Everyone now and then, we’ll share a little bit about the team behind Aalto Studios. Today, we introduce you to Juhani Tenhunen, head of international projects and collaboration at Aalto Studios. Juhani has been at Aalto University for sixteen years, starting as a researcher in the Department of Media before joining Aalto Studios’ predecessor, the Media Factory. Without further ado, here’s a brief interview.
What do you do at Aalto Studios?
Juhani: I’m responsible for international projects and collaboration.
What brought you to Aalto Studios?
I started in the department of media as a producer in one of the research groups, and worked as a researcher in that group after that. I joined Media Factory and was a Factory Manager, and then after the merger, at Aalto Studios.
What’s the most exciting idea, initiative or project you have going on at the moment?
We are now putting together a project that will be about development in the Baltic Sea region, and how to get the creative industry involved. More specifically, we’re talking about tourism, and getting to these remotely situated “memory institutions,” like museums and libraries, that are important to the Baltic Sea region. The project would network all these places so people can find them easily. It should be possible to experience these memory places not only physically, but also digitally.
What is your philosophy in life and how do you apply it to your everyday working methods?
To be honest and humble, that is the main thing. And trust people and be positive — don’t mind the negative things. Try to see things in a humorous way.
Aalto Studios, the media center of the future, goes live in 2021 and is going to have amazing facilities for film, media, VR and sound design. What would you include in the new building dedicated to media?
The most important thing is that it should be a place that you can meet other people; a hub where you can come and always find something interesting. It should be inviting, so people even outside the university feel welcome, and our actions should support bringing people here. Of course, it should be the kind of place where we have professional people to help with almost anything.
Where do you see your own work going? What might it become?
If we can get other similar hubs in Europe and the world connected and working together, I would imagine my position would be in there, at least to try to develop it. I would imagine that there could be more collaboration, and through that we could widen our own perspective and also that of others.