Tag: culture

Value Manifesto Mirrors Today’s World

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WHAT IS ART?

This is a question that most of us, and many art professionals even, find difficult to answer.

In Wikipedia, art is explained as follows:

Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author’s imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.

My personal add to this would be that art mirrors the world of the time of creation. Whichever piece of art we take into evaluation, we can find the artist’s surrounding world through their work.

But how could we mirror then this digital, invisible and intangible world we live in today?

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VALUE MANIFESTO, the first crypto multiple and a pioneer art project in today’s blockchain era created by Timo Niemeyer, has found an unique way to mirror today’s world.

After becoming involved in this project, I cannot help but wonder: What comes to the invisible concepts, online communication, shared economy models and manifesting against the outdated authorities, is this the perfect reflection of today?

Have a look at the project yourself at VALUE MANIFESTO’S WEBSITE and wonder with me!

Creating New Culture,

Satu

PS. Forward your questions, comments and/or ideas about Value Manifesto to satu.makinen [at] valuemanifesto.ch.

Do, Even If It’s Not Perfect

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I have always been quite a perfectionist, what comes to doing anything. I can easily keep editing a blog post for days, if I just have the time for that. Today I’m writing my heart straight out, because I have been reminded enough many times, that in the end, perfection does not exist.

DONE the best that I can at the very moment, is better than UNDONE fearing imperfection.

I made an experimental collaboration film ‘Hermannplatz’ a while back with a young poet Catri (Curiosity Killed The Catri) and my multi-talented composer friend Kwame Bruce Busia. It was more of an experiment in the beginning, but as it became a very short film in the end, I tested with it how submitting a film to film festivals work.

As a surprising result of this, I heard back from Bideodromo International Experimental Film and Video Festival, that they had taken the film into their screening selection.

Experiment as it was, ‘experimental’ worked as a category as well.

Learning of the day: Whatever it is you are planning on, do not wait for a perfection or it will never be done.

Doing New Culture,

Satu

Film page

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In the honor of Berlinale 2019 starting today, I would like to present the active film page on creatingnewculture.com.

From now on, you can find the information about the films I’m working on through this:

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FILM PAGE

I wish you all lovely February days, and to the ones attending Berlinale, enjoy the art of cinema!

Creating New Culture,

Satu

30

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I turned 30 years old over the weekend and my head has been filled with a lot of thoughts these days, and may I add, lovely thoughts. For me, with the support that I have received, it feels only a blessing to move on to the next decade of beauty.

Today, the 6th of December, it is the Independence day of Finland, a country that shaped my heart and soul. According to my parents, I have behaved independently since a very young age, and to strengthen it, Finland gave me amazing opportunities to continue so.

In my opinion, independence is all about having the freedom to choose. It is a great word to describe the state of being Finnish, and also my state of being 30 now.

To be able to be in this state today, I am grateful for so many things I have experienced over the years, so I decided to take a challenge to write down 30 things I am grateful for. Making this list took quite a while, but I urge you to do the same, it puts everything in perspective. So here we go.

Today, I’m grateful for …

1. the 101-year-old Finland that has given me countless opportunities along the way, eg. in education, health care, social system and safety

2. my loving parents that have always believed in me and given me the freedom to realize any of my dreams

3. my siblings that have given me their unconditional love and support

4. my extended family for providing me a support network

5. irreplaceable friends around the world that have always been there for me

6. comfortable homes over the years that have given me shelter

7. food that has nourished me to be strong and healthy

8. our globe Earth, an unbelievable beauty of species and provider for our basic needs

9. fresh water that keeps me alive and clean

10. my teachers, coaches and supervisors that pushed me to learn and become wiser

11. Team Academy for making me believe I can do whatever I want in life

12. all forms of music that give food to my soul every day

13. the dance organizations that have let me discover my passion for dance

14. the countless books I’ve read that enabled me to experience different settings in life

15. the modern technology that gives us channels to create and communicate on another level

16. diverse cultures that enrich our interaction

17. art, in whichever form, because it allows us to understand our life and world in a deeper level

