Big Stage Lab: Artistic Design and Production in the Performing Arts II – Video Design for the Big Stage
In 2026–2027, the Helsinki City Theatre will organise the international Big Stage Lab seminar series, which examines the artistic design and production of large-scale stage works. The aim of the series is to support the skills and career paths of performing arts professionals.
The second part of the seminar series is a two-day event that deals with video design from the perspectives of artistic design and technical implementation. On Thursday 8 October, the artistic designers will go through case examples from their own work.
The training day on Friday 9 October will focus on practical work from a touring perspective and open up the opportunities offered by a larger scale. During the training day, we will go through the construction of a video system from a smaller scale to a larger implementation. The training provides tools for video designers at the beginning of their careers and inspiration for those who have worked with the topic for a longer time.
Time: Thu 8.10 at 11–15.30 and Fri 9.10.2026 at 11–15
Location: Helsinki City Theatre, studio Elsa (Ensi Linja 2, Helsinki)
The speakers of the seminar day were the main camera operator of the Rahamaa performance at the Tampere Theatre Festival, Estonian cinematographer Ivar Taim, visualist Ville Seppänen , and video designer and media artist Paula Lehtonen together with video designer Ida Järvinen . The seminar will be moderated by Heikki Örn, Technical Manager of Espoo Theatre.
The event is a place of collegial sharing for designers working in and interested in video design and other performing arts professionals, such as directors, choreographers and producers.
Seminar day schedule 8.10.
10.30 – doors open
11.00–11.10 – Welcome and the course of the day
11.10–12.10 – Ivar Taim: case Rahamaa
12.15–13.15 – Ville Seppänen: case Suliko
13.15–14.00 – lunch break at your own expense
14.00–15.00 – Paula Lehtonen and Ida Järvinen: case The Second Republic
15.00–15.30 – Summary of the day and final discussion
15.45–19.00 – informal afterparty at Juttutupa
Training day schedule 9.10.
10.30 – doors open
11:00–13:00 – Lauri Lundahl: tour readiness and video systems
13.00–13.45 – lunch break at your own expense
13.45–14.45 – Timo Teräväinen: Towards working on the big stage – case The story of a laughing tramp
14.45–15.00 – Summary of the day and final discussion
19.00 – Elina Pirinen: Ghosts of Rosegarden (Dance House Helsinki, Erkko Hall)
Registration
The seminar will be held in Finnish and English. The language of the training day is Finnish. Admission to the events is free with pre-registration. Register for the events here by 4.10. at 23.59. If you wish, you can only participate in one event day.
Participants of the Big Stage Lab event can get a discount ticket of 19 euros to Elina Pirinen’s Ghosts of Rosegarden performance at Dance House Helsinki on 9 October at 19:00 (for price area B, normal discount price 22 euros). The performance ticket is reserved at the time of event registration.
Speakers
Paula Lehtonen is a freelance video designer and media artist who has done video designs for performances by the National Theatre, Svenska teatern and Teatteri Jurkka, among others, most recently The Second Republic. In addition to working in theatres, Lehtonen works as a media artist in the field of visual arts, and her video works are in the art collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, EMMA and Wihuri. Lehtonen’s short films and video works have been screened at DocPoint and at several international film festivals.
www.paulalehtonen.net
Ville Seppänen has a bachelor’s degree in theatre and a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Helsinki (Teak) and a master’s degree in film and television from Tallinn (BFM). Seppänen’s visualisations have been seen on the stages of institutional theatres and independent theatres around Finland and Europe. Seppänen has worked in theatre, contemporary dance and opera as a lighting and video designer, set designer and dramaturg. In addition to performing arts, Seppänen has made documentaries, installations, music videos and music. Seppänen appreciates free thinking and radical art.
www.seppaenen.com
Ivar Taim (ESC) is an Estonian cinematographer who works in both film and theatre. In the Estonian Drama Theatre’s sold-out performance of Rahamaa (2024), which combines theatre and live film, he was responsible for the design of the camera movement, stage operations and visual identity, as well as developed the camera technology tailored for the performance in close cooperation with director Hendrik Toompere Jr. and video director Ove Musting. The performance has visited the Tampere Theatre Festival and the Dailes Theatre in Riga, among others. Taim studied at the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School and holds a Master of Film Arts degree from the Norwegian Film School. His film work includes The Black Hole (2025), Erik Stoneheart (2022), and As I Fall (2018). In addition, he has worked as a camera operator in the television series Karppi and The Man Who Died.
www.ivartaim.com
Lauri Lundahl is a freelance lighting designer and presentation technology expert. Lundahl, who graduated from the Theatre Academy, has worked with performing arts and events on large stages, festival arenas and found spaces. As an artist, she is interested in the relationship between space and light, light architecture, landscape and the creation of worlds. Lundahl works in a variety of ways at the interface of technology and art, both as a designer for small independent groups and large-scale productions, as a technical producer and as a craftsman for demanding productions.
