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Breaking News: Aito Media launches Aito East
The Finland based production company Aito Media will launch a new division, Aito East. Aito East focuses on productions and formats made in Russia and in other eastern countries.
"In the past 24 months we have created and produced three series in Russia and in Central-Asia. It seems that just now, there is a great appetite for formats and series that are made about Russia, with our Scandinavian point of view", says Aito Media´s MD and executive producer Ilkka Hynninen.
During MIPCOM 2011, Aito East will offer you the award-winning celebrity format Russian Roulette Adventure, scripted formats Across Russia in 30 days and 30 Days on the Silk Road. The series are available as ready-made shows as well. For lifestyle audiences, Aito Media will bring you the Celebrity Russian Food series.
Although the series are made in Russia and about Russia, Aito East is a European company based in Helsinki, Finland. The focus is to develop and produce formats and scripted life style series that happen in Russia and in the former Soviet countries, bringing the multiplicity and richness of Russian speaking cultures to the Western world.
The key operators of Aito East are Chief Creative Officer Vera Olsson and Creative Director Ville Haapasalo.
Ville Haapasalo is also one of the most popular Russian film actors. "Russia and the former Soviet countries are completely unknown to many people. Through Aito East, we can offer entertaining programming and, at the same time, familiarize the exotic country of Russia which is my second native country", says actor and creative director of Aito East, Ville Haapasalo.
Vera Olsson is a multitasking producer, who has worked for 15 years in the Finnish TV industry. She also writes and directs programs, and develops formats. "As a European, who has produced shows about Russia and Central-Asia for Europe, I have an excellent view how things should be at their best", says Vera.
"Through our experience and connections, we can offer formats, scripted life style and production services to suit the Western needs."
AITO EAST in a Nutshell
- Formats and scripted life style shows produced in Russia, with a European knowledge, touch and feel.
- European formats about Russia and in Russia.
- Smashing new ways to bring Russia and the former Soviet countries to Western television, with European knowledge and style.
SLATE MIPCOM 2011:
Entertainment:
Russian Roulette Adventure
- One-liner: Find out the most Russian celebrity of your country!
- Winner of the Nordic World Pitch format competition, August 2011
- Optioned in US, GB and Sweden
- The format shows six celebrities racing across Russia from St. Petersburg to Siberia. Along the way they will compete in different Russian missions: They will hunt bears, race against time from Omsk to Tomsk, and play balalaika in a barrel.
Scripted Life Style Shows:
- Two scripted travel formats hosted by the celebrity of your country.
Across Russia in 30 Days
- Production engine, scripts and facilities are ready for a 30-day adventure on the Trans-Siberian railroad from Moscow to Vladivostok. Just choose your celebrity and jump into a Russian adventure!
- The Finnish version was the most watched weekly series ever on YLE Teema and Swedish SVT1.
30 Days on the Silk Road
- 10 episodes, 44min.
- Production engine, scripts, travel plans and facilities are ready for a 30-day adventure across Central Asia, in the former Soviet countries, from Georgia to Mongolia.
- The Finnish version will be aired on YLE Teema in January 2012 and on Scandinavian public broadcasters' channels during 2012.
Life Style:
Celebrity Russian Food
- 10 episodes, 10 celebrities of your choice, 10 Russian recipes, 10 days of adventure in Russia.
- Location: mystical St. Petersburg and majestic Moscow.
- Celebrities from your country will meet a Russian chef and actor, Ville Haapasalo. He will show celebrities "his" cities and teach them Russian recipes.
- Language with the chef English.
- Aito Media / Aito East will provide the production engine, travel plans, facilities, scripts etc.
- The Finnish version aired on MTV3 MAX in spring 2011 and will be aired on MTV 3 as a rerun.
Aito East, Creative Director, Ville Haapasalo
Ville Haapasalo is an acclaimed stage and film actor in Finland and Russia. His acting career started in 1995 after finishing studying in St. Petersburg. His first film Peculiarities of National Hunt (1995) became a nation-wide hit in Russia and it still remains a national icon. Ville Haapasalo has been awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation for his starring role in the film Cuckoo.
Ville owns two advertising agencies that develop marketing campaigns for European brands on the Russian market. He is also a claimed film producer. Aito Media and Ville Haapasalo have been in collaboration since 2009 and produced formats and series about Russia for Scandinavian television.
"Russia and the former Soviet countries are completely unknown for many people. Through this company, we can offer entertaining programming and, at the same time, familiarize the exotic country of Russia which is my second home land", says actor and creative director of Aito East, Ville Haapasalo.
