Metal-Rules.com Interview with Jari Koskela
Interviewed By EvilG
This interview is an addendum to the "Metal
Videos" section of Metal-Rules.com for October 2001. The
interview arose from e-mail conversations I had with Jari about getting
some of of the videos he did online. I thought it would make for an
interesting interview to get an inside view from the video
director/producer. Therefore I asked him about his work and the
types of gear/equipment he uses when making videos.
Since
this interview is going to be posted along with some videos you've
worked on, let's start there. Tell us how you first got involved with
video production!!
I've always been a movie freak and I think movies have been a main
influence for me. Once I got my hands on a video camera it only took
less than a week that I started to shoot my first music video. My friend
was in a band and they had recently released a demo tape which I liked a
lot so it was a quite natural choice for me to try to visualize
their music. That video was more like a training project for me
and it never got finished.
Did you receive any kind of formal training in this area?
I've been studying in the college of art and media for four years.
I've also studied music video production for six months.
What bands have you worked with so far?
During the years I've been able to work with several different
groups. Although metal music is my cup of tea I've also been directing
neobilly and pop videos too. I think it's a good training to visualize
different kind of music. Every genre has their own style and symbols and
it's very interesting for me to get inside of certain genre and be able
to learn something new.
Have you only worked on music videos, or have you done
other filming such as movies?
My goal is to direct a movie someday, maybe a short movie would be a
good place to start. So far I've been directing commercial videos.
Can you give us a list of the types of equipment and tools that
you used to make these videos?
I've used different kinds of equipment from film-cameras to home
video cameras. For example Ancient Rites was filmed with DV &
Digital 8 cameras and edited with Adobe Premiere non-linear editing
software system. I've also been able to use 16-mm film on two of my
videos. Using film gives us a certain frames, that material is far more
expensive than videocassettes so when you are starting to take picture
you have to be 100% sure that the band knows what they have to do.
Do you own all the gear yourself or do you work for a company
that owns it...or perhaps you rent what you need when you are
making a video?
I'm working on a freelancer director in a company that owns
non-linear editing system. It's a huge advantage to be able to edit my
videos as free of charge. When you don't have to calculate hours you
don't have to do any quick solutions. All the other equipment's I rent
from different sources depending what kind of project I'm working
with.
Do you do the filming/editing all yourself or is this more then
a one person undertaking?
I think that editing is a huge part of my work as a director.
Nowadays I'm using director of photography in my projects. It's
always a good thing to have a person to take care of the lightning
situations and the picture itself - on my responsibility is to take care
what is happening in these pictures.
Who's work in the field of video production/filming do you look
up to or aspire to be as good as and how have they influenced your
work or creation process?
In a music video field I look up several Finnish music video
directors. I've learned quite much from such persons as Soko Kaukoranta,
Kie Von Hertzen, Mikko Pitkanen, Pete Riski and Mika Taanila. Those guys
have directed videos for the bands like Stratovarius, HIM, The 69 Eyes,
Sentenced, Amorphis, 22-Pistepirkko, Circle, Bomfunk MC's and The Rasmus.
Swedish director Jonas Akerlund is also a person I look up to.
Lets
talk a bit about the specifics of the videos we will be showing here at
Metal-Rules.com that you've worked on. First let's start with the band
Ancient Rites. How did you come into contact with them and up getting
hired to do the video for "Victory or Valhalla"?
Actually this video was more like an "accident". I was organizing
Ancient Rites' tour in Finland last year and during the gigs I spent my
time filming the guys. I was also organizing the media promotion
and I had already booked Ancient Rites interview to Finnish major music
show. Two days before that interview I realized that we didn't have any
video to be air-played on that show and without a video there wasn't
going to be any interview. Luckily the tour was already begun and I had
filmed two shows. I got like 24 hours to make that video. The result
wasn't that good but anyway it was air-played within that interview.
Maybe the guys liked what they saw 'cause they were asking me to do a
video to promote their "Dim Carcosa" album.
Where (and when) was the footage for that video filmed
including the live/performance sections and the
"wilderness" sections?
Live
sections was filmed during Ancient Rites tour November 2000. Live
section is mainly taken from one gig. It was filmed in Nosturi club at
the capital city of Finland by two friends of mine with two cameras. I
also used material from two other gigs, which I filmed personally. The wilderness
sections was filmed by a friend of mine, Jorma Koivikko. He's been
filming nature as a hobby for many years. Once he showed his material to
me and I was impressed. Luckily Jorma gave me a permission to use his
material. Without wilderness scenes, this video wouldn't have worked
out.
How long did it take to put that video together from beginning
to end? Perhaps a breakdown on time it took to film vs. the editing
phase?
In this project filming was the easy part, 'cause I was only filming
at the shows. Editing took more than three weeks because I didn't have
any kind of storyboard. I had only few ideas of feelings and pictures
which would fit to certain guitar riff or drum fill. It took something
like three weeks to edit that video. Last couple of days before the
deadline I tried to fill the missing scenes and to get the whole video
to work out.
Do you usually have any creative control over how things look,
or does the band have a strong vision on what they want to see? What
method of working do you prefer and why?
I'm always willing to hear what kind of visions the band has. It's
easier for me to start the project when I have a certain place to start.
Ancient Rites had an idea to use nature material along the live shots. I
agreed and about a month later I send 'em a video for preview.
The
other video we will be showcasing is for the song "The Maze"
from the band LET ME DREAM. Tell us about the making of that video and
the concept you had in mind for it.
During the pre-production process I was trying to fit different ideas
to the song. In the end I had a vision of the band on the live
situation. I wanted to capture the aggression that we have on stage.
You are also a member of the band Let Me Dream. So here's your
chance to plug the band a bit by letting people know what the band is
about, the style of music you play and finally what the latest news is
on the band and it's projects (gigging/recording/etc).
Hmmm, we're describing our music as gothic/dark metal. At the moment
we're heading to studio to record our the 3rd album and after that we're
trying to play live as much as possible. I've also planned to direct a
new video for us.
Is your band or the video production thing your
"job"?
Although the band is very important for me video productions are more
or less a "job" for me.
Here's another chance to plug your work in terms of your video
production skills. If a band or a label happens to see your work and
they like what they see and would like to talk to you about making
a video for their band, how can they get in contact with you?
The easiest way is to send me an e-mail: Jari.Koskela@sci.fi
What is the typical cost for making a video as involved as the
"Victory or Valhalla" video?
The budget is depending on the current project. The cost of
"Victory or Valhalla" was something like 500$ so it was a low
budget production.
Have your videos been aired on television?
Yes. My videos have been aired at least in Finland, Great-Britain and
Greece.
Do you prefer to work on METAL videos?
I'm willing to work on any kind of project but metal videos are my
cup of tea - so to speak.
If there are other news items or things you are working on
related to this please let us know about it Thanks for your
time!
Thank You for the interview! Along with the musc videos I've also
been taken photographs for bands like Noctunal Winds & Azaghal so if
you need a video or photos I'm always willing to take a chance. =)
Let Me Dream official webpage
www.letmedream.com
©2001 Metal Rules!!