INTERVIEW with Val Nabilskiy

 

Can you explain to the audience your career?

I am a director and visual effects artist. 

I have participated in numerous film projects, primarily American productions.

 

How many years have you been making movies?

For about twenty years, mostly as a visual effects artist. I have also directed several music videos and short films.

 

Why did you start making movies?

I’ve always loved watching movies, so working in film felt like a natural path for me. I was fascinated by how films are made, and at some point, I knew I wanted to be part of this industry.

 

Tell us a little about your project. What will the audience be able to see in your film?

It’s a fantasy story set in a world inspired by medieval Europe. 

It follows two lovers who are forever separated by war. 

I wanted the film to feel like an illustration from a book. 

It’s a musical short film.

 

Why did you do this project?

Working on this project was an exciting challenge. 

I wanted to see how big of a film I could create on my own. 

It was an incredible learning experience—some things you can only figure out by actually doing them.

 

At the previous edition of the festival, you won the award for best visual effects. 

Could you tell us about your work in this category?

From a visual effects standpoint, this was a highly complex project. It features large-scale scenes that were incredibly challenging to create.

The entire film was shot on a green screen, and every single frame required painstaking attention to detail.

 

Were there any scenes or elements that were particularly difficult to create in visual effects?

The most challenging scene was the battle sequence.

In this scene, there are 10,000 warriors on the battlefield.

It’s no secret that computer graphics can push any computer to its limits.

What made it even more difficult was that I worked on all the visual effects alone. But despite the challenge, it was an exciting experience.

Organizing the project in a way that allowed me to execute it on a single computer was quite difficult, but it was absolutely possible.

 

And which visual effects you're most pleased with? Could you explain why?

Every scene was interesting to create in its own way, as each one has its own unique mood.

But the battle scene was a true challenge. Scenes of this scale are typically handled by a team of visual effects artists, as they are incredibly complex to create.

It was fascinating to work on this sequence, and I know this experience will be valuable for future projects.

 

What are you happiest about this project?

I'm really honored that this project has connected with audiences at film festivals around the world.

 

Make a wish to the movie gods. What do you ask?

I would ask for more great films to be made every year.

 

What movie would you have liked to direct?

I really love sci-fi, fantasy, and historical films, and I want to create movies in these genres.

 

What kind of cinema do you like? Genre, directors, actors?

I love great films with a strong script and deep meaning—movies that leave you with something to think about after watching.

I'm especially passionate about historical films, fantasy, and sci-fi.

 

Imagine that all the movies are going to be lost. If you could save 3 movies, what would they be?

Just three films? 

That’s such a tough choice! 

There are so many incredible movies out there, but if I have to pick, I’ll go with the first three that come to mind: The Lord of the Rings, Titanic, and Gone with the Wind.

Each of these films was groundbreaking in its time and redefined what was possible in cinema.

 

If you have more projects underway, can you give us a bit of information?

My new short film is currently in post-production.

I've completed the filming and am now working on the visual effects. 

It’s a challenging but exciting project, and it will be available to watch soon!