Jonathan Harboe - A Study in Fit and Focus
Jonathan Harboe - A Study in Fit and Focus
The day begins, as it often does, with an espresso at the window. For Danish actor and director Jonathan Harboe, routine is about creating the right conditions to find focus. Jonathan's days revolve around his work, thoughts, sketches and tests. Last year, he made his directorial debut with Quiet Mind, a short film with a personal tone.
Morning light fills the big, green living room and gives the day a direction. He dresses for a meeting: a double-breasted blazer, a linen shirt worn open at the collar - considered, but not overly so.
He spends the morning between calls and emails and takes a stroll in the park at lunch. In the afternoon, he plans to leave the city, driving out to his summer house by the coast to continue writing. The house in the country, the shoreline, the sense of space - what usually brings him calm - will this time be combined with work: Jonathan is writing a screenplay for a new film.
"It has taken time to arrive at this point," he says. "Now, there is a greater sense of clarity about how I want to work and what I want to express. Moving between acting and directing remains demanding, but it also opens things up, I gain a deeper understanding of both worlds."
He walks along Frederiksberg Allé with an unhurried pace. The day has only just begun.
What are you working on at the moment, and where are you in the process?
I'm currently working on my first feature film. Right now, the focus is on funding and taking the script to the next level.
When you move between acting and directing, what changes in the way you look at a scene?
The best way to put it is that when I'm on set as an actor, I'm in “the pit”. Right there with other actors. But when I'm directing, I have to look at “the pit” from a bird's perspective. You need to have the bigger picture as a director.
What tends to guide you first in a new project - structure, image, or instinct?
I'm driven by stories and inspiration for me can come through literature, paintings, strangers I see or meet, stories I hear, and things I experience.If it moves me, I investigate. But out of a hundred stories, only one or two might have enough for a solid story.
What does a typical working day look like for you nowadays?
Waking up between 9 and 10. Lots of phone meetings, some in person around town. Then, late afternoon, I start thinking about the script, letting my subconscious work. At 7 pm, I sit down at my desk and write til 2-3 in the morning.
Are there environments where you find it easier to think clearly or make decisions?
I like to go for a run in Frederiksberg Garden and think. My tiny little office in my apartment is a place of inspiration for me, so I like to sit in stillness and let my thoughts do the work. My family's beach house up north is the perfect place for me to really get in the zone. Long walks in the forest or by the beach. Then blast loud music at night while I work.
Your work often feels personal in tone. How do you decide what stays private and what becomes part of the work?
If it has the potential of helping others, then I don't mind sharing. I have a good group of people around me who advise and guide me on that. I would like to share everything, but it comes with a price, so for me it's about finding a good balance.
When you look back at a finished project, what detail or moment matters most to you?
On a very personal note, if the people I worked with felt safe and dared to be vulnerable in my company, then my heart is full.
Do you think there is a relationship between environment, clothing, and creative thinking - or are they separate systems for you?
Yes, I do. I like to dress for the occasion or location. Really depends on where I am in the world. How I feel that day. My mood sort of dictates how I dress. When I'm working on a character as an actor, I like to dress like the character at home. But being comfortable for me is really the key. I have to feel free.
