The entrepreneurs of Aurora Estate compare the operation of the filming crew of the Constellation series to stealing. The filming crew filmed their international large-scale production in Inari, among other places, and left behind unpaid invoices of more than a million.
– After all, this has been mentally very difficult.
That’s what it says Heidi SeikkulaCEO and co-owner of restaurant company Aurora Estate.
– Our company has just survived the corona, we have done a hell of a lot of work for it.
Another entrepreneur Sirly Ylläsjärvi is on the same lines. The two own half of the company.
Aurora Estate is one of the twenty or so companies for which a massive, international TV series Constellation production company Turbine Studios owes. The series has been commissioned by the streaming service Apple TV+.
The company filmed the series in Finland for five weeks in January-February, and left behind unpaid invoices totaling over one million euros. It is the most expensive TV production that has been filmed in Finland.
About that wrote first Helsingin Sanomat.
When Turbine Studios ordered catering services from Aurora Estate, it had to be an order that would balance the company’s finances. It was the other way around.
– It is not because we have done something wrong. Someone came and cheated us, says Seikkula.
Responsibility of the entrepreneur
During the interview, the duo compares the situation several times to the effects of corona on the restaurant industry. When all mandatory expenses are paid for the services, such as employee salaries, car travel costs and space rents, the entrepreneur’s salary comes last.
– Yes, we are in this mess. It’s pointless to beautify it, Ylläsjärvi states.
– In May, when the matter had already lasted a long time, we had a really bad feeling about going on our summer vacation, which was our first summer vacation after the corona virus.
– Maybe it wasn’t quite the holiday feeling when you know that such an amount of money is missing, Seikkula adds.
The company has entered into a so-called nda contract with the production company, due to which they cannot tell the exact amounts. However, it is about tens of thousands of euros, and the arrears correspond to twelve percent of the company’s entire turnover. In 2022, the turnover was 676,000 euros.
Ylläsjärvi lists what it takes to produce catering services. If breakfast is available at, for example, seven in the morning, the work shift is woken up at night, in this case at 2:30 a.m.
– An hour’s drive, the presentation of everything, of course the food itself. We had challenging conditions.
– Yes, they were aware of it, they saw it all. And that’s why it seems so unfathomable that they just left here and left millions of bills unpaid. And then we still get compliments on it.
– It feels like crap here, Seikkula laughs and continues:
– The media is praising a lot that this has been great, and the Finnish team has done a really wonderful job. That this is Hollywood-level shit. Then we flip the switch and leave the bills unpaid.
Sirly Ylläsjärvi (left) and Heidi Seikkula have been running a joint company since 2015. Sirly Ylläsjärvi
The worst thing, however, is that the money has not been received, despite the fact that Aurora Estate’s services were good.
– We’re still quite good at our job, that’s what sucks, Ylläsjärvi uploads.
– We managed it so damn well, Seikkula hums.
Sleepless nights
Sirly Ylläsjärvi posted on Tiktok on Friday the video, with which he briefly talks about the problems with Turbine Studios. In the video, he says that the incident has caused sleepless nights. He also tells Iltalehte the same.
– I haven’t cried once in the corona era because of our situation.
– Now, however, it’s about people who have deliberately exploited us in their own ways, and even more so for entertainment. Yes, I have shed a few tears here.
The two are also worried about the matter becoming public. They originally intended to bring the matter to wider awareness on their own initiative, and for that Seikkula has gathered entrepreneurs who are in the same boat, for example, in a common Whatsapp group.
In particular, possible nasty comments from people unfamiliar with the business world worry not only for the company, but also for yourself.
– That’s the last thing you want here. Of course, even if we have done everything right, we have scolded ourselves and really suffered from this quite badly, Seikkula says.
– Yes, getting out of bed in the morning has sometimes been quite difficult. On top of that, other people’s inappropriate or ignorant comments, I couldn’t take it anymore.
However, according to the duo, it is “mandatory” to make the matter public. They hope that the case would also arouse the interest of the international press.
– This is our last emergency call, Ylläsjärvi states.
The Swedish actress Noomi Rapace will be seen in the lead role of Constellation. Rich Gold / Alamy Stock Photo
Support from others
Seikkula and Ylläsjärvi say that they get support not only from each other, but also from other entrepreneurs involved in the case. The understanding attitude of the media and the encouraging feedback received on social media have also been helpful, as well as the encouragement received from friends.
The two kept the awkward situation a secret from their loved ones and acquaintances for a long time, as they did not want to arouse concern. When Helsingin Sanomat wrote the first story about it, it was time to tell others about it.
According to Seikkula, it was difficult in itself when you had to call your loved ones and explain the matter thoroughly, and assure them that everything is fine. Telling the story has been made more difficult by the fact that the loved ones were happy for Seikkula and Ylläsjärvi when the big order hit them.
Telling loved ones has also been embarrassing.
– Yes, the feeling of shame has been present, even though it is a wrong feeling, Ylläsjärvi says.
Seikkula and Ylläsjärvi say that the situation caused by the film crew has been emotionally difficult. Sirly Ylläsjärvi
Credit is still available
Heidi Seikkula and Sirly Ylläsjärvi believe that the situation will be resolved. They stress that they don’t want to put on the mantle of the victim because of the situation, but keep the matter up primarily because there are so many other entrepreneurs involved.
If a similar job offer ever comes up, they will gladly accept the challenge, but more cautiously and with stricter conditions. Aurora Estate has produced catering services before, and entrepreneurs find them interesting jobs.
The entrepreneurs do not want to raise the stakes for the entire TV industry, and remind that a large part of the subcontractors to whom Turbine Studios owes money are also companies in the TV industry.