'House of Cards' and 'Game of Thrones': as a young man from the USSR who did not know English became one of the most sought after directors in the USA - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

'House of Cards' and 'Game of Thrones': as a young man from the USSR who did not know English became one of the most sought after directors in the USA

Alik Sakharov is 59 years old, a cinematographer and director who came to the United States and the Soviet Union at the age of 22 and did not know English at all. Even if you live in the remote taiga, you have definitely heard about at least a couple of TV series on which he worked. Among them are the acclaimed “House of Cards” and the most popular TV series of our time, “Game of Thrones.”

About how a guy from the USSR became one of the most sought after directors in the United States, told the publication Nation magazine.

The director said that his father left the family when he was 2 of the year, so he never calls his name, so that he could not at all use the popularity of his son, whom he did not raise.

The future director took his first shots at a very young age - his mother bought a camera and asked him to film how his younger brother was growing up.

“Mom comes from a very simple family, her father was a shoemaker. She was born in Uzbekistan, like me. She worked as a nurse for 20 years. And then she retrained as a cosmetologist, because in Soviet times, nurses’ salaries were very small. And she always tried to provide us with a life better than her own. After the earthquake in Tashkent in 1966, our house was destroyed. The entire Soviet Union stood up to help the victims... Soon we got the opportunity to move from Tashkent to Moscow. I was about 7 years old. I was involved in photo clubs; When I was 15, my brother was born, my mother bought a movie camera and said: “Your task is to film how he grows.” I started making small films, completely primitive ones. But some kind of system began to emerge: what I like and what I don’t,” said Sakharov.

But the true love of cinema and art was instilled in him by Andrei Tarkovsky’s films.

“When I was 17 years old, I saw Tarkovsky’s Mirror. The film made an extraordinary impression on me. Years later, I understood why: this movie is about us - all Soviet children who grew up in a very difficult environment. You see, I'm not one of those people who hate the Soviet system. I grew up in it, formed and became myself. I still perceive everything through the prism of Soviet thinking. We were completely normal and even happy children. Then, of course, everything changed to hell. It's alright, you know. That's life. As I got older, I began to understand that the path to big cinema in the USSR was closed for me. Because I'm not the son of important people. But I had a dream and hope. The dream of Tarkovsky's high art. I owe him... everything. He created the world in which I still live. I began to try my hand at literature: writing some small poems and sketches on the table. Meanwhile, I had to work. Money was needed for film and development. I decided that I would become a watchmaker. He worked in Moscow, on Kolkhoz Square,” the director shared.

Despite his overall positive perception of the USSR, his mother really wanted to leave the country, and in the end they immigrated to the United States.

“In 1981 we were allowed to leave the USSR. My mother really wanted this. I left the Soviet Union for her sake. That's how we ended up in New York. At first it was very difficult. I was 22 years old and didn’t know English at all. On top of everything, I had an extraordinary, completely punitive nostalgia for the Union. New York, by the way, did not make any impression on me. Absolutely. Zero. I'm not interested in the scale of big cinema. My level, to be honest, is poetic cinema, non-commercial. And it is very important for me that I do not sell myself or betray myself. Sometimes I have big fights with producers when I defend my opinion. Of course, I understand that there are those who call the tune. This is the American system, I respect it. However, if you do everything the way they want, the end result will be rubbish,” Sakharov admitted.

On the subject: The success story of Anna Netrebko: from the Russian province to world glory

The choice of the United States as a new homeland was dictated by a very unexpected criterion.

“It’s very simple: I didn’t want to join the army. I served two years in the Soviet Union. If we headed to Israel, I would certainly end up in the army again. But I am far from a political person, and I am not at all interested in who is fighting for whom. I still don’t understand anything about politics. If I had stayed in the Union, I would have lived a very simple life. I think it would have been like this: I would have worked as a watchmaker, probably entered some institute, but not in my early years, but at about 25 years old. Then I would have worked, I don’t know what. He probably would have started drinking. And he probably drank himself to death. In America there is one very important thing called opportunity. I didn’t find the opportunity either in Russia or in Europe. Probably because it doesn't exist there. Everything is determined by what kind of education you have. Of course, there are those who can overcome this. But there are only a few of them. And I was not one of them,” said the director.

According to him, the first years of his life in New York were extremely difficult for him, but in the end he gradually found himself.

