Participants in scandalous videos about recording out of self-interest on SVO described the oddities of filming

Retired Alexander Knyazev got the role of plant director. According to the plot, his employee quits, signs up as a volunteer, because he drove an old tractor for 15 years, and now he was offered a new armored personnel carrier.

Alexander Knyazev is a professional actor. In his filmography, there are five serious roles, not counting episodic ones.

– I do not know who the customer of my video – says Knyazev. – I saw an ad in the extras chat: men of a certain age, type are required. The script is not posted in the ad. I look, I fit the type, the temperament. I went. I was only allowed to read the script on set. I didn’t see anything special in it. My hero is a normal uncle, and I agreed. He gave up and left.

– Have you met the director?

– Naturally. But we did not talk about the motivation of the video. I had one acting question for him: what does he want to achieve in the frame, what kind of character does my hero have.

– Didn’t they ask why they shot these videos, where will they be shown?

– I don’t care at all. Often the directors themselves do not know where they will be shown. When you ask where it will be possible to watch, they answer that they give it to the TV channel, they themselves make the schedule. So there’s no point in wondering.

– Didn’t the scenario seem strange to you?

– I thought about it too late. I signed the contract without reading the script. Then it was too late to leave. And in the end, my hero was against the fact that the subordinate left as a volunteer, tried to persuade him, intimidated him.

– Where did the shooting take place?

– A small studio was organized on the outskirts of Moscow.

– How much did you get paid?

– That’s what I told you. It’s a secret.

– They say that such shootings cost 8-10 thousand rubles.

– More or less like this.

– Telegram channels suggested that Ukrainians could be involved in the videos.

– Russians filmed me, I myself am also Russian. I did not see a single Ukrainian on the site.

– How long did the shooting last?

– An hour and a half maximum. There were no rehearsals. I have an acting background. I did everything quickly, as it should.

– You weren’t hounded on the Web?

– No, only journalists attacked. And why poison me? I usually always play grandfathers, professors, scientists. I have this type.

– That is, there is no need to look for a Ukrainian trace here?

– No, ours are removed. Everything is on the surface. Someone allocates money for such videos.

“Still Patriotic”

35-year-old Denis Daham got the role of one of the four men who sit in the kitchen and decide to sign up as volunteers because they do not earn enough.

In the questionnaire of Denis it is written: theater and film actor. The man described himself as follows: “I am a very strong and cool actor. I don’t wait to be offered a role, I film and promote myself. And soon I will be at the hearing and in front of everyone.

– I am at such a level of cinema when you have not outgrown the extras, but still an unclaimed actor, – says Denis. – Therefore, I do not refuse episodic roles when they are offered. But these are still not the roles you dream of. When you come to shoots like this, you don’t really ask about anything. There can be 3-4 shoots a week, you don’t need to remember, write down who invited you. I read my text, I did not notice anything bad there. My hero didn’t offend anyone.

– Have you watched other videos on this topic?

– Started watching, then quit. They showed me clippings from my video, I also took a glimpse. After these videos appeared on telegram channels, supposedly journalists began to cut off my phone. I got angry, added people to the black list. In social networks, they wrote nasty things to me, some person with a Polish flag on his profile picture threatened me. The dude wrote: and it was worth it to light up like that for a penny?

The videos were made by Russian directors. It didn’t work out quite as well as expected. Do you think it’s too bold? But the writers are not to blame, but those who claimed.

– Maybe no one claimed blinded in haste?

– It is clear that in haste. The video appeared on the Web 10 days after filming. They paid me a week after it came out. 8 thousand rubles were transferred to the card.

– After the scandal, you did not contact the producer, were not interested in what it was?

– I wrote to them and asked why journalists were calling me. I was told: “Don’t talk to them, it’s a provocation.”

– Where did the shooting take place?

– In Moscow. We rented an apartment not so far from the center.

– You asked why these videos are filmed?

– All the actors knew that it was a social video. We were given the script beforehand. If you look with the naked eye, there is nothing like that in them.

The video itself is a bit silly, it hits the forehead, but it is still patriotic. I am a patriot of the motherland. Even now the video as a whole seems normal to me. Perhaps if they had not been filmed so much, they would have looked different.

“We’ve been set up”

Denis Korol, after the release of the video, apologized for taking part in the filming. The man was assigned the role of a huckster who buys an old car from a pensioner. The old man is forced to sell the car due to poverty. His grandson signs the contract and promises to help his grandfather.

On December 22, Denis published a post on the social network: “Unfortunately, neither I nor you will see the original script and the video that was originally filmed. There was a completely different story and a different message. All scenes are filmed separately, what happens in them – no one knows. After the group did the editing, this is the result. I was as shocked as you.

