- Your series “Call DiCaprio!” goes on television on April 6 - a year and a half after the premiere on the Internet. Do you think that today the audience is more ready to talk on such serious topics than before?

- I think the audience was always ready.

The fact that we did a good job on the Internet made the channel think in order to show “Home Arrest” and us on the air. But now it’s obvious that those experimental things in the series (which, it would seem, are suitable only for the Internet) can be appreciated by the viewer watching ordinary television.

- How, in principle, did the idea of ​​this project come about? At what stage did you get connected to work?

- They sent me a pilot, the first version of the script. To be honest, I didn’t even finish reading: I immediately went to meet with the authors. The very beginning seemed so interesting - with this HIV, with a strange feeling, when the successful character of Alexander Petrov at the same time seemed unhappy, all this success gives him nothing. He is so anxious, borderline ... I was very interested.

We started to work, to write. Then they wrote together. The remaining seven episodes were co-written with Zhenya Khripkova and Peter Vnukov. And in all experiments, producer Anton Schukin very much supported us: in attempts to be honest, documentary, to preserve humor in a dramatic story.

- Have you been very limited by producers in the process of work?

- Generally not limited. On the contrary. It so happened that by that time “Sweet Life” and “Betrayal” had already appeared on TNT. Therefore, in principle, it was clear that drama, a story in which some irreparable dramatic events take place, may be.

It’s another matter that TNT itself launched the dramas on the air, then removed them from the ether and left one comedy. That is, the channel was in search of what he wants and is ready to show. It so happened that initially we fell into a period when the TV channel shifted towards a comedy product, and were too experimental.

But when we started, no one knew that a platform would appear (TNT-Premier, later renamed to PREMIER. - RT ). The Internet platform made it possible for a long time to start and prepare, exit, appear.

Alexander Dulerain, who launched “Call DiCaprio!”, Gave the series a green light, confirmed interest in it from the channel, he himself did not fully know what would happen to this project. But he was interested in the same thing that caught me. The plot of the story was so interestingly formulated - and Dulerain decided that this should be done without even knowing until the end when and how the series will be shown.

The producers supported, we had no problems in this regard.

- When you were working on the script, did you already imagine who you want to see as lead actors?

“No, of course.” This is always a difficult process to find. Sasha Petrov ... the pilot was shot with another artist. Sasha appeared later. Andrei Burkovsky appeared a little earlier. Julia Alexandrova appeared quickly enough.

In general, this is always a rather complicated process. Sometimes you’ll think of something for yourself ... that (I’ll just say conventionally, as an example) the heroine should be a blonde. And sweep away all the brunettes. But in fact, you yourself do not fully know the hero. Only an artist who came to the casting is able to truly revive him! Therefore, you wait, wait, when the artist comes, speaks.

And with Yana Koshkina a funny story came out. She came to try on Pauline, Vasya’s girlfriend. But we realized that she was a unique character, and wrote for her Jan - a friend of Pauline. This character appeared after the casting; he wasn’t in the history at all.

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- You probably know that Kinopoisk published a rating of the best TV shows in 2018 and it included “Call DiCaprio!” What projects would you include in a similar top - and not only for 2018?

“I really love The Knickerbocker Hospital, directed by Soderberg.” I think she really influenced the way we shot our series. I like “House of Cards”, “American Crime History. The Assassination of Gianni Versace ”,“ True Detective ”, the first season of the series“ Homeland ”. Well, Breaking Bad (“Breaking Bad.” - RT ), I guess. But in the first place for me is Knickerbocker Hospital.

- And she, you say, influenced how you filmed?

- Yes. If an attentive viewer sees “Knickerbocker Hospital” and then us (“Call DiCaprio!” - RT ), you will see similar installation principles. There is a similar thing in the musical arrangement.

The Knickerbocker Hospital uses electronic music, while this film is about the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. I was inspired by the fact that the music in the "Hospital" does not correspond to the time, and we decided to use classical music in our house, which also slightly goes against the picture, with our life, with what is happening.

- In your opinion, do streaming services really threaten television and movie theaters? Or the audience is different, no one bothers anyone?