“I worked as a watchmaker in New York for three years. And all this time, in a state of terrible nostalgia, he continued to write for himself. Then I thought deeply about my future: I either throw myself off the bridge or I need to do something. I decided that I needed to attract people like myself. Chat with them, compare opinions about our new country. I bought a movie camera and started interviewing my friends on weekends. Little by little, a small documentary film turned out, which I called Russian Touch - Russian touch or Russian contact. A very primitive film, I was only 25 when I made it. But there was something in it. If I did this in Russia, they would laugh at me. But here they didn’t laugh: “Oh, good! Fantastic! What else can you do? Nobody asked for any ID or certificates. They just asked what I have and what I can do. I have this little film, camera, editing machine, and I want to work. No one gave me a permanent job as a director at a television studio. But they offered to work freelance 2-3 days a week. My responsibilities included setting the lights, operating the camera, filming and smiling. This, by the way, is very important here - to have a benevolent appearance. The more experience I gained, the higher the offers began to come. Please note that I have no film education. I began to educate myself, without any colleges and universities, and began to get my hands on it in practice,” said the director.

He stressed that in the US, success comes to those who are not idle.

“This is what America is all about. Here you need to constantly come up with something. If you don’t sit still, but work actively, then success will come to you. He must come. Yes, out of a hundred people, maybe only one will achieve what he dreams of. But in America it is still possible. I think I was incredibly lucky: I worked day and night, and it turned out that I suddenly became a sought-after cameraman and then a director,” Sakharov noted.

After several films, he began receiving offers from stellar producers and directors and eventually took part in the creation of several films that received world renown.

“I made the film Pause, which I dedicated to Tarkovsky and which is still, in my opinion, my most powerful film. Then there were several more full-length works. And then David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, contacted me. He liked my film "Pause". And for The Sopranos, he needed an Eastern European approach. He is a very erudite person, we found a common language and worked great together for 10 years. It so happened that “The Sopranos” became a big famous project, but when we started, no one thought that everything would be so big,” said the filmmaker, clarifying that the Eastern European internal culture is completely different from the culture of the Americans, and sometimes this is exactly the approach to film that the creators of American films want to see.

Sakharov gave an example of the difference in these cultural attitudes between people from the United States and post-Soviet countries: “The television writer is a very big boss. Here comes a boss and says: “You know, I wrote the scene. I would really like to break it into perspectives. I want it to be accessible and simple. ” I read the scene, and the hair (which I do not have) stand on end. Smashing this scene into corners is the same as chewing food and swallowing it for another. If you want to make a smart movie, then you need to give the viewer not 100%, but 50%. So that there is understatement, so that there is something to think about. This is a pure Eastern European approach. Many producers think that their viewers have no brains. And we do not think so. I have not been to Russia for a long time, I don’t know how it is now. But when we grew up, nothing was chewed on us. We had to think out what was unsaid. David Chase is exactly what he wanted. To the style of presentation was more sophisticated. Many people say: "Sakharov is such a bore." But that's what they like about me. I don't want to make a bad movie, I want to make a smart movie. Until I do it. ”

The director noted the cinematographers of Denmark, France and Iran, which he named among the best in the world.

“I put Danish cinema above American cinema. They have great films and TV series, an excellent acting school. "Murder", let's say. I love Danish TV series. They are smart. American cinema wants to grab you by the horns, push your buttons, manipulate you. I hate it. But Danish cinema allows you to live, breathe, feel. They don't manipulate you, they give you freedom. The French do it well. French films are excellent, simple, humane. Iranian cinema is wonderful. Watch “The Divorce” (“The Divorce of Nader and Simin”). A very simple good film. Why does Tarkovsky stand so high for me personally? Tarkovsky, Antonioni, Bergman. They are not manipulating you at all. They simply lay out what is there and your intellect kicks in. They insist that the person is smart, not a fool. American cinema insists that man is a fool. But America's great directors don't do that. Like, for example, Stanley Kubrick, smart guy. The Coen brothers are wonderful directors,” Sakharov explained.

On the subject: Our people in Hollywood: Dmitry Korniychuk about working with Mickey Rourke

Among contemporary Russian directors, he singled out Andrei Zvyagintsev.

“I like him both as a person and as a thoughtful director. I see the approach to developing scenes that I used myself. I see a kindred spirit. It doesn't solve any problems. He asks questions, as smart directors are supposed to do. He doesn’t simplify his films, but gives a person the opportunity, after watching his film on the topic of the day, to think about the reality in which we live. This is the only director I actually follow. After all, I’ll tell you frankly, I have absolutely no time to watch movies,” he shared.

The director admitted that he would really like to make a film about Soviet Russia or even about the times that preceded the USSR.

“I would be very interested in doing something about the Soviet Union. Or even about Russia earlier than the USSR. About Tolstoy's, Chekhov's or Bunin's Russia. I had many offers to work in Russia. Unfortunately, I couldn't accept them because I was too busy. But, if I ever succeed, I will have to do it not only for Russians, but also for an international audience, and this means working in English. For those who will be budget providers. If you do it with Western money, then the project should become known throughout the world, and not just in Russia,” Sakharov explained.

