Oleg Chorny
Ukrainian videomaker
biography
Interview: 10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
I was born in 1963. Graduated from the film director’s department of the State Institute of Theatre and cinema in Kyiv, Ukraine, 1985. Worked at the Olexander Dovzhenko State Film Studio in Kyiv, various governmental and non-governmental film and video studios, member of the Ukrainian Filmmakers Union.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
I started to make films from the first years study in the institute.
3. What kinds of topics have your films?
My films or videos have the different kinds of topic. There are feature shorts, short and full length documentaries, ecological and promo films, music video clips, experimental art-videos etc.
4. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
The style of the film depends on topic firstly; you must pay maximum attention to the theme or the main hero, his social and visual background. Then it is easy to make decision about the style or genre but it takes some time.
5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
I have used the different kinds of technical equipment. It depends on topic and budget of the project.
6. These days digital technology is dominating also video as a medium. In which way the digital aspect is entering the creation of your videos, technologically and/or conceptually?
I started my carrier in movies at the times of Soviet Union. There were also the times of the censorship. Those days we are able to shoot in a “film†format only. The video process was difficult, the cameras were so huge and the editing process had its own difficulties and specific too. One of the main filmmaker`s problem was the quantity of the film you need for shooting. Now in the times of digital technologies you have much more freedom to shoot the quantity of material you need. The editing process and sound making are also much more mobile. Now you do not need big studios participation and pay a big money for its service. It is easy to create a film in your own flat. We had not such opportunities in “old†times. Especially we can see the high influence of this “digital†progress†in the field of experimental videos or documentaries.
7. How do you finance your films?
There are many ways to find the founding for the project. Of course it is not so simple. Sometimes I got the founding from the different Funds. Sometimes it was money from the state. Often I worked without any budget. My friends and colleagues have some equipment. If they like or support the idea in whole they usually helped me to realize my ideas and plans.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team?
if you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
The idea of a new project us usual came individually but I need a qualify help to realize this idea. I think the filmmaking is a “collective process†and its need to “work in a team†and all members of this team must bring some creativity contribution to the filming process too. It does not matter how much persons are members of the team. It is also depends on the idea or topic and the ways you decided to realize it.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
There are my cinema institute Teachers. The most of them are not alive but I am still remembering their lessons. Of course, I had a big influence of prominent worldwide film directors and their classical movies.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
My future plans and dreams are to continue the work in the field of film and video making as long as I can.
Can works of yours viewed online besides on the CologneOFF platform? Where?
List some links & resources
You can find some our works here:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sampicvideo
and some information about our activities here: