I chose to study history because, besides not knowing where else to go, I had had inspiring history teachers. I studied general history and sociology, and I was particularly interested in Russia and the history of the Soviet Union.

Studying history felt like it was never-ending and so never arriving because I did not have my sights on the usual goals: becoming a teacher or a researcher. In the middle of my history studies, I spent a year in the law faculty, but I came back. In the final stages of my studies I worked as a assistant and journalist on the Ylioppilaslehti ( the University undergraduate newspaper’).

In retrospect, I can see the common thread running through my story: studying history and working as a journalist gave me a good foundation for the scriptwriting work. The process is the same, from the background work through the writing to an overall concept and story. You need to be able to give criticism – and take it. And it does not hurt to be empathetic. They are all different forms of storytelling to me; people are trying to understand humanity. In a way, they also have – as grandiose as it sounds – the pursuit of truth and an appreciation of humanity.

Good historians, journalists and scriptwriters do not judge but try to understand their subjects in some way.