The next thing was to try to find a film company who could do it; there really wasn’t a great selection. I luckily got in talks with Helsinki Cable Television (HTV). HTV had a big TV studio and the latest wonders of 1” video technology (they looked like big old IBM computers with tape reels).

The next problem was that the video I was planning would have cost more than £500 000, in modern currency. Well, we didn’t have that kind of money like Jehtro Tull or Blondie who had the backing of a global record company with huge sales revenues :) One of my strong points has always been the ability to get people excited about projects. “Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before”; so here I was, the first time Producer/Director, without any experience in video, putting together a very ambitious full album length story based music video project, without any money!

HTV had two young guys; Jari Mynttinen (video editor) and Harri Väätäinen (cameraman) who were really excited to try the limits of video technology. Their boss was one of those very few people who could see the bigger picture.

We were able to strike a deal where I promised to raise 20 000 FIM (equals to £20 000 today) and then HTV would let the boys spend their free time on the video, off working hours. Luckily they didn’t realize that this project would take half a year to finish! We spent countless nights and weekends at the studio experimenting with the new music video language.

Raising the money was another river to cross... I managed to talk a lot of people into the project; some giving money and some giving their time and equipment. I needed Guns, Motorcycles (Suzuki), an Army Transport Vehicle, Computers (IBM), Skidoos, Motocross cycles, a Customised Lorry, PA Systems, Parachuters, Locations (Linnunlaulu, IBM...) to mention a few... In the end it all somehow came together, perhaps because I’m blessed with ADHD, giving me endless energy and optimism.

We also had my (Russian) Lada Niva 4 wheel drive a la American Pickup style :) The Lada importer promised us money but being new to this I didn’t make an agreement on paper and the marketing director of this fine commercial enterprise refused to pay! A lesson learned there. (That Lada was the worst car I’ve ever had, luckily I was later able trade it for a Land Rover.) The American Style Lada created a lot of negative attention on the streets of Helsinki as car enthusiast saw it as a abomination and sacrilege to the American way. I didn’t think that Lada was a cool car but it was the only 4 Wheel drive I could afford :(