Tor Arne's work has taken him across Norway’s diverse landscapes — from glaciers and fjords to frozen lakes, remote mountain regions and dense urban settings — often under challenging logistical and environmental conditions. The depth of this experience proved invaluable when Øvrebø took on one of the most ambitious projects in Norwegian screen history: Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole, the largest and most expensive drama series production ever filmed in Norway.
Tor Arne’s career reflects how international productions have increasingly moved beyond using Norway purely for locations, and now rely more heavily on local crews and infrastructure to deliver complex shoots. Working both independently and through companies such as Truenorth, NORSECODE — which he co-founded with Per Henry Borch — and Living Daylights Productions, he has supported productions from early planning through to execution on the ground.
With an education in economics, a background in special effects and decades of hands-on production work, Tor Arne’s focus has remained constant: enabling the creative vision on screen through practical execution. This continues to inform his work today, particularly on projects that require close coordination between departments and collaboration with local authorities.
On Downsizing, filmed along the Norwegian coast, Tor Arne helped develop an innovative production model using cruise ships to house the production office, case and crew, as well as equipment storage and transport. This enabled seamless overnight company moves and maximised efficiency across a geographically dispersed shoot.
For No Time to Die, sequences shot on a frozen lake outside Oslo demanded constant adjustments as ice conditions shifted throughout the day. On Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Øvrebø was involved in delivering a large-scale stunt sequence in a remote mountain location, requiring extensive planning and coordination. His work on Succession also brought cinematic Norwegian landscapes into a tightly scheduled, high-end drama framework in the show’s fourth season. For Apex, Tor Arne helped facilitate backdrop photography for the film’s high-altitude opening sequence.
Alongside large-scale international blockbusters, Tor Arne continues to engage with independent filmmaking. He produced the WWII drama The Fishing Place (2025), directed by Rob Tregenza, and shot around Notodden in Telemark. Smaller in scale but formally ambitious, the film premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, highlighting the range of production contexts Tor Arne works with.
With Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole, Tor Arne led the most extensive production ever filmed in Oslo. The series spanned 160 locations, 113 shooting days and involved more than 400 crew members. Initially conceived as an English-speaking production with partial filming in Oslo, the project shifted when Jo Nesbø joined as creator. Netflix subsequently greenlit the series as a fully Norwegian production — in language, location, crew, director and cast.
Drawing on decades of experience with international productions, Tor Arne approached the project with a clear understanding of what was required to deliver at this scale. The result enabled a high level of creative ambition and demonstrated what can be achieved within a fully Norwegian production framework.
Across all of these projects, Tor Arne’s role has remained consistent: translating complex productions into something that works seamlessly on screen. Whether coordinating large crews across multiple locations or aligning international expectations with local realities, his work is defined by clarity of execution.
Q&A with Tor Arne Øvrebø
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you entered the industry?
A: I studied economics in Bergen in the 1990s, but honestly spent just as much time watching films. Cinemateket in Bergen was a big influence — at that point, Norway didn’t even have a film school.
After graduating, I worked as a journalist and a teacher, before getting in touch with a film studio. That’s how I got into special effects. I worked on films like Joachim Trier’s first feature Reprise, crime drama Varg Veum - Fallen Angels and WWII saboteur biopic Max Manus: Man of War, and through those projects I got to know the industry quite quickly.
I started out in commercials — both Norwegian and international — but the real turning point was Ex Machina in 2014. I was production manager on that film, which was shot at Juvet Landscape Hotel and across Western Norway. After that came The Snowman, the first international adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole series. That opened the door to much larger productions.
Why Norway works for international productions
Q: You’ve worked on a wide range of international productions. What makes Norway such an attractive filming location today?
A: Proximity is important. Norway is very well connected to the UK, which remains a major production hub. At the same time, you can access an incredible range of landscapes within relatively short distances.
You have mountains that are unlike anything else in Europe, fjords, rivers, lakes, open ocean — and a huge contrast between the south and the north. The Arctic landscapes, including Svalbard, are completely unique. The variation between regions gives productions a huge palette to work with.
There are also strong seasonal advantages. In parts of Norway, you can reliably shoot winter scenes with snow for large parts of the year, while the long daylight hours in summer — and even the midnight sun in the north — give productions much more flexibility in how they schedule their days.
