Every second of film I shoot is 24 gallery-ready frames. Light, composition, and movement come together to create images you can pause, print, and hang in an exhibition. My background in painting, design, and photography drives this level of detail — each frame crafted with clarity and intention. Since 1997.
I don’t just frame shots — I choreograph them. Whether tucked away in a train’s luggage compartment with a super compact rig or shooting with a Steadicam in a dance of precision and stamina, a camera at a traffic light or in motion, running through that same light — each is a choice to move the story, not show off my 28 years of skill playing with rhythm, patterns and balance. It’s why I run, lift, and practice yoga — to ensure every movement is deliberate, controlled, and seamless, even after hours of takes. The frames scream beauty, not operator’s back pain.
I started with negative film, transited through the lab with risky push-pull processes, before switching to digital with the first S35 digital cameras. I can grab an iPhone on a DJI stabilizer or strap into a Tiffen Volt loaded with the minibar-like ARRI 65… I’ve done it all, Leica to Nikon to Canon to Sony to Black Magic or RED. Panavision or Fujinon, Cooke or Hawk. Hell, I was shooting with Soviet Zenit Helios lenses decades before it became trendy in 2024’s Dune: Part Two.
The reason I’m not an owner-operator is that I select and adapt the tools for each story. Yes, the Steadicam vest, sled and arms are mine, but as a convenience and customization (zoom control, multiple monitors for low or sideways modes…) The rest is rented or bought on a per-project basis.
And if a piece of gear doesn’t exist, we build it. My company, Idelekka, designs, machines and tests custom solutions when off-the-shelf gear can’t cut it. From laser-cut sheet metal to CNC-milled components and custom circuitry, all rigorously FEA-analyzed (virtual load testing using the math of Finite Element Analysis).
I favor natural light and practicals — replacing everyday fixtures with high-CRI bulbs that blend seamlessly into the set. An immersive space with 360-degree freedom to act and shoot.
Sometimes a set designer is your best friend. The best reflector looks like a coffee table. A sofa doubles as negative fill. Cinema is about working together, and these guys keep a huge array of surface finishes and reflectance tables in their heads, ready to play with a grin.
I’m an “in-camera” perfect rather than “fix it in post” guy. Why? Because I might be the guy in post. Who has cut quite a few features and rotoscoped enough to know how not fun After Effects can become, despite my 14 years years of experience with it… Even when automated by my 25 years of programming in JavaScript as a full-stack developer.
As a film editor, I’m always thinking ahead — how angles connect, how shots transition, how the sequence will cut. The sound teams relax their grip on the boom — they have an ally on set. My ears track unplanned noises. I suggest how to mic someone with a wireless lavalier or where to place wide-area ambience mics. I move constantly between departments and on-camera talent. Because we’re stronger together.
I dislike dollies. Yes, Ivanov is a Russian name, and I’ve spent my childhood going down the Odessa Stairs where Eisenstein first introduced Griffith’s invention in Battleship Potemkin. But in 2025? Too slow, too rigid, too expensive to set up.
I favor the Steadicam for its speed and versatility, or a Technocrane when things drop off a cliff or otherwise warrant reaching beyond the one step for a man.
Not a leap on the Moon — yet. But my 14 years of experience across genres, continents, and crews means I can adapt to any condition, any time, with precision and efficiency.
TIP: To print images, enable “Print backgrounds” in your browser preferences.