Simply one of Russia’s most intriguing film / video oriented creative artists. – DK
– Tell us why you chose motion picture over any other medium?
- It actually simply came to be on its own. I remember always liking the motion pictures, advertising and video clips since childhood. I liked stories with shifting images, fast movements and especially the sensation after their viewing, as if transcending into another life or dream like state. When I was a child my parent wanted to buy either a piano or video player, they chose the second option. I was therefore constantly watching videos. Shortly all our friends were constantly over at our place for video screening. All thought my academical path was in a design field, after I graduated I fully submerged myself into cinematography, I simply picked up a camera and started to film.
Which was you most unusual shoot experience, what happened?
- To me almost every shoot is unique, during every project there are comic moments that come to be and even more so in the editing room. When I go through the raw footage – the first thing I do is laugh. For the most part the shoots last from early morning till late into the night, those hours are so saturated with life that it feels like an entire life in its own right. For me the moment of joy is to see the frame through the viewfinder, and as the instant of the recording finished you realized that its not part of real life no more, its part of a film now that has nothing to do with the previous moment of reality that was snatched from us moments ago. For instance for my last shoot I had to purchase stage blood, we went to the butcher if he could fill a jar of blood for us. She instantly smiled and filled an entire gallon for us. As we were leaving she said: “Come back soon!”, I though that to be simply memorable…
How does it make u feel being behind the camera?
- To me its an artistic process, I feel like an artist. It is a moment of great responsibility, at every second you are required to make a choice for the sake of the better outcome of a particular frame, sometimes a conscious one, at other times not. At the same time – it is a sort of a game, where the result is the ultimate goal, no matter by what rules you play to achieve it.
Do you like being filmed?
- Yes, I do like myself on film, in fact it comes naturally, since I know the process from within I often feel more comfortable than the people I film.
We happened to notice that you are very dark in some manner, care telling us why?
- I would rather say it is a phase than my true self. I tend to choose those types of frames deliberately, I feel like I want to darken and suppress things )))).
Do you ever watch movies from the 30s?
- Yes, of course, but not loads. For the most part, I put an old movie to watch but run a separate soundtrack to it.
Anything you could say about what you think the future of film is?
- I think that cinema will evolve on a spiral path. In conjunction with new technology movies permit themselves to be something more than just cinema, although the most important in film – is the narrative told, and no technology can alter that essence. I believe that as before we will witness great films in the making, it all comes down to talented folk, identity, cultural sophistication and time we live in. I strongly believe that we have not reached our full potential and that there is much more experimenting to be done!
In your “report” you are able to tell a story of a person in a very unique way. You mention that respect is of prime importance to you. How important is respect in your work in general?
- Respect – is the core, its to accept the person for who he is, it is a sign of interest to him and to his craft. When working with people on the set respect has to be the basis of your entire relationship with them. If its not there, you loose the bond. The person will simply close you out and you will never discover their true potential. Respect is simply not to be taken lightly when working with people on stage.
Instead of talking about yourself could you show us a video that you think best represents you as an artist?
- Recently I would say its a commercial “MAKARONIKI”
Video Clip for Nikita Zabelin
Mangez des légumes, la pédale
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