Vera Volt: 10 short questions

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Favorite song of the group “Korol i Shut”?

This is definitely a “Sorcerer’s Doll”. It was this song that I listened to the holes in my childhood, when I found the “Kisha” disc in my dad’s car, and in my youth … And when I received an invitation to audition, I immediately turned on this song! The funniest and somewhat mystical thing is that I always imagined myself as the heroine of this song. I thought this song was terribly cinematic. And in my head I always drew a scenario where I was the main character of this story, and the handsome prince saved me from the captivity of an evil sorcerer.

Is punk still alive? And why?

I believe that punk is not external attributes: Iroquois, heavy boots. Punk is a state of mind. This is how free and open you feel and how boldly and honestly you declare yourself to the world. Therefore, punk lived, is alive and will live forever.

The most memorable role of your entire career?

Of course, this is the role of Agatha and the role of the Princess in the series “The King and the Jester”. In general, I think that this series is a huge gift for the actors, and absolutely everyone on the set understood this. Especially those who were lucky enough to play their characters also in the fantasy line.

Now there are a lot of modern projects in which you cannot give such freedom to your imagination, as, for example, in the theater. The theater very often shows different eras, they add elements of the absurd, and the actors manage to be weird. Thanks to the fantasy in The King and the Jester, we were also able to be in the film scenery, as if on a theater stage, and give free rein to creativity. We lived differently in this world, even in terms of acting. And I caught myself thinking that sometimes I forget about the camera. I was so immersed in what was happening on the set that it became a reality. Therefore, my role in the project “The King and the Jester” is definitely the most memorable in my entire career.

Favorite book?

Since childhood, I read a lot and because of this I even planted my eyesight. When I had to go to bed, I waited for some time for my parents to go to watch the series, climbed onto the windowsill and read the next chapter of the next new book by the light of the moon. Because of such a love for literature, I have my own work for every period of my life, which greatly influenced me. Adolescence is existential literature. I was a big fan of Miller, Kafka, Sartre. Later I even staged a performance based on the work of the latter “Behind Closed Doors”. I was struck by the idea that people themselves can make hell out of their lives.

Then I had a period when I adored the works of Nabokov. Especially Lolita. I admired the way the woman is shown there. I think that the flair of Lolita was transferred to me to some extent, at least I tried very hard to contribute to this and let in her lightness, playfulness, spontaneity, liveliness and mobility. Then there was a period when I liked more spiritual literature. Here I was conquered by Herman Hesse with “Siddhartha” and Gregory David Roberts with “Shantaram”.

There is something that goes with me throughout my life. I really love dystopias – “We” by Zamyatin, “1984” by Orwell, I also really love Dovlatov. I always read it when I’m in a bad mood. And when I want to add mysticism to my life, I like to return to Lovecraft’s stories. For me, the question of one favorite book is very difficult. You grow, develop, and the same thing happens to your tastes.

What is the most important character trait for an actor or actress?

Here I want to note two features. The first is perseverance. The second is patience. Why perseverance? Because the profession of an actor is really very subjective. It’s not enough to just work well or work hard and just wait to be noticed. An actor must be lucky, and he must be physically and mentally ready to seize every day for the chance that luck will present. However, it is completely unclear when exactly you will be lucky. This is where patience comes into play. As Exupery said: “Patience is the only key that opens all doors.” And in the profession of an actor, this is definitely the case.

By the way, it was patience that I had to learn for a long time, because I am quite expressive, I have childish impatience in me, and I love quick results. And here, out of 20 samples, you can have 19 “no” and only one “yes”. Waiting for the audition is a whole different story of cultivating your patience, at this stage many actors let themselves go. By the way, it is very important when you get that very “yes”, in no case should you evaluate yourself by those 19 “no”. You need to accept “yes” with gratitude and remember that your role will never leave you. And why those 19 directors did not choose you – you will never know, and the reason is not always in your skill.

How are series better than movies?

