Written by on Sep 22, 2010. Posted in Production News

Kollywood feature Ko shoots in Norway

Kollywood film Ko is currently shooting in several locations in Norway with KV Anand directing. Anand has chosen to film song sequences in locations including UNESCO World Heritage sites Bergen Harbour and Stalheim overlooking the Nareoyfjord.

The Kollywood industry is based in the Kodambakkam district of Chennai in south-east India and is the heart of Tamil cinema production. Ko marks the first time Kollywood has come to Norway. The film tells the story of a photojournalist having various encounters while on an assignment (Images courtesy VPB Media).

Sigmund Holm, of the Western Norway Film Commission, says: “KV Anand and the Indian team chose some of our most extreme glacier-carved peaks and mountain formations as a backdrop. The glaciers and alpine peaks in Western Norway lay as low as 900 metres above sea level and this is a big time and money saver compared to similar locations around the world where you have to get acclimatised and go at least above 3,000 metres to get a similar mountain look.”

Vidar Trellevik, the Line Producer with VPB Media, talks to The Location Guide on a break from shooting a song sequence in Stalheim. The break is unplanned, as the heavens have opened. Speaking from the shelter of his car, he says: “We spent five or six weeks scouting locations in Norway and then the decision was made to spend 10% of the film’s budget shooting here. The unstable weather and adjusting to the Indian work days - which can be 16 hours long – have been the biggest challenges so far.”

CK Ashok, the Location Co-ordinator, is also sheltering from the rain when The Location Guide catches up with him. He says: “We looked all over Europe for places to shoot but there are some amazing locations in Norway. We are keen to show Kollywood audiences landscapes they have never seen before.”

Sigmund explains that the Indian crew brought its own Arri 435 camera with them. When equipment is rented locally it normally comes from Oslo. He adds a word of advice about permitting for motorised transport: “The permitting process for, for example, helicopter landing in the wilderness can take two weeks, so we always recommend that productions get in touch with the Film Commission and a production company as early as possible.”