01 / From Jutland to Copenhagen
Rebel Pictures was founded by director Jesper Tønnes in 2018. We develop and produce fiction, films for brands and analog productions from Copenhagen.
It began with a DV camera on a farm in Jutland. Making our own films and working as a first assistant director on major productions shaped how we work: resourcefulness, careful preparation and the drive to get the film made.
It began on a farm in Jutland with a DV camera, friends in front of the lens and homemade effects. There was no film school or established production behind it. There was a desire to recreate the moments that had made an impression at the cinema: the adventure, the suspense and the feeling of being drawn into another world.
Director Jesper Tønnes learned the craft by building the films himself. Writing, shooting, editing, sound and visual effects were connected from the beginning, often because the same person had to find a solution at every stage. Formats were tested, crews were assembled, and each film taught something that could be used in the next.
Alongside those films came work as a first assistant director on major Danish and international productions, including Copenhagen Cowboy and Loving Adults. The job meant bringing the director’s vision, the cast, the crew and the shooting day together. It offered a different understanding of preparation, communication and responsibility for the people making the film.
Rebel Pictures draws on both experiences. We bring the resourcefulness of the early films and the precision of professional crews into our work. A clear plan should give people the space to be present when the camera rolls.
The films look different, but they come from the same curiosity. We want to make films with feeling, genre and room for big images. We also want to invite audiences into the process, so they can experience the finished film and follow how it was made. That is the experience we now bring to the development of our first original feature, Sidste Heat.
02 / Our own films
Science fiction / Danish landscapes
Our own films have been a place to test those ambitions. In The Last Padawan II, the landscape of Jutland became the setting for a science-fiction adventure. Made with a volunteer cast and crew, it found an international audience on YouTube through the film, teasers and behind-the-scenes material.
Noir / Super 8–65mm
Intet Vover took the work in another direction: a noir thriller with an ensemble of Danish actors, shot on Super 8, 16mm, 35mm and 65mm. Production design, lighting, format and performance had to serve the same tone. It meant thinking the film through carefully before any stock ran through the camera.
Dance / Four film formats
For CUT, four analog formats captured flamenco dancer Selene Muñoz at the same time. The project brought together more than 60 film professionals and partners including Kodak and ARRI Rental to explore what format, texture and scale do to the same performance.
03 / How we work
We make the key creative decisions early. That lets the crew put its energy into what the audience will feel: the performances, the images and the story.
We plan the script, images, production design, sound and edit together before shooting. A shared direction leaves more time for performance on the day.
From DV to 65mm, we choose the camera for the story. Working with film stock has taught us to know the scene and the images before we roll.
Each project has its own crew. Clear preparation and respect for each other’s craft make room to find solutions together.
Tell Rebel Pictures about your idea and where the project is in its process.
rebelpicturesmail@gmail.com