Danvik Folkehøgskole

What Danvik Folkehøgskole does

Danvik Folkehøgskole is a private Norwegian folk high school (folkehøgskole) located in Drammen, approximately 40 minutes from Oslo, specializing in creative media education. The school serves approximately 200 students annually (150 boarding in the on-campus residence plus 30–40 in the Mediepraksis industry placement year) across 27 programs in two years. Nine first-year programs span Film, TV Production, Radio Live & Podcast, Photo & Video, Game Design & Graphics, Acting for Stage and Film, YouTube & Entrepreneurship, and Writing, with two second-year options: Mediepraksis (placement at one of 33+ media companies) and Spillbedrift (a student-run game company). The school does not award grades; instruction is portfolio-based and practical.

The school's technical infrastructure is unusually deep for a secondary institution: a multi-camera Ikegami/Sony TV studio, dedicated photography and social media studios, a multi-genre game development lab, and the Nxt-Gen Film Lab featuring LED volume virtual production, Unreal Engine, and In-Camera VFX workflows. Students operate Kanal 1 Drammen, a licensed commercial radio station broadcasting 20 hours per week with a potential audience of 100,000. The school is owned by Stiftelsen Danvik (The Danvik Foundation), affiliated with KFUK-KFUM and Normisjon, and operates as a nonprofit.

Revenue is generated through tuition (~120,000 NOK/year, covering accommodation and meals) supplemented by Norwegian government support for folk high schools and Lånekassen student loan/grant disbursements. Recruitment is community-led via educational fairs, the school's website, and strong alumni word-of-mouth, with the brand known as 'talentfabrikken' (the talent factory) for the Norwegian media industry. Alumni achievements include an Oscar (Sturla Brandth Grøvlen for 'Another Round'), a BAFTA statuette, multiple Amanda/Amandus awards, and Norwegian Game Awards wins, which reinforces the school's positioning as a pipeline into the Norwegian creative industries.

Name

Danvik Folkehøgskole

Legal name

Danvik Folkehøgskole

Website

https://danvikfhs.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Danvik Folkehøgskole is a Norwegian nonprofit folk high school in Drammen offering 27 two-year creative media programs (film, TV, radio, photography, game development, acting, writing) to ~200 residential students, with industry placements at 33+ Norwegian media companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Media Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Electives & Enrichment Curriculum (Arts, Music, PE, CTE Exploratories) (EDAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Lab Simulation Media (Virtual Labs, AR/VR) (EDAGALAF), Audio Learning Content (Podcasts, Audiobooks, Listening Programs) (EDAGALAM)

Keywords

• Creative media education
• Folk high school programs
• Film production training
• Game development courses
• Radio broadcasting education

Headquarters

HQ city

Drammen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Danvik Folkehøgskole operates as a non-profit folk high school. Students pay approximately 120,000 NOK per year which includes accommodation (internat), all meals, and line trips. The school year runs August to May.
2. Government Support: Folkehøgskoler in Norway receive government funding support. Students can apply to Lånekassen (Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund) for financial support. Parts of the student loan can be converted to grants for students who maintain good attendance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Danvik Folkehøgskole is a Norwegian residential folk high school offering one-year (and optional second-year) creative media education programs including Film, TV-Production, Radio & Podcast, Photography & Video, Game Design, Acting, YouTube & Entrepreneurship, and Writing. Students live on campus in Drammen, pay approximately 120,000 NOK per year inclusive of accommodation and meals, and gain hands-on experience with professional equipment including commercial radio station Kanal 1 Drammen and LED Volume virtual production facilities. The Media Practice second-year program places students in 30+ Norwegian media companies for direct industry experience.

