From the Ground Up

Helicopters, often seen as risky in movies, differ in reality. Experienced helicopter pilots, Andreas Hjert, Kristian Krog, and Marthijn over de Linden, share their careers to debunk these misconceptions. Each pilot's early passion for flying led them to pursue diverse paths within the industry, including aerial work, offshore wind energy, and air ambulance services. Safety is crucial in the industry, and simulator training plays a significant role in ensuring consistent and safe training. The pilots also balance their careers with personal lives, with their partners often making independent family decisions. The rotor industry has a global impact on various sectors.

  • Vertti Virkajärvi
    Director
    Stand Up
  • Isabella Presnal
    Writer
    FEMALE: Why not just filmmaker?
  • Isabella Presnal
    Producer
    FEMALE: Why not just filmmaker?
  • Andreas Hjert
    Key Cast
  • Kristian Krog
    Key Cast
  • Marthijn over de Linden
    Key Cast
  • Joni Koukku
    Co-Producer
  • Isabella Presnal
    Editor
  • Vertti Virkajärvi
    Editor
  • Janne Häkkinen
    Director of Photography
  • Lou Strömberg
    2nd Unit Director and Sound Recordist
  • Kristian Presnal
    Additional Cinematography & Still Photography
  • Matt Presnal
    Technical Aviation Advisor & Transportation Logistics
  • Silja Lampela
    Production Management & Additional Sound
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    23 minutes 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 2, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland
  • Country of Filming:
    Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Vertti Virkajärvi

Vertti Virkajärvi is a director known for his character-driven projects, which are visually stunning, but intimate at the same time. He is a graduate of the Raindance Postgraduate Program (London, UK). During his studies, he focused on using improvisational techniques in directing actors and explored naturalist film movements. His graduation film, Stand Up (2017), premiered at the Raindance Film Festival (UK) in 2017 and ended its extended festival circuit at the Nevada City Film Festival (USA) in 2019. After Raindance, he's been directing and producing commercial films around the world with No-Office Films. He co-produced the feature film Sound of Violence (2021) which premiered at SXSW in 2021. Vertti has directed music videos for Finnish top-tier bands and artists, such as Blind Channel, The Rasmus, and Paula Vesala.

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