VoyageLA

Dmitry, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey has been long, winding, and anything but straightforward. It’s taken me through several countries, a few wars, multiple passions, and more than one immigration. And honestly, it’s still unfolding. I’m not yet where I want to be, but I’m closer than I’ve ever been.

I grew up in Russia and spent years in Moscow, where I became deeply involved in social dancing. It was more than a hobby. I devoted almost all of my free time to it. Eventually, I started filming and editing our dance sessions just for fun, and that sparked something in me. My curiosity about video grew quickly. I bought equipment, learned to shoot and edit, and gradually started working as a videographer at first alongside my regular office job, and more as a passionate hobby than as a real source of income.

At some point, videography started to feel limiting. I wanted something more expressive, but I wasn’t sure what that was. One day, I happened to attend a free open class at a school that teaches directing for music videos. That was the moment it all clicked. I realized that directing music videos, not just shooting them, was exactly what I had been looking for. So I enrolled.

After graduating, I made a few small projects and felt completely exhilarated. I had finally found something I truly loved. I quit my office job and started trying to land paid creative work. Then the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out. I knew I couldn’t continue living or building a career in a country that was actively invading its neighbor. Worse, many of the people around me supported it. I couldn’t stay in a place like that.

I moved to Israel with no industry contacts and no knowledge of the language at all. I understood no one was going to fund my projects, so I decided to self-finance my first music video there, working with a local artist signed to an Israeli label. But just as the project was ready for release, war broke out again on October 7, 2023. The entertainment industry came to a full stop. The song and the video were never released. I had already spent all my money, and I couldn’t afford to do it again. Without a release to show for it, it became nearly impossible to convince artists or managers to take a chance on me.

That’s when something extraordinary happened. I won the U.S. Green Card lottery. I knew this was the kind of opportunity millions dream about. I went through the immigration process, and in January 2025, I arrived in Los Angeles, determined to start over.

Since then, I’ve been trying to build a network from the ground up — reaching out to artists, managers, producers, going to shows and industry events, and trying to get my foot in the door. It’s been incredibly difficult. I don’t have English-language videos in my portfolio, no local credits, and no name recognition here. But I keep going. I write people, I show up, I connect. I’m doing everything I can to break through.

So far, I haven’t directed a project in the U.S. yet, but there are some promising conversations in motion. If all goes well, I may direct my first two music videos here later this summer. Nothing’s certain, but the interest is real. And I’m not giving up. I may be one of millions chasing the American dream, but I’m working to outpace most of them and get to the finish line.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road. I’ve had to start over more than once — after each immigration, after each war, after each unexpected turn that forced me to rebuild everything from scratch. There’s been nothing easy or linear about my path, but every challenge has shaped me, and every restart has made me more resilient. I wouldn’t call it a comfortable journey, but it’s mine, and I’m still on it.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a music video director, there are two things I care about most: the emotional impact and the visual quality of the work. I come from a deep love of cinema, so storytelling is at the heart of everything I do. I want my videos to move people, to make them feel something, even if they’ve never heard the artist before or don’t usually listen to that genre. That means creating characters and moments that feel real, that resonate.

At the same time, I’m very detail-focused when it comes to visuals. My background in film makes me especially picky about the way things look. I always strive for a cinematic feel, even when working within tight budgets or constraints. I want the result to look polished, intentional, and professional, never cheap or half-done.

Of course, I also know that music videos aren’t art films. They’re part of an artist’s creative and commercial vision. So everything I do is built around that. I see my role as helping the artist and their team not only get what they hoped for, but ideally walk away pleasantly surprised, feeling like they got something even better than they expected.

Because of my background in dance, I also have a strong interest in choreography on screen. Not just dancing for its own sake, but movement that tells a story that reveals something about the character or the artist. I hope to explore that further in future projects.

For all these reasons, I feel especially connected to artists working in the pop space. Pop often gives you the freedom to combine storytelling, emotion, striking visuals, and choreography in really creative ways. I’m open to working across genres, of course, but pop feels like the most natural fit for my style and sensibility as a director.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Los Angeles is that surreal, almost dreamlike feeling you get when you first arrive. It’s like stepping through the screen into the world you’ve seen in movies your whole life. All those iconic places they’re real, and you’re suddenly standing in them. That feeling is hard to describe, but it’s unforgettable. And being able to live here, to wake up in this city every day, still takes my breath away.

Beyond that, what really impresses me is the sheer number of opportunities this city offers. Yes, the competition is wild, especially in entertainment, but there are so many events, so many people to meet, and so many chances to connect, pitch, collaborate, and create. It’s impossible to be everywhere at once, but if you show up, stay ready, and keep moving, there’s no other place like it in the world.

What I like least? Maybe it’s the way the magic starts to fade over time. The first time you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, you feel like a starstruck tourist. But the 25th time, you’re just rushing to get somewhere, stepping over names you once idolized without even looking down. That loss of wonder, that moment when the city starts to feel just like any other place, it’s a little sad. But I guess that’s part of what it means to truly live here.