A Finnish Fable 2011

An experimental object animation shot outdoors.


A homage to Carmen D'Avino's film A Finnish Fable (USA, 1960).

In this work a melancholy male mannequin is being busy in the south-western Finnish summer cottage milieu.

I wanted to try many different and new approaches with this work. Making animation outdoors, in weather circumstances that are beyound the control of the auteur, had an impact on the execution and the outcome. Animating large objects was new to me, too.

I wanted to investigate especially if it is possible to portray a stiffly moving mannequin in such a manner that the viewer believes in the reality of this character and forgets the fact that the actor is a lifeless mannequin.


1. prize: Videomedeja, Serbia, 11/2011.

Niina Suominen: script, design, animation, camera, editing, direction, production, post production.

Tuomas Toiviainen: music.
Svante Colerus: sound design.

Production supported by: AVEK - The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture, The Arts Council of City of Turku. 
Joint exhibition supported by Kone Foundation.