The Nizhny Novgorod Creative Film Group "Grotesk" is an informal organization founded by Nizhny Novgorod resident Dmitry Shadrin for the production and promotion of stunt cinema. The group is joined by collaborating directors Pavel Krasnov and Roman Yermakov, circus performer Dmitry Fyodorov, Alexander Prokhorov — a permanent player of the former KVN team "Humanitarian Aid" — and others.
The Nature of the Phenomenon
Promoting a healthy lifestyle and an active approach to life through street acrobatic stunts in Nizhny Novgorod, with an eye toward the world stage.
To Grotesk's credit: organizing the first school for stunt actors in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, filming clips and video pieces showcasing the physical capabilities of the human body, releasing the first documentary about the work of young Nizhny Novgorod stunt performers, producing a number of short films, a feature-length film, and opening a specialized photo studio (2006).
Grotesk on Itself
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With every creative step, the GROTESK group earns popularity and recognition in the city. Youth stunt cinema, impressive achievements in photography, original and striking advertising output… The group's members help young talents who wish to contribute to the development of Russian cinema. They are currently developing the concept of a youth magazine covering topics such as film, sport, and the arts. | 
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Useful Activities
It is hard to disagree that every person faces the challenge of choosing a path in life — one that will allow them to realize their full potential. The real question is: which path should one choose in order to develop existing abilities and discover new talents, to set a goal of pursuing knowledge and creativity, while not degenerating but instead uncovering true human values and growing into a well-rounded, positive individual.
Nizhny Novgorod's stunt performers have chosen their own, no less interesting path: the path of cinema and martial arts. It would be hard to find a person who wouldn't want to show their abilities and capabilities in a field beloved by millions and whose heroes are admired by thousands. Let us focus on one such hero: Jackie Chan. His films teach, first and foremost, a healthy and sporting way of life — to approach all manner of situations with goodwill and without malice or hatred, and to find a way out even in the most difficult moment. Look at his films: he gets hit, he jumps and dodges, he runs, he fights back when he can. It seems as though a huge crowd is chasing him and there's a wall ahead — and then he finds a way out, and everything turns in his favor. He is no Superman; he is simply Jackie Chan, a man ready to seek compromise so that the conflict resolves peacefully. Through cinema, Jackie instills a certain mindset in people, inspiring hope for the better when someone is overwhelmed by problems. He is witty; his films always carry humor, even when a whole gang of thugs is against you. The main thing is not to despair and not to be afraid! By overcoming life's difficulties, you will inevitably reach the outcome you seek. The team of Nizhny Novgorod stunt performers offers to make the cherished dream of many boys come true — boys who, while training in various sports clubs, have wanted to get closer to Jackie Chan's heroes and demonstrate their physical and acting abilities. Many want to become a "Jackie Chan" on screen, but only a few ever get the chance. As a rule, after watching a Jackie Chan film, a teenager wants to feel just as agile and quick as the hero and signs up for some kind of sports club. As with any martial art, injuries of various kinds are possible. And sometimes an injury creates a psychological barrier that later grows into a fear, and only a few return to training. So, training in an ordinary sports club — can one say with confidence that a teenager's small dream will someday come true? The same applies to girls. Want to see yourself as a tough Cynthia Rothrock or Kelly Hu? No problem. Or perhaps feel like the spirited and incomparable Audrey Hepburn? That's fine too — after all, girls don't always need to be kicking and falling. It is far more pleasant to feel like the beloved of someone's loving heart. Returning to the boys: it should be noted that if you watch Jackie Chan's films, even non-professionals can see that he uses many types of martial arts, seasoning them with a large variety of stunts. So what is one to do? After all, it is simply impossible to train in every discipline, and yet the desire to realize one's creative potential and see oneself on screen is very strong.
Today, Nizhny Novgorod's stunt performers offer their own alternative: youth cinema in the style of Jackie Chan. Their motto is: to be fit and in shape, to give young people the chance to realize themselves creatively, to share with them much of what Jackie Chan brought to cinema, and of course to achieve success and prosperity for their creative organization. Their plans also include participation in various competitions, meetings, events, and festivals.
