EnaMOREd, 11min., Finland
Directed by Petri Puroaho
”EnaMOREd” (2023) explores the relationship between reality and dreams. Film shows what is it like to live in parallel world at the same time while coping with the real life events. What we carry in our minds eye can be different than what society assumes from us and even tries to conform us to so called normality when dealing with a persons love-life and relationship.

https://kipikipiweb.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PetriPuroahoFinland/
https://www.instagram.com/we.sock.pp

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Awareness, therapeutic process and time-efficiency. Being myself in a relationship that this film`s theme deals with made it a personal journey, just like my other works of art before. Since the day I started doing music and films, I have always based and rooted all my artistic interpretations and visions from personal experiences or wishes, so I could bring a little bit of hope and enjoyment to the world. I found and got to meet the love of my life just before pandemic started (2019). Then we were torn apart because of restrictions and other things for a long time. So we created a full life online. And last year (2023) we got to meet again. So that time apart was a life-changing experience and made me rethink and re-create my understanding of relationships in a new way. That transformation was so powerful that I felt I wanted to bring a little bit more awareness of that to the world through my film.

And by creating the film it became even almost a therapeutic experience for myself, how to express this phenomenon that I had experienced and lived through (and still living) but this time in film through visuals, music and a story. I also wanted to prove to myself that I could make enough of an impactful story-line with time-efficient length with the film. I wanted to tell so many details and it would have taken hours to explain everything. So I wanted to tackle the theme of the film and get to the heart of it with a few main ideas, and give the audience the chance to fill out the rest of the story in their minds, and the final impact of my film to them would be through their (audience) own reflections.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

One (1) month. The actual film process to finish the product was pretty quick. Because I had lived with this theme in my mind for years, I knew the "material" and themes involved very well. I believe in process writing, so I wrote a new version of the script in a couple of days. Then I took a pause and then re-wrote it enough times again and again, until I was satisfied. Then was the shooting of the visuals. That process changed the story a bit, because I always allowed myself the freedom of following my gut-feeling and letting the process shape the product.

The visuals ended up being a bit different than I thought originally because of what I could shoot and capture during filming-days, so I just adjusted the script according to the visuals, and everything fell into place. I dont force things. I let all the details - art, story, visuals and the final product – live their own lives all the way to the last minute until I feel it's done, except if I still feel there is something to be changed even if the film is already in FilmFreeway -site. Even then I can still go and make changes, which did happen. But now it's done and I am not going to touch it anymore. Making a final product is respecting the needs of the film itself. I dont feel bad if I afterwards notice something that I forgot or something. If I realise something needs to be fixed, then I just go do it. That's it.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Overcome expectations.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

No obstacles, but practical decisions. Because of the idea and the need to present my main ideas and the story in a compact way, I had to think a lot about what I want to say and what not; what do I want to show and how much, and what not and for how long. Those were the main issues for me. I would not describe them as obstacles, but merely challenges and decisions on how to present the story with the ideas and practical material I had. So, the main issue is always which or what I want to focus on and why.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Shock, interest, reflection and wanting to interact. I was shocked when I initially watched the audience feedback -video. But not about what they were saying, but how unclear some of the speech was. Luckily, after many times of repeating the video and using the automatic subtitles, I began to understand all the feedback. Then my interest was raised about what they actually were saying and my hopes and wishes were fulfilled. The audience started to make their own interpretations and reflections from my story. And it was fascinating to hear what they had to say. Even though I expected that audience would most likely see, hear, feel and think something that I had not intended, it is still fascinating and a bit surprising to hear comments like: "nice and creepy (!?)", "is it going to correlate with voice-over?", song & solomon (?)", "dope (!?)", "futuristic", "making us coming to light", "stepping away" and "in your own head". This is the first time that I got audience feedback, so this is a very special moment indeed. So thank you so much. My ultimate wish would be attending a live-screening of my film and interacting with the audience myself right there and then or through interactive online possibilities. But if that is not possible, then I will try to find some other methods to interact.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Understandably my own, because the process of creating something forces me to see my own creation a lot, little by little. But if I would have to choose something from the film world, then I would have to say "E.T. - the extra terrestrial."

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

The problem and challenge in this case can be that I dont know what I dont know yet. So, it's hard to know what could help me with my filmmaking career. But what I think could be useful is to try to find a sponsor, financier and supporter who would share my vision and want to produce a feature film or tv-series or other short films about social issues (because that's my profession and interest in art) about issues that I raised in my film(s). I have a strong idea already in my mind of what I would do, but I am not going to say that here and now. I will keep it for myself, just in case someone gets interested or would steal my ideas. If nobody will be able to help me, then I will do it myself, which would be nothing new because I am a creator.

In a more practical way, I would strongly recommend giving the people who are doing the audience video-feedback, a short introduction to clear speech and presentation skills and also to write things down before delivering the feedback. That will give feedback more impact and clarity, than it did now. I am not complaining. I am merely giving suggestions on how to improve, because you asked for this.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

The FilmFreeway site worked fine. Submitting my film was easy. The festival website, for this time (January 2024) gave information about winners and a chance to look at the audience feedback videos from other filmmakers, which is great. What I would love to see, which I have not yet seen happen in any festival, is to use social media and connect with the audience there while they are still participating in the festival or afterwards. And I am not sure what and how will still happen during this festival practically, but it would be great if direct interaction between the filmmakers and audience and the festival organisers could be coordinated. I would be down for that.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Whatever, anything and everything as long as I can be with my one and only.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I can not say yet. I want to do it first and then talk about it. I am afraid someone will steal my idea if I talk about mine publicly. But what I can say is that I am on a path of wanting to create something that gives out a little bit of hope, I am familiar with the theme and I want to create something that in the end would help understanding between people and therefore making the world a better place. Background work is already happening and script ideas. And also, I am currently editing the material for my next drama-comedy web-series and feature film. The footage was shot already last year in 2 different continents/countries. So it's just getting it all done. This project's name is: "We Sock – End of the world", which is the continument of what we have done with my partner and collaborator the last few years.