18. caring strangers that have helped my day one way or another, kept the last metro’s door open, smiled at me in a funny situation, picked up what I had dropped by mistake

19. entrepreneurs that keep our societies running and interesting with their incredible persistence

20. peace warriors that keep fighting for our common justice and well-being

21. history that has taught us lessons how to be better humans

22. big city rush that, with its’ changing faces and monuments, reminds me that I’m part of a bigger entirety

23. the modern travel industry that has made it accessible to move easily to explore our incredible Earth

24. cabin crew colleagues that were my company in discovering all those foreign lands

25. outstanding motion pictures that have inspired me to become a maker myself

26. filmmakers in Berlin that have given me the privilege to be involved in such incredible projects

27. time because its’ changing speed makes me understand the important things in life

28. realness, because in these times of virtual connections and fake news the realness reminds us to live in the present

29. love and kindness that I have been and I am privileged to share

30. last but definitely not least, I’m grateful for a very special person by my side that reminds me to be my amazing self and made turning 30 such a beautiful event for me.

Thank you all for shaping my life so far!

Happy Independence Day Finland,
let this remind us all that peace gives us opportunities to build something extraordinary.

Creating New Culture,

Satu

Realize The Moment You Are In

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Moments of self doubt and periods of feeling unsure of your decisions. Life is full of ups and downs, also those days when you feel lost one way or another.

It has been such an adventure to live in Berlin so far, to attend incredibly exciting events and meet all the lovely new friends, but the city gives also a great deal of anxiety of various things, such as finding a permanent place to live and the hecticness of life.

The overwhelming amount of possibilities throw you easily off track. I have come now to the same realization that many warned me when I moved here. It is really hard to focus and be strong enough to remind yourself constantly of the reasons why you made the move in the first place.

THIS POST by Lindsay Lohan that I saw the other day gave me goosebumps for my current moment, mainly because as a young girl, I used to love her presence on screen. It stated:

“When life stops you from going ahead,
Only in the eyes of the little girl you once were
Will you find the strength to start over.”

This sums up my thoughts in the past few weeks. I visited my home Finland over the midsummer, and got a good reminder of my roots again, the roots of that young little girl that once dreamed to be where I am heading at the moment in Berlin and elsewhere. This gave me the needed little push to keep on working towards my dreams and feeling good about the present moment. The way to the destination IS the life.

I am working on few of my own projects at the moment, which I will tell you more about in a later stage, but to start with, let me introduce POLYMER MOVIE – an interesting short film I’m privileged to be involved as a producer. Please click THIS LINK to start following our making-of and behind the scenes on Instagram as we work towards the final product.

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Berlin’s vibrant film network, especially the one of women, has really helped me to get into making, also into this previously mentioned project. The biggest shout-out goes to Women’s Film Network Berlin, which I’m proud to be part of. If you are interested to join and in the city later this month, please come and share the vibe in Volksbar the 25th of July! To check the event on Facebook, CLICK HERE!

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REALIZE THE MOMENT YOU ARE IN.

Remember where you started at and came from. Appreciate all your hard work along the pathway that made it possible for you to be here. Here is now. And your strength of knowing it all will bring you to where you want to go next!

Creating the New Next,

Satu

Friday 13th And Other Lucky Beliefs

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So, it is the Friday the 13th today. With this information, most people just want to sleep over it.

Personally though, I cannot recall the first time I realized it was one of the luckiest days I ever had. So I am definitely not sleeping today, instead I am planning to work on few projects and go out with a lovely set of friends here in Berlin that I have started calling home.

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Sunset in the station while waiting my metro to arrive // Görlitzer Bahnhof, Berlin, Germany

It has actually been somewhat a lucky week for me so far. Everything seems to be falling on their places the way I could only wish they did. Well, apart from the bird poop that landed on my head on Wednesday. Which brings me to another belief, don’t they say that bird poop on you or your property brings luck?

To make this post all about so called superstitious beliefs, this luck is something that a friend of mine read in the cards few nights before. No one has ever read any cards for me before, not in this deep way at least.

