'EXCELLENCE' a series of short films exploring perfection.
001 Chef Alex Nietosvuori
What distinguishes excellence from mere goodness?
In a series commissioned by my close friend, Brett Viberg, we delve into conversations with individuals whose commitment to quality not only shapes their creative process but also ignites their inspiration and ensures their peace of mind. Viberg Boot stands as a testament to this ethos—a family-owned artisanal shoe company established in 1931 by Brett's grandfather, Edwin Viberg. Their unwavering dedication results in truly exquisite footwear. Through this series, I aim to explore the essence of excellence, whether it's manifested in a Michelin-starred dish, a meticulously crafted pair of boots, or a piece of artwork. We aspire to engage with remarkable individuals, unraveling what drives them and how they maintain their standards.
The first instalment features Chef Alex Neitorsvouri from the Michelin-starred restaurant, Hjem. The pursuit of perfection is epitomised in a Michelin-starred kitchen, and in this film, shot with Alex in his kitchen and at his local supplier, Hexhamshire Organics, Alex delves into the crucial aspects of ingredient sourcing and dedication.
“For me to be able to sleep at night, I need to feel like I’ve done something valuable during the day.”
Behind The Scenes
Getting a peek behind the scenes always adds a fun twist to the storytelling. I'm still buzzing from our recent shoot and can't wait to dive into the next film in our series. We originally planned to wrap it all up in one day, but things took an unexpected turn when one of our crew members got hit with a nasty bout of food poisoning after lunch. We had to scrap the rest of the day's plans and regroup. It ended up pushing us back a few weeks, but it gave us time to review what we had and make some tweaks for the reshoot.
As someone who's more used to spontaneous photography, jumping into the world of filmmaking has been a bit of a shift. When shooting stills I very rarely have a plan before getting on set. But working with editors and camera operators has shown me the value of a bit more pre-shoot planning, especially when it comes to the editing process. Lesson learned!
Despite mainly directing on the day, I'm so glad that I took the time to shoot stills alongside the film. Always great to work with my good friend and long time collaborator Drew Holmes for adding that extra touch of style using products from MARRKT. And big props to the team - Glenn Perry behind the camera, David Scott on editing, and The East Wing handling sound and color. It was a great new experience collaborating with them all and think we can do great things together going forward.
Oh, just remembered whilst posting this that I also shot a couple of rolls of 120 , best get over to TakeItEasy lab pronto, more shots coming soon!
Huge thanks to Brett and everyone involved. Can't wait to get back at it for the next instalment in late March. Stay tuned for more updates!
