Welcome to the first chapter of my story, one I’m excited to share with you here on the blog. For those who don’t know me, let me take you back to where it all began – a small village in Western Ukraine you’ve likely never heard of.

Growing up, I felt lost. I struggled in school, my grades were terrible, and my family worried about what would become of me. But my mom, a resilient and hardworking woman, became my biggest inspiration. She moved to Italy to work grueling jobs just to support me and my brother back in Ukraine. Her sacrifice is something I deeply admire and respect, and the older I get, the more grateful I am for her strength.

Eventually, I joined her in Italy. Life wasn’t easy, I didn’t speak the language, had no friends, and often felt out of place. But during that time, I discovered my true love for cinema. Instead of spending my pocket money on things other kids wanted, I’d go to the hardware store and build DIY camera rigs and supports. I dreamed of becoming a cinematographer. At a young age, I started researching everything I could about cinematography, learning as much as possible.

At 16, I realized that I had to chase my dreams, I had to leave that small town in Italy. So, I packed my bags and moved to London, England. Life there wasn’t glamorous either, I worked low-paying catering jobs, lived far from the city center, and commuted two hours a day one way on a bicycle. But this was when I picked up my first “real” camera, a Canon 550D, and started shooting. Despite my efforts, I quickly learned that making it as a filmmaker in London wouldn’t be easy.

So, I took another leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles, California. Crazy, I know. I’ll never forget my first day in Hollywood. Walking the streets felt like stepping into a movie – I thought I’d finally made it. That very week, I sat in a Starbucks and wrote my first feature film in just a few days. I believed it was only a matter of time before I found the funding to make it happen. But LA had other plans. Years went by, filled with empty promises and failed pitches. The city toughened me up. It taught me how to be an independent filmmaker, to rely on myself, and to work with whatever resources I had.

I took random cinematography gigs I found on Craigslist, low-budget music videos, commercials, and short films. The work was hard and the pay was low, I also worked for free a lot to improve my skills with lighting and camera techniques. I was becoming a better cinematographer, but it wasn’t until one rainy day that my career path took a drastic turn.

I was hired to shoot a student film for a student at a prestigious university in California. The shoot was bare-bones. Just me, the director, a sound recordist, and a couple of actors. That’s it. The equipment was old and battered, but I didn’t care. I was excited to light the scenes and do my job. For the final scene, I needed to set up an HMI light in the garden. For those unfamiliar, HMI lights are powerful, bright lights often used to mimic sunlight. I managed to drag the heavy light outside and set it up, but just as I was plugging it in, the rain started pouring.

And then it happened. The moment I flipped the switch, I was electrocuted. It was brief, just a second, but it shook me to my core. Sitting in the pouring rain, drenched and miserable, I looked through the window at the director. She was inside, laughing with the actors, completely unaware of my ordeal. That’s when it hit me: I didn’t want to be a cinematographer anymore. I wanted to be the one inside, telling the story, directing the vision. That moment changed everything.

Since then, I’ve directed more than ten feature films. Each one has taught me something new. Funny enough, I never planned to be a director, but it’s a craft I’ve grown to love. There’s something magical about creating a story from nothing, imagining it, writing it, assembling a team, and seeing it come to life on the screen. And then watching the finished film with friends and family, it’s the most rewarding part of the process for me.

Look, I was born in a tiny village, and one day I ended up in Hollywood to chase a dream of becoming a cinematographer. What happens, happens for a reason, and I believe it was my destiny to become a director.

Of course, there’s still so much to learn, and every project presents new challenges. But that’s the beauty of filmmaking – it’s a journey. And I’m inviting you to join me on mine, please subscribe to my YouTube channel too.

Thank you for reading my story, and stay tuned for more insights and experiences as I continue chasing my dreams.