“Of course they are. On the other hand, talk of the death of the theater was very popular 70 years ago. And in the book of Mikhail Romm there is a whole chapter on the topic “I don’t understand why directors work in the theater, it's boring. Here we are, in the cinema, doing cool "and so on. But the theater exists, and there is not even a hint that it will disappear. This unique opportunity - to see the actors alive, to see how the action unfolds right before your eyes - pays for some technical imperfection and simplicity.

So it is with the movie. The opportunity to come to the gym with strangers and watch something together is a very important social tool. People need communication. Therefore, we, if the coronavirus is not raging, go to restaurants, although you can eat at home.

- Yes, such a culture.

- Yes. We look at others. This is non-verbal communication. We become a society, including through such simple rituals. Therefore, I do not believe that the movie will disappear.

Yes, maybe genres will be divided to a certain extent. As we say: dramas about modernity will be on streaming services, and costume epics and peplums will be in the movies. This is likely to happen.

There is competition (between cinema and streaming services. - RT ), but this competition will only enhance the quality of the product. The cinema has yet another powerful competitor, which means there will be even more graphics, more money, waves even higher, a fire even hotter.

- Speaking of coronavirus. Now, in conditions of mass self-isolation and quarantine, many just sit down to streaming services. In your opinion, when will it all end, will it be more difficult for viewers to return to the cinemas? Or, on the contrary, will they miss the movie while sitting at home?

- Bored, of course. You see, a man needs a man! I am sure that in theaters there will be more spectators, in concert halls, and in museums. People are yearning. It seems to me that even a weekly isolation (and now they seem to be talking about a little more) will lead to the fact that everyone will rush to communicate, see each other, and so on. Therefore, everything will be fine.

- Nevertheless, in a calm time, outside the conditions of isolation, the Russian viewer is still not very willing to pay for online content. Well, compared to foreign. Where do you think this trend comes from?

- This is an economic issue. If you can painlessly spend 29, 120, 200 rubles (how much subscriptions cost, in different ways), if for you it is painless - you will subscribe. If you need to choose: either money for a subscription, or take the bus to work, then you will probably choose a bus, and not go on foot.

Therefore, the limited audience of Russian streaming services is a matter of economics, not content. People are somehow surfing the Internet, trying to download from pirated resources, and so on. If the economy allows, on the one hand, and the fight against piracy, on the other, we will have the same as in Western countries.

  • © Shot from the series “Call DiCaprio!” (2018)

- Nevertheless, many regularly go to the cinema and at the same time do not subscribe to services, although two or three visits to the cinema are already more expensive than subscribing to the same Netflix.

- This we are now in the subjunctive mood. Who are these people, what is already a matter of sociological research. If you look at the situation in general, it’s like this: ten years ago people didn’t want and couldn’t pay, now they sometimes can, but they don’t want, or they want, but they cannot.

The situation has changed. There are more opportunities, more consciousness. I remember (you know, it was not so long ago, it seems to me, about eight years ago), I argued with one film producer who used pirated resources. I say: “Why, do you want to be paid for your films?” He: “Well, I want people to pay for mine, but here's something American” ... What is the logic: I don’t have to steal from me, but I myself will.

- And he paid for the Russian?

- No, in fact, a person didn’t pay for anything at all and was surprised when I kind of (indignant. - RT ) ... And it was quite common.

It seems to me that ten years ago almost no legal resources existed. There were very few. And there are few opportunities, and just this consciousness. People were sure: “Well, what if it lies on the Internet - it belongs to everyone, this is not property.” Now somehow ...

- Begin to get used to more.

- Yes, they’re getting used to it ... Well, you need to offer some unique content. The viewer understands: I am crying because I will not see it anywhere else.

- Probably, judging by your top, you are subscribed to streaming services.

- Oh sure. What I want to see on these resources is usually there when it comes to TV shows. If something is not there, I look in other places.

I have a different position. Since 2003, I have always bought a ticket from the institute. Despite the fact that he graduated from a theater institute, and in the theater world it’s generally accepted to invite each other for free, I always bought a ticket. Even if he went to a friend at the theater premiere, he tried to buy a ticket. Now, if there were no tickets, then I used it for free. But for all the time, maybe five times.