Aito East, Chief Creative Officer, Vera Olsson
Vera Olsson is a multitasking producer, who has worked for 15 years in the Finnish TV industry. She also writes and directs programs, and develops formats. She joined the Aito Media team in 2009 and since then she has developed, produced, and directed shows filmed East from Finland: in Russia and in Central-Asia.
"As a European who has produced shows about Russia and Central-Asia for Europe, I have an excellent view of how things should be at their best. Aito East brings European knowledge on productions that happen in Russia or are about Russia. Through our experience and connections, we can offer formats, scripted life style programs and production services to suit the Western needs."
More information:
Vera Olsson: +358 40 5232927
vera.olsson (at) aitoeast.com
Ville Haapasalo, Helsinki +358 405121022, Moscow +79261604477
Ville.haapasalo (at) aitoeast.com
Ilkka Hynninen +358 50 5444722
ilkka.hynninen (at) aitomedia.fi
Managing Director
Eero Hietala + 358 50 3682818
eero.hietala (at) aitomedia.fi
Chairman of the Board
AITO EAST AT MIP COM 2011: FAVEX STAND nro. LR1.05
www.aitoeast.com
Aito Media and Ville Haapasalo attract celebrities to Russia
Aito Media’s format Russian Roulette wins the Nordic Format Award.
Television production company Aito Media’s Russian Roulette format was chosen as the best Finnish format in the Nordic World Pitch competition in Copenhagen. Aito Media received a prize of 10 000 Euros to be used for the development of the format.
The format shows six celebrities racing across Russia from St. Petersburg to Siberia. Along the way they will compete in different Russian missions: They will hunt bears, race against time from Omsk to Tomsk, and play balalaika in a barrel.
– Russia is a completely unknown country for many people. Through this format we can offer entertaining programming and, at the same time, familiarize the exotic country of Russia, says Aito Media’s Executive Producer Ilkka Hynninen. The format is co-produced by Ville Haapasalo. Aito Media and Ville Haapasalo have produced e.g. Golden Venla winning series “Across Russia in 30 Days” for YLE and “Zakuska, horosho!” series for MTV3.
– This is a Russian flavored format where nothing succeeds but everything eventually works out fine, Ville Haapasalo says. Nordic World Pitch brought together production companies from the Nordic region. The best ideas were presented to the program buyers of the countries’ biggest commercial channels. MTV3 was represented from Finland, TV2 from Norway, TV4 from Sweden, and TV2 from Denmark. One format from each country was awarded.
– For example, Aito Media’s format was opted to the United States and to the Great Britain. I am confident that during the next year many excellent original ideas from Finland will end up in the small screen across the world, says Nordic World’s Operative and Sales Director Jan Salling.
More information:
Ilkka Hynninen: +358 50 544 4722
ilkka.hynninen (at) aitomedia.fi
Eero Hietala: +358 50 368 2818
eero.hietala (at) aitomedia.fi
Jan Salling: +45 40 46 56 98
jan.salling (at) nordicworld.tv
Customs airs on Yle TV2 in July
“Customs”, a series produced by Aito Media, allows a look on the interesting work of the customs officials. The eight episodes follow the action in all customs departments: at the Ground, the Sea, and the Flight Customs and at the Vaalimaa border station between Finland and Russia.
Customs officers keep their eyes open for smugglers traveling by cars, trucks, planes, and boats as well as for dodgy in- and outbound packages. The customs’ dogs get a piece of the action too when sniffing for illegal substances at the flight and sea terminals on people and in vehicles as well as on parcels at the logistics centers.
Customs on Yle TV2 on Thursdays at 10.05pm starting July 7th.
Riding Crazy Taxis on Jim in 2012
”Crazy Taxi” is a new 40-episode entertainment series from Aito Media. It will be broadcasted on Jim in spring of 2012. Series lets us ride along eight different taxi drivers on the eventful Greater Helsinki streets. You’ll be surprised to see what kind of stories the weekend nights behold! And anyone from politicians to bachelor parties could hop on the backseat.
Crazy Taxi on Jim in 2012.
Popular Night Shift continues in 2012 with its 4th season
Filming for the fourth season of ”The Night Shift” has begun and the 56 episodes will be canned during summer and fall 2011. The new season will air on Jim in spring of 2012.
