Music Video, Commercial and AI Director in Helsinki
helsinki, finland
Amos Le Blanc is a Canadian director of music videos, commercials and AI-led films, based between Toronto and Los Angeles. He is open to working in Helsinki and across Europe, and would love the opportunity to connect.
Helsinki at a glance
Much of Finland's production kit lives in Helsinki: the main camera, lighting and grip rental houses are based here and work across the country, and Business Finland's Film in Finland office is in the city. Film in Finland pitches the country on reliability and price, saying Finnish suppliers cost less than in other Scandinavian countries at similar standards and that everyone on set speaks English.
music videos in Helsinki
Flow Festival fills the industrial Suvilahti site, gasometers and all, in August, and Tuska, which the city calls Finland's biggest metal festival, takes over the same grounds in June. The rest of the year, Tavastia has been the heart of Finnish rock since 1970, Kaiku specialises in alternative electronic music, and Korjaamo puts on concerts in a former tram depot.
commercials in Helsinki
Film in Finland's regional film commissions assist film, TV and commercial productions, and Finnish production service companies cover scouting, permits, crew, casting and logistics, with particular know-how in snow and ice at sub-zero temperatures. Post and VFX are local too, with houses such as VFX Helsinki on Film in Finland's list.
locations and light
The city's tourism site counts around 600 Art Nouveau buildings in Helsinki, more than Barcelona or Brussels, alongside the wooden houses of Old Vallila. Film in Finland sells the country to foreign productions on islands and archipelago, snow-sure locations, thousands of lakes, city streets and Soviet look-alike settings.
working in Helsinki
Film in Finland's guidance is that filming in public places needs no permit, while private property needs consent from the owner or the city, and stopping or diverting traffic needs a police permit. In Helsinki, renting city land or water for a short-term setup goes through the city's urban environment division and takes three to four weeks to process.
Film office: Film in Finland (Business Finland).
Business Finland's audiovisual production incentive is a cash rebate of up to 25% on eligible Finnish costs for feature films, documentaries, serial fiction and animation, and it explicitly excludes commercials and music videos.
Time zone: Eastern European Time (UTC+2, UTC+3 in summer).
Helsinki Airport is 20 kilometres from the city centre, about 30 minutes by train.
AI-led and hybrid pieces can be developed remotely, with a live shoot in Helsinki only where the idea needs one.
Cannes Young Director Award winner, 2015, for Thugli, "Run This" (co-directed with Ohji Inoue)
MuchMusic Video Awards Director of the Year, 2014, for Thugli, "Run This"
MuchMusic Video Awards Dance Video of the Year, 2014, for Autoerotique, "Asphyxiation"
One Club for Creativity, Young Guns 17
Keys N Krates, "Dum Dee Dum": RIAA Gold, nominated for the Prism Prize and a Berlin Music Video Award
Tiger Beer, "Sit Closer Together", with Marcel Sydney and The Sweet Shop
questions
Which music video and commercial director is open to work in Helsinki?
Amos Le Blanc, winner of the Cannes Young Director Award and MMVA Director of the Year, is open to projects in Helsinki and across Europe. Book him through his agent, Allastair Voss, at allastairvoss@gmail.com.
Who handles filming permits in Helsinki?
Film in Finland's guidance is that filming in public places needs no permit, while private property needs consent from the owner or the city, and stopping or diverting traffic needs a police permit. In Helsinki, renting city land or water for a short-term setup goes through the city's urban environment division and takes three to four weeks to process.
Do Finland's production incentives cover commercials or music videos?
Business Finland's audiovisual production incentive is a cash rebate of up to 25% on eligible Finnish costs for feature films, documentaries, serial fiction and animation, and it explicitly excludes commercials and music videos.
Can AI-led work be combined with a shoot in Helsinki?
Yes. AI-led and hybrid pieces can be developed remotely, with a live shoot in Helsinki only where the idea needs one.
Planning a music video, commercial or AI-led film in Helsinki? He is open to working in Helsinki and across Europe, and would love the opportunity to connect.
Contact his agent, Allastair Voss, at allastairvoss@gmail.com with the brief, timing and budget range.