I’ve understood what computers excel at since I first touched a keyboard in 1989, in Soviet Moscow, at the age of 9. Unlike my classmates—who saw computers as gaming machines—or my parents—who used them for word processing—I recognized their potential for deterministic, repetitive tasks that demanded precision and scale. At the same time, I understood what only the human brain could do: out-of-the-box, non-linear thinking, good taste discernment, creative leaps, and parallel exploration.
I’ve spent 4 decades building pristine systems that eliminate the drudgery and error of repetitive tasks, while preserving the messy freedom and fun of human creativity.
From designing naming ontologies, coding scripts to automate audio/video editing pipelines to integrating APIs that connect dozens of tools into seamless workflows, I’ve been transforming inefficiencies into elegant systems.
My philosophy? Let machines do what they’re built for, so creative humans can focus on what only they can do. A symbiosis… at least until ASI outpaces us.
My "professional grade" journey began before automation was a buzzword. By the time I was 15, I had already migrated a thousand of my contacts in the techno music industry to a Psion Series 3 palmtop running EPOC. Yes, that seems ridiculously underage, but after USSR collapsed, you grew up fast in a Moscow where anything seemed possible.
In 2000, already in Europe, as co-founder and de facto CTO of Sylipsi, I automated our vertically integrated brand and design agency's workflows before SaaS tools became ubiquitous. From early Macromedia Sitespring installs to contributing to PHPcollab rewrite and later MediaWiki extensions, I built solutions tailored to creative industries long before off-the-shelf systems could catch up.
Automation wasn’t just a convenience—it was a necessity. It enabled our teams to manage vast amounts of data and complex creative workflows with a precision that humans simply can’t match.
I design and implement scripts or tools to eliminate bottlenecks in workflows. Whether it’s automating metadata tagging for thousands of video files, generating standardized reports for creative projects, or syncing version-controlled assets across teams, my systems save time, reduce errors, and keep teams focused on the bigger picture.
Examples:
I build bridges between tools that weren’t designed to talk to each other. Without dependency on third-party "glue" like Zapier.
Notion and Strava cross-referencing to prep several steadicam operators, syncing MediaWiki databases, or automating data flows between Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and SQL-based CMS platforms, I create systems where data flows invisibly and often in remote locations without web access, even across incompatible platforms.
Every problem is unique, so I tailor solutions. Whether it’s JavaScript and Node.js for something with a nice UI, Python for obscure format data transformations in bulk, or Bash scripts for file system operations, I write code that works in the trenches.
Examples:
I manage the environments that make automation possible, leveraging 30+ years as a sysadmin. From Dockerized deployments to CI/CD pipelines, I create robust infrastructures that fit the task and the budget. Which doesn’t mean overbuilt AWS paraphernalia when a bare-metal Linux install will do just fine… and slide under European legalese.
I’ve automated everything from deploying creative environments to maintaining high-reliability production systems.
Automation doesn’t stop at the technical level—it extends to creative processes. I’ve used CNC machining to fabricate bespoke camera rigs, batch-processed hundreds of images for publication, and automated DCP creation for theatrical releases, down to region-specific KDM management.
A seemingly unassuming aluminum piece that stiffens a zoom lens on a steadicam — requires a life-cycle from a sketch, a parametric design in SolidWorks, metal choice, mass-distribution and vectored loads tested using FEA, several CNC machine runs with different changeovers, anodizing or painting chemicals, fit-up, and the final verdict: is the image actually more stable? And if not, how do we keep track of each variant before we get to the optimal fixture?
From naming schemes for virtual assets to organizing physical tools on set, I’ve built ontologies and systems to tame the chaos of creative workflows. My focus on data integrity ensures that systems remain robust, scalable, and easy to manage.
I integrate AI tools like the current profusion of LLM models into workflows, where they amplify human potential without replacing it. For example:
Creative industries are often plagued by inefficiency. Manual processes, disorganized workflows, and a general resistance to structure can lead to chaos. Automation fixes this. It saves time, reduces costs, and eliminates human error. But more importantly, it frees creative professionals to focus on their craft instead of getting bogged down in logistics.
The truth is, not everything can be solved with off-the-shelf tools like SAP or Oracle. The more niche the problem, the less likely a generic solution exists. That’s where I come in: designing bespoke systems that do what no SaaS tool or manual process can.
Automation is more than efficiency—it’s a way to unload the team from interruptions and frustration, to leave high-talented pros slip into the flow state of creativity and innovation. If you’re ready to transform how your team clicks, let’s talk about building a system that works for you.
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