Me, Nora and a bunch of Estonian choreography students gathered at the port, A derminal. New faces, new journey!
I had been sleeping only few hours but the sea air had a refreshing effect. It was windy and clowdy like usually.
From the port in Helsinki we headed straight to trainstation and nex stop was TURKU.
Choreographers had an apartment rented, so they went directly there. But me and Nora got our host via couchsurfing. Our host-person picked us up and guided us to his place. He sayd it is not so long walk so we decided to go on foot..but our luggage was quite heavy and the way to our temporary home seemed endless..Finally we got there we were exhausted..
We got 20 min rest and then had to run to the first meeting with the workshop group.
Surprisingly - me and Nora were the only film students! All the rest of the students were dancers-choreographers, most of them had no experiences with film-making before. So yes I was a bit surprised because I thought the workshop is equally for film-makers and dancers..But we started to learn filmmaking from it´s ABC. In a way it was still useful because I as a documentary film maker am not used to stage made-up stories So, it was still a good training.
Since I had just finished my master thesis before coming to workshop, I decided to take it quite easy and let it go with the flow.
Two first days we walked to the school which took us 45 minutes but then we learned how to use local public transport!
We got discount cards to get cheaper lunch at students vegetarian buffet on a boat. It was exciting on the first day, on the next day not so much and on the third day I am not sure who went there. The food was quite the same and it was not so filling. But during hard working days you want something decent! Mostly I am not picky with food but this time ...
Heading to the school, meanwhile Nora is busy with phonecalls, she is preparing entrance exams to FAMU..
At the workshop we did some improvisational excercises to get our minds into a creative mood.
Later on based on our ideas we were organised to groups and each group,with 3-4 members, started to work on one idea. Each group member had their own specific role - editor, camera, director, dancer, producer etc.
I was lucky to be in a group with Sofia and Anna
Me and Sofia both wanted to carry out our ideas and luckily it was doable!
The theme of the workshop was about environmental issues. So I got inspiration from the idea that a human being is made of plastic..Sofia´s story was about crazy environmentalist planet-saver and her fruitcake-friend who are trying to demonstrate their ideas via angry protest.
I needed an industrial-looking place for my film, something metallic..So I did some location scouting..I ended up filming most of the material at the school building and some extra visuals at the river side.
I did not have a narrow stroyline, I just had something abstract in my mind, something like - rebirth at artificial environment; the reborn body has a duet/duel with the artificial-construction-world..
Also I didn´t have a fixed choreography, movements were based on an impro. Anna, who was the dancer, did a good job! I think she was perfect in that role. And she was able to transform to absolutely another character in Sofias work!
Since Sofia had another cinematographer I had a quite small role in her team (I shot some extra shots only) but at least the whole process was pure fun.
Me and Nora took advantage of Finlands assortment of liquorice, every day we tried different ones..
And, it was my first time to visit Hesburger! I did it just because it originates from Turku. Burger is always good when you are super-hungry but usually after having it you kind of regret your choice..
Meanwhile me and Nora had to move away from our host apartment because he had another couchsurfers..Anna was so nice to host as two last nights..
On the last workshop day all the teams presented their works, all of them were unique and different.
But I think half of us didn´t manage to finish our films during the workshop time, we presented "works in process". I finished editing some months later at home.
The most wonderful aspect of the whole workshop was to meet and work with such interesting people like my team-mates! And others, too!
Anyway, I´m interested and motivated to do more projects with dancers in the future!
After last presentation we were tired and reliefed..During the workshop we basically didn´t have any free time to explore the city..Well, somehow others managed to do that but me and Nore were somehow all the time very busy..
On the last night others gathered to have a final drink, but me and Nora didnt have energy for that, we just flaned to Anna´s place. I packed my stuff and went to bed, but poor Nora still had some stuff to prepare for FAMU´s entrance exams..btw - she got in!
And again over the sea back to home!
And here is the link to the film/video I did.
https://vimeo.com/179035032
THANKS!
I had been sleeping only few hours but the sea air had a refreshing effect. It was windy and clowdy like usually.