NO to drugs. NO to smoking and alcohol. Stunt performers stand for a healthy lifestyle!
The pursuit of our main goal — creating youth films that always include a stunt element — remains paramount. Sadly, practically the only remaining film magazine in Russian cinema is Yeralash. Surely youth life on screen cannot be limited to that alone. A couple of youth TV series did appear, but that is a drop in the ocean, and the state of things leaves much to be desired. One can only hope that this long-neglected subject will eventually receive the attention it deserves.
Looking back, it took the aspiring stunt performers a full three years before they began shooting their first hour-long feature film, complete with real dialogue, music, and of course their own stunts. Without waiting for any sponsor to come along, they do everything themselves. On pure enthusiasm, they write scripts for their projects, shoot, edit, dub, act, stage and perform all their fight and stunt sequences themselves. Someone in the group suggested shooting an advertisement for a sportswear brand and expressed the desire to direct it himself. No problem! And so the young participants work on the project themselves, while the "maestro" simply watches the creative process and occasionally suggests what and how to shoot. His task is to unlock the talent of each person who joins the group, whether they are an actor, a cameraman, a lighting technician, or a stunt performer. Some of the guys also managed to appear in Nizhny Novgorod's KVN team in their stunt personas. The stunt performers found this idea entertaining enough that they are now staging a stunt number for a show program. But even this was not enough for the Grotesk creative group. At the moment, the group's members are working on a layout for a new Nizhny Novgorod publication called Grotesk, which would cover topics such as cinema, sport, and the arts, and they are inviting all interested journalists and photographers to collaborate, and welcoming any ideas related to creative work. Launching the magazine is yet another long-held dream. Why "yet another"? Because the group's main dream — creating youth films — is one they have been working toward along their own, at times difficult, path.
"Anyone can go to someone, ask for funding, and then do something in return — that's easy," says Dmitry Shadrin.
"But try doing everything yourself, from start to finish, one hundred percent — then you will truly feel like a person capable of the greatest achievements, in the very best sense of those words."
Nizhny Novgorod Actors' School of Martial Arts
About the Project
So what exactly is meant by the term "actors' school of martial arts"?
Outwardly it resembles an ordinary sports club, the main difference being that students here cover a large volume of material. Let me give a simple example from personal experience. Once I was training in a gym, working on a large punching bag hanging from the ceiling. First came a flurry of punches, then high kicks, then jumping and spinning kicks, and the next moment I leapt onto my hand and delivered a kick, followed by an acrobatic element, and — landing a couple of meters from the bag — finished my combination with a wild somersault onto the nearby sports mats. A man who had been watching could not hold back; he came up and asked what sport I practiced. I looked like a boxer, but the high kicks threw him off. All right, a kickboxer — but what about the acrobatics? And when I performed a series of acrobatic falls "à la Jackie," he asked, and received a simple answer: "I'm a stunt performer." A person who calls himself by that name must be able to do a great deal. A stunt performer's physical training alone can encompass several disciplines: gymnastics, acrobatics, the fundamentals of martial arts (boxing, taekwondo, wushu, capoeira), because without them nothing will work, weapons techniques, and gym training, which is absolutely essential. In addition to the physical disciplines, acting is indispensable, since the group works in the genre of entertainment action. If you land a brilliant strike but the camera catches no emotion or genuine performance, your efforts will be entirely wasted. Many people think that putting all your strength and power into a punch will produce a great result. Perhaps so — but not in cinema. Imagine what would happen if everything in films happened for real. Who would agree to act then? Good question. That is precisely why everything comes down to performance. The athlete first becomes an actor, who must also take care of the safety of whoever they are working with on screen. If it is a throw, you must provide support; if it is a fistfight, you must precisely calculate the distance and the sense of rhythm to avoid hurting each other. Someone might say this is all theater and nothing more — but to execute a somersault quickly, beautifully, and elegantly, or a jump-and-spin kick, requires very long practice from most people, because such things do not come easily to anyone. So judge for yourself where the line is. As for the particular style in all our work, I can assure you that it is action. The various plot lines depend only on the efforts and imagination of the stunt performers, since we do everything ourselves, always and entirely, in every direction. And anyone who wants to try themselves in the field of cinema and stunts, fight choreography, acting, and the other disciplines listed above is welcome to join us. Who knows — perhaps participation in our projects will help someone discover their talents and abilities, and find and realize themselves in our magnificent, if restless, world.
