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What the heck is "DONT PANIC FILMS"?!
Well, we are a film production company composed of a small number of multi-talented filmmakers and photographers. Founded in 2001, and with a branch already established in the United States and Canada, DON'T PANIC has since developed its primary headquarters in the remote country of Iceland.
So, why Iceland? Isn’t it just awful weather, untimely volcanoes, hot women, somewhat-decent dudes, expensive booze, and lots of sheep? Well, yes and no. What many folks might not necessarily realize about Iceland is that there is so much raw, subversive musical talent that unfortunately flies far under the radar in most countries outside these rainy shores.
The primary mission of DON’T PANIC FILMS is to raise awareness and knowledge of Iceland’s extraordinary cultural scene. Through music videos, documentaries, still photography, graphic design, and weekly television episodes, we are pleased to lend a hand to Iceland’s musicians and artists in having their work heard and enjoyed worldwide.
Outside of Iceland, the main focus of DON’T PANIC FILMS is that of music videos and documentaries. We collaborate on projects with global powerhouses such as National Geographic and Red Bull, and have done music videos with everyone ranging from Ólafur Arnalds to Dolly Parton. We are proud to work regularly with Sleepless in Reykjavík and Icelandair, and eagerly anticipate any opportunity to keep creating.
There is so much to experience every day, so many opportunities for progress and discovery - and the exciting necessity of catching it all on film is why we’re here.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have! Now, go MEET OUR CREW!
Með kveðju,
Bowen Staines
Owner/Director
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CEO / PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER / EDITOR / GRAPHIC DESIGNER
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Bowen Staines hails from the wintery state of New Hampshire, where he became interested in music and cinematography at a very early age, initially spurring the idea to form DON’T PANIC FILMS in 2001. It was this infatuation with music & film that originally drew him to the remote country of Iceland, where DON’T PANIC has since established its primary headquarters. When he isn’t filming at DON’T PANIC, Bowen’s spare time is dedicated to working as a cinematographer and still photographer for National Geographic, in addition to being a freelance musical composer, graphic designer, editor, as well as a sponsored skateboarder. Bowen runs a newly founded network specializing in Scandinavian music called DontPanicTV, and regularly collaborates with Icelandic co-director, Gunnar B. Guðbjörnsson, on various film projects and episodes of Sleepless In Reykjavík.
You can visit his personal Facebook, as well as the official DON’T PANIC ICELAND Facebook.
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DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER / EDITOR
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Residing in the small, northernmost capital of the world, Gunnar B. “Gussi” Guðbjörnsson began his film career at a very young age, and has since built himself a small musical empire following the creation of “Sleepless in Reykjavik”, an explosively popular web TV show that focuses on the contemporary music scene in Reykjavík. In 2009-2010, Gussi and Bowen teamed up to shoot “WHERE’S THE SNOW?!”, a feature-length documentary on the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival, which was released on DVD in October, 2011. Another of Gussi’s recent endeavors include, “The Sky May Be Falling… But The Stars Look Good On You”, which follows Icelandic composer and wonder kid, Ólafur Arnalds, on his recent UK tour – Gussi and Bowen also collaborated again on Ólafur’s most recent project, “Living Room Songs”. Aside from his work on Sleepless in Reykjavik, Gussi is also an editor at Iceland’s largest film production studio, Sagafilm, works the crane system on “Icelandic Idol”, and was even an editor and DP for “The Bikini Models of Iceland”. In his spare time, Gussi admits to being a “total gadget freak”, using his garage to construct dollys, mounts, and camera rigs for skateboards, bikes, and even guitars.
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DIRECTOR / ASSISTANT CAMERA / REVOLUTIONARY
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In all probability, Joe Volpe’s face will most likely be silk-screened on t-shirts sometime over the course of the next fifteen years. Like the rest of the DPF crew, this revolutionary attended and graduated from the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design, where he received his B.F.A. in Film & Television, as well as being honored with a Nomination for Best Cinematographer. His work on numerous large-budget independent films has carved his Directing skills – as well as his camera work – out of stone. Joe is also a talented writer, dreaming up vast and imaginative Sci-fi story vessels, for which he can later exorcize his creativity as a filmmaker. When Joe is not scheming about worldly revolutions or writing bizarre ultramodern screenplays, you will most likely find him atop his BMX bike at the local park, traveling, or at the bookstore browsing through the Sci-fi section.
