Who is Denis?
An independent creative producer working with immersive experiences, digital and interactive media environments.
What exactly do you do?
I combine visual and audio content, performance art, lights, kinetic objects and other media to create immersive experiences for live events and shows such as press events and conferences.
What is the value of your work?
I help companies like BMW, Audi, Oracle and Microsoft to launch their products in appealing and unexpected ways — in front of huge crowds, in real time.
What kind of events and live shows exactly?
Trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, product launches, press events, permanent installations / activations
What kind of technologies are you working with?
Video projection, light and sound effects, film, interactive objects, 3D mapping, holographic projection, LED screens, stages and objects, kinetic objects, robots, VR, AR
Is this a creative/production studio?
If not, how is it different from a typical studio?
If not, how is it different from a typical studio?
Short unambiguous answer: yes and no.
Slightly longer answer:
Yes, because I work with a permanent core team that has same structure and organisational setup as any small or large studio. We follow the highest standards when it comes to client service, and the project workflow and collaboration with me and my team is no different than with most studios out there.
No, because I'm involved in every project as the core team member. In most studios the responsibilities are distributed among several leading producers and creative/art directors, but in this case my name appears in every project, with my reputation along with it — and this is something that I take very seriously. For me this works as the strongest incentive to deliver best-in-class results while building and maintaining good relationships with the clients. This also works well for putting together a custom team of the most suitable experts for every particular project — and this kind of flexibilty is something that a typical studio can't really offer.
Slightly longer answer:
Yes, because I work with a permanent core team that has same structure and organisational setup as any small or large studio. We follow the highest standards when it comes to client service, and the project workflow and collaboration with me and my team is no different than with most studios out there.
No, because I'm involved in every project as the core team member. In most studios the responsibilities are distributed among several leading producers and creative/art directors, but in this case my name appears in every project, with my reputation along with it — and this is something that I take very seriously. For me this works as the strongest incentive to deliver best-in-class results while building and maintaining good relationships with the clients. This also works well for putting together a custom team of the most suitable experts for every particular project — and this kind of flexibilty is something that a typical studio can't really offer.
What exactly does a creative producer do? What is your contribution to the project? Why should I hire you?
The producer side
Although I don't produce any tangible deliverables myself (like cinematographers and CG artists do), I do a ton of work that normally happens behind the scenes:
— Together with the client I understand the needs and goals of the project and write a creative brief
— I come up with the core concept of the project
— I provide creative supervision of the entire project, from idea to execution
— I put together a team and coordinate everyone who's involved in the project
— I take care of financial, accounting and legal matters
— I am responsible for communicating with the client and making sure that everybody knows what's going on and that the project is going in the right direction
The creative side
Along with doing the client work and managing the team, I also bring the creative vision to every project.
— I come up with and develop the creative concept and a detailed script of the show
— I develop set and stage design and find contractors who could build and assemble it (on time and budget)
— I have a strong engineering and technological background, natural curiousity and a good experience with applying experimential technologies to live shows, so not only I'm interested in creating unusual and spectacular technological solutions — I also can actually make it work.
— Throughout my career I have used plenty of different tech solutions and approaches. I know their pros and cons inside out, I understand their technical capabilities and limitations, and how they affect the perception of the show by the viewers. This knowledge helps me coming up with a solution that is most relevant to the specific project and its goals.
— Finally, I believe that ideas come first, and technology is primarily a tool for implementing the ideas — even the craziest ones.
Although I don't produce any tangible deliverables myself (like cinematographers and CG artists do), I do a ton of work that normally happens behind the scenes:
— Together with the client I understand the needs and goals of the project and write a creative brief
— I come up with the core concept of the project
— I provide creative supervision of the entire project, from idea to execution
— I put together a team and coordinate everyone who's involved in the project
— I take care of financial, accounting and legal matters
— I am responsible for communicating with the client and making sure that everybody knows what's going on and that the project is going in the right direction
The creative side
Along with doing the client work and managing the team, I also bring the creative vision to every project.
— I come up with and develop the creative concept and a detailed script of the show
— I develop set and stage design and find contractors who could build and assemble it (on time and budget)
— I have a strong engineering and technological background, natural curiousity and a good experience with applying experimential technologies to live shows, so not only I'm interested in creating unusual and spectacular technological solutions — I also can actually make it work.
— Throughout my career I have used plenty of different tech solutions and approaches. I know their pros and cons inside out, I understand their technical capabilities and limitations, and how they affect the perception of the show by the viewers. This knowledge helps me coming up with a solution that is most relevant to the specific project and its goals.
— Finally, I believe that ideas come first, and technology is primarily a tool for implementing the ideas — even the craziest ones.
What is the typical project workflow? What will the process look like?
Pre-project phase
— Client's brief
— Creative proposal
— Quotation and timing
— Contract
Ideation
— Creative concept of the show
— Synopsis and storyboard
— Feasibility evaluation
— Set design
Creating the show
— Visual content production
— Soundtrack / SFX
— Interactive software development
— Lighting plot preview
— Dance / Lights / Robots Experiments & Rehearsals
— Technical production specifications
— Set construction
Before the show
— On-site rehearsals: putting together visual content, lights, performance and sound
— Final tuning
Showtime!
— Client's brief
— Creative proposal
— Quotation and timing
— Contract
Ideation
— Creative concept of the show
— Synopsis and storyboard
— Feasibility evaluation
— Set design
Creating the show
— Visual content production
— Soundtrack / SFX
— Interactive software development
— Lighting plot preview
— Dance / Lights / Robots Experiments & Rehearsals
— Technical production specifications
— Set construction
Before the show
— On-site rehearsals: putting together visual content, lights, performance and sound
— Final tuning
Showtime!
Where are you located?
I'm permanently based in Moscow, Russia, but I work with clients from all over the world, spending roughly 6 months a year on the road — clients' offices, event locations, sets, and so on. I'm used to working remotely, and being available 7 days a week in any timezone during business hours (and outside them as well) is not a problem.
I believe in power of face to face meetings on the early phases of the project so I prefer to personally come for the initial meetings when we kick off the project. And of course when it comes to on-site execution — I'll be there with key team members.
I believe in power of face to face meetings on the early phases of the project so I prefer to personally come for the initial meetings when we kick off the project. And of course when it comes to on-site execution — I'll be there with key team members.