I would not compare TV shows and movies, because it’s the same as comparing sweaters and trousers. Which is better: a jacket or trousers? Only together they will create a complete image in which you can go out into the street. It’s the same with TV series and movies – they create the film industry.

You make funny videos and post them on YouTube. How did you come up with the original image? And how difficult is it now to come up with a unique presentation concept?

It’s great that this image began to be read, because, it seems to me, in an era of overabundance of content, it is important to come up with something of your own and carry a unique mood. I was inspired to create the concept by sitcoms like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Clinics. I really wanted each of my videos to be like a scene from a series that people are waiting for and laughing with the main character over the next troubles in life. I even used to have a song from “Friends” at the end of each video.

In fact, the development itself was very gradual, and I came to my concept far from immediately. At first I filmed something, trying to repeat the trends, but as practice shows, without producers you won’t get far here. And I never had any producers, paid promotions and so on. I realized that if you create yourself, then you need to look for a unique style so that people remember you. And people remember everything: from appearance to light. So I cut my weird bangs (which I loved) and only shot during the day with natural light. Now there are no bangs, but I still love the light of the day.

It seems to me that finding a unique concept for each person is both difficult and easy at the same time, because we are all unique from the very beginning, and if you start showing something about yourself, something from your life, then people will become interested in any case. The hard part is not being ashamed to be yourself. And if it seems that your life is not interesting, there are no funny moments in it and there is nothing to show, then you need to urgently work towards “what should I do so that I myself would be very interesting to live”. By the way, I am not a supporter of the theory, so I always took the camera in my hands and invented something on the go. A bunch of commercials never came out, but they helped me get my hands on it. A unique style is born only in the process. Therefore, the basic rule is to act, not to think.

What movie started your love for cinema?

This will probably be a very unusual answer, because my love for cinema did not begin with watching a film, but from the moment I started working in films. I worked as an assistant director, helped as an assistant to the actors, then led projects as a second director, there were even projects where I worked as a line producer. And my love for cinema began with Fyodor Bondarchuk’s project “Stalingrad”, where I helped the assistant for actors, and for the first time I saw how cinema is created, what magic it is, how actors exist on the set, who are artists and how they create scenery, how the operator is working, what kind of atmosphere reigns on the set.

Yes, my love for cinema began from the very day I saw live how it was made. After Stalingrad, I never doubted for a second that I wanted to be in this industry. I really wanted to try myself in different departments in order to understand and feel this world completely.

What was the last movie that impressed you the most?

Of course, this is the film “Blonde” by Andrew Dominik with Ana de Armas in the title role. I watched it in one breath, three hours flew by in a second. There is such a filigree acting, camera work, directing. It’s one of those movies that makes you forget you have to make tea or get some chips. You are completely immersed in it and are afraid to move, so as not to miss anything.

I know this picture has had mixed reviews. On my own behalf, I can say that this film made me fall in love with Marilyn Monroe even more, because, purely feminine, the picture very emotionally shows the other side of fame: when there are a lot of people around, but you are alone. Very little is said about this, it seems to everyone that if you are popular, your life is good. Wealth, fame – cool! But very few people understand that fame has its own dark side, and this is really a very terrible form of loneliness – loneliness in the crowd. Therefore, for me, “Blonde” was a great shock and inspiration at the same time. After this film, a dream appeared to star in something like that.

How did you get into the King and the Jester project?

The actual casting request came from a casting director we’ve already worked with, and it’s a fairly common practice in the acting world. It’s funny that the casting for the role of Agatha was the longest, and they approved me almost a couple of days before the start of filming, because at first Rustam (Rustam Mosafir, director – ed.) gave me another role – Mistress of the old clock. And I relaxed, went to St. Petersburg for make-up test samples and costume fitting. And about a month later I was asked to come to St. Petersburg again for repeated auditions for the role of Agatha.

The next morning they said I was approved and filming would start in a couple of days. Shock. Happiness. My chance. And I did not yet know that, together with Agatha, I received the role of the Princess that I adored.