”A Modern Democracy” is a short film written by Frederik Marcus. The short film project was realized as part of the Northern Script short film initiative, in collaboration with screenwriters and students from Osao’s media program. The production team for the short film includes Jere Vorne, Lotta Ylander, Konsta Ounasti, Leevi Mäntyvaara, Yaren Göz, Santeri Nissinen, and Maiju Herranen. ”A Modern Democracy” was screened at the Oulu International Children’s and Youth Film Festival. The short film deals with a voting event and the vote-counting process, which escalates into a humorous and thought-provoking story.
Experiences of the Production Team
The production of the short film went well overall, although there were some minor challenges along the way. We started the pre-production well in advance, planning locations and casting, among other things. Everything went smoothly in the pre-production phase. However, just before filming began, a couple of our actors had to cancel, which led to a change in our casting plans. Due to the actor shortage, we decided to turn ”A Modern Democracy” into a one-man show, with our team member Konsta playing all the main characters. The roles of supporting characters were portrayed by Anni Kallinen, Yaren Göz, Minttu Mustonen, and Lotta Ylander.
The filming days eventually went well and according to plan. We completed the filming of the short film in 6 days, managing to capture all the necessary material on time. The team spirit remained strong throughout the entire project.
General Filming Day
Filming days began with setting up equipment and props. Although we filmed most of the short film in the same location, we had to set up the props anew each filming day due to the space’s evening use. Our filming locations were our school’s gymnasium and stage, which saved us from lengthy transitions between locations.
Afterward, we usually had a lunch break, followed by the arrival of background actors. Before starting the actual filming, we briefed the background actors on their tasks and took care of costume and makeup for the actors. Once everything was ready on set, we commenced filming. Typically, the filming lasted from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. After filming, it was time to dismantle the props, and the filming day was concluded.
Northern Script (NOSI)
Northern Script is a Nordic short film scriptwriting event aimed at networking aspiring storytellers and screenwriters throughout the Nordic region. Nordic youth aged 18-29 have the opportunity to participate in the Northern Script project. The scripts for Northern Script may have an annual theme, serving as a foundation for script development. This year, the Northern Script writers were all screenwriters who had previously participated in the project at least once.
A Modern Democracy -movie:
A Modern Democracy BTS:
Link to the official article:
A Modern Democracy
Text: Maiju Herranen
Photos: A Modern Democracy production team
BTS video editing: Yaren Göz
Article layout: Maiju Herranen