Ida Järvinen currently works as a permanent video designer and producer at the Finnish National Theatre. The work includes video planning and live video designs, producing video material for the theatre’s marketing and working as a live cinematographer. In addition to the Finnish National Theatre, he has worked with live video, e.g. Q-teatteri and KOM-teatteri. Järvinen has worked as a live cinematographer in more than twenty performances in 15 years.
Timo Teräväinen graduated as a cinematographer from Aalto University and has worked extensively in the film and TV industry as well as in theatres. His video design works for the big stage include Here Under the North Star 2011, The Patriarch, The Caves, Possible Worlds, Fog and Docents at the National Theatre, as well as Let’s Play Business and The Story of a Laughing Tramp at the Helsinki City Theatre. At the Espoo City Theatre, she has worked in the Performance Economy trilogy, among other things. The longest-standing partner has been Juha Jokela.
Organizers
In 2026–2027, Helsinki City Theatre will organise an international seminar series called Big Stage Lab, which examines the artistic design and production of works on the big stage. The aim of the series is to support the skills and career paths of performing arts professionals.
The partners of the series are Cullberg (Sweden) and Dansehallerne (Denmark) as well as the Loisto project (Zodiak – Centre for New Dance, Cirko – Centre for New Circus, Dance House Helsinki).
The seminar series is supported by the Nordic Culture Fund
For more information about the seminar series, please contact:
Director of the Helsinki City Theatre’s dance troupe Valtteri Raekallio (valtteri.raekallio@hkt.fi)
Contemporary performance stage curator Riikka Thitz (riikka.thitz@hkt.fi)
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Big Stage Lab: Artistic Design and Production in the Performing Arts II – large-scale video design
Helsinki City Theatre is organizing the international Big Stage Lab seminar series in 2026–2027, focusing on the artistic design and production of large-scale stage works. The aim of the series is to support the professional development and career pathways of performing arts practitioners.
The second installment of the seminar series is a two-day event that explores video design from both artistic and technical perspectives. During the seminar day on Thursday, October 8, designers will present case studies from their own work and creative processes.
On the trainind day, Friday, October 9, the focus will shift to practical working methods from a touring perspective, while also highlighting the opportunities offered by large-scale productions. Throughout the day, participants will examine how to build a video system, progression from smaller-scale setups to more extensive implementations. The training provides practical tools for video designers at the beginning of their careers, as well as inspiration for professionals who have been working with the subject for a longer time.
Time: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 11:00-15:30 and Friday, October 9, 2026, 11:00-15:00
Venue: Helsinki City Theatre, studio Elsa, (Ensi Linja 2, Helsinki)
The speakers at the seminar day will be Ivar Taim, the Estonian cinematographer who served as the principal camera operator for Rahamaa, a production seen at the Tampere Theatre Festival; visualist Ville Seppänen; and video designer and media artist Paula Lehtonen together with video designer Ida Järvinen. The seminar will be moderated by Heikki Örn, Technical Director at & Espoo Theatre.
The event provides a platform for peer-to-peer exchange among professionals working in video design, as well as those interested in the field, including directors, choreographers, producers, and other performing arts practitioners.
Seminar Day Schedule, October 8
10:30 – Doors open
11:00-11:10 – Welcome and introduction to the day
11:10-12:10 – Ivar Taim: case Rahamaa (Business as Usual)
12:15-13:15 – Ville Seppänen: Case Study: Suliko
13:15-14:00 – Lunch break (self-funded)
14:00-15:00 – Paula Lehtonen and Ida Järvinen: Case Study: The Second Republic
15:00-15:30 – Summary of the day and closing discussion
15:45-19:00 – Informal after-event gathering at Juttutupa
Training Day Schedule, October 9
10:30 – Doors open
11:00-13:00 – Lauri Lundahl: Touring readiness and video systems
13:00-13:45 – Lunch break (self-funded)
13:45-14:45 – Timo Teräväinen: Towards large-scale stage production – case The story of a laughing tramp
14:45-15:00 – Summary of the day and closing discussion
19:00 – Elina Pirinen: Ghosts of Rosegarden (Dance House Helsinki, Erkko Hall)
Registration
The seminar languages are Finnish and English. The language of the training day is Finnish. Attendance at all events is free of charge, subject to advance registration.