The most important thing is that for a long time these “figures” themselves remained in the shadows, and the whole wave of negativity rushed over us.

At the moment, these “figures” have been found, and they themselves are responsible.

On my own behalf, I want to apologize that this video appeared at all. I am very unhappy that my face appeared in it. For our part, measures have been taken and documents have been sent to the appropriate authorities about the interference of my image and name in this video.”

Denis warned that he would not give any comments to journalists, “especially for money.”

We contacted Denis’s wife, singer Marina Korol.

– My husband suffered in this situation, – says Marina. – The guys undeservedly received a huge portion of the hater attack. Directors, organizers of filming are not known even to the actors. These are hired people whose names we do not know.

Who pays for this, the actors also do not know. The person who recruited the actors was also framed. He’s doing the exact same thing right now. The organizers and directors of the filming are silent. We know this from the words of the foreman and assistant for actors.

– Your husband on the set did not get acquainted with the director?

– Are you seriously? Meet the director? These are episode actors. The director himself rarely meets them. I’m sorry, but I don’t intend to discuss this any further.

“It’s impossible to find the ends”

We managed to find the phone numbers of casting directors and producers who were involved in the work on the videos.

Some phones were blocked.

One number was answered by a young man whom the actors called the producer.

– Who was the customer of the commercials?

– I do not know. He himself worked as an administrator, actually helped with the casting. During the work there were too many different contacts, different people contacted us. We tried to identify the customer, determine the final destination. But it was not even possible to find out which production studio ordered the films.

Are there any contacts left?

– All the numbers we were contacted on are no longer working.

– So you still tried to find out what it was?

– Of course. After all, thousands of people called us, wondering what was happening.

– Rumors about the alleged Ukrainian trace are groundless?

– I do not know. We are all Russian speakers. Who will figure out where the Ukrainians are, where the Russians are.

Where should the videos be shown?

– Also no idea. We were told – there is a job, can you go out? I went out.

– Filming took place in Moscow and the Moscow region?

– As I understand it, we were not the only ones who filmed these videos. We were approached by guys from other cities. Wherever they were filmed.

Another girl who was involved in the casting confirmed the words of the interlocutor: “Too many intermediaries were involved in this filming. Who the customer is, we never managed to find out, although I honestly tried. Nobody gives specifics. I think now the ends are unrealistic to find.

“Without a beard, type Surovikin”

In the meantime, casting agencies continue to recruit actors for social media roles.

I looked at what types are relevant lately.

Here are some announcements.

“10,000 rubles. Business men, age 40-50, type: Mashkov-Bezrukov-Khabensky. Woman 40-45 years old, businesslike, type – Svetlana Khodchenkova.

“A man of 30-50 years old with Soviet faces. Rate 1800.

“Bald, without a beard, type Surovikin. According to the plot, the father of the main character. There will be one sentence. Rate 8000.

“Girl 18-22 years old. No signs of modernity. The story is about a young woman. The rate is 8000.

“An Orthodox priest who can sing. It will be necessary to sing “Closing the circle” against the backdrop of the church in a cassock. The fee is 12000”.

“We are looking for a man from 20 to 40 years old, who has partially or completely missing front teeth. You have to smile for the camera. Without words. Fee 2000″.

“A woman in her 30s and 40s with or without a child who speaks Ukrainian without an accent.”

“Urgently looking for an actress similar to Merkel. The video will be circulated on social media. If you are like Merkel, write to Telegram. Please send photos immediately. Payment 5000.

I responded to Merkel. They answered me: “Found, not relevant.”

Most of all I was interested in this announcement: “We are looking for actresses 25-38 years old, well-groomed, beautiful with a good figure. Shooting a government commercial for a private screening. The announcement states that the filming will take place in Vladivostok and will take 7 days. Guaranteed accommodation in a good hotel. The fee is 120 thousand rubles minus 20 percent for the agent. Plus per diem.

I called the given number. She asked what the video was about.

We don’t know the theme of the story. We will find out only after the approval of the actresses, – the girl explained. – You understand, this video is on the state paid program. Think about what it might be. To be honest, I have no other thoughts.

– It is written that it is for a private show, what does this mean?

– I don’t think it will be for a private show. Social advertising should be as large as possible for the masses. But these are my thoughts. The details are not given to us.

– I would not want to be in the place of those actors who appeared in commercials about volunteers.

– I don’t know what exactly our video will be about. If I knew that it looks like what you called, I would not post the ad.