Inspiring Conversations with Dmitrii Smerdov of Korvinus Productions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dmitrii Smerdov.

Hi Dmitrii, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello! My name is Dmitrii, but most people call me Dima – it’s just a shorter version of my name.
I’m a Director of Photography and colorist based in Seattle, WA, and recently I also started exploring acting – partly out of curiosity, and partly to understand what really happens on the other side of the camera.

I’m originally from the northern part of Russia, where my journey into filmmaking began. I was always into movies, especially the technical and emotional side of them – camera movement, lighting, color, and that almost invisible moment when a scene suddenly feels right and you don’t even know why. At some point, curiosity turned into obsession, and obsession turned into learning.

My very first project as a filmmaker was a simple commercial. Nothing glamorous. But even then, I couldn’t stop myself from treating it like a tiny film. I tried to make everything cinematic and tell a story, even if the product was something as simple as a sauce. Surprisingly, the client loved it and kept calling me back. That’s when I realized that storytelling is really important, no matter the scale.

Deep down, my goal was always cinema – short films, documentaries, and eventually feature films. That path led me to my first short film as a camera operator, and that experience completely locked my direction. I remember thinking: “Okay, this is it. There’s no going back to normal jobs now.”

In 2022, I moved to the United States, and since 2023 I’ve been working with a local video production company in Seattle. Along the way, I’ve been lucky to meet incredibly talented and supportive people. Since then, I’ve shot several short films that I’m deeply passionate about, but the biggest milestone so far was working on a feature film during 2023–2024.

That project didn’t just challenge me professionally, but it also introduced me to one of my closest friends, Seattle-based actor Curtis McGann. Watching him work and approach acting from the inside inspired me to step in front of the camera myself. So now, I’m learning how stories feel both when you’re building them visually and when you’re living inside them as a performer.

At the moment, I’m working on both sides of the lens – and honestly, that keeps things exciting and constantly pushes me to grow every single day.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the hardest lessons early on was realizing that passion alone doesn’t take you very far. You still have to learn how to work with people, deal with rejection, navigate uncertainty, and keep showing up even when there’s no immediate payoff. There were moments when walking away felt like the logical option, especially when COVID hit and almost all of my projects disappeared overnight. What kept me going was a simple thought I repeated to myself constantly: if I quit now, I’ll regret it later. So I stayed, kept working, and focused on getting better rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

Moving to the United States in 2022 reset everything in the most brutal but necessary way. New country, new industry, new rules, no established network and no shortcuts. I had to rebuild my professional identity almost from scratch, while learning a new work culture and figuring out how to advocate for myself without overexplaining or underselling my value.

At the same time, that reset brought unexpected positives. Along the way, I met people within the industry who didn’t just become collaborators, but close friends. Having that kind of community made the challenges manageable and reinforced the feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a Seattle-based video production company focused on cinematic storytelling. We work across commercial, narrative, and branded content, but the common thread in everything we do is a strong visual language and a story-first approach.

What’s important to understand about our work is that we don’t treat video as a purely technical service. For us, every project, whether it’s a commercial, a short film, or branded content – is approached like a piece of cinema. We pay close attention to mood, lighting, composition, camera movement, and color, because those elements shape how a story is felt, not just how it looks.

What sets us apart is that our team comes from a narrative film background. Many of us actively work in short films and feature projects, and that experience directly influences our commercial and branded work. We don’t aim to simply showcase a product or a company – we aim to create emotion and atmosphere.

Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is consistency. There’s a clear visual and emotional signature across our projects, regardless of scale or budget.

For our clients, this means they’re not just hiring a production team, they’re partnering with filmmakers who are invested in the story they’re telling.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Family comes first for me. My Mom has always been my biggest supporter, no matter what path I chose or how uncertain it looked from the outside. Her belief in me gave me the freedom to take risks, make mistakes, and keep moving forward – and for that, she deserves more credit than anyone else. I truly hope she’s proud of the person and artist I’m becoming.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.korvinus.productions/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordswildlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/korvinusproductions/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wyldnord/