James Mahon reviews the YouTube Hit that has garnered over 2 million hits in 6 days. He has also spoken exclusively with the makers of the film.
Many YouTube videos in the past few years have been popular, but none have captured the world's imagination quite like a Finnish video, uploaded on Jan 4th.
The clip (below), shot at Lake Saarijärvi in Vaala, shows exactly what the name suggests - three men, Fishing Under Ice. The sub-aqua shoot is just under four minutes long and has been viewed by over half a million people around the world per day since its upload.
In an exclusive interview, the Director Juuso Mettälä told us that the idea came about during lunch break chats with his friend Eelis Rankka, who plays the underwater fisherman. He said that it was a simple decision who would fish as he was the one with the camera!
Juuso also said that the optical illusion of the entire shoot having the fishermen walk upside down, feet to the ice, "takes a while for some people to realise what is happening."
They shot the video in March and April of 2011 and Juuso says "two videos were made and there are more coming".
He is surprised by the huge interest in the video, as diving under frozen lakes is normal in Finland and he admits that both himself and the divers are flattered by the comments that Youtube viewers have left.
He also would like to add that he is grateful for the comments from talented photographers and said that it would take a lot of time to respond to all requests and viewer's comments - so he doesn't do it.
The polite Finn and his remarkable video has drawn a world audience to the remote area that has a population density of just 8 people per square kilometre.
The people of Saarijarvi can already claim Baywatch's Pamela Anderson as a descendant, but for now the worlds audience is awaiting more marine videos with a twist from the talented Mr Mettälä and his diving fisherman Eelis Rankka.
