Academy of Moving People & Images Launches the Open Call for new participants!

AMPI is now seeking 8 new participants for its two-year filmmaking program, the years 2021-2022. Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) is a non-institutional initiative, an educational platform based in Helsinki for mobile people – those who have arrived in Finland for different reasons, be they immigrants, asylum seekers, students, or employees.

One of AMPI’s core objectives is to challenge intolerance, structural racism, gender inequality, and the lack of representation of different perspectives within the film industry. AMPI collaborates with other institutions, organisations and individuals to turn these principles into a common mission. We hope these collaborations move us towards a more inclusive film industry, through a process of active participation, collaboration, peer-learning and unlearning.

AMPI’s founder and artistic director is Helsinki-based internationally recognized and award-winning filmmaker Erol Mintas. AMPI’s lecturers team conceived many internationally recognized mobile and Finnish film experts. You can check out our team of lecturers, collaborators and advisors here on our website.

BRAVE STORYTELLING & STORYTELLERS THAT REFLECTS THE CURRENT WORLD AND SOCIETY

We encourage brave storytelling, the participants in AMPI are free to write any stories they wish without any limitation. The participants are taught and encouraged to recognize the misrepresentation of communities that historically have been subjected to oppression and marginalization in the society they are living in, and to be critical towards stereotyping, exotification, vilification, or any other form of othering in the film industry.

The Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) does not have a space of its own, the academy operates within the space of its many collaborators such as the Finnish Film Foundation, The University of Arts Helsinki-Theatre Academy, Goethe Institut Finnland, CCL at the Department of Film & Television & Scenography-Aalto ARTS, HIAP, Aalto University-VICCA, Caisa, Design Museum, Museum of Impossible Forms, Taidekoulu MAA, GAP, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Publics, Helsinki Vocational Adult Institute-Stage and Theatre Technology /Make-up, Baltic Circle, Artlab Productions, Third Space.

Through this mobility, AMPI’s main goal is to function as a common mission for the existing institutions and organizations and make them able to contribute and initiate change together. On the other hand, through this mobility, the AMPI participants get to know the Finnish art scene and surround themselves with a creative network. In our network, we have people well connected with the film industry, who can build a bridge between the industry and the mobile filmmakers.

THE ACADEMY IS SEEKING NEW STORYTELLERS

Each year, a group of mobile people who are currently residing in Finland will get selected. It is not necessary for the participants to have a background in cinema, however, it is important that they have a passion and aspiration for filmmaking and cinema as a medium. Prior filmmaking experience is not a prerequisite for getting accepted but is welcome. However, participants must work with self-discipline and mutual respect. The workshops will involve a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 78 hours of participation per month. The program is intensive and time-consuming, therefore the participants are required to make AMPI a priority.

The open call for new participants is until January 31st, 2021. Application and more information about the open call can be found from here starting on December 21st, 2020: academyofmovingpeopleandimages.com/opencall

WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM OFFER?

AMPI’s program offers a two-year, fee-free, intensive and hands-on filmmaking program taught by mobile and Finnish film industry professionals. The program includes a variety of workshops in which the participants will acquire and exchange knowledge about the various tools of filmmaking such as creative writing, directing, scriptwriting, script development, editing, lighting & cinematography, acting, producing, sound recording & editing, and film & critical theories.

With the full support of AMPI and its resources, the participants will get to make their own short films under the guidance of mobile filmmakers and Finnish film industry professionals, performing all the essential roles necessary to realise their films.