26-11-2014

FNE at Black Nights 2014: Industry@Tallinn Launches Digital Corner

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    TALLINN: “From the country that gave the world Skype.” Those words from Black Night Film Festival’s Industry@Tallinn director Stan-Kristian Saluveer kicked off the launch of the festival’s new Digital Corner, which puts a spotlight on Estonia’s high tech film services industry.

    The Estonian-Finnish company Airborne demonstrated the technique of aerial cinematography it has perfected through the use of miniaturized helicopters, drones known as Helicams, a technique that has already been attracting an array of Baltic as well as Hollywood clients. The company rents out the Helicams and provides two of its own technicians to operate them.

    Herzog Studios, a Tallinn post-production house, is also crossing Baltic borders in delivering services. “We cooperate locally, bringing in freelancers” from neighboring Baltic countries, post-production producer Kaspar Kadastik told FNE. The company’s list of international clients stretches from Asia to the US.

    Digital Sputnik was on hand to share its innovative approach to LED lighting, with its digitally operated colour adjustments. The company also boasts an international client roster. The company has already partnered with Airborne to test its DS LED system on Airborne’s Helicam.

    “Estonia is known for its technology,” Saluveer told FNE. “People are shocked – in a great way – about the technology and the price.” He sees the Industry@Tallinn as a platform to build relationships for the high tech companies, all of which have developed their new technologies in the past three years.

    “We’re not really operating locally anymore. We are forced to look outside Estonia for business –and it’s not even just regional anymore,” Saluveer said. By launching the Digital Corner, Saluveer is looking to establish reciprocal relationships between the new technology companies and the festival. That was already evident at this year’s industry platform, where advertisements for all three companies were on prominent display. With an increasingly high-profile guest list spanning from North America to Asia converging on Tallinn for its film industry week, staying in town for the event looks like a forward thinking move for Estonian tech companies.