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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY / EDITOR / GAFFER / MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER
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Hailing from the indie-music epicenter of Nashville, Tennessee, Michael Brown is a thinking-man’s filmmaker. His film résumé is every bit as comprehensive and diverse as his knowledge of cinematography and lighting, and his dedication to his craft is as strong as the ideas that drive him. Michael has been a Steadicam Operator for four years to date, and has shot several documentaries including “Ocean Invaders” for National Geographic, “Water over the Dam” (which he produced, directed, and shot), and currently resides in LA, where he works for the History Channel. He has done Live Concert recordings for artists like Barry Gibb (of the Bee Gees), Ricky Skaggs, and Blake Shelton – a filmmaking skill that has undoubtedly come in handy when working on music videos with DON’T PANIC. In his spare time, Michael can be found kayaking, as well as testing his vertical-dexterity by rock climbing and spelunking in extreme conditions.
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WEB DESIGNER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER / PROMOTIONAL AGENT / BUSINESS SUPERVISOR
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While his main task is maintaining this web site, Matthew helps manage the "new media" presence of DON'T PANIC FILMS. |
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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY / GAFFER / STILL PHOTOGRAPHER
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Ah, James Paonessa.. Where to start? As a young lad coming from the Northeast, he spent much of his younger years learn the trade of his forefathers: bobcat hunting. However, as James grew older, he grew tiresome of this profession, and moved on to the vast world of cameras. Dazzling audiences with such greats as "Shark Attack 8 : Revenge of the Marmot", "Forest Gump 2: Rise of the Samurai", and "A Tale of Two Cats: The Billy Bones Story", he quickly cemented himself as the father of not-so-well-known films. Despite his "success", nothing could stifle his true passion: photography, the area in which James excels magnificently. In his spare time, James enjoys poking dead things with a stick, breaking his collarbone in bouts of early-morning Kung Fu, painkillers, ruggedly-handsome goatees, and skateboarding. In a recent interview with Larry King, when asked his thoughts on our capitalist society, James was quoted saying, "These towns used to hustle and bustle - the cutting edge modern technology - now, there's just two pigeons fighting on the sidewalk". Words of a true genius. Words to live by.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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Aron Þórsteinsson is a proud new addition to the DON’T PANIC FILMS crew. Hailing from Reykjavík, Iceland, Aron became interested in photography after getting his first digital camera when he was 14, and has been documenting the vibrant microcosm of 101 Reykjavík ever since. Shooting live concerts has always been Aron’s favorite thing to do, as he not only loves mixing his enthusiasm for music and photography, but prefers capturing moments of unpredictability; after spending a Friday or Saturday night in Reykjavik with him, it’s easy to understand why – if there are five shows that night, Aron will catch all of them. It is this steadfast and thorough approach to photography that makes Aron a welcome addition to the crew.
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GRAPHIC DESIGNER / EDITOR / PROMOTIONAL AGENT
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Good grief! Andrew “Charlie Brown” McClelland hails from the great capital of
Washington, DC, where his attraction to filmmaking and editing spurred his
coveted position as DON’T PANIC’s Assistant Director, Editor, and Graphic
Designer. Having mastered the art of narrative storytelling, Andrew is also the
CEO and co-founder of the First Grade Dinosaurs, the film production company
responsible for such films as “DRINK MORE BEER”, its anticipated follow-up,
“BEER RUN”, and the hilarious upcoming social-commentary, "DRINK MORE
BRENNIVIN." Charlie Brown has a wide range of knowledge of systems that include
the P2/HVX workflow, the CineAlta and VeriCam systems, and the workflow of all
major digital editing platforms. In his spare time, Andrew does graphic design
for DVD booklets, enjoys webpage design and still photography, and will never
turn down the opportunity to film skits and music videos for various domestic
DON'T PANIC FILMS productions. |
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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / ASSISTANT CAMERA / STILL PHOTOGRAPHER / EDITOR
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Writer. Director. Producer. Editor. Cinematographer. Assistant Director. Is there anything Christopher Carey can’t do? An inhabitant of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Chris graduated with a BFA in Film and Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Currently hard at work in the world of podcasting and webhosting, VanCar.tv is his newest project: a unique website extravaganza giving independent bands exposure by hosting professionally photographed music videos and concert footage with the hope of helping bands build buzz before a concert or CD release. His long résumé includes camerawork for Season 6 of Nashville Star, and the Country Music Awards, as well as recently Directing and Producing a music video for Peasant, “We’re Good,” which was featured on Stereogum.com and MTVu. When asked about dreams of fame and fortune, mild-mannered Chris seemed almost bemused, “I’m not in it for the money,” He said.
“I enjoy creating.”
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