As it is the day before the last of Discovery Campus, it is the time to get to know the young professionals taking part in the first-ever Frame Within a Frame, learning the tips and tricks of the industry. from experienced mentors.
How would your best friend describe you? Stubborn, passionate, accurate.
What are you working on right now (project, studies)? A bachelor movie in Latvian national film school.
Who would your dream collab be, dead or alive? Leos Carax.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an audiovisual professional so far? Planning for the future.
What are you looking forward to the most at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event? New experiences and meeting new people.
What is a film (or book) which keeps you up all night? Close up by Abbas Kiarostami.
If you could have one superpower, then what would you choose? Invisibility.
How would your best friend describe you? Really determined to achieve my goals and passionate about what I do.
What are you working on right now (project, studies)? Currently studying as a cinematographer and working on two projects: finishing up my first 35mm short film and making progress on a poetic documentary.
Who would your dream collab be, dead or alive? Most likely inspired by Roger Deakins, cinematographer.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an audiovisual professional so far? For me, the biggest challenge would probably be dealing with creative blocks and gaining recognition for my work.
What are you looking forward to the most at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event? I'm looking forward to the masterclass titled "Frame Within a Frame" and the opportunity to meet cinematographer Philippe Ross.
What is a film (or book) which keeps you up all night? The film that keeps me up at night is La Haine, directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and shot by Pierre Aim.
If you could have one superpower, then what would you choose? Probably to never run out of the strength needed to keep making films.
How would your best friend describe you? I am a really friendly, kind, supportive person, with a bit of craziness, but at the same time creativity in every aspect of my life.
What are you working on right now (project, studies)? Currently, I am working on my thesis film. I am going to be a DoP for this project. We are in the middle of pre-production right now, but have already managed to shoot a teaser. The story is a mixture of Estonian culture and Slavic mythology.
Who would your dream collab be, dead or alive? I have always been inspired by Lars von Trier's work. Even though for some people his films might be too provocative or even depressing, I find myself falling in love with this madness.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an audiovisual professional so far? I feel like the biggest challenge for me as a filmmaker has always been not to overwork and not to take on too many projects at once, so that later I realise I am burned out and can not give my full energy to none of them.
What are you looking forward to the most at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event? I am looking forward to meeting new people, improving my cinematography skills and becoming more aware of the local film industry.
What is a film (or book) which keeps you up all night? My favourite book is called The Goldfinch. I still do not dare to watch a film not to affect this nice aftertaste after reading it. It sometimes happens that I go back to some parts of this story in my head and begin to better and better understand it.
If you could have one superpower, then what would you choose? To stop time, so I could have more hours to explore and read about things I actually like.
How would your best friend describe you? I would be described as a rather ambitious friend. Having a difficulty to commit to too many projects but having a strong impression on the committed ones. A resilient force with a unique temperament. Intense but caring, a person who likes to give, give a lot and not take. And dedicated to his craft, sometimes more dedicated to it than anything else.
What are you working on right now (project, studies)? I am currently a bachelor's student specialising in Cinematography in AV Media at BFM. Last year, the project that drove me was my debut semi-autobiographical short The Day I Killed My Mother which was screened at PÖFF Shorts last year. And currently the one that takes up a lot of my time and force, is "our" upcoming thesis project, co-written and co-directed by me and my dear friend and second brain, Sergei Batrak. It's an ambitious project titled Sad Inheritance - a painting by Joaquin Sorolla. We're currently in early pre-production.
Who would your dream collab be, dead or alive? Pffff. It would definitely be with the likes of many, not one. Among them is Joachim Trier of course. My biggest inspiration and an absolute gem of a writer and director from Norway. And well, Haneke, Amit Dutta, Mrinal Sen, Krzysztof Kieslowski as directors and screenwriters and Robbie Ryan and Thimios Bakatakis as cinematographers. And Caroline Shaw as a music composer.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an audiovisual professional so far? I have found it difficult to always keep up with a niche in my craft in an overflowing industry and I quickly shift to versatility. Especially in Tallinn and as a Cinematographer. And this affects my prospects in professional work. Not often does it mean that if you're talented, you get called for. But when you are liked, you get called often. I find it difficult to network aimlessly and engage in long conversations with other professionals. On set, I work, put in all my energy to it and leave. I wish to grow, in the coming years, a consistent niche, network with an aim and still be completely devoted to my craft.
What are you looking forward to the most at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event? I am really looking forward to meeting people with the same mindset. It sounds repeated but it's true. I love meeting ambivert personalities who develop their craft more than they spend time talking about it. I wish to meet these people and be able to have conversations about potential future projects this way. I love meeting people who I can learn from, and who have far more experience than I do.
What is a film (or book) which keeps you up all night? It has to be The Worst Person In The World. Might sound cheesy but as a screenwriter myself, it is absolutely genius. I look forward to post-modern screenplays that delve deep into the nuances of ordinary living and make them larger than they appear to the naked eye. Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt are fantastic writers who have kept me up all night after watching the film. It still resonates deep with me and makes me want to craft films everyday and it seriously makes me consider the power of co-writing.
If you could have one superpower, then what would you choose? If I could have one superpower, I would choose to have a photographic memory. I love knowing. I spend my time in thorough research about almost everything, not just about films. But I wish I had the ability to contain that memory of my research extremely well so I could apply it to practice. Well then! Voila! I would instantly be a fantastic filmmaker and not forget my girlfriend's birthday. Yes by reading all of this, you should know I am just 20 years old. But yes, I am consciously hard on myself so I don't age in silence.