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| Let´s go to Finland! |
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| Nora and the wind |
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| Selfie |
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| Somebody.. |
Choreographers had an apartment rented, so they went directly there. But me and Nora got our host via couchsurfing. Our host-person picked us up and guided us to his place. He sayd it is not so long walk so we decided to go on foot..but our luggage was quite heavy and the way to our temporary home seemed endless..Finally we got there we were exhausted..
We got 20 min rest and then had to run to the first meeting with the workshop group.
Surprisingly - me and Nora were the only film students! All the rest of the students were dancers-choreographers, most of them had no experiences with film-making before. So yes I was a bit surprised because I thought the workshop is equally for film-makers and dancers..But we started to learn filmmaking from it´s ABC. In a way it was still useful because I as a documentary film maker am not used to stage made-up stories So, it was still a good training.
Since I had just finished my master thesis before coming to workshop, I decided to take it quite easy and let it go with the flow.
 |
| On the way to our temporary home was this beautiful church.. |
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| Nora..random..street |
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| Our blurry home |
Two first days we walked to the school which took us 45 minutes but then we learned how to use local public transport!
 |
| !!! |
We got discount cards to get cheaper lunch at students vegetarian buffet on a boat. It was exciting on the first day, on the next day not so much and on the third day I am not sure who went there. The food was quite the same and it was not so filling. But during hard working days you want something decent! Mostly I am not picky with food but this time ...
 |
| "Good food I eat, No good food I not eat" |
Heading to the school, meanwhile Nora is busy with phonecalls, she is preparing entrance exams to FAMU..
At the workshop we did some improvisational excercises to get our minds into a creative mood.
Later on based on our ideas we were organised to groups and each group,with 3-4 members, started to work on one idea. Each group member had their own specific role - editor, camera, director, dancer, producer etc.
I was lucky to be in a group with Sofia and Anna
Me and Sofia both wanted to carry out our ideas and luckily it was doable!
The theme of the workshop was about environmental issues. So I got inspiration from the idea that a human being is made of plastic..Sofia´s story was about crazy environmentalist planet-saver and her fruitcake-friend who are trying to demonstrate their ideas via angry protest.
I needed an industrial-looking place for my film, something metallic..So I did some location scouting..I ended up filming most of the material at the school building and some extra visuals at the river side.
 |
| location scout |
I did not have a narrow stroyline, I just had something abstract in my mind, something like - rebirth at artificial environment; the reborn body has a duet/duel with the artificial-construction-world..
Also I didn´t have a fixed choreography, movements were based on an impro. Anna, who was the dancer, did a good job! I think she was perfect in that role. And she was able to transform to absolutely another character in Sofias work!
 |
Since Sofia had another cinematographer I had a quite small role in her team (I shot some extra shots only) but at least the whole process was pure fun.
Me and Nora took advantage of Finlands assortment of liquorice, every day we tried different ones..
And, it was my first time to visit Hesburger! I did it just because it originates from Turku. Burger is always good when you are super-hungry but usually after having it you kind of regret your choice..
 |
| white liquorice-candy with Cancer pattern |
 |
| yep |
Meanwhile me and Nora had to move away from our host apartment because he had another couchsurfers..Anna was so nice to host as two last nights..
 |
| we got a PINK PONY room! |
On the last workshop day all the teams presented their works, all of them were unique and different.
But I think half of us didn´t manage to finish our films during the workshop time, we presented "works in process". I finished editing some months later at home.
The most wonderful aspect of the whole workshop was to meet and work with such interesting people like my team-mates! And others, too!
Anyway, I´m interested and motivated to do more projects with dancers in the future!
 |
| last moments at the studio |
 |
| ..when everybody else have already left |
After last presentation we were tired and reliefed..During the workshop we basically didn´t have any free time to explore the city..Well, somehow others managed to do that but me and Nore were somehow all the time very busy..
On the last night others gathered to have a final drink, but me and Nora didnt have energy for that, we just flaned to Anna´s place. I packed my stuff and went to bed, but poor Nora still had some stuff to prepare for FAMU´s entrance exams..btw - she got in!
 |
| Nora the allnighter |
And again over the sea back to home!
 |
And here is the link to the film/video I did.
https://vimeo.com/179035032
