Our alumnus Samu Soini: I can now do exactly what I have always wanted to do

Sometimes, in the middle of a busy day of filming, Samu Soini realises: This is exactly what I've always wanted to do. Around me are people who have come together to work on a common work.

- It's quite a big and wonderful moment, he says.

Samu Soini, founder, director and producer of the Tampere-based production company Filmloop Oy, was inspired to make films as a child. Together with his friends, he directed and shot his own breakdance videos and a stunt show in the spirit of Extreme Duudsons.

It has always been clear to Soini that he wants to make films and TV series for a living. After finishing primary school, he studied at Tampere Vocational School for an undergraduate degree in audiovisual communications. He then applied to study at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

- I think the entrance exams went well. When I didn't get into the school, it was a big disappointment.

Not to be discouraged, Soini went to study acting for a year at the Finnish Theatre Academy. When the doors to TAMK still didn't open, he spent his second year working in the construction industry, working on concrete floors.

- I set up my first business, bought some cutting equipment and started working in my own field. My first client was Suomen Betonilattiat, for whom I shot a promotional video, Soini recalls.

Test, learn and do it again

On his third application, Soini finally got lucky and was admitted to TAMK to study film and TV production. Here he was able to do exactly the things he had dreamed of.

- It was great to be in an environment where everyone else was passionate about the same thing. The best part was working together on short films and other productions.

The most memorable days were the shooting days with my fellow students. Everything that had been planned, studied, thought about and developed for weeks or months was possibly made concrete during one day of shooting.

- I always slept really badly the night before because I was so nervous about the day of the shoot. Gradually, I got used to the shoots and got used to them and even learned to enjoy them.

Through electives, Soini found TAMK's entrepreneurship studies, which she found really inspiring. She also got the right to study at the University of Tampere, where she completed the basics of business law. 

Soini's thinking was particularly influenced by Eric Ries' book The Lean Strartup, which he read for his entrepreneurship studies. The book encouraged him to try and test how something works, learn from it and do it again.

- Hence the name of my company, Filmloop: it's like a hatch that spins. You make a work, see how it goes, accept the feedback and make the next one. Sometimes, maybe the stars align, and you get that great work.

The aim is to tell good stories

Samu Soini founded Filmloop right after graduation in 2016. Initially, the production company focused on corporate videos, but since then the focus has shifted to films and TV series.

One of Soini's dreams will come true this autumn when the TV series Somekingi, which he produced and directed, will be broadcast on Yleisradio channels. The drama comedy was filmed in Valkeakoski and Tampere last summer. The script for the series was written by Iiro Liimatta and has received a production incentive from Film Tampere. 

Somekingi tells the story of Teemu (actor Elias Keränen), a socially awkward outcast who has been unemployed for a long time. His video-cv becomes a viral hit, leading to a new career as an influencer.

Somekingi's cinematographer, editor, lighting designer and scriptwriter are all friends of Soini's from TAMK. 

- I'm really proud of what we've achieved, and I can't wait to show the series to everyone," says Soini with a smile.

Photo: Annamaria Palsi-Ikonen

Somekingi is Soini's first major directorial project, but he hopes it will soon be followed up. A second season of the series is already being written, and other projects are in the pipeline.

- My dream is to find employment in this field and as a director, which is no longer a given these days. The industry is tough enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. You have to work hard, and there must be a bit of luck involved.

One day, Soini dreams of winning recognition in the industry: Jussi for Best Picture or even an Oscar. But his main goal is to tell good stories that people like and that find an audience.