I can only wonder, how luck happens. Maybe my friend senses the way I’m living my life positively to see the most possible events for my future. And then, perhaps, with the information from the predictions, I have subconsciously been driving my way towards the right decisions and successful outcome.

Lucky or superstitious or not, correct approach and feel for situations always help them go the way you want to. Positivity attracts positivity. In the flow you seem to achieve more than you ever thought you could.

To note, some opportunities don’t wait. It may be this Friday the 13th that you receive the most important information in your life. The best way to predict your own future, is to positively take on the opportunities and challenges that life throws on your way.

Creating New Culture,

Satu

PS. While writing, this post was my 13th draft …

Flow Of Life

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This past week has reminded me of how life can flow when you just let go.

From the beginning of this year, I wrote down healthy rules and goals for my life. After having absolutely no rhythm nor healthy habits as a cabin crew member for years, I wanted to focus on getting a proper sleeping pattern and a more regular exercise program. I wanted to keep eating healthy and now living in one stable place, I feel I have a better opportunity to really keep it going. Most part I’ve gone vegan, but I don’t keep it as strict as I could.

Well, this past week then.. I have slept way too little and haven’t followed the rules what comes to exercise and eating, at least not on purpose. What surprised me though looking back now, is that even by letting completely go and flow, I’ve lived mostly according to my ideals and goals. I’ve danced and moved even more than I normally do. I’ve eaten pretty healthy, choices that I’ve made subconsciously.

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Fresh subconscious habits within flow // Aprilkind Kaffeebar, Berlin, Germany

Even though I’m still catching up some of the missed sleep, I have realized it is healthier to let go of those rules at times to enjoy life as fully as you can. A regular day will come again, and when built in strong enough, the rules of a greater and healthier life will follow.

Most of all, this flow state has given me energy and joy of life. I have got things done that I have kept planning in my head for way too long. Letting go of the rules you have set for yourself mentally, will keep you flourishing. Whatever I set myself to do in that state, I succeed in it.

Don’t be afraid to let go, trust the flow of life!

Creating New Culture,

Satu

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Quote of life – trust the flow // Berlin, Germany

Planning To Visit A Film Festival? – Berlinale Edition 2018

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The award season has been flourishing these past few weeks around the world. In Berlin, for almost two weeks, it was all about Berlinale. As I am new to the film industry, it was quite overwhelming, but wow so enriching. I never knew how much was going on, until I experienced it myself. Here are some of the main moments of my festival time and few TIPS what to consider when taking part in one. PS. I apologize already beforehand the quality of some photos as they were taken quite on the run.

I started the festival experience with strolling around the locations with unexpected sunshine after months of rain. Lucky enough, I got to have few words with the festival director Dieter Kosslick himself, as he was on his way to one the first premieres.

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The biggest part of film festivals is of course the screenings. I targeted mainly the premieres, as it is interesting to see and possibly meet the crew and cast and take part in the open Q&As if organized.

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The cast and crew of 7 Days In Entebbe after the premiere // Including the director José Padilha and leading actors Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl

Many panel discussions, workshops and events are organized throughout the city during the festival, and I took part as many as I could and reasonably fit my calendar. The most eye opening event was ‘Closing The Gap – Creatives and Financiers on how to take action towards 50/50 by 2020’ -event organized by WIFT Germany, WIFT Nordic and Swedish Film Institute about the gender gap within the film industry. The conversation has been tough around the world thanks to the movements such as #metoo and #timesup, and it got heated here as well – in a good way to push us to work on towards the new goals.

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Nothing will stop these power ladies!

Not to forget the fun and craziness of Berlin, I attended few nights out as well. Mainly they came out of the blue without organizing, so this is good to keep in mind when planning on morning events… When you meet interesting new people during the day, it is not a bad idea to ask where they are heading in the evening.

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Give a damn about ‘rules’ at times – jump with your whole heart instead!

So planning to visit a film festival?