Training Program
The supplementary educational program is designed for one academic year, during which students develop themselves both creatively and physically. Upon completion, they may apply to participate in creative projects or — which is no less important — use their references to apply to performing arts schools in Nizhny Novgorod or Moscow. All classes are conducted in accordance with the curriculum plan.
Curriculum Plan
Number of hours for theoretical and practical classes:
By November 1 — 36 hours By December 25 — 28 hours By March 20 — 48 hours By May 25 — 32 hours
September (18 hours) 1 hr. Fundamentals and specifics of martial arts in cinema (theory) 1 hr. The difference between standard sports training and film training (theory) 1 hr. Safety rules for performing stunts (theory) 1 hr. The importance of acting in the action genre (theory) 2 hrs. Identifying the full range of physical abilities in beginning students 12 hrs. Fundamentals of physical conditioning — physical exercises: push-ups, squats, rolls (practical)
October (18 hours) 8 hrs. Consolidating the fundamentals of physical conditioning 5 hrs. Fundamentals of gymnastics and acrobatics (splits, bridge, handstand, cartwheel, forward walkover, roundoff)
Fundamentals of martial arts: 1 hr. Karate (all types of hand and foot strikes) 1 hr. Taekwondo (jumping technique and movement along a single line) 1 hr. Boxing (hand striking technique and footwork) 1 hr. Wushu (jumping technique, hand and foot work) 1 hr. Capoeira (learning the ginga movement)
November (14 hours) 5 hrs. Continued study of martial arts fundamentals 5 hrs. Flexibility exercises (splits, bridge, various gymnastic exercises) 4 hrs. Viewing video material from the world of cinema and martial arts (films, clips)
December (14 hours) 4 hrs. The basics of acting (facial expression, gesture) in the performance of stunt work 5 hrs. Fundamentals of martial arts 1 hr. Fundamentals of cinematic sport sparring (theory) 4 hrs. Developing a sense of speed and rhythm in film sparring
January (16 hours) 4 hrs. Viewing and analysis of video material (films, clips) 4 hrs. Stage speech 1 hr. The role of logic in staging a stunt scene (theory and practice) 9 hrs. Applying acquired skills and knowledge in a stunt scene (acting, acrobatics, martial arts)
February (16 hours) 5 hrs. Students' creative realization in staged fight scenes 3 hrs. Physical exercises (stretching and flexibility work, push-ups, squats, pull-ups, dumbbell lifts) 4 hrs. Refining martial arts techniques (punch drills on a hanging bag, shadowboxing, film sparring) 4 hrs. Acrobatics (forward walkover, somersault, flic-flac with safety harness or two spotters, front flip)
March (16 hours) 5 hrs. Acting (gesture, facial expression) 4 hrs. Expanding and refining the stunt repertoire (jumps, falls) — fall safety 4 hrs. Acrobatics (forward walkover, somersault, flic-flac with and without spotting, front flip, back flip with spotting, pirouettes, aerial tricks) 3 hrs. Staging a fight scene and preparation for video filming
April (16 hours) 10 hrs. Filming the stunt scene 3 hrs. Physical exercises (stretching and flexibility work, dumbbell training) 3 hrs. Refining martial arts techniques
May (16 hours) 10 hrs. Filming the stunt scene 2 hrs. Review of the filmed material (notes, explanations, additions) 2 hrs. Group screening and comparison of their own work with that of Russian and Asian counterparts in the stunt film industry 2 hrs. Discussion of the creative program for the summer season.
