Tuomas Holopainen - Interview about Imaginarium 23.2.2011

Translation by Subsistancer (from Youtube)

Part 1. I can give it a shot though these obviously aren't his exact words:

Tuomas thought that after taking Nightwish to higher level with each album, he had to once again come up with something new that the band hasn't done before. So he came up with an idea to do a film. This is something that hasn't been ever done by anyone as they're doing it now. A full lenght motion picture in theaters (though most likely only in selected ones), that's story is been told by music and some dialogue.

Part 2.

The band will be featured in the film in cameo roles. There will be a lot of effect and some animation, though Stobe Harju says animation reminds people too much of cartoons and this is not the case with Imaginarium.

4:25

They talk about the good spirit within the production team and that they're not afraid about the fact that the premiere is only one year away. Still this is something new to the Finnish film industry and they are careful yet open-minded.

Part 3.

At 5:00 they talk about the budget of the film and although it's not entirely set, it is one of biggest in the scale of the Finnish film industry.

At 5:40 they finally get to the Imaginarium album. Even if it's featured in the film, it will also be an individual product, the next studio album of the band. IT WILL BE RELEASED IN EARLY 2012. (Not final, but very likely to be released then.)

Part 4.

The movie is based on the album, but the music in the film might still differ from the music on the album in some ways.

At 9:00 the interviewer asks which is Tuomas's favourite Nightwish song and he is answered The Poet and the Pendulum. It's a very personal and therapeutic. The 13 minutes of the song show everything what Nightwish is from tranquility to the heavy stuff.

Tuomas likes to listen to silence more these days than music, but when he does it falls mostly to movie soundtracks

Part 5.

Lastly Tuomas reveals that there are no plans for their next tour, although it's certain that there will be one. They will have to keep band members' families more in mind on their next tour.

Their "final album" will be something similiar to Angels Fall First with a strong accoustic feel to it. Though it's something that is coming in the distant future, some day.