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Trash Video Lives up to Its Name Tampere-based Trash Video is an independent film company which has produced over 60 films of varying lengths. In addition to its five core members, the team has several assistants. The group has no fixed division of labour, and all members rotate between different production tasks. One of the most distinctive features of trash films is the exaggeration of cliches. Traditional plots are parodied, and the roles overacted. Trash Video is known for films about Hervanta, which do not give an extremely flattering image of the district: murder and violence lurk behind every corner. For instance, their latest film Hervannan hurjat (Hervanta Fury) takes potshots at the troubled neighbourhoods of Hervanta. – We are in a way keeping up the district's reputation. Hervanta is nowadays just a district among others, it isn't as tough there as it was in the 80's anymore, Antti Murtonen relates. The members of the group, founded in 1992, consider making films as a hobby among others: cashing in is not the main object, we want to develop as film makers. – This is a bit like writing for the desk drawer, reflects Aatto Paasonen. – The main function of trash movies is not pleasing others; actually it's exactly the opposite,” he continues. ”'I guess it was OK' is probably the worst thing someone can say about a film. I hope that ours are either brilliant or then complete shit, remarks Ville Lähde. Internet Multiplied the Sales The Internet has offered trash films an effective sales channel. Trash Video makes their own video tapes and sells them in their net store. – The sales used to be very small. Before the Internet, we sold the films at festivals and took them to shops in Tampere. I don't believe that many would know of us without the net, says Murtonen. The full-length movie Hervannan hurjat (Hervanta Fury, 2001) has sold around 120 copies and features a cameo appearance by the famous Finnish rock musician Pate Mustajärvi. Trash Video's films from the past years have usually reached the sales figure of a hundred copies. – The films are mainly purchased by broad-minded men in their twenties, although lately there has been interest among older customers, too, says Andres Pass.
An independent film company does not rely on the works of others. Trash Video makes its films, music and such included, completely without outside help. The development of video camera and computer technologies has considerably lowered the cost of producing a high-quality movie. In the past, it was neccessary to pay for the use of an editing room, but nowadays the editing and the effects can be done on a home computer. – Making a film has become faster: for example, the editing of Hervanta Fury took only three months, Lähde mentions. – Although we shoot the films with relatively inexpensive cameras, we set our technical standards high. The main costs come from the blood effects and gasoline. Celebrating the premiere is often more expensive than making the film, laughs Murtonen.
Trash Becomes more Popular According to Ville Lähde, Tampere has become the center of Finnish independent cinema. Trash Video has had an important role in the creation of the indie community. The group was, among other things, involved in founding the indie portal Findie. The young moviemakers think that Finnish trash films have a bright future. In addition to the success of the trash movie festivals of recent years, small-budget films have also become more generally appreciated. – As people have become more informed about trash movies, they have started to appreciate them. Besides the net, small TV channels have also frequently aired trash films. Programs such as SubTV's Andy and MoonTV's Lataamo are excellent release channels. So, there's plenty of demand, states Lähde. Pass thinks that a successful trash film is bad, but not boring. The audience and the makers of the film should have a good time, and blood is not to be spared. So, do the trash films, with their massive bodycounts, increase violence? – I do not believe that movies as such cause violence. If someone starts raging because of a film, they must be out of it to start with, Pass concludes. Trash Film Festival on Saturday March 9th from 14.00 to 21.00 at Yo-talo. Trash Video's films in the festival include Juhlajätkät: serkkupoika (Party Boys: My Cousin Tope, 2001) and Jack ja punainen kosmos (Jack and the Red Cosmos, 2001)
TEXT: Jani Timonen |
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Festival News 2002 festnews@uta.fi |