Product overview

Danvik Folkehøgskole is Norway's creative media folk high school offering a comprehensive portfolio of media-focused educational programs. The school provides first-year programs across nine specialized lines: Film, TV-produksjon, Radio Live & Podcast, Foto & Video, Spilldesign og Grafikk, Skuespill for Scene og Film, YouTube & Entreprenørskap, and Forfatter. Two advanced second-year options include Spillbedrift (game company simulation) and Mediepraksis (industry internship). A standout offering is Nxt-Gen Film Lab, which combines traditional filmmaking with virtual production technology using LED volumes and Unreal Engine. The school also organizes international study tours to destinations like Berlin, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Bergen, Trondheim, Cambodia, and Lillehammer. All programs emphasize practical, hands-on experience with professional equipment and industry connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film program (Filmlinjen) Practical experience in short film production, covering screenplay development, dramaturgy, directing, cinematography, and post-production. Students create multiple films during the year and participate in the Amandusfestivalen. First-year program for students seeking filmmaking careers.
• TV-Production (Tv-produksjon) Multi-camera studio production program teaching camera technique, editing, audio, lighting, directing, journalism, and production management. Students work with professional equipment including Ikegami studio cameras and Sony switchers. First-year program for students seeking TV production careers.
• Radio Live & Podcast Radio program production and commercial radio operations training. Students operate their own radio station Kanal 1 Drammen, broadcasting 20 hours per week, learning to be presenters, producers, technicians, and reporters. First-year program for students seeking radio and podcast careers.
• Foto & Video (Photo & Video) Photography and video production program teaching camera technique, lighting, visual storytelling, and social media content creation. Students use Adobe Creative Cloud and work with both stills and video. First-year program for students seeking photo and video careers.
• Game Design and Graphics (Spilldesign og Grafikk) Game development program teaching students to create games in various genres using industry methods. Students work with Unity, scripting, 3D modeling in Blender, and participate in game jams and competitions. First-year program for students seeking game development careers.
• Acting for Stage and Film (Skuespill for Scene og Film) Acting program with foundation in Stanislavski methodology, teaching body and voice work, scene study, and performance for both stage and camera. Students produce two major stage productions annually. First-year program for students seeking acting careers.
• YouTube & Entrepreneurship (YouTube & Entreprenørskap) YouTube channel creation and management program teaching video production, channel growth strategies, brand building, and content marketing. Students collaborate with Foto & Video line. First-year program for students seeking YouTube content creation and entrepreneurship careers.
• Author/Writing (Forfatter) Writing program covering genres including poetry, children's books, novellas, and theater text. Students produce a class book annually and collaborate with Radio line on audio dramas. First-year program for students seeking writing careers.
• Nxt-Gen Film Lab Advanced program focusing on virtual production technology, Unreal Engine, LED volume, ICVFX, and AI-integrated filmmaking. Combines traditional film education with cutting-edge technology for future film and TV production. A specialized program module for students seeking advanced virtual production skills.
• Game Company (Spillbedrift) Second-year program where students establish and operate a student game company using Ungt Entreprenørskap framework. Teams develop and release a launch-ready game over the school year with publisher simulation. Follows SCRUM methodology. Students can apply for development grants from Viken UNG Spillstipend (up to 25,000 NOK).
• Media Practice Year (Mediepraksis) Second-year internship program placing students in media companies for a full school year. Students receive mentorship from Danvik teachers while working in the media industry, with connections to 30+ media companies including Monster, NRK P3, P4, Nordisk Film TV, Novemberfilm, Fremantle Norge, and Catapult Film.
• Study Tours International study tours including Berlin (film festival), Los Angeles/Hollywood, London, Paris (photo), Bergen (game conference), Trondheim (game competition), Cambodia (solidarity project), and Lillehammer (Amandus festival). Supplementary offering included as part of the school year experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Many Danvik alumni secure employment directly through their media practice placements
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 33 Media Companies (2021 list)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Danvik has partnerships with 33 media companies for media practice year placements including: Aspect Film, Barbosa Film, Bauer Media, Dagbladet TV, Feelgood Scene Film og TV, Fremantle Norge, Godt Sagt, Hummelfilm, Krypton Film, Mastiff, Monster, Motion Blur, Motlys, Nordic Screens, Nordisk Film TV, Novemberfilm, NRJ, NRK P3, NRK Postproduksjon, NRK Supernytt, NRK Underholdning, Oslo Pictures, P4, P5 Hits, PortalOne, Radio Metro, Scream Media, Spindel Film, Strømsgodset Toppfotball, Tordenfilm, 74entertainment.
• Ungt Entreprenørskap (Young Entrepreneurship Norway)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanvik partners with Ungt Entreprenørskap for the Game Company (Spillbedrift) program where students register a real company through Altinn and follow UE guidelines for establishing, operating, and closing a student business.
• AmandusfestivalencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanvik is an important partner to the Amandusfestivalen. Film students submit films annually, resulting in awards and recognition. The festival is Norway's largest film festival for young filmmakers, held annually in Lillehammer.
• BrageteatretminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe acting program (Skuespill for Scene og Film) has a collaboration with Brageteatret in Drammen, one of Norway's leading regional theaters, providing practical performance opportunities.
• Monster EntertainmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDanvik's media practice program includes placements at Monster, which produces TV shows including Idol, Norske Talenter, Skal Vi Danse, Senkveld, and The Stream for TV2. Former Danvik teachers have worked there.
• VARG StudiosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlumni Alexander Kadim founded VARG Studios, which has worked on Norwegian films including 'Kampen om Narvik' and Netflix projects. The company does post-production and visual effects work.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): Norway's largest university with media, film, and TV production programs in Trondheim and Gjøvik; broader incumbent with multiple disciplines that competes for creative media students with formal degree credentials.
• USN (University of South-Eastern Norway): Norwegian university that absorbed Mediehögskolan Gimlekollen (referenced in Danvik's own teacher bios); offers formal media and journalism degrees across multiple campuses; competes for the same creative media students in southern Norway.
• Høgskulen i Volda: Norwegian university college with established journalism and media production programs; offers bachelor's and master's degrees; broader educational institution that competes for creative media students via formal degree pathways.

Emerging players

• Domestika: Online creative education platform with production-quality courses in illustration, photography, film, and design; offers structured creative education from working professionals; expanding in the creative education space.
• MasterClass: Online platform offering video courses from industry experts in creative fields including film, writing, photography, music, and game design; provides comparable creative education digitally at lower price points; serves as an alternative learning channel for the same target audience.
• Skillshare: Online learning community with project-based courses in creative fields including filmmaking, photography, writing, and design; provides accessible creative education to a global audience at low subscription cost; targets aspiring creative professionals.

Direct peers

• Westerdals School of Communication (Kristiania University College): Direct peer for media education in Norway, offering programs in film, TV, advertising, design, and communication; now part of Kristiania University College after acquisition in 2018; competes for the same Norwegian creative media students with formal degree pathways.
• Den norske filmskolen (Norwegian Film School): Direct peer for film education in Norway; offers 3-year BA programs in film production, screenwriting, directing, cinematography, and editing; located in Lillehammer; competes for the same aspiring Norwegian filmmakers with formal degree-granting credentials.

Regional players

• Den Danske Filmskole (National Film School of Denmark): Danish national film school offering 4-year programs in film production, directing, screenwriting, animation, and other film disciplines; leading Nordic film school based in Copenhagen; comparable creative media education in adjacent Nordic market.
• Stockholm University of the Arts (Stockholms konstnärliga högskola): Swedish arts university offering programs in film, acting, writing, and media; regional peer with similar creative arts education focus serving Swedish students; one of the foremost Nordic arts education institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/danviklife
• Facebookfacebook.com/danvikfhs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/danvik-folkeh-gskole

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Danvik Folkehøgskole