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Who's this Hrafnkell Stefánsson?
I know what you’re thinking - who is this guy giving out advice? Who does he think he is? I get it. I’ve thought the same thing myself. But that’s just the little voice of insecurity creeping in - the one we all have, and the one we shouldn’t let stop us from doing what we’re capable of.
I’ve been around a while, worked on a lot of projects, and picked up some experience along the way. And I genuinely enjoy sharing what I’ve learned - you can check out some of it below.
SCREENWRITER
I’ve been lucky enough to make a living as a screenwriter for over 15 years. My produced features include City State (remake rights bought by James Mangold), Polite People, and Brave Men’s Blood. All premiered in theaters and screened at festivals like Rotterdam.
Over the years, I’ve written on commission, consulted for production companies, and done a few uncredited rewrites - including one for a Netflix original. I also co-created a treatment that was later acquired by Lionsgate.
These days, I have a feature in development that’s heading toward production in the next couple of years, and I’m part of two writers’ rooms - one of which is expected to shoot in 2026.
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EDUCATOR
Alongside my writing career, I’ve spent many years teaching the craft. I served as Head of Screenwriting & Directing at the Icelandic Film School from 2011–2016, and as Head of Studies from 2016–2025. I’m currently the external examiner for IADT’s Film and TV program and have sat on the quality review panel for Pathfinder - the FilmEU joint BA.
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In recent years, I’ve delivered guest lectures, workshops, and masterclasses in screenwriting at schools and festivals around the world. I also teach Axtion Blocks - a story structure method I developed - which I’ve presented at events such as the Reykjavik International Film Festival, (RIFF), Cinema De Novue and others.