The employment rate of the director is really incredibly high, he had a hand in the creation of many pictures, and each of them was remembered by him for something unique, unique.

«Klan Soprano» (Sakharov is an operator in this project).

“Great script. All characters are worked out in detail, prominently, sharply. They are interesting both to ordinary viewers and, for example, to certified behavioral specialists. They have something to discuss in The Sopranos,” he shared his memories of the film.

"Rome" (Sakharov - director and cameraman).

“Oh, this is a huge ancient world. We worked at the legendary Italian film studio Cinecitta. The same one where Fellini, Antonioni, Bertolucci were filmed. Our group was incredibly meticulous in recreating everything in “Rome”: from buildings to helmets and even buttons. 10 million dollars just for the decorations! This is an incredible amount for those times, especially for television. The ancient world had never been filmed on such a scale before. And this inspired us. In general, a super project,” said the director.

"Dexter" (Sakharov - director).

“I came to Dexter too late. This was the 6th-7th year of filming. I couldn't bring anything new. But I felt in the right place. Wonderful writers. Wonderful actors. It was especially nice to work with Michael C. Hall, who played Dexter, and Jennifer Carpenter, who played his sister. Even after so many years in the series, being professionals of the highest caliber, they delved into the smallest details,” admitted Sakharov.

"House of cards" (Sakharov - director).

“I love him to the core. I love working with Robin Wright, the smartest woman, an extraordinary actress. I really enjoyed working there. During season 5, I directed episodes 3 and 4. Things were going so well that I was offered to film another episode, the 7th. Then an invitation came to work on the 6th season,” the filmmaker noted.

"Double" (Sakharov - director).

"Wonderful. I remember the 7 episode - The Sincerest Form of Flattery ("The most sincere form of flattery"). One of my favorites, probably in my entire career. I love him. The episode is deep and serious. It looks like a movie,” the creator of the series shared his impressions.

“Game of Thrones” (Sakharov - cameraman and director)

“I switched to directing in 2006. In 2010, Frank Dulger called me — the producer I worked with Rome — and suggested the Game of Thrones project. I told him that the operator’s activities had ceased. “Oh, well, how so! You're such a wonderful cameraman, you can't tell me no. ” He needed me to shoot the first two episodes. 2 season. I switched to directing - there’s no way backing down; it would look bad in our film world. He asked: “What needs to be done for you to agree?” - “Everything is very simple. Give me the director's job. ” It was not arrogance, and negotiations. Notice, I was not interested in the Game of Thrones. That they were interested in me. If the “Game of Thrones” did not happen, there would be “Black Sails” (Sakharov - producer and director) or "Marco Polo" (producer), which, by the way, I love more than Game of Thrones. These are great projects, while Game of Thrones is a popular project. The difference is significant,” Sakharov shared his impressions.

He also explained why different directors shoot different episodes in popular TV shows like “Game of Thrones” and “House of Cards”: “Because the scale is huge and it needs to be broken into pieces. If the season of such a series will be filmed by one director, the work will drag on for 10-12 months. No studio will do this, too expensive. Therefore, for example, 10 episodes are broken up into pairs. While one director shoots the first two episodes, the other is already preparing for his couple. This allows the studio to cut the schedule in half, cutting the budget in half. So this is a purely arithmetic approach. Not creative and not aesthetic, but the approach of accountants. Unfortunately, studios are bookkeeping. There are a lot of analysts who do this kind of calculation. I would say that today in 80% of cases, if not more, directors are involved in the 2 episode, rarely on 3. ”

On the subject: Ours in the USA: how to accidentally get into Hollywood, become a costume designer and open a famous store

Sakharov believes that the future of cinema lies with smartphones and talented amateurs who will gradually reach the professional level.

“I think that in the future the big screen will become purely symbolic. That much will be done with the help of these little things. (showing smartphone). For example, my daughter yesterday showed me a two-minute film, which she made herself. She is only 12 years old. And she did it on her phone. I thought to myself, “My God! 12 yo! And she approached this. ” Pretty professional. I was delighted. And soon everyone will have the opportunity, having some idea and not having money, to make their own film. On home equipment, so to speak. Here, for example, Vimeo (video hosting): There are also a lot of good little films that people make for absolutely no money. I think this is the future - we will move to big screens,” the director predicted.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Dreamed of space since childhood: how a Russian engineer from New York makes space suits for NASA

Seven Hollywood Stars with Ukrainian Roots

How did the fate of Soviet and Russian actors in Hollywood

Cowboy from Ukraine: history of the Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Jack Pelensa

Hollywood Our people history of success
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1085 requests in 1,287 seconds.