Flying in over the black sand beaches and lava fields, I could see that Iceland had the rugged and unusual look we needed for our film, “Flags of Our Fathers”. I soon learned that Iceland also has friendly, hardworking people with a refreshing can-do spirit. The open roads and undisturbed countryside remind me of the way America was fifty years ago. With such gorgeous scenery, delicious fish and even golf, Iceland made for a terrific filming location.

For the Far Northern locations of Game of Thrones, we wanted something shatteringly beautiful, barren and brutal.  In Iceland, we found all of that, as well as a highly professional production crew.

Iceland offers cinematic opportunities that cannot be matched anywhere on the planet. The Icelandic crews were terrific, and the country is small enough that anything can get arranged with one or two phone calls. The most spectacular locations, great facilities, wonderful crews, and delicious food. It’s hard to go wrong anywhere you point a camera. I can’t wait to go back there and film again.
 

Iceland was a perfect fit; at the height of summer, there are 22 hours of daylight, which was conducive to a productive filmmaking day.  The landscape looks like no other place on earth.  We shot on Earl’s Peak, a mountain in the middle of Iceland.  There is a glacier on one side and a black sand desert on the other.  It was one of those experiences that you dream about as a director, going to places most people have never seen and being able to capture it all in camera.  There’s a unique beauty in the landscape there that fit the aesthetic I wanted for Oblivion.

Filming in Iceland was a spectacular experience! It is one of the most wonderful places I’ve ever been. The Icelandic crew were amazingly efficient and made the job a real pleasure.