Known in the film world as Mårlind and Stein, the dynamic directors behind Midnight Sun and The Bridge Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein have been working together on numerous productions for TV and cinema over the last 14 years.
Speaking to SBS Swedish, the pair reveal that their collaboration is a very unusual one - in regard to the way they share the work load and swap directing roles.
First, they write the story line together and then Mårlind writes the script with Stein acting as a sounding board.
When the time comes for filming, the producer tosses a coin. The winner of the toss is director for the first day and is totally in charge, and the other one assists as his "best buddy".
"The best buddy doesn’t take any responsibility but can give super tips and be of great help and also talk to producers and production designers about the coming days of filming," says Stein.
When the first day of filming is over, it is the other collaborator’s turn to be director for the next day’s work. This way of producing movies has caused a bit of confusion in the past.
Björn Stein and Måns Mårlind Source: StudioCanal
When Mårlind and Stein applied for joint membership of the Directors Guild of America, something they had to do to make movies in the USA, the guild first rejected them as they thought the Swedes were taking them for a ride.
"Luckily we had a couple of Swedish movies and television series to prove that we do actually direct in this way. They then granted us membership," Mårlind explains.
Listen to Måns and Björn's full interview (in Swedish) with SBS Radio Swedish here:
Both Midnight Sun and The Bridge were unusual TV series too, in that the settings saw Mårlind and Stein cross international borders.
"It started in the same way for both shows," says Stein.
"The Danish Public broadcaster, DR, and Sweden’s SVT, wanted to co-operate but they did not have any story line and they contacted us."
It seems the pair were fortuitous with not one, but both of their flagship shows.
"Exactly the same thing happened with the French Canal + and SVT [on Midnight Sun]. They came to us, we suggested an idea and they liked it."
For those who have not seen it yet, without giving away in the spoilers, the opening scene of the first episode of Midnight Sun is likely not to be one that you will forget any time soon.
An extreme close-up from the chilling opening moments of 'Midnight Sun' Source: Canal +
"Well, you might think about what this person could possibly have done to be killed in such a dramatic way," says Mårlind.
One could imagine that it might be hard for the directors to sleep tight at night after all the horror they are producing, but apparently not.
"Oh no, we don’t get frightened," says Mårlind. "Quite the opposite."
"When we come up with something that’s really uncomfortable and scary, we get very happy and sleep well at night," says Mårlind with a lot of joy and satisfaction in his voice.
Stein adds, "The problem is that you really want to be scared but the more one watches frightening movies, the more one becomes immune."
"As a film-maker, the scarier the material you come up with yourself, the more you kill this side within you. On the other hand, it is hugely satisfying when you create something spectacular or amazing.
In Midnight Sun there are quite a few deaths, but not over a hundred.
"We haven’t actually done a body count yet," says Mårlind laughing.
Stein chuckles and adds, "It’s double digits, and more rather than less."
Much like that other famous series where 'every man must die,' neither of the directors feels limited by the idea that too many characters are being killed off.
"You know what, our first idea was that it should be more than 100," says Stein.
"We agreed however that this might be excessive for this series,"
"Maybe next time," says Mårlind as they both chuckle away over the telephone line from Sweden.
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