DK Spot
NAME: Anders Morgenthaler
AGE: 41 yeeeeeeeeeears
NATIONALITY: Ethnic Dane, who tries to sneak in a little Polish origin to make it more exciting.
OCCUPATION: Illustrator, Filmmaker
RELATION TO DESIGN SCHOOL KOLDING: BA in Interactive Media, Graphic Designer - or whatever the term is these days. Probably Digital Communication Designer.
What inspires me?
That depends on the kind of inspiration we're talking about. There's a difference between great ideas and the maelstrom of small ideas. When I'm financially screwed I only get shitty ideas. So that's not really a good source of inspiration. When I'm chasing money, the ideas become watered down and I stick to the ones that come easy and seem easy, and they are usually never any good! When I'm reading I become very inspired but not in a direct way. It's as if I'm able to take in the stuff I'm reading. And the actions of the books or the reflections of the characters often influence my mindset and trigger ideas that are somewhat off. To me reading is like sitting on a bench, looking at the world - all of it. When I watch films I'm mostly just entertained and I forget to use them as a source of inspiration. On the Internet I'm inspired by fast ideas and you have to watch out for those because they often drain your creative energy. More than anything I'm inspired by drawing. I have a Pentel Brushpen, and when I just sit there - bare arse and all drinking my espresso trying to corner an observation - that's when inspiration really hits me!
What am I professionally interested in at the moment?
I just finished a feature film that it took for fucking ever 5-6 years to fund and complete. So I'm really motivated to return to my roots, to when I was in my twenties, and make my own film from scratch. That's an idea I've been thinking about for some time. Maybe I'll go ahead with it. And then I spend quite some time wooing the Americans. We are now out in 280 newspapers and there are some new opportunities in that. Also, I'm very committed to setting up a new independent school of which I'm chairman of the Advisory Board. We need an all new approach to teaching and learning, and I think it would be a lot of fun to help start that process.
My dream assignment. Why?
Hmmm, I don't have one. I'm interested in a lot of things, and each time I get an idea, that's my dream assignment; until I'm in a meeting trying to realise it. Then I suddenly think it's a load of crap and just want to get away! That's often the thing with ideas: It's great coming up with them but ridiculously annoying to finish them ... I've dreamt of a lot of things; of making a comic strip for the entire world, of making films, and all the time new dreams emerge. I don't have a dream assignment.
Why did I pick Design School Kolding?
Because my dad had seen a readvertisment for applications to the new interactive design programme. At that time I was animating death sequences to Hugo the screen troll; a quiz show that used to air on TV2. So I thought, why not? I was so much of a Copenhagener that I had never ridden the train further than Roskilde, so I didn't know anything about Design School Kolding. I picked it beacuse I did not know of any alternative. HOWEVER, it turned out to be a stroke of luck. The life I lead today is very much due to many, many of the things that went on in that school. I learned discipline, I met people that later in life became publishing channels. I had time to reflect about me and time to think. And not least: I did a lot of work! After frequenting the local bar Pitstop every weekend for three months, I thought to myself: been there, done that. And so I started working like a maniac. After one year I chose to avoid the negative factions. When you go to a creative school there's a lot of insecurity, and if you're insecure about design and taste, you hate everything except a few "right" things that everyone can agree are coooool. When you get that that will never bring you anywhere in life, anything can inspire you! (It's especially people from Copenhagen who tend to dig the "right" stuff; people from Jutland like a little extra print on their outfit).
What defines Danish Design?
Jesus, what a boring question! I refuse to answer ... so should anyone reading this!