Moreover, it was unpleasant for me. I believe that work should be paid. A man bakes bread - and he waits (and does the right thing) that he will be paid for it. And we tell stories. We invent them, put our work into it. And you also have to pay for it. This is not done in order to be free, but because it is work.

- In your opinion, what content is lacking in Russian cinema, television, and services today?

- Oh, oh, I don’t know. This is the hardest question. It seems to me that fundamentally lacks the original, bold, talented. But practice shows that it is always lacking. At all times, people have complained about a lack of content. It’s just that in our time we are competing with the Americans, and among ourselves in the Russian market, and in streaming services, and in the movies. We compete with the West, and this makes it harder for us: we have fewer resources, fewer skills.

Behind is a disaster that happened in the cinema with the destruction of the Soviet Union. Then nothing was filmed, professionals did nothing. And not everyone survived this disaster. We started anew, from some kind of base, but it, of course, was inferior both in the number of screens, and in the amount of time, in the number of hours of produced content - it was simply less in Russia.

Therefore, we are learning, trying to re-create a competitive industry. And here ... to simplify, there are very few people in the industry. Different, with their voices, their unique stories. This is what is most lacking. And content is the second.

If a person is original, originally thinking, then he will tell interesting stories. Stories - they are not from the air, but from specific people. These people are not enough. Different, young. I would like for young, ambitious people to be eager for filmmaking. And they believed that thanks to this they would be able to acquire a profession and be happy and successful.

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“Aren't they torn?”

“God damn it.” We hold contests, try to open open doors. But I would not say that we have a super competitive environment. A lot of people who want something. But, in addition to desire, you still need to invest a lot of work.

Competition, of course, exists. But it seems to me that there is still room for people. There is no feeling that we have crowds here who want to shoot. There are very few of them.

I am constantly looking for authors in authoring teams. I now have two projects being written simultaneously. And the third one. All these teams need people. It’s hard to find a person.

We are currently negotiating to make an open screenwriting school online. This will help, including geographically open doors: it will not necessarily come to Moscow. The bulk of the existing film schools, of course, are Moscow. First you need to move to Moscow. And we are thinking about creating a structure that, through online lectures, assignments, distance learning, and so on, would work with the regions, allow people from the regions to come to us and work together - or on one competitive field.

Now, believe me, it’s not so important for me that in the end these people work with me. It’s more important that they work in our industry. Because the sharper the competition as a whole, the stronger we are. The more people play hockey, the stronger the Russian team. And the number of people involved is directly proportional to the final result. Because more opportunities to choose the best. And this best one is not alone, next to it yet, yet, yet ... So-called galaxies arise there. In order for a galaxy to arise, at a certain point in time a large number of people must come and compete with each other. And we are also trying now to move in this direction.

- You have repeatedly worked with Timur Bekmambetov. Someone accuses him of commercializing the movie, an excess of product placement. An example is given, including the film "Fir-trees". In your opinion, are these charges fair?

- You know, do not like it - do not look. We do not have forced views. Who does not like product placement - do not watch Timur Bekmambetov’s films. Who doesn’t annoy the product placements - they look.

I do not have any position on this issue. Personally, speaking of me and my films, I try to avoid direct, unmotivated, inexplicable, unnecessary product placement. By all means try to avoid. And I can say that when I was the director of the film “New Fir-trees” (I was the director who collected all the short stories together and shot a couple of short stories from the film), I was struggling with product placement. When we didn’t need him at all, I refused, saying: “No, it won’t work, we won’t, it’s not suitable.”

- It turned out to be removed in some places?

- The fact is that the history of product placement itself is what it is: it is necessary for a person to do something according to the script. Eat, for example. No, there is a product placement in the New Fir-trees and somewhere it sticks out and causes rejection. I do not struggle with product placement as such. Because it allows us to make films. We do not take this money in our pockets: they most often go into production, you can use some additional equipment for them, allow some change, or build a decoration. Product placement is part of the budget. Therefore, I do not fight with him as such.

But I resist the superfluous, unmotivated, strange. And then, I must say, this is due to the fact that our product placement is mainly grocery.