In the Media
The Founder's Story
Dmitry Shadrin was born on October 6, 1973, in The City of Gorky (as Nizhny Novgorod was then known). Whether by fate or circumstance, little Dima's parents took him to the cinema very frequently — and in those days the city had a large number of movie theaters scattered across its many neighborhoods. In 1979, the Indian film Raja Jaani by Mohan Segal, starring Dharmendra and Hema Malini in the lead roles, made an enormous impression on him.
Before long, Dimka was already going to screenings at the local cinema on his own, and by the age of ten he knew the names of every movie theater in the city and where each one was located.
While his classmates spent their free time on ordinary pursuits, he disappeared into the cinema at every opportunity — so completely that he sometimes allowed himself frequent trips to the movies in defiance of school, managing to catch three screenings in a single day. Some might say: "Now that's something!" Of course, going to the cinema has since become a luxury, but back then you could spend an entire day there, especially during summer holidays. Looking back on all this now, Dmitry understands that skipping school in that fashion was not the right thing to do. But that was then — and nothing else held his interest. That said, it would be wrong to call him a poor student. He tended to do well in the subjects that engaged and interested him. He rarely memorized grammar rules for Russian class or poems for literature, yet this didn't stop him from writing without errors and reading at speed. And though he was never particularly fond of mathematics, he remembered his teacher Olga Mikhailovna for the rest of his life, and her legendary phrase — "Only those who do nothing make no mistakes" — played a defining role in Dmitry's life. He was once even absent from the class graduation photograph. It wasn't hard to guess where the dedicated cinephile had been at the time: watching Disco Dancer for the umpteenth — the fiftieth-something — time. Yes, it really was exactly like that, with no exaggeration whatsoever.
It was the 1980s. The era of Italian pop, the group Modern Talking, and the noble art of Indian and Soviet cinema (which was, incidentally, of very high quality — a quality barely seen today). Young Dimka found his appreciation for domestic film releases as well, believing to this day that those films can serve as magnificent models: among them were Boris Durov's Pirates of the 20th Century, Vladimir Fokin's The Detective, Samvel Gasparov's The Sixth, The Lost Expedition and the series of films about "The Resident" by Veniamin Dorman, Alexander Mitta's The Crew — and the list could go on and on. Dmitry was drawn above all to adventure films, as any teenager would be, but later he came to appreciate other kinds of work too, such as Menshov's Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears, Durov's I Cannot Say Goodbye, and Babich's Men!. And like any Russian, Dmitry loved the comedies of Leonid Gaidai — especially Sportloto-82. That was the pinnacle!!! An utterly extraordinary blend of humor and eccentricity pushed to grotesque extremes! To this day that film remains, for him, Comedy No. 1.
While following the cinematic arc of Dmitry's life, we have rather overlooked what was happening in his personal life. And there, things were almost like everyone else's. Almost, but not quite. He studied like most, fell in love like few, and as for fighting — well, yes, fighting. But of course none of it was for real, and that deserves a closer look. Dmitry had two childhood friends, one of whom remains by his side to this day, and through their shared passion for Indian cinema he found five more. That is a rare fortune that falls to very few. A person may have many acquaintances and associates, but true friends are counted on one hand. Here there were SEVEN! And all of them loved cinema and stunts. After every film they watched, they would pour out into the street, split into groups, and play out hand-to-hand combat scenes. At the time it was nothing more than a children's game.
When, at the end of the 1980s, the Iron Curtain that had hidden the world of martial arts from the average person began to lift, many turned their gaze toward this previously uncharted territory. Some took up classes in various clubs purely for self-defense; others delved deeply into these disciplines; and some, throwing themselves into training, simply wanted to be like the screen heroes appearing on television at the time — and believe it, there were such people. The whole world had long known Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan, but for Dmitry and his friends, their famous names were only just coming to light. Through a flood of pirated video releases, they witnessed a new world that grew more fascinating and enlightening with each viewing. A world to which they gave themselves with great enthusiasm and an enormous reserve of life energy. A world that set many on the path of martial arts — the path of goodness, justice, and humanity. After watching films at the local video salon, the boys would run to the outdoor exercise equipment in nearby parks and train, working through moves from the films. Before long they had already signed up at local karate and hand-to-hand combat clubs. Naturally, Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon, Operation Condor and Armour of God, the long series of ninja warrior films, and Bloodsport left no one unmoved.
