Sølve Skagen has extensive experience in the Norwegian film and television industries, dating back to the early seventies. He was educated at the University of Oslo, achieving a cand.mag. degree (equivalent to a Master of Arts), before studying film sciences at the University of Stockholm, graduating in 1974.
He made his debut as a filmmaker with the short film Sightseeing in 1973, but started his career as a filmmaker in earnest as a documentarist, with the politically committed Hvem eier Tyssedal? in 1975, co-directing with Malte Wadman. He quickly became an integral part of a new wave of politically aware (and active) documentary filmmakers making their mark in Norway in the seventies, and along with Wadman, Skagen directed several other documentaries equally social-minded as their debut. Wadman and Skagen also cooperated on the documentary drama Last Gleaming in 1983, and in 1986 Skagen directed his first feature film; Hard Asphalt, based on the autobiographical book by Ida Halvorsen. The film was well received by audiences and critic's alike, and is considered a classic of Norwegian cinema from the eighties. Skagen also directed the criminal drama Hair of the Dog in 1988, and several series' for television through the nineties.
Besides directing, Skagen has also worked as a consultant on several film-productions (amongst others the Academy Award nominated Pathfinder, directed by Nils Gaup in 1987), and as a producer, editor and screenwriter. He's also held many lectures and workshops on these subjects over the years, and in 2002 he was appointed departmental head of the directors course at the Norwegian Film School.
Norsk Filminstitutt
