Antti Jokinen

Antti Jokinen

Antti J. Jokinen (2013)
Born Antti J. Jokinen
26 April 1968
Nurmijärvi, Finland
Other names Antti J.
Occupation Music video director, film director
Years active 2000-present
Website
http://www.solarfilms.com

Antti Jokinen (born 26 April 1968 in Nurmijärvi) is a Finnish music video and film director, as well as a former college basketball player.

Biography

Early life

Jokinen attended East Carolina University on a basketball scholarship and later graduated with a major in broadcast and film.

TV career and Music Videos

After his studies in the USA Jokinen moved back to Finland and formed a production company called Storm Inc. together with a Finnish Film Producer Markus Selin. Later on the two formed Solar Films Ltd. which nowadays has become of the leading film production companies in Finland. Jokinen moved from the Finnish music videos to TV by landing a job to directed one episode for a Finnish TV series "Tähtilampun alla" for his newly established production company Solar Films. This lead him to direct another TV series, "Tähtitehdas" also for Solar Films, and once again produced by Selin. The two also continued working together producing multiple music videos for the Finnish and European artists such as Sash. The videos eventually got him an agent in the USA. Jokinen moved back to USA and become a full-time music video director. He directed music videos for artists such as Beyonce, Will Smith, Missy Eliott, Anastacia]], Celine Dion, Thalía,[1] Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Lordi, Nightwish, Shania Twain, Westlife and Wyclef Jean.[2]

Film career

In 2004 a friend of Markus Selin, director Renny Harlin hired Jokinen as a Second Unit Director for his film Exorcist: The Beginning. While preparing and while trying to close a deal with a major studios in Hollywood for his story 'The Resident', Jokinen worked in Finland directing a concert documentary for a Finnish metal band Nightwish and the opening act for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007.

In the spring of 2009 Jokinen started to shoot his first full-length film The Resident, starring Hillary Swank and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The film was released in March 2011. In the USA the straight to DVD film was not well received by the critics. The film was released in theaters in many countries outside of the USA, but only managed to gather a total gross of $489,866 from the box office.

While directing The Resident Jokinen had started to gain funding for a film called Nicholas North.[3] The shooting was set to start in 2010 in Finland. Finnish press reported that Julianne Moore has been cast to play the lead.[4] It was reported in the press that the budget for the film would be 16 million euros. The producers of the film were unable to gather the funding for the film and the filming never took off leading Jokinen's company, Estar Studios ending up in great depths for over 2 million euros.

After moving back to Finland Jokinen was hired to direct a drama film "Puhdistus" set in Estonia, and based upon Sofi Oksanen's book Purge.[5] The film was selected as the Finnish entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.[6] Once again the film was produced by Markus Selin and Solar Films.

In 2014 Jokinen is working on the Finnish film Kätilö "Wildeye" which will have its premier in Finland in 2015.

In 2015 Jokinen is starting to film his second English film The Criminal. according to Hollywood Reporter Keanu Reeves is playing the lead in the film.

Personal life

Jokinen was engaged to Finnish chef Sara La Fountain. After moving to Finland Jokinen met a Finnish actress, Krista Kosonen. Later on Jokinen cast Kosonen to play the leading role in his upcoming film, 'Kätilö'. Jokinen started his career by directing Sport Broadcasts for the Finnish Broadcasting Company in Finland: He landed the job because his father, Juha Jokinen is one of the most well known Sport Journalists in Finland. Jokinen has a son with a Finnish model Niina Kurkinen. Jokinen and Kurkinen had a relationship in the early 2000s. Kurkinen landed one of her first roles in a Finnish TV series "Kirjava Silta" in 2000, directed by Jokinen and produced by Markus Selin, and Solar Films.

References

  1. ↑ es:Tú y yo (canción de Thalía)
  2. ↑ Antti Jokinen videography at mvdbase.com
  3. ↑ "Director Antti Jokinen plans to film big-budget movie in Lapland".
  4. ↑ Julianne Moore Antti J. Jokisen fantasiaelokuvan pääosaan (in Finnish)
  5. ↑ "Antti Jokinen ohjaa elokuvan Sofi Oksasen Puhdistuksesta". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 12 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  6. ↑ Holdsworth, Nick (19 September 2012). "Finland picks 'Purge' for Oscar contest". Variety (Reed Business Information). Retrieved 19 September 2012.

External links