This documentary show depicts the daily work of police patrols in the night shift. The fourth season introduces nine different patrols in eight different cities: Helsinki (two patrols), Vantaa, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kotka, Pori, Kuopio ja Hämeenlinna.
Since it first aired, “The Night Shift” has been the most watched series on Jim. All in all 3,4 million Finns have seen the show – that’s over two thirds (72%) of the population. * The first airings of the episodes have gathered over 210 000 viewers in average. (Source: Finnpanel Oy, TV-meter research AdEdge)
* at least 5 min continuous watching on Channel Four (Nelonen) or on Jim, including the first airing, express rerun and the reruns in the 10+ target group during years 2009-2011.
The Night Shift season 4 on Jim in spring 2012.
New distribution partners for Aito Media
This MIPTV you will find Aito content from booths of Cable Ready, Nordic World, Digital Rights Group and Small World.
Finnish-based production and content company expands from formats to sell also its finished productions. 48-episode series Rescue Helicopter will be distributed by Cable Ready. It has been on air successfully on Channel JIM.
At this MIPTV Aito Media’s format slate includes The Biggest - a brand new prime time entertainment presenting the nation’s biggest, most expensive, oldest and a whole lot of other superlatives.
Nordic World is distributing Aito/YLE formats Want to Be an Astronaut? and game show Your Mum Was an Ape!. Aito Media has also long lasting relationship with Small World IFT. They are distributing Aito Media´s Rose d´Or nominated show The Day Before I Die.
- We love our four best friends. They are our speakers for the world. Our key staff will concentrate more and more in content creation, says Aito Media´s CEO Ilkka Hynninen
Golden Venla award to series Across Russia in 30 Days
Across Russia in 30 Days was awarded as the best Finnish Lifestyle program in 2010. The series received a Golden Venla from the Finnish Academy of Television.
- This recognition was substancial because of tough competition. Mostly we want to thank YLE Teema that trusted Aito Media to handle this challenging and surpriceful production, says Aito Media's Creative Director Eero Hietala.
Series will be on air also in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Four new prime time series!
Aito Media has a strong factual entertainment start for 2011.
Special Border Jaegers is a documentary series about the most demanding Finnish soldier training at a garrison in Eastern Finland. The series follows six draftees as they go through the yearlong training of Special Border Guard. Purpose is to make tough fighters by taking the men to their extreme mental and physical capacity. Shown on YLE Channel 2 every Thursday at 7:20 pm since March 10th.
Heartbeat is a 16-episode series in which families face one of the biggest turning points in their life – a birth of a child. This real life documentary series follows the families as they experience hope, fear and anticipation before the big day. We follow the families to the maternity ward and join in their joy as a new baby is born. Does a mother win her fear of giving birth? Can a wannabe rock star take on the role of a responsible father? Shown on YLE Channel 2 every Friday at 8:00 pm since January 28th.
Zakuska, horosho! is a masculine culinary trip to Russia with a Finn Ville Haapasalo who is a well-known top elite actor in Russia. Very few people know that he is also passionate in cooking Russian food. In Zakuska, horosho! he invites Finnish celebrities to his Russian home towns Moscow and St. Petersburg to cook Russian specialities seasoned with smetana sour cream, butter, and thrilling stories. Shown on MTV3 MAX every Tuesday at 9:00 pm since January 18th.
Season Three of The Night Patrol started early January on JIM. The documentary series has 56 episodes and each episode follows one patrol during their night shift. The third season shows police work in eight Finnish cities. Shown on JIM every Mon-Thu at 8:30 pm since January 10th.
The Day Before I Die receives Rose d'Or nomination
Aito's The Day Before I Die is nominated for Best Reality and Factual Entertainment Show.
The show was aired on 2009 on Nelonen / Channel 4 Finland and is distributed by Small World IFT. The Day Before I Die was recently optioned to US by Scott Sternberg Productions.
- We at Aito Media are extremely happy for our first Rose d'Or nomination. Big thanks go to Nelonen and our friends at Small World for all their help and support, says Eero Hietala, Creative Director of Aito.
The Night Patrol format travels and gets bigger – 56 episodes in Finland and sold in US!
The Night Patrol format has been just sold for Scott Sternberg productions and Weinberger Media in US. The producers of ON THE CASE with Paula Zahn now in its second season on Investigation Discovery. "We are so thrilled to have a tremendously successful producer like Scott Sternberg take on these shows to adapt to the US market. He knows how to make hits! Plus he looks good in a dress."
