Motion Graphics Designer and VFX Artist- Vitaly Verlov

Vitaly Verlov shares some of his filmmaking secrets

A screenshot of Forever After

Vitaly Verlov is a motion graphics designer and VFX (visual effects) artist and has been working steadily in the film and television industry for the last seven years. He started out with a computer programming background, but since he was always interested in the artistic applications of computer technologies, he decided that computer graphics programming was the way to go. After focusing on developing a software platform for visual effects and motion graphics, he decided to switch over to the actual production of visuals and graphic design using the software that was already available and widely in use in the industry. 

 

Originally from Novosibirsk, in Siberia, Vitaly moved to Moscow after earning his computer science degree. There he began working in motion graphics for movies and TV for nationwide and international clients. After several years of work, Vitaly noticed something about commercial motion graphics design: the lack of true human emotions. Motion graphics, in the opening title sequence or the post-production of a film or TV show, can be quite stunning and atmospheric or can even expose a short metaphorical story visually, but they didn’t offer characters and narrative elements that the audience could easily relate to. Realizing this, Vitaly decided that he needed to move into the narrative part of filmmaking and jump into live-action productions that were scripted. He went on to make his own short film, “Forever After,” and learned all about the production side of putting a picture together simply by doing almost everything, from writing and storyboarding to procuring equipment and location scouting, directing, editing and extensive visual effects work. The film was completed and went to the Cannes Film Festival.

He also changed the way he approaches motion and broadcast graphics for TV: of course great looking images are integral when it comes to visuals and he follows this natural rule, however his prime focus is shifted to the context these graphics as a medium are part of as he always tries to build and enhance a subtext it carries, with strong filmic and storytelling techniques. As a result, Vitaly says graphics becomes semantically blended with live-action productions rather than being a separate piece of design. And this works for clients, too, because they're usually happy with accents and narrative elements put into these designs and how the graphics complements the production.

 

For his other live-action short film, also written and directed by Vitaly, “Redux,” he was able to cast Hollywood veteran Eric Roberts in a key role and the New York Film Academy is going to use it as part of their curriculum. The funny thing about all of this is that Vitaly doesn’t even attend NYFA, they just loved the film on it’s own merits. It's a high quality production made under a pretty tight budget, featuring a Hollywood star and seamless visual effects so they consider it as a pretty accurate smaller scale model of a big studio production.

 

Vitaly continues to work as a motion graphics designer and VFX artist and is getting funding for two more short films that he wrote.