[1] Kemp studied film at the West Surrey College of Art & Design (WSCAD) in the United Kingdom.
Kemp left WSCAD to work as an editor on Children of Nature, directed by Fridrik Thor Fridriksson.
He co-wrote and directed his first feature film, Veggfóður erótísk ástarsaga (1992),[2] which was produced by Fridriksson and Kemp.
In 2000, Kemp produced and shot The Icelandic Dream (2000), which received four nominations at the Edda Awards, including Best Picture.
In 2002, Kemp collaborated again with Icelandic Dream director, Robert I. Douglas, to produce the film Man like me, A (2002), starring Icelandic comedian Jón Gnarr and Hong Kong actress/pop singer Stephanie Che.