What is the product placement at Bond? Bond is overflowing with product placement! Only this does not annoy anyone, because it is luxury, premium. They have product placement - the latest Mercedes, Cadillac, Aston-Martin models, new phones, branded alcohol, maybe clothes. And we have product placement - these are dumplings and mayonnaise. We do not produce luxury cars. Do something, dear viewer, so that we put in Russian cool. They said: “Here, look what is! And you use it too. ” In the meantime, we advertise what we have.

- Your spouse Julia Alexandrova acted in films, probably, in half of your projects. How do you work with her? Do you discuss roles and films at home, in advance, or does everything happen the same way as with other actors?

- Just like with others. I don’t even rehearse separately. In general, I try to do so in order to push off from the artist and not burden him with some of my desires, I try to do this (work on the role. - RT ) as a joint process. Therefore, no, I have no changes regarding other people.

- Does personal life interfere with work? Maybe some kind of domestic conflict is being transferred to the site, or, conversely, creative disagreement - home?

- No, absolutely does not interfere. Over the years of collaboration, we have learned to share this. If it hindered, it would hurt already a long time ago.

- Julia, by the way, played a role in one of the last films according to your scenario - “(Not) the perfect man.” When working on a character, did you represent her, or, by chance, did it happen again?

- You know, after all, it was approved by another director. Yes, I wrote this script. But in the end I sold it. And the project did not directly (worked. - RT ) ... The producers, directors did not even consult with me. For example, I am not personally acquainted with the director of the film “(Un) ideal man”. Just saw him in the photograph, and he - me. Therefore, it is precisely in the case of the “(Not) ideal man” - this, of course, is a coincidence.

- And what attracted you to the sequel to Ice?

- I like musical cinema. I think this is a very interesting genre. We have few musical films in Russian cinema: “Dandies”, my “Best Day”, the experience of the remake of “Jolly Fellows” (he is little known, somehow he didn’t like the viewer, but nonetheless), and here’s “Ice”.

The proposal to make a musical film seemed to me an interesting challenge. And the story is touching, quite human. The totality of factors. I myself did not expect that I could take on the second part of the film "Ice".

- You personally liked what happened in the end? Compared to the first film and in general.

- Well, I'm not ashamed.

- Would you take up the third part?

- No, I don’t see the point. I did something, I tried something. And some of what I tried, it seems to me, worked. But to tell the same story ... And then it’s not entirely mine, until the end. Yet this is the second part. I think not...

- Also you are working on the film "The Road to Chomolungma." Again, little is known so far except that it is a tragicomedy and Sergei Burunov is filming there. Can you talk a little about the project? What is he talking about? Are you already planning a shoot?

- Filming is planned for this summer. True, now there is a danger with coronavirus that, perhaps, the very beginning will move or move. But we hope that this whole story ends and we can shoot.

What is the movie about? Well, you know, it’s not generally accepted to discuss the plot in advance. The only thing I can say is a family story. And we invented it together with Alexei Kazakov, with whom we wrote “Bitter!”.

This film in a sense continues the theme of forgiveness, the theme of reconciliation of generations, the search for dialogue, but in a comedic form. Where the father declares to his rather large family (he has three children, his wife) that he wants to fulfill his youthful dream - to sing at the Grushinsky festival. They live in Arkhangelsk. The family gathers and goes to this Grushinsky festival to fulfill his father's dream. This is for short. He is trying to re-educate his children, and they are his. In general, it’s difficult, not easy.

- What other projects do you have in your plans? You have already mentioned that you are working on two and there are not enough authors. What else do you plan to do? Maybe you are going to try some new formats?

“You know, I'm looking for a challenge.” I’m looking for some new (either by genre or by time, I don’t know) thing that would be scary to do. It is very important to do what causes concern: it will turn out, no ... and so on. I am looking for this challenge. I have not found it yet. Yes, and the film "Ice" was barely released, I just left.

It was very difficult to release. Our last shift to reduce the sound lasted 46-48 hours. After this work, I have never even been on vacation. Therefore, it’s too early to say what’s next, what are the plans. Cope with what it is!