In short, the practice of martial arts became deeply intertwined with that extraordinary world called Cinema.
Back home, Dmitry threw himself into the "Indian business" (audio cassettes, postcards, posters, black-and-white photo printing, film slides). A fan club for Indian cinema, martial arts training sessions, commuting between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and various other small-scale earnings — all of this formed a single whole in Dmitry's life. This continued until 1994, when, at the age of twenty-one, he was called up into the Russian Armed Forces. As it happened, he served in the Moscow Region — not far from a city he had visited many times before his conscription. He returned on the eve of the New Year of 1996. After some time, Dmitry took a job at a construction and installation company as an ordinary fitter. While working, he did not neglect his training or his passion for cinema. Returning to his love of Indian film, he decided to translate several of his favorite pictures into Russian (before the army, Dmitry had attended Hindi classes). At the time the film business had entirely forgotten about importing Indian cinema, and it arrived mainly through tourists and individuals sourcing films to order. In parallel, Dmitry continued studying cinema from the inside: actors' performances, camera work, editing, the specifics of fight scenes and stunts. Watching film after film hundreds of times, he noted and discovered much that was new and interesting. He watched Russian cinema, Western cinema, and Eastern cinema, compared their respective "screen schools," and identified all their strengths and weaknesses.
From Dmitry's observations:
Russian cinema has a very strong tradition of acting, but falls short in terms of camerawork, to say nothing of editing (setting aside films released before 1985). At key moments, our filmmakers are simply stingy with the cut. As for music, our people do well — but the sound design of Indian filmmakers is more emotionally precise and timely, like the work of a cinematographer or editor. Indian cinema, meanwhile, is not very convincing in the action genre (with rare exceptions) — something that Hong Kong filmmakers have in abundance. Then again, Hong Kong is rich in hand-to-hand combat and stunts but, as a rule, there is not much beyond that (Jackie Chan being the exception). Western cinema looks very promising technically, but its emotions and humor do not always resonate with the Russian viewer. Europe produced fine films, though often only those featuring Belmondo, Delon, Richard, Depardieu, Celentano, de Funès, or Villaggio — mostly comedies.
So Dmitry held in his hands almost all the cards from the world of cinema. He asked himself more and more often: "What has become of our good domestic cinema?" The breakthrough came with the film The Monk, shot by the Moscow wushu school under the guidance of Gleb Muzrukov, featuring Dzhamal Azhigirey and Alexander Solovyov. This gesture from Moscow set Dmitry thinking and caused him to reconsider many of his plans. By that point he had worked virtually everywhere. Dmitry had put in two stints at an installation company as a fitter, worked as a sales consultant at a commercial firm, had a hand in the woodworking industry, and worked as a laborer at the Nizhny Novgorod Yarmarka. Later he mastered the craft of European-style renovation, working with a young but highly professional crew. There were periods when he simply worked as a loader, hauling crates and bags of flour, as well as a night watchman at a kindergarten and a security guard at the post office. Even a small part of a minor dream came true for a time, when he worked in a private confectionery workshop. There was hardly anywhere he hadn't been — medicine being the sole exception, a field Dmitry had nearly entered but never did, owing to circumstances.
At first glance, all of the above might seem to have posed no obstacle to his physical training or his study of cinema — but Dmitry felt that too much time was being diverted elsewhere. Why not make his passion his main pursuit? While working as a fitter he acquired a video camera and, together with his brother and friends, filmed several moments of hand-to-hand combat. The results were quite good, and a question hung in the air: "Why not keep going in exactly this direction?" That was 1999.
