Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512183
48 M PS E . O R G At Sound Disposition, London aspect—the city was riddled with pipelines and at the same time, the totalitarian imperial structure of the world on that planet also alluded to pipe sounds. This material was so fitting that it ended up being used not only for the Radiation but also as sweeteners in vehicles, ambience elements, weapons, and as abstract design elements. We also recorded a lot of old electromechanical music instruments at the Moscow Conservatory laboratory for various devices and machinery. Even ringtones for cellphones were specifically designed for each character—I still use one of them on my phone. Later, I was invited to work on Nikita Mikhalkov's film 12 (2007) where I met re-recording mixer Vincent Arnardi. Nikita has an acute understanding of sound. He retains the entire film's score in his mind, remembers all the dialogues and starts to build episodes for sound design during filming. Afterward, I worked on two more films with Nikita and Vincent, through which I evolved from considering individual film elements to envisioning the bigger picture. Working with Vincent provided fresh insights into how to direct the audience's attention, how to strategize mixing complex scenes, how to work alongside an assistant and most importantly, how to look beyond existing technology and continuously evolve despite the comfort of well-trodden paths. Following this experience, from 2012 onward, I was increasingly invited as a supervising sound editor for projects. CM: Tell us about projects and people which had significant effect in your career doing sound and lessons you might have learned in doing those which shaped your future work and direction in the film sound arts. PD: While working at Mosfilm, education was very important to me. Apart from practical experience, my main resource was the books I purchased at the IBC exhibition in Amsterdam where Mosfilm would send their employees every year. Then, in the mid-2000s, many more online resources became available, and the number of films I had completed served as a good training ground. During my time there, I had the chance to meet many interesting sound designers and directors, gaining invaluable experience from each—not only in sound, but also in communication, psychology, and people management. At that time, a lot of Russian projects attracted foreign professionals. They shared their experience, and soon I was being invited to work on international projects. I was fortunate to work with professionals like Jean Umansky, Laurent Kossayan, Jay Wilkinson, Rob Nokes, Frederic Dubois. Through field recording exchanges with many of my colleagues, I was also Graduation of my students. Most of them will work in Atmosfera. VGIK Film University. Moscow. L-R: Stana Shosha, Polina Kagan, Aleksandr Musaelyan, Elizaveta Khabchuk, Ivan Chepurin, Daria Bochkareva, Pavel Doreuli, Vera Bufeeva, Anton Balaban, Anastasiya Avilova, Svetlana Narbekova, Maria Valuiskaya, Anastasiya Gdanova, Mariya Borcaikina. Bottom: Nikita Esipov, Dmitry Boyarintsev, Stepan Sevastianov, Mihail Zvezdovskiy, Nikita Yagnov. Photo 2017 VGIK ©