But it’s not just nature. Norway also offers strong urban environments, with both historic and contemporary architecture. That combination — variety and accessibility — is hard to match.
Q: What has changed over the past 10–15 years?
A: There’s much stronger trust in Norwegian film professionals now. International producers know what they’re getting in terms of quality.
At the same time, infrastructure has developed significantly. It’s not just about locations anymore — it’s about the ability to deliver entire productions locally. There’s also been a clear shift towards a more film-friendly approach, with municipalities and local authorities actively supporting productions and facilitating shoots.
We’re also seeing growing international interest in Norwegian stories and IP, which changes the dynamic.
Q: What defines Norwegian crews and production culture?
A: Flexibility, problem-solving and efficiency.
Norwegian crews are used to working in extreme conditions — natural locations, in all kinds of weather — and that builds a very practical mindset. There’s also a flat structure on set, which makes collaboration faster and more efficient.
Compared to larger markets, we often work with smaller crews, but still deliver at a very high level. That’s something international productions really appreciate.
Scaling up: Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole and Norway’s production capacity
Q: Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole is the largest production ever filmed in Oslo. How did it compare to your previous work?
A: In terms of scale, it aligns with the kind of international productions I’ve worked on. The difference is that this was a fully Norwegian production — both production service, and producing from within.
That meant drawing on the full local ecosystem: crew, studios, suppliers, locations. We used a combination of existing studio space and converted locations, especially for production design.
Q: What does a production of that size demand from the local industry?
A: Capacity and coordination. You need strong department heads, reliable suppliers and the ability to scale quickly.
Oslo works very well in that respect. Distances are short, logistics are manageable, and there’s a high degree of flexibility. It also allowed us to approach the production in a more sustainable way.
Q: Did the project reveal new strengths in the Norwegian industry?
It confirmed that the industry can handle productions at this level — not just technically, but creatively. There’s a confidence now that we can deliver large-scale, high-end drama entirely within Norway.
Filming in extreme conditions
Q: On No Time to Die, you worked on sequences shot on a frozen lake. What does that actually involve?
A: A lot of things people wouldn’t expect. We had to understand the structural properties of ice — how thick it needed to be, how much weight it could carry.
We worked with ice experts and essentially learned how to build and maintain safe conditions on the lake, including constructing sets directly on the ice. It’s one of those situations where filmmaking overlaps with completely different disciplines.
Q: How do you plan for something as unpredictable as ice conditions?
A: You plan as much as possible — and then you stay flexible. Conditions change throughout the day, so you need constant monitoring and the ability to adjust quickly.
That’s where experience and collaboration across departments becomes crucial.
Q: What about large-scale action in remote locations, like Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning?
A: Those sequences require very detailed planning long before you arrive on location. Access, safety, transport, weather — everything has to be mapped out.
At the same time, you’re often working in protected or sensitive environments, which adds another layer of complexity. It requires close coordination with local authorities and a strong respect for the landscape.
Q: How do remote natural environments compare to urban shoots?
A: They’re more demanding logistically, but in many ways easier creatively. You have these extraordinary backdrops, and Norway’s infrastructure — roads, transport, local support — makes them more accessible than people might expect.
There’s also something very focused about working in those environments. It can actually simplify parts of the process.
Looking ahead
Q: What advice would you give to producers considering filming in Norway?
Look closely at the local talent — especially heads of department. Norwegian crews bring a lot of experience and capability. And don’t underestimate how efficient productions can be here, both in terms of logistics and cost.
Q: What kinds of productions would you like to see more of in Norway?
A: We’ve already worked with some incredible filmmakers — among them Denis Villeneuve, Alexander Payne and Christopher Nolan.
But there’s always more to explore. I’d love to see more ambitious projects come here — filmmakers who want to really use what Norway offers, both in terms of landscape and production capability.
A production destination that delivers
Across blockbusters, prestige drama and independent film, Tor Arne’s work points to a clear shift. Norway is no longer just a visually striking location — it’s a production environment built on experience, adaptability and trust.
Whether it’s building on ice, moving entire crews across fjords overnight, or coordinating hundreds of people across a capital city, the principle stays the same: make the complex look effortless on screen.
And increasingly, Norway is doing exactly that.
It’s a beautiful country full of incredibly friendly, relaxed people. There’s a good vibe in Norway.