And from there, Dmitry began rolling his snowball — a process that started with a letter to Jackie Chan.
Jackie Chan's autumn visit to Moscow in 2000, the founding of the first stunt actor school in Nizhny Novgorod, the filming of short clips and video features, participation in competitions and events, the release of the first documentary about the work of the young stunt performers, a couple of short films, a feature-length film, the opening of a photo studio and…
…That little snowball has now grown into a boulder capable of achieving a great deal along its path. And if the young stunt performers under Dmitry Shadrin's direction did manage to shoot a feature-length film without losing the desire to press forward and develop themselves creatively, then the many sacrifices were not made in vain — and one can only hope that Dmitry's "Tree of Life" will go on bearing its fruit for the whole world to taste. |}}
Interview: "Is 'Grotesk' Taking a Break?"
With every creative step, the Nizhny Novgorod group "Grotesk" gains greater popularity and authority in the city. And no wonder — real cinema, and not in Moscow or Saint Petersburg, but right here in Nizhny Novgorod. After the premiere of their debut feature film Khlyupik in May 2005, however, the team seemed to go underground. Rumors spread of the group's disbanding. Word had it that the leader had buried himself in some business venture, the stunt performers had gone their separate ways, and his "right hand" was carrying on with filming alone, hoping for a brighter future. How could this be? Had all the promising plans of these young enthusiasts collapsed? To find out what was true and what was not, a correspondent from the Sormovo youth newspaper Vsplesk went straight to the leader of the Grotesk group — which was no great feat — and what do you think?.. But let us take things in order.
R. After Khlyupik you seemed to go underground — why?
D. It may look that way from the outside, but I should point out that the work has continued. After the premiere we wanted to shoot an eccentric comedy called Happy Birthday!
R. Do you have a script ready?
D. Of course. The idea is simply excellent, and it's drawn from a very grotesque real-life story. Unfortunately, we first had to wrap up some unfinished business connected with a film project for the graduating class of School No. 9.
R. As I understand it, you don't take on hack work of that kind. What led you to spend the entire summer season on a "non-cinematic project"?
D. I had to keep a promise made to people who had worked with me on certain projects. You're right that I don't shoot weddings, parties, or corporate presentations — that's all hackwork. There's no soul in it, and no one cares about cinematic editing, music selection, camera movement, or any of that. But as it turned out, from the very start I approached the school project as a proper film, with all the trappings that entails. I worked on it for two months and am, on the whole, satisfied with the result. That experience will serve me well on future projects.
R. So there will be future projects?
D. Absolutely! What we set out to do back in 2000 is now finally being realized at a worthy level. The right standard is being maintained. All that remains is to find funding for the actors' fees and a minimum of equipment. Incidentally, at the Khlyupik premiere, several young people joined us who wanted to try their hand at creative work, and despite the studio's busy schedule, preparatory work has been carried out for one of our future film projects, currently working under the title The Specialist.
R. Cinema means big money!?
D. Yes — for those who don't know how to make it cheaply.
R. ???
D. There are plenty of ways to economize while still making a superb film.
R. Word has it you've gone into business, while one of your students is making a film.
D. Quite recently an opportunity arose to take on a professional photo studio with a whole range of creative offshoots. Besides, the group needs its own office space. As we open up new possibilities through the studio, we will continue our training at School No. 9 and prepare for the new project. As for the film — yes, it's true that one of the group's most prolific members, Roman Yermakov, is working on a project.
That project is being kept under wraps for now. Let it be a surprise for the people of Nizhny Novgorod. I'll only say that it promises to be a youth thriller with elements of the mystical — it will be the director's own work, possibly with Grotesk's involvement.
R. Mysticism in Nizhny Novgorod — that's interesting. Why didn't you take on this project yourself?
D. The screenplay and directorial concept belong to Roman; when it comes to the mystical and the horror, he's a man possessed. I, on the other hand, am drawn to grotesque Gaidai-style comedies. I do wonder — why does almost no one want to make funny films?
R. Because they've left that task to you.
He laughs.