From the beginning the series have been a great success. Reality series on police work broke all time audience record for JIM by reaching a 15% share. The third season contains 56 epiodes and will be the biggest docu-reality season in Finland ever.
”The interest in the series only increases all the time. Channel Jim viewers want more. And therefore the production season will be bigger than before and more versatile.”, says JIM Channel Director Ville Toivonen.
The Night Patrol tells the story of one police team's events during one night shift. The third season will be filmed in 9 different cities in Finland.
”This is the maybe first police show which is not concentrating in action. We get to know the two members of the patrol: who they are, what they hope and wish for, and what they fear. The relationship between police officers is the main element of the series. The format makes compelling viewing even if the events of the night are not extraordinary or otherwise stunning”, says Aito Media´s managing director Ilkka Hynninen
The format is very cost effective to produce. Each episode can be filmed within 1,5 days with a small crew.
Scott Sternberg productions and Weinberg Media bought also the US format rights of Aito reality series The Day Before I Die. Both formats have been created by Aito Media and distibuted by Small World international television.
Tim Crescenti’s Small World takes on Aito formats
Aito Media and Small World International Format Television tighten their cooperation. Small World starts representing Aito Media’s Night Patrol, that broke an all-time audience record by reaching a 15% share for Finnish Channel JIM. Night Patrol continues with new episodes airing this autumn.
Other Aito format migrating to Small World catalogue is the new format The Day Before I Die.
- Aito Media is one of our most important partners. Not only they are incredibly creative but also damn zany. We love them!, said Tim Crescenti, Small World president. - The most promising new format is Rescuing Santa game show, which will go in production for multiple territories in Finnish Lapland next year.
Aito Media has cooperated with Small World earlier. Aito optioned Small World’s Big in Japan which won the prestigious Golden Rose at the Rose d´or in May and sold in 19 other countries.
- Tim Crescenti and the entire Small World team are a valued partner for us and an important access to the international marketplace, said Ilkka Hynninen, Aito Media CEO. - Working with them is not only productive, but a lot of fun at the same time, he continued.
Small World IFT is a format company based in California. Crescenti has sold and produced over 135 series in 60 countries. Tim Crescenti is the man behind such formats as Nippon TV´s Dragon’s Den, and Silent Library.
Aito represents YLE formats
Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE and Aito Media have signed an agreement on format development and representation. The deal gives Aito Media exclusive rights in the public broadcaster’s formats it develops and distributes.
- We value Aito Media’s impressive track record in creating innovative television formats and look forward to expanding YLE’s role in the international market place, said Ingegerd Pesonen, Head of Programming.
- The deal also gives us valuable knowhow in format development and helps us to understand this side of the TV business better, she continued.
Aito and YLE aim to co-develop several formats every year. The formats are new original ideas or they are based on past programming successes.
- The deal with YLE will give us access to YLE’s vast catalogue of in house programming and is a significant addition to Aito’s role as the leading format house in Finland, said Ilkka Hynninen Aito’s CEO. - We look forward to a fruitful long term relationship with YLE, Hynninen said.
Aito Media’s Format Factory produces factual entertainment properties. The company has created several television series for Finnish channels and the international market place. Currently, Aito Media has six series in production. Its latest series, The Night Patrol was a ratings winner for Channel Four owned JIM. The opening episode was JIM’s most watched program ever.
YLE is Finland’s public broadcasting company with a combined share of 45% of the total television viewing. The company operates four television channels and several radio stations.
For further information on YLE, please visit www.yle.fi.
Night Patrol Tops the Charts
Aito Media's reality series on police work broke all time audience record for JIM by reaching a 15% share. The series' opening episode on January 26 had an impressive audience of 247.000 viewers, which is about 100.000 viewers more than JIM's previous top one program. JIM has an average channel share of 3%.
The Night Patrol tells the story of one police team's events during one night shift. It is an original Aito created concept and it is being developed into an international format.
The series commission for Channel Four Finland's sister channel JIM is 16 half an hour episodes. The Night Patrol airs on Mondays at 10 pm.
Aito Media Hires Olsson
Vera Olsson has been appointed as a producer for Finnish prodco Aito Media Ltd. Her main responsibilities are producing prime time series and developing new television formats. Olsson’s career covers both Metronome Film & Television and FremantleMedia Finland; among other series she has produced Dragon’s Den and From Dumpster to Dreamhouse for Finland.
- Olsson’s appointment makes Aito Media a stronger production house and improves our position as an international content company, said CEO Ilkka Hynninen.