Register for the events via the registration link no later than October 4 at 23:59. Participants may choose to attend either one or both event days.
Participants in the Big Stage Lab event may purchase a discounted ticket to Elina Pirinen’s Ghosts of Rosegarden at Dance House Helsinki on October 9 at 19:00 for €19 (Section B; regular discounted price €22). Performance tickets can be reserved when registering for the event.
Speakers
Paula Lehtonen is a freelance video designer and media artist whose video designs have been featured in productions at institutions including the Finnish National Theatre, Svenska Teatern, and Theatre Jurkka, most recently in Another Republic. Alongside her theatre work, Lehtonen is active in the visual arts field as a media artist. Her video works are included in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, and the Wihuri Art Collection. Her short films and video works have been screened at DocPoint and numerous international film festivals.
www.paulalehtonen.net
Ville Seppänen holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from Theatre Academy in Helsinki and a master’s degree in cinematic arts from Tallinn (BFM). His visual designs have been presented on the stages of both institutional theatres and independent performing arts venues throughout Finland and Europe. Seppänen has worked in theatre, contemporary dance, and opera as a lighting designer, video designer, set designer, and dramaturg. In addition to his stage work, Seppänen has created documentary films, installations, music videos, and music. He values free thinking and radical art.
www.seppaenen.com
Ivar Taim (ESC) is an Estonian cinematographer working across film and theatre. For the Estonian Drama Theatre’s “Rahamaa” (“Business as Usual”, 2024), a sold-out production merging theatre with live cinema, he designed the camera movement, blocking and visual approach and developed its custom camera technology, in close collaboration with director Hendrik Toompere jr and video director Ove Musting. The production has toured to Tampereen Teatterikesä and Riga’s Dailes Theatre. Taim studied at the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School and holds a master’s from the Norwegian Film School. His film credits include “The Black Hole” (2025), “Erik Stoneheart” (2022) and “As I Fall” (2018), and he has operated camera on the Finnish series “Karppi” (“Deadwind”) and “The Man Who Died“.
www.ivartaim.com
Lauri Lundahl is a freelance lighting designer and performance technology specialist. A graduate of the Theatre Academy, Lundahl has worked across the fields of performing arts and live events, ranging from large theatre stages and festival venues to site-specific and found spaces. As an artist, he is particularly interested in the relationship between space and light, light architecture, landscape, and the creation of worlds. Working at the intersection of technology and art, Lundahl serves in a variety of roles, including designer, technical producer, and skilled craftsperson on demanding productions, collaborating with both small independent companies and large-scale productions.
Ida Järvinen currently works as a Video Designer and Producer at the Finnish National Theatre. Her responsibilities include video design and live video design for productions, creating video content for the theatre’s marketing, and working as a live camera operator. In addition to the National Theatre, she has worked extensively with live video at Q-teatteri and KOM Theatre, among others. Over the past 15 years, Järvinen has served as a live camera operator in more than twenty theatre productions.
Timo Teräväinen graduated from Aalto University with a degree in cinematography and has worked extensively in film, television, and theatre. His video design credits for large-scale stage productions include Itt Pohjatähti alla 2011, Patriarkka, Luosto, Possible Worlds, Sumu, and Dosentit at the Finnish National Theatre, as well as Let’s Play Business and Nauravan kulkurin tarina at the Helsinki City Theatre. At the Espoo City Theatre, he has worked on productions including the Esitystalous trilogy. His longest-standing artistic collaborator has been Juha Jokela.
Organisers
Helsinki City Theatre will organize an international seminar series in 2026–2027 focusing on the artistic design and production of large-stage works. The aim of the series is to support the expertise and artistic thinking of performing arts professionals.
The series’ partners include Cullberg (Sweden), Dansehallerne (Denmark), and the Loisto project (Zodiak – Center for New Dance, Cirko – Center for New Circus, Dance House Helsinki).
The seminar series is supported by the Nordic Culture Fund.
For further information, please contact
Valtteri Raekallio, Artistic Director, Helsinki Dance Company (valtteri.raekallio@hkt.fi)
Riikka Thitz, Curator of the Stage for Contemporary Performance (riikka.thitz@hkt.fi).