Insights from Life: The Stories Behind the 2021 Video Production
In 2021, the second part of the Insights from Life video production was created. The short films, filled with positive energy, tell four inspiring stories of younger talents and influencers from the Kuopio area. The featured individuals include fitness instructor and triathlete Aki Hurula, Roope Hakkarainen from the band Jonas and I, storyteller Jade Jiminez, and designer Satu Nisu. Read about their stories behind the production.
All the videos can be watched on YouTube: Insights from Life – YouTube
Roope Hakkarainen – Singer/Guitarist of Jonas and I
In Roope’s video, the significance of making music is revealed through the story behind the song. Roope composed the music specifically for the video.
“I created the music for my video. This was the first thing that came to mind when I was asked to participate in the video series. The idea for the song and its melody came to me during the phone call, and I went straight to my studio to record the melodies that stuck in my head. The song in the video is the result of that moment’s inspiration.
I was born in Kuopio and have lived here my whole life. I have traveled a lot around the world, but home has always been here. There are sometimes downsides to the hometown, mainly the overly familiar places and circles. That’s when I feel the need to clear my head and find inspiration on the other side of the globe or in the wilderness of Lapland. However, it’s always more pleasant to return home, and I feel that this city is where my inspiration flows most effectively into a finished result.
The Kallavesi water system surrounding the area, always just a short walk away, provides space for thoughts. The significance of water is somewhat crucial, even though I don’t walk by the shores daily or weekly. Even the aforementioned downsides have their strong sides. I enjoy the city, which is big enough to be vibrant but calm when needed… And the distances are always short. It’s the perfect place for me. Home is hard to describe, but everyone knows what it is and how much it means.”
Jonas and I has also released the song Savo Song – listen to it here!
Satu Nisu – Designer and Creator
In Satu’s video, the focus is on craftsmanship and creativity, inspired by nature.
“Without a doubt, my favorite place in Kuopio is Puijo. I get my inspiration for textiles from the forest in Puijo. I spend time there daily when I walk through the forest to work and back home. I dream there, I fantasize there, and my creativity starts flowing, and I come up with new ideas.
I moved to Kuopio about 20 years ago, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I love the forests and lakes in Kuopio. It has everything I need. It’s peaceful and safe here, and it’s always wonderful to return to, even after being around the world. It’s a place that feels like home – that’s what Kuopio is for me.”
Jade Jiminez – A Storyteller
In Jade’s video, we see the story of a young social media content creator who moved to Finland from the other side of the world.
“I just had a lot of fun when shooting the video! Kuopio is a very beautiful city, small, but beautiful and I am so happy – as I said before – that we got to shoot in various places. It was the harbor, the renovated museum and streets, the forest, the lake, the park – I love my small city! I have been living a little over 10 years here and I am sure that I will stay still for some more years. 😊
It’s Inspiring to have the space to discover who you are while exploring and testing all your ideas.
The calm, the quietness, the simpleness of the city… In Kuopio you get to enjoy a good life, even when professionally you may not be occupying a leadership position. For me, Kuopio has been the space where I got my education and kick-started my professional career. This career has allowed me to become financially independent from my parents, who used to pay for absolutely all my expenses when I was a student, and I was able to accomplish this without professionally occupying a position of leadership.
Being able to enjoy a “good life” and have all my “basic needs” covered while being in a city such as Kuopio has allowed me to get creative and play. The calm, quietness and simpleness of the city have given me the space to look inwards, explore and discover who I am, who do I want to be, what are my craziest dreams, what do I want to do, what do I want to have, what do I want to accomplish, what do I need to heal to achieve all of that… At the same time, I have got the space to play and test almost all the crazy projects and ideas that have come to my mind and with that, learn what works and what doesn’t. Do, learn, modify and repeat – that’s the vibe I get in Kuopio.
I always like to say that if you are in Kuopio, you can easily go to Helsinki and easily go to Oulu, in other words, Kuopio is perfectly in the middle. But for those who don’t necessarily like to be moving from place A to place B long distance, Kuopio is a city that has a lot if not everything that you may need to live a happy life. And if there are things that Kuopio does not have yet, then it is the perfect space for you to bring them. Someone once told me that There is really not much happening in Kuopio and I my first thought was Great, then it’s my chance to change that.
Life in Kuopio? It has it all – or almost all. And if there is something that it doesn’t have yet, then it’s your chance to change that – bring it, construct it, start it, make it happen.
Studies in Kuopio? Let’s talk about high school in English (Hi, IB diploma in Kuopion Lyseo lukio), Bachelor programmes in English (Hi, Savonia), Master and PhD studies in English (Hi, UEF). You name it! 😉
Work in Kuopio? There’s options and if you have a car and like to drive, you can have even more options!”
Aki Hurula – Triathlete, ASICS Frontrunner
Aki’s “returnee story” is about a man who has a passion for enjoying endurance sports without a competitive mindset, focusing on movement in both nature and urban environments in different ways.
“What inspires me in the Kuopio area is the calmness, nature, and time.
As a returnee, it’s easy to appreciate that there are more hours in the day. It’s relaxed and pleasant! Nature is nearby, and the training conditions for any sport are incredibly good!
I want to highlight the various possibilities Kuopio offers for outdoor activities and also sports facilities in general. I hope the development continues positively, and the people of Kuopio find an enjoyable way to stay active!”
This video series is the second part of the Insights from Life production (2021). Filled with positive energy, the second part of the short films tells four inspiring stories of younger talents and influencers from the Kuopio area. Featured are fitness instructor and triathlete Aki Hurula, Roope Hakkarainen from the band Jonas and I, storyteller Jade Jiminez, and designer Satu Nisu.
