What does it take to build a sustainable career as a screenwriter in the Nordic and Arctic regions today, and what needs to change?
This was the central question explored at the Nordic Voices Think Tank, held during RIFF Industry Days in Reykjavík. This is an annual participatory forum for emerging Nordic and Icelandic film creatives. It is not a panel or a lecture — it is a working session designed to give participants space to speak candidly about the realities of filmmaking, with industry mentors responding in genuine dialogue. Despite working across different Nordic countries, languages and career stages, participants shared many of the same challenges.
This report reflects a qualitative discussion rather than a formal survey. Its findings offer a starting point for a broader conversation about how the screenwriting profession can become more sustainable, fair and inclusive.
The 2026 session was held in connection with Arctic Script Lab, developed in partnership with Nuuk International Film Festival and co-funded by the Nordic Culture Fund.
The challenges facing screenwriters
Writing is the least supported stage of filmmaking.
Screenwriters often spend years developing projects without being paid. Funding for script development is limited, and support rarely covers the time needed to write or work with a script editor.
Building a career often means working outside your own projects.
Many writers rely on television work, other professions or personal savings to support themselves while developing their own stories. Projects can take years to reach the screen, making it difficult to sustain a writing career.
Creative ownership and fair compensation are under pressure.
Writers working with global streaming platforms may receive upfront payment but give up their rights and future income. In many Nordic and Arctic territories, writers also lack strong collective structures to protect their rights and negotiate fair terms.
Funding rules can shape the stories being told.
Co-production requirements and financing criteria sometimes push writers to change characters, locations or other elements of their stories. These pressures are particularly challenging for filmmakers working in small-language territories and Indigenous communities.
Writers and producers need to talk about budgets earlier.
When budget limitations are introduced late in the process, writers may have little time to adapt their scripts creatively. Earlier collaboration could help projects become more realistic without compromising their artistic vision.
What makes a difference?
The discussion also highlighted the importance of script development labs, festivals and professional networks.
For emerging writers, having someone genuinely read and engage with their work can be transformative. Labs offer feedback, confidence, new collaborators and access to producers—connections that can be difficult to establish independently.
Samstarf innan Norðurlanda og norðurslóða skapar jafnframt tækifæri fyrir höfunda til að miðla þekkingu, þróa verkefni þvert á landamæri og efla skapandi samfélag sitt.
Recommendations for a stronger screenwriting community
The findings point to several areas where change is needed:
- Fund the writing process: Provide meaningful financial support for writers' time and make script editing eligible at early development stages.
- Protect writers' rights: Develop fairer contracts, standard terms and better opportunities for collective representation.
- Support local stories: Review funding criteria that may disadvantage small-language projects and Indigenous storytellers.
- Bring writers and producers together earlier: Introduce budgets and production realities at a stage when creative solutions are still possible.
- Strengthen labs and networks: Ensure writers receive meaningful feedback, industry connections and opportunities for continued collaboration.
- Build a stronger regional voice: Explore ways for writers across the Nordic and Arctic regions to share resources, knowledge and collective representation.
Moving the conversation forward
The Nordic Voices Think Tank was created to bring industry practitioners together to share experiences and turn those conversations into findings and recommendations.
At RIFF, we believe that writing is where film culture begins. Supporting screenwriters means supporting the stories, languages and perspectives that reach our screens.
The question is not only how to make more films, but how to create the conditions in which writers can continue to tell their stories.
The Nordic Voices Think Tank is convened by Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) as part of RIFF Industry Days. The 2026 session was held in connection with Arctic Script Lab, developed in partnership with Nuuk International Film Festival and co-funded by the Nordic Culture Fund.
