krak, you will find that a lot has changed. Stage 3 was demolished and rebuilt much larger in 1971 - it is now Nordisk Film's largest stage, and stage 5 has disappeared in 2005 to make room for the multi-story "Media House" that houses executive offices, and, more importantly, a new commissary.

I originally thought it was a pity that these ancient wooden buildings, so important in film history, were destroyed, but it turns out that both original stages were already rebuilt completely after the war, as the original buildings from 1912 and 1915 were totaled in explosions in 1944 by the Schalburg corps, a group of Nazi-friendly Danes that destroyed many other famous landmarks in Denmark, like the Tivoli Concert Hall and the then famous Langelinie Pavilion close to the statue of the Little Mermaid.

Other differences: the Nordisk Kortfilm (Shorts) building is no longer there, the "magasiner" (storage) buildings top right have made way for new editing and sound recording facilities, and outside of the map, top right is a new fascility called the Post House, housing Nordisk Film Post Production, as well as most of Egmont IT. The top "Regi Afd." (Direction dept.) is not there anymore either, it must have seen its ending when stage 3 was rebuilt.

A small building, much like a normal little house, was also removed from the area that the new stage 3 covered. As I understand it, it housed the script writers for the feature films, in the beginning including the writer I wrote about earlier, Fleming Lynge.

Currently, only stages 3 and 4 are in use, mainly for TV productions, while feature films and commercials are shot at Nordisk Film's other location in Risby, about 20 minutes away. Nordisk Film acquired Risby studios in 1982. Corporate info about all stages (like rental info etc.) can be found here...

Please note that I have made several additions and corrections to yesterday's posting, so if you are needing this info for your school paper, you had better check it out again!
Also please remember that the picture of Walt and Sevel is Copyright Nordisk Film, so don't go spreading it, now!