The profession of the production designer is considered by many filmmakers to be purely masculine, as it requires remarkable physical strength and endurance: you have to travel on long-term film expeditions, work with bulky, heavy scenery, and withstand the peculiarities of an irregular working day. However, there are still representatives of the beautiful half of humanity in this profession, among them the sweet and charming Ekaterina Kozhevnikova.
Biography. Education and career start
Catherine is currently one of the most sought-after artists of the Russian Federation. The girl was born in the capital in the summer of 1983. After graduating from high school, she began to improve her creative inclinations, attending classes at an art studio under the direction of T. D. Chistyakova.
Since 1994, Ekaterina Kozhevnikova studied the basics of fashion design at the National Institute of Fashion, she gained her knowledge at the British college of Saint Martins. After returning to Moscow, he decides to devote himself to work in the film industry, choosing an interesting but complex profession. Among the paintings created with her direct participation, there are many projects of famous directors: Yuri Moroz, Alexei Sidorov, Valery Todorovsky.
As a performer
Interest in cinema accompanied the creative formation of Ekaterina Kozhevnikova long before her final professional choice. As a student, the girl had a unique opportunity to try herself in the acting field. During the filming of his course project - a black and white short drama by Alexander Karavaev. At that time, a student at St. Petersburg State University of Cinema and Television suggested that Kozhevnikova play the secondary role of the second guide. Shooting the film "Nine Spans Together" (2006), which tells about the inner experiences of the main character about the fading of love and the prospect of breaking up, is considered Catherine's film debut.
Profession and Vocation
Now E. Kozhevnikova is an artist-wise designer, creating a visual solution to the film, helping to reveal the author’s intention of the director. The emotional mood and atmosphere of the tape largely depend on her efforts. Essentially, Catherine translates the literary basis (script) of the picture into a graphic series.
While working on the next project, the girl develops sketches, selects props, selects places for in-kind filming, and participates in the creation of scenery. At the end of the filming process, Kozhevnikova, along with other members of the creative team, takes part in the discussion and selection of takes, the creation of a screensaver, captions, i.e., graphic design of the film.
Starting the production process, she always re-reads the script several times, talks with the director, drawing for herself the concept of the future design of the film. Ekaterina Kozhevnikova admits that the emotional mood of the future masterpiece, as well as the trust or distrust of the audience, depends on her skill. Therefore, the artist is extremely responsible for her immediate duties.
In addition to the movie
Kozhevnikova successfully combines work in the cinema with teaching. She leads the course “Visualization of the script. Interior. Props. Costume ”at the Moscow film school“ 2morrow + Manege ”. Often holds master classes for beginner film-makers in production design.
During the lesson, Catherine characterizes the design of the film, revealing the features of visualization, gives practical advice. Her students will learn how to make the interior a full-fledged character in the picture, choose the nature for the shoot, create the necessary atmosphere, character with the help of well-chosen props. The artist claims that the meager financing of the film is not an annoying circumstance, but rather acts as an excellent occasion for the author’s imagination.
Filmography
Catherine’s track record is quite impressive and contains films and series familiar to a wide audience. Her filmography begins with participation in the creation of the melodrama "All That You Love" directed by A. Aravin. The joint work of Kozhevnikova and Aravin was fruitful, a creative tandem was formed. Therefore, it is not surprising that after a certain time the director, selecting a team to create the dramatic action movie “Taiga. Survival Course ”, invites a trusted production designer to work on the project.
The most famous film that Catherine worked to create is the action “Shadow Boxing 3D: The Last Round”. The tape was directed by Alexei Sidorov. According to the creators, including Kozhevnikova, it was the most difficult in terms of production, the most saturated with tricks, the largest part of the franchise.
After Ekaterina Kozhevnikova met the director Yuri Moroz, already as part of his creative team, the artist worked on the Inquisitor detective thriller and the adventure film Fort Ross: In Search of Adventure. The artist’s latest work is the short-length farce comedy “Fake” by Ivan Kitaev.