Episode 90
Crafting Stories in Iceland (ft. Republik)
Arni Thor Jonsson grew up on film sets. His father was a mainstay of Icelandic production, and that upbringing became the foundation for Republik, the Reykjavik company Arni founded with his brother Lalli in 2005 and grew into one of Iceland’s leading production houses, making award-winning commercials and documentaries and offering full production services across Iceland and Greenland.
In this episode, Arni joins Dario and Kyrill to talk about crafting stories at the edge of the map: what it takes to run a creative business in a tiny, fiercely competitive market, how small multi-skilled crews deliver big results on tight budgets, how you plan a shoot around Iceland’s famously unpredictable weather, and how he balances bread-and-butter commercial work (for the likes of Audi, Sony, and Ikea) with the long-format documentary work he keeps going back to school to master.
Key Takeaways
- Family influence runs deep. Growing up in a family-run production house gave Arni foundational craft and industry insight most founders have to learn the hard way.
- Stay creatively flexible. Republik thrives on a nimble, versatile team that can move between commercials, documentaries, and production services.
- Adapt to your market. In Iceland’s small, specialized market, success hinges on creative storytelling, adaptability, and deep local expertise.
- Master tight budgets. Icelandic producers deliver high-quality work on lean budgets by using small, multi-skilled crews and smart equipment investments.
- Plan for the unpredictable. Arni builds meticulous contingency planning into every shoot, treating Iceland’s volatile weather as a core variable, not an afterthought.
- Keep documentaries impartial. Strong documentaries come from thorough, impartial research and a genuine openness to every side of a story.
- Never stop learning. Arni went back to school to sharpen his research, critical thinking, and storytelling discipline for documentary work.
- Build owned IP. Creating and selling original TV series to networks turns a service business into one that owns and monetizes its own stories.
- Curate a director roster. Managing and collaborating with a bench of directors lets Republik scale creative range without losing its identity.
Timestamps
Born into the Business
Arni’s story starts before Republik ever existed. He grew up inside his father’s pioneering Icelandic production company, absorbing the craft and the business by osmosis. In 2005 he and his brother Lalli turned that inheritance into something of their own, founding Republik, moving into independent projects, and, at one point, buying out a business partner to steer the company on their own terms.
That blend of hard-won craft and clear-eyed ownership decisions is exactly what it takes to build a video business that lasts, a theme the show returns to again in its reflection on partnerships and five years in.
The Iceland Advantage
Running a production company in Iceland is a study in constraints. The market is small and specialized, so Arni is candid about how Republik stands out: not by outspending anyone, but by leaning on creative storytelling, adaptability, and deep local expertise. He gives a grounded overview of Iceland’s corporate video industry and how a growing pool of freelance filmmakers is reshaping the market.
It is a masterclass in differentiation under pressure, the same instinct behind the power of niching down and, for anyone eyeing a new region, breaking into new markets.
“In a market this small, you cannot out-spend anyone. You can only out-story them.”
Arni Thor Jonsson, Republik (thematic paraphrase)Small Crews, Tight Budgets, Wild Weather
Two Icelandic realities shape everything Republik does: lean budgets and brutal, fast-changing weather. Arni explains how small, multi-skilled crews and strategic equipment investments let the team punch far above its budget, and why meticulous contingency planning, always having a plan B for the weather, is non-negotiable on an Icelandic shoot.
Doing more with less is a universal producer skill, and it starts with a realistic grasp of what a video costs and sensible day rates. For the full arc of a shoot, our guide to corporate video production maps the process end to end.
From Commercials to Documentary
Commercials pay the bills, Audi, Sony, Ikea, and many more, but documentary is where Arni’s heart is. He talks through balancing that reliable commercial work with the long-format documentaries Republik is increasingly ambitious about, and makes a striking point: he went back to school specifically to strengthen his research, critical thinking, and storytelling discipline. His north star is impartial storytelling, building films that chase the truth rather than a predetermined conclusion.
Balancing paid work with passion projects, and using multiple formats to stay resilient, is core to diversifying your video business income and staying adaptable as you grow.
“A good documentary is not built to prove your point. It is built to find the truth, even when it surprises you.”
Arni Thor Jonsson, Republik (thematic paraphrase)Building IP: TV Series and a Director Roster
Republik is not content to only make things for other people. Arni discusses creating and selling original TV series to networks, moving the company up the value chain from service provider to rights holder. Making that work means managing and collaborating with Republik’s roster of directors, orchestrating a range of creative voices under one roof.
Owning your own IP is one of the most durable ways to diversify, and leading a bench of creatives is its own discipline, closely tied to how you vet and manage talent and invest in your team.
On the Global Stage
For all its Icelandic roots, Republik plays on a global field. Arni shares stories from working with international crews, including a music video shoot with Kanye West, and reflects on how that exposure sharpened the company’s craft. He closes with the fittingly offbeat origin of the name Republik.
That mix of local depth and global reach is what a great commercial and promotional partner brings to any project. If you want a Toronto team with that same story-first, resourceful approach, that is exactly what Lapse Productions does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arni Thor Jonsson?
Arni Thor Jonsson is a director and co-owner of Republik, an Icelandic production company he founded in 2005 with his brother Lalli Jonsson. He grew up in his father’s production house and has directed hundreds of commercials and award-winning music videos.
What is Republik?
Republik is a leading creative production company based in Reykjavik, Iceland. It produces commercials and documentaries and offers full production services across Iceland and Greenland, working with a roster of directors.
How does Republik stand out in Iceland's small market?
Through creative storytelling, adaptability, and deep local expertise, plus small, multi-skilled crews that deliver high-quality work on tight budgets in demanding conditions.
How does Republik handle Iceland's unpredictable weather?
With meticulous contingency planning built into every production, treating volatile weather as a core variable to plan around rather than an afterthought.
What is Arni's approach to documentaries?
Thorough, impartial research and an openness to every perspective. He even returned to school to sharpen his research, critical thinking, and storytelling discipline for long-format work.
The Hosts
Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov are the co-founders of Lapse Productions, a Toronto video production company, and the hosts of Creatives Grab Coffee, a weekly show about the business of video production.
About
Creatives Grab Coffee is a podcast about the business behind video production: sales, strategy, pricing, team building, and everything that happens off camera. New episodes every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Lapse Productions is a Toronto-based video production company serving tech, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing clients with corporate, promotional, and branded video. New to commissioning video? Start with our guides on the types of corporate video and the corporate video production process.
Republik is a leading creative production company based in Reykjavik, Iceland, founded in 2005 by director brothers Arni Thor Jonsson and Lalli Jonsson. It produces award-winning commercials and documentaries and offers full production services across Iceland and Greenland. Learn more at republik.is.
