Meet Sergii Chebotarenko | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sergii Chebotarenko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sergii, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have education of telecommunication engineer and have work a lot in this industry, but never feel like I’m at my place. When I was 25 I brought photo camera and start making portraits, everybody like it and try to give me money, but I never think that is can be everyday work and never take this money, it was just fun with friends. Later I shot my first video, it was terrible but narrative racing scene with two cars and when I upload it to YouTube I have and unreal feedback, it was 2009 I think, I still have this video and when I look at it right now, it’s more than terrible more funny. But it was start of my career, I have a first paid video with tinny budget next day, and in few months I have my first big (at that time) video order from some fashion show with multi camera setup, edit and etc. So I quit my job. First two years was super hard, because I can even pay my rent etc., but in 2011 I get first big clients as Honda, later Lenovo in 2015 and have become financially successful. I need to mention that all this year’s I was director/producer at all these commercials, I made a deal and all communications with agencies, or clients directly. And now I moved to feature films.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At the beginning I think only about cool sharp and crispy commercials, it was purpose for me – to impress everybody with awesome motion pictures, I think I was one of first filmmakers in Ukraine that shot TVC at anamorphic lenses. But after all this 12 years experience, I understand that cool looking images is not the main goal in filmmaking, even if you are making commercials or music videos. I understood how color impact on people through Mark Rothko paintings, why we need to use epic and other angles, what does audience feel. I understand how important all other, not crispy sharpie images. Even though one photo on my cheap film camera, I can make the audience feel more than a cool $ 30k + budget production. And for us, filmmakers – to make them feel is not only important, is our purpose, to make audience feel something.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Palisades Park, near Santa Monica. Will Rogers memorial park near The Beverly Hills Hotel, Sunset Blvd near Chateau Marmont also beautiful place to walk, for me, it’s more than iconic. Road from Venice Beach to Santa Monica, It’s not so clean like 8 years ago, but also cool, from Venice Beach Skate Park. If we talk about food, I like a lot of cool places, but there is few with “food for soul” for me, Angelini Osteria at Beverly Blvd and La Brea Bakery at La Brea Avenue. And for living, I like Woodland Hills, near Calabasas.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of course at the beginning its support of my girlfriend that right we have family with two kinds. When nobody believe that it can be real business, she believe.

Right now big motivation for me is winning at film festivals – Best Picture Feature and Best Director at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest 2021 (USA), Jury Award at Nice International Film Festival (France), Best Feature and Best Actress in leading role at Richmond International Film Festival (USA).

Website: www.chebotarenko.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4e_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/id5363242

Image Credits
www.chebotarenko.com