Interview with Benjamin Ree - maker of the documentary on Magnus Carlsen

Benjamin Ree (second from right) at work shooting the fantastic documentary on Magnus Carlsen (c) Benjamin Ree

They truly needed super servers like those at VGTV to prevent a crash ever since the fantastic documentary, by Benjamin Ree on World Chess Championship Challenger Magnus Carlsen, went online yesterday.

Ola E. Stenberg, managing editor, VGTV, (photo left) says in 24 hours the documentary on Magnus Carlsen had logged more than 200.000 views on VGTV, and the views’ counter continues to roll up like crazy. You can watch the documentary here.

Prize-winning documentary filmmaker working for VGTV – specializing in web documentaries – Benjamin Ree has shown his work on Reuters TV, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, NRK, TV 2 og VGTV.

He has directed several documentaries for The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Here’s a quick chat with the man who gave us this remarkable footage on the World No. 1.

Q: When and how did this documentary idea come up

Benjamin Ree: I have always been fascinated by Magnus Carlsen and how his brain works while playing chess. When it was clear that he was going to play in the FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2013 I approached his manager with a documentary idea.

I thought this was a great time to do a documentary on Magnus Carlsen, to follow him up to the goal he has talked about since he was 13 years old. From a wonderkid to the number chess player – highest-ever rated human on the planet at that.

Q: Your team and how you planned the project

Benjamin Ree: I have been working with a really good film team

Producer Ola E. Stenberg, managing editor, VGTV adds: When we got the opportunity to follow Magnus Carlsen we put a lot of effort into the project. From early on we wanted it to be a special piece and we knew that this was going to be of interest for an international audience. Benjamin worked on this documentary full time for several months. Today, we are bringing the first English documentary on a true genius and an important story for the history books. We can´t wait to see how the story continues with the World Chess Championship game coming up.

Q: Some memorable moments while making this documentary

Benjamin Ree: I knew that Magnus had a great memory, but I didn’t know that it was so great. The quiz he gets in the film shows what he is capable of. Also, the simultaneous blindfolded chess at Harvard. It is so impressive. No one can do the same.

Q: Something that you have not been able to show in the documentary?

Benjamin Ree: I have over 60 hours of raw stock. So there’s a lot that I havn’t shown. This will be shown in an upcoming documentary after the World Chess Championship.

Q: A secret about Magnus Carlsen that the world doesn’t know

Benjamin Ree: More secrets will come in the upcoming documentary.

Q: The hard work?

Benjamin Ree: It has been a lot of work, but hugely rewarding and fascinating.

Follow Benjamin Ree on twitter @Benjamin_Ree and do visit the talented journalists’ webpage: ree.no.

P.S. We also thank all our readers – Raja Ganeshan of New Zealand being the first – to send us the VG TV link to this fantastic documentary on Magnus Carlsen since yesterday and wondering why we were not posting about it. Now you know.