R. What are your plans for the future?
D. There is a great deal of work ahead in building up the Grom studio.
History has yet to record this particular moment in Nizhny Novgorod's story, but I will say that after the Khlyupik premiere, three people — myself, Roma Yermakov, and a very promising Nizhny Novgorod native, Pavel Krasnov — decided to found a joint venture. Three somewhat different people, working as one team. The Grom studio will also help young people who want to make their way in the world of cinema. As for the nearest projects: if all goes well, a comedy under my direction — titled 200 Rubles. No Intimate Services! — will be released in spring 2006.
R. A comedy? What about the stunt work?
D. Absolutely! Compared to Khlyupik the stunt sequence is of course considerably shorter, but in terms of emotional visual impact it will leave it a hundred points behind. As always, there will be the Jackie Chan school of action — and combined with… but actually, I won't give away the secret. Let the audience see it and judge for themselves. I'll say in advance that the new project will raise the bar higher than Khlyupik. And so it will be with every subsequent project: further, higher, and more interesting.
R. You sound a hundred percent confident.
D. How could I be otherwise? I spent 25 years accumulating theory about cinema; an eye for artistic quality and a thorough study of printed publications have brought us to the point where we design our own poster artwork — for our films and for others' — and we haven't abandoned the idea of launching our own youth magazine. In our stunts we have come close to the level of Jackie Chan and those who followed in his footsteps. The most important thing in everything we do is never to rest on our achievements, but to keep turning to new and interesting creative pages.
"Grotesk's Stunt Army" Back in Action
Who would have thought that thanks to the creative film group Grotesk, teams would begin to emerge in Nizhny Novgorod wanting to make their own contribution to cinema — even at an amateur level? Some have even had the chance to work closely with Grotesk's leader Dmitry Shadrin, and you can judge the results for yourself: they are far from the worst. Well then — we wish them all the best, and let us peek behind the scenes of the Grotesk film group's work, since many people are surely curious about what this remarkable collective is preparing for the city.
Since January 2006, Dmitry Shadrin has been participating as a coordinator on several youth projects and even directing some of them, while keeping his own group going at the same time. In parallel, a design is being developed for the Grotesk film group's information and commercial website, which would reflect the group's activities, showcase new talents, handle advertising, and cover events in the world of cinema. Work is also under way on the film project Until We Meet Again?! The script is nearly complete and the casting process has been carried out. Contributing to the screenplay are: Dmitry Shadrin, Dmitry Fyodorov (a circus artist from a dynasty of performers, a GITIS graduate-to-be), and Alexander Prokhorov (a longtime core player of the former KVN team Humanitarian Aid, with nine years of experience). The stunt performers are training and preparing for the filming of the stunt sequences. The project is drawing in the extreme sports group La Parquar — many will surely recall the films Yamakasi and District 13, as well as the many advertising spots on television.
The group is working in non-stop mode, with every member striving to contribute to the shared endeavor. In addition to the regular participants, many new and interesting faces will appear in the film. Those who had only a fleeting moment in the debut Khlyupik will play a significant role here.
In addition to his own role in the film and the staging of stunts, Roman Yermakov has taken on the organizational side, and is also responsible for ensuring that the team shows up to training sessions and shoots. Not a single frame has been shot yet, but Ivan Shadrin has already taken the promotional work for the film into his own hands. Sergey Veselov is handling the group's finances. Sponsorship support would certainly not go amiss — it would make the film group's work brighter and more impressive still. And most importantly, in the summer of 2007 Grotesk plans to hold a rally of amateur stunt enthusiasts in Nizhny Novgorod, along with a competition for the best short clip or video feature. The judging criteria will be: camerawork, editing, acting, and of course the staging of stunt sequences. As part of the festival, an exhibition of photography will be held, showcasing interesting and original moments from the world of stunt work. In the non-competitive program, short and feature-length videos by young "stunt filmmakers" will be screened. The honorary jury is planned to include leading professionals from the capital, among them the noted cinematographer Yuri Raysky and stunt performer Alexander Solovyov.
