Konstantin Dimitriev
from Russia
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Interview: 10 questions
1.
Question
Tell me something about your life and the educational background
Answer
I was born in Novosibirsk in 1984. When I was 5 years old our family
moved to Altai to a picturesque town Gorno-Altaisk, where I still live
for 18 years now. School never mattered much to me – it was my family
who made the most of my education. My father is a jazz musician,
mother was dancing ballet at the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and
Ballet Theater, and my uncle – who also lived with us – is a painter.
So, in childhood I often was at the backstage of the theater, concerts
and TV shows. I have two elder brothers and a junior one, we always
played together. We didn’t have possibility to watch TV and Video a
lot at that time, so almost all the characters of our plays were
imagined by ourselves. Often we wrote stories or drew small comic
books based on our role-playing games and showed them to our
neighbors.
In 1995 a computer appeared in our family. It opened a wide range of
new possibilities. I used computer for drawing, experimented with 3D
graphics, programming, photo-processing.
In 2001 I entered University to faculty of physics and mathematics and
in 2006 graduated with honors. Studies at the University much improved
my abilities for self-education. During all time of studying at the
University, I also worked (and working now) as a head of the studio of
computer graphics and animation
(http://school-sector.relarn.ru/dckt/projects/zoom/download.htm) where
I teaching children of different ages to draw cartoons. I reworked
educational plan by replacing archaic animation system what was used
before with Macromedia Flash 4. Teaching Flash shows very good
results. During last two years we also experimenting with other
animation software (2D and 3D), giving special attentions to
open-source solutions.
In 2002 I begun learning Linux and nowdays open source plays a great
role in my life. In 2005 besides teaching, I begun to work also as an
IT-consultant and database-designer at the Republican Medical Center
of Emergency Situations. Currently I am researching a problem of
migration to open source software in context of this organization.
>From time to time I’m helping with CG-effects my elder brother, who is
busy at film making. My latest interests is graffiti and roller
skating. Working at two jobs, I also taking post-graduation courses.
2.
Question
When, how and why started you filming?
Answer
>From the early age I was eager to make movies and cartoons. In 1994
our family bought a JVC camcorder – then me and my brothers started
making short home-made movies. We also experimenting much with
cartoons, but result was not good enough – the camera wasn’t able to
do frame-by-frame recording. In spite of that we have managed to make
a few hand-drawn and puppet animation series. And then computer comes.
3.
Question
What kind of subjects have your films/videos?
Answer
Works what fully made by myself are mostly commercial and social
advertisements. I often participate in my student’s projects which
mostly themed as modern-told fairy tales.
4.
Question
How do you develop your films/videos, do you follow certain
principles, styles etc?
Answer
During the process of developing I always trying to follow the anime principles.
5.
Question
Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
Answer
I am using a Pentium D 2.8 x86_64 PC with Fedora 7 OS, my old Canon
PowerShot A75 digital photo-camera and Wacom graphire2 tablet.
6.
Question
What are the chances of new media for the genre film/video in general
and you personally?
Answer
In my opinion new media results in increasing role of interactivity
for films and video. Open projects where everyone can participate in
production process is the nearest future I think. For me personally
new media means a great possibilities. Living at the God-knows-where,
I still able to release my creativity. No matter where are you, no
mater who are you, if you eager to create you can do it.
7.
Question
How do you finance your films/videos?
Answer
I finance my own project all by myself. Partially because it’s just my
hobby and partially cause I don’t want to depend much on someone. If
someone would suggests to finance my projects without any demands I
would be grateful.
8.
Question
Do you work individually as a videoartist/film maker or do you work in a team?
If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
Answer
I work alone mostly, except the studio. Nevertheless I always
would like to work in team and ready to collaborate with other
artists.
9.
Question
Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
Answer
One thing what made a great influence on my life and creativity is
anime. In childhood I accidentally saw “Flying Ghostship” in cinema
and “Barefoot Gen” on TV and was deeply impressed by art and style.
Much later watching such things as “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and
“Ghost In The Shell” impressed me much more with deep story plot and
director’s work.
10.
Question
What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
Answer
My next project is full-lenghted cartoon movie on a futuristic space
theme. Developing it in the style of anime, I’m trying to give much
attention to characterization of main persons. This project I plan to
do with open-source software only.
Another my dream is to make anime about Russian schoolchildren based
on a stories of famous Russian writers.
Question
Can works of yours viewed online besides on VideoChannel?
Answer
Yes. Here they are:
* http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=KseeZelgadis
* http://zelgadis.on-wiki.net/