Finnish prodcos Whatevergroup, Mutant Koala merge to form Whatever Pictures

Finnish scripted independent production companies Whatevergroup and Mutant Koala Pictures are merging to form Whatever Pictures.

The Whatever Pictures team

The two Finnish scripted indies have worked side by side in the country’s far north and will now form a new scripted studio with global ambition.

Headquartered in Oulu, Whatever Pictures will have a slate that spans thrillers, mysteries, dramas, comedies and select high-end documentaries.

Whatever Pictures will collaborate with writers, directors and creative talent, both locally and internationally as well as coproducers, sales agents and broadcasters. The company will produce original productions, coproductions, provide production services and post-production coordination.

Its first project as a merged entity will be Torna a Surriento, a European coproduction with Glassriver in Iceland, Rein Film in Norway and Viola Films in Italy for Finland’s YLE, Icelandic streamer Siminn and Italy’s Rai.

The Whatever Pictures team comprises CEO and producer Antti Kaarlela, creative producers Jukka Vidgren and Antti Kairakari, chief financial officer and line producer Pia Ervasti, head of development Aleksi Puranen and VFX supervisor Petteri Staven.

“Our job up here is equal parts grit and ambition,” says Kaarlela. “Crossing a swamp on Tuesday and a red carpet on Friday are part of the same week. We know the north, we know our craft, and we believe the extremes we live with every day – light, dark, isolation, humour – are the perfect foundation for stories that resonate everywhere.”

Vidgren said: “Creating stories people want to watch is what we have done separately for a long time – in Finland, across Scandinavia and around the globe – and now, collectively.”