To perform the rousing stunt performers' anthem, written by Dmitry Shadrin, Dmitry Kharatyán has been specially invited. As the presenter of the main prize, the Nizhny Novgorod stunt community is inviting none other than Jackie Chan himself (groundwork in this direction was laid by Moscow colleagues in May 2006 at Jackie Chan's central office, and to bring it to completion Dmitry Shadrin and Sergey Veselov are traveling to Hong Kong in the autumn of 2006). Speaking of Jackie Chan — it is not out of the question that he will delight the people of Nizhny Novgorod with a solo musical program.
It is enticing, interesting, and above all full of promise for the younger generation, which is so easily swayed by the many temptations our world has to offer. The work being carried out by the Nizhny Novgorod film group Grotesk deserves the highest praise. What the group does is a perfectly worthy alternative to such dangerous things as smoking, drugs, and alcohol. And if anyone has any doubts — don't hesitate: come to the group, watch a disc or cassette of Grotesk's work, and be convinced that you have made the right choice in life. Perhaps your small contribution to this creative endeavor will make this troubled world just a little kinder and happier!
"Nizhny Novgorod — the Third Capital of Cinema"
"GROM" Out of a Clear Sky
Some time after the premiere of Khlyupik, Dmitry Shadrin and several members of the Grotesk team attended a sporting event organized by the Trial-Sport brand. For the stuntmen, it was a good opportunity to meet "new extreme people" and to invite some of them to join future projects.
Dmitry's surprise and frustration knew no bounds when he discovered that the "extreme athletes" he had noticed were not locals but had come from Moscow. The level of "our own" was sluggish, hesitant, and unremarkable. After chatting with the Muscovites, Dmitry wished them luck and great heights in their difficult work, and…
…accidentally ran into Vadim Demidov, a correspondent for Argumenty i Fakty, to whom he told about the Nizhny Novgorod group Grotesk. This struck the correspondent as interesting, and soon AiF published an article about the film stuntmen. In the course of Dmitry and Vadim's conversation, it emerged that there was a person in the city who was also making youth films.
The first work was called Polnoluniye (Full Moon), and the second was released under the title Vmeste (Together). Pavel and his classmates handled the task brilliantly. Bypassing sponsors, Pavel did much of the work himself — writing the script, shooting, and editing. Some of the guys also composed music for their films.
Without putting things off, Dmitry met with Pavel Krasnov. And soon two very different people arrived at the same conclusion. The Nizhny Novgorod region needed its own cinema.
Looking into the problems of young people, it became clear that there were a great many young people in the city ready to express themselves creatively. Speaking of youth: at that same time, Dmitry Shadrin's student and "right-hand man" Roman Yermakov, combining his own knowledge and experience gained at Grotesk, began shooting a debut project under the working title Sila Lyubvi (The Power of Love).
Thus, at the beginning of summer, a decision was made to found the studio Grom, to be headed by three people: Dmitry Shadrin, Pavel Krasnov, and Roman Yermakov.
The studio's main purpose was to be the promotion of Nizhny Novgorod cinema, the search for young talent and their creative fulfilment, as well as support for young creators wishing to break into TV and "Big Cinema." Of enormous importance is the fact that Dmitry (who has 25 years of film theory behind him), Pavel (who, unlike Dmitry, works in the opposite genre), and Roman (who brings fresh and interesting ideas in his own direction) are working together under one roof. The launch of studio Grom will be marked by three new projects, directed by Shadrin, Krasnov, and Yermakov separately but with mutual technical assistance. Premieres of these films are planned for February, April, and May 2006, and older projects are also to be restored where possible.
Thus, different people are doing one "Great Thing" together — rallying around, setting aside their personal ambitions, and promoting their films in support of those who march under the banner: "Nizhny Novgorod — the Third Capital of Cinema"!
Interesting Facts
- When Dmitry Shadrin wrote the stuntmen's anthem, it was performed by well-known actor Dmitry Kharatyán.
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