Body Language Zone

Directed by Kim Saarinen
Director of Photography Kim Saarinen
Choreographer Johanna Keinänen
Dancer Johanna Keinänen
Composer Dave Forestfield
Voice over Sami Kojonen
Editing Kim Saarinen

In four episodes a consultant gives expert advice on body language for the office environment.

Awards Best Film (Stories We Dance), Best Film (First-Time Filmmakers Showcase), Moviezone Go Short Award (Go Short – International Short Film Festival Nijmegen), Best of Show + Best Editing + Excellence Lead Actress (Depth of Field – International Film Festival Competition), Best Performance (Video Dance International Competition of the Inshadow Festival), Best Film Score Award (Defy Film Festival),

Interview with Directors Kim Saarinen

Describe, in as many or as few words as you see fit, the genesis of or inspiration behind Body Language Zone?
The starting point came from choreographer Johanna Keinänen who wanted to make short ”instructional” and funny internet videos about body language in different places. The more we discussed about it the more it looked to me it would work better if we’re going to make a movie about it. So we decided to make four individual episodes where an office worker ’teach’ how to use your body language.

How long did Body Language Zone take to film? How long was post-production?
Body Language Zone was filmed in three days and post-production took about three weeks (editing, color grading and composing music for each episodes). 

If this is your first dance for film production, what are a few things you learned about making a dance for film that surprised you? If this is not your first dance for film production, what are a few things that you are continually trying to refine or learn as you have sought to work thru this medium of dance and film together?
This was my first film and also my first dance for film production. I think the terms surprised me little bit. I’m used to use terms from film industry, but for a dancer/choreographer the same terms or names meant different things. We managed to learn something new from each other and the communication was spot on. Also making a story with dance is different approach than in normal fiction film.

What is interesting or intriguing to you about dance for film vs. dance for stage? Or, if you are coming from a film background and working with dance is a more new medium for you, what drew you to wanting to capture and work with dance?
I’m coming from a film background so I thought my first film is going to be some short fiction drama but instead it was a dance for film! When the choreographer asked me for the job I was thrilled. I haven’t seen any dance films (only couple of musicals) before so dance as a medium was interesting. I have done some video trailers for dance theaters but other than that I was totally new to that. I then watched couple of short dance films online and thought that I didn’t want to do the same things others have done. The dance itself is improvised on Body Language Zone. I direct Johanna by telling about the scene and what she can do in it. Sometimes I shoved some moves and she totally nailed it every time so there wasn’t any need to film any second takes. I wanted the dancing to be an organic moment so that’s why 99 percent of the scenes were filmed only one time. 

Are there any projects, dance film or otherwise, that you are working on currently that you would like to share with our audience?
I’m making visuals for the dance theatre piece in Finland. Later I’m making a new short dance film which theme is life.