If anyone out there is planning to visit a film festival, one big thing I can say – the planning is the key! Obviously, different festivals work in different ways, but to plan the screenings and possible workshops, talks and parties is still important, so you don’t miss something that you are interested in.

In Berlinale, it is crucial to know when the tickets go on sale – some screenings sell out within seconds (online). For me, one film screening per day worked really well, on top of workshops, talks and parties – more would have probably been too much to focus.

In Berlinale’s case, a very warm winter wear is important as it can be freezing in February. Some true fans stay outside all night to wait the tickets to go on sale, but even though I am from Finland, I am not much of a winter person, so I preferred to refresh the event page in the coziness of my home every morning just before 10am.

Remember to get a good night sleep to have the energy also daytime, even though the parties can be tempting to stay til the next day. Good amount of parties can be amazing though, especially if you are looking for getting new contacts.

Which brings me to this: Be open to new contacts and surprising moments and occasions. You never know who you could meet and where. I met some key persons to my fun times at the festival in a metro – call it a luck or destiny.

Well lucky enough, I get to focus on my own film making now.

The world is full of stories – find your way to tell yours!

Creating New Culture,

Satu

 

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Focus Back To The Basics

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Whatever the subject, focus is something I personally need to remind myself often about. I need to focus to focus.

The hardship in focusing has become an increasing issue with overflowing content of social media, and it is not the easiest task to keep focusing unless you shut it all off. Endless messages, event reminders, likes, news… The list goes on.

Similar difficulties I always experience in hectic cities. While being now here in Berlin can be an amazingly enriching and helpful experience towards my future artistic goals, the never-ending possibilities to attend various events can also drive my focus to completely another road.

How to focus then? How to stay on the road you had planned?

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Reflections to reflect // Toledo, Spain

I flew to Spain last weekend, and the trip pushed me back to the basics. Amazing hours in a beautiful town of Toledo gave me the same chills of life than my home country Finland does in endless summer nights. It brought me back to the nature, to the thoughts that are important. It is crucial to find inner peace within you, regardless of what you end up doing. Once you calm down, you see clear – and can focus as well.

Do the exercises that help you to center yourself. Whether it’s meditation or boxing, music or baking, or sitting by a lake, do it. You will find yourself having more time for your own development and the projects you want to pursue, because you will start focusing on focusing.

Keep Your Basics Strong,

Satu

Your Vote And Smile Make The Difference

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Finland will have a presidential election next week, but the advance voting around the globe is already on this week. The ride that I took to the Finnish embassy myself here in Berlin, gave me goosebumps. I rode all the way from the heart of eastern Berlin – Friedrichshain, through the city center with a view of The Brandenburg Gate, to the west of Berlin, which only few decades ago, was just a dream to someone.

By experiencing this road to vote to a foreign embassy, I realized that we have come really far from those horrific times. We do live in uncertain times, in a world that doesn’t promise us much and overloads us with negative news from every social channel. But as a response to all that negativity, we have always the chance to make a positive change. Remember what we have been through as a world, and are still going through. You can start with little gestures yourself, and extend it to your family and friends and all the people you meet and can reach.

The important thing as a society of living human beings, is to connect with one another. We are learning foreign languages to break the barriers, and accepting as well as adapting each others ways of living to build a comfortable common place. We are (also literally) breaking the walls and opening our hearts to new people to enter.

Democratic societies with free elections are one way of making the world a little better, through the leaders. I gave my vote to a candidate that represents the better world for us as human beings in this beautiful nature. My fellow Finns around the world, go and give your own vote for the preferred tomorrow.

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The embassy of Finland ready to receive my vote // Berlin, Germany

And my friends in any country in the world, always take every chance you get, to influence your surroundings to become a little more positive. Smile to the child talking in the bus, help a fallen person back up on their feet, vote when you have elections in your country or area, post positive news and remember to keep your comments constructive in real life as well as online.

Which little gestures do you practice every day, to make this world a little better?

Creating New Culture,

Satu

PS. If you missed my first longer trip to Berlin last November, take a look at my short texts: A Brief Point About Berlin’s History and Experimental Berlin.