Building the Foundation: The First Half of 2026

One thing has become increasingly clear to me during the first half of 2026.

The most meaningful work rarely looks spectacular while you're doing it.

Much of what has occupied my days hasn't been premieres or red carpets. Instead, it has been meetings, strategy, governance, writing, revisions, difficult decisions, investor material, story development and countless conversations about where we are actually heading.

Looking back, I realize that's exactly what this period needed to be.

Tulpa Creatives enters a new phase

Most of my time has been devoted to Tulpa Creatives and our largest undertaking to date: Tulpa Movie Slate 1.

Rather than rushing towards production, we've spent months rebuilding almost everything around it. New investment structures, stronger governance, clearer creative processes, extensive due diligence material, refined market analysis and a completely redesigned investor presentation.

It's not glamorous work.

But if you want to build something that lasts, foundations matter.

Perhaps more importantly, we've grown as an organization. New roles have been introduced, responsibilities have become clearer and we've begun building a company capable of supporting larger productions while staying true to the creative spirit that started it all.

Alongside the slate, I've continued working as an executive producer on several feature films and television projects currently in development.

Stories remain at the centre

No matter how much strategy, finance or governance enters my calendar, everything still begins with stories.

During the past months we've continued developing all six films within the slate while refining both their creative identities and commercial positioning.

Gibraltar

Perhaps the most personal project this year has been Gibraltar.

The novel has now entered the final stages of its sixth rewrite. Looking back, it has become considerably larger than I first imagined, not only in length, but in scope, mythology and ambition. It has challenged me as a writer.

Several companies have expressed interest in reading the manuscript once completed as a potential television series, which is encouraging. Still, my priority remains exactly the same: finish the novel properly. If the story is strong enough, the opportunities will follow.

Writing a novel has challenged me in ways that writing plays, articles and even my non-fiction book on the history of MMA never did. It has reminded me to slow down, trust the process and spend more time listening to the characters than directing them.

Music continues to evolve

Although Tulpa has occupied much of my attention, composing has remained a constant throughout the year.

I completed the score for the feature comedy We Are Metal Dragon, a wonderfully eccentric story about a group of fifty-year-olds who never abandoned their childhood dream of becoming a heavy metal band. The film will receive a nationwide theatrical release across Sweden in September.

I also completed the score for Frakturer, another feature film scheduled for release later this year.

I'm delighted to have joined the western When Gold Turns to Dusk as its composer. Principal photography begins this summer.

Outside film, I completed two very personal music releases.

Klangstigar is a solo album featuring musicians from around the world performing music inspired by different places across Sweden.

At the same time, my dream-pop project Clues of Reality reached another milestone with the release of our debut single, Amanda, accompanied by two music videos. We're now putting the finishing touches on our first EP, which will be released later this year.

I've also continued writing songs for an international occult musical, a project that has gradually expanded beyond composition into discussions around story structure and script development. My lyrics have become stories which the musical is built around. The project blends occult traditions, 1940s jazz and original storytelling into what has become one of the most unusual writing experiences I've had.

Finally, I completed the score for the horror short film Portents which had its premiere before the summer.

Teaching

Teaching has remained an important and inspiring part of my work.

This year I once again returned to Linnaeus University, where the course has now been condensed into a single intensive semester rather than being spread across an entire academic year. The shorter format created a different pace and challenged both me and the students to work with greater focus from the very beginning.

I also had the pleasure of guest lecturing at Stockholm University, continuing conversations about film music, storytelling and the creative process with a wonderful group of students.

Teaching has become one of those activities that gives back as much as it demands. Every new group of students forces me to rethink my own methods, question assumptions and articulate ideas that otherwise remain intuitive.

FrameSage continues to evolve

FrameSage has also taken important steps forward.

What began as an analytical tool for film investments is gradually evolving into something considerably broader. During the past year we've continued refining the methodology, presenting research, exploring new partnerships and discussing how the company could eventually develop into an investment fund focused on audiovisual content.

Those conversations have been encouraging, even if they also remind us that genuine innovation requires patience.

Looking ahead

If there's one lesson I've taken from this year so far, it's that progress rarely happens through dramatic leaps.

More often it happens through hundreds of small improvements that slowly begin reinforcing one another.

Today my work as a composer informs my work as a producer.

Writing strengthens my storytelling.

Research influences business strategy.

Teaching sharpens my own thinking.

And conversations through Filmbranschpodden continue to create collaborations I could never have predicted.

The podcast has continued to grow and remains one of my favourite creative outlets. In the later part of the first half of the year I've had the privilege of speaking with filmmakers, producers, distributors and industry leaders from across the Nordic film community. What began as a podcast has increasingly become a place where ideas are tested, collaborations begin and conversations continue long after the microphones are turned off.

For the first time in many years, these different parts of my professional life no longer feel separate. They have started to converge into something much more coherent.

That makes me genuinely excited about what comes next.

The second half of 2026 already looks equally ambitious, with new productions, new music, new writing and, hopefully, a few surprises I'll be able to share before too long.

As always, thank you for following the journey.