We recently connected with Sevag Chahinian and have shared our conversation below.
Sevag, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity doesn’t always come easily. It can take a lot of effort to find inspiration and stay in a creative frame of mind, but the work demands it. It’s particularly difficult when I’m working on several commercial shoots which can sometimes feel repetitive, but what’s worse is when I’m in between projects. To keep my creative juices flowing I actively look for and explore original thinking even if it seems impossible.
Pushing boundaries and challenging myself is a big part of my work and how I continue to spark that creativity. Instead of just completing the assignment, I always push to include a new element whether it be something as simple as exploring new camera movement or as complex as shooting an entire piece in natural light at night. I never shy away from trying new things and making a vision come to life. Where others see the difficulty I push to see possibility.
Narrative work is what really wakes up my right brain. It’s where my passion for the industry comes from. Narrative style inherently allows creatives to discard conventional thinking and encourages original thought. If I am feeling stuck, I often develop unique concepts and ideas within this realm to work my creative muscles as often as I can. I am always looking for ways to grow and narrative is the catalyst for it.
I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with creatives open to working with my drive to challenge creative boundaries. There was a particular project I took on in collaboration with a beauty brand. Usually the beauty industry doesn’t veer from the traditional style, but I had a different idea. Instead, we created a bold, dark, colorful and powerful piece that mirrored the excitement of an action film. Using this unconventional and seemingly extreme style, we achieved really unique results that highlighted the product while telling a compelling story through the campaign.
I look for inspiration everywhere I go. Everyone I speak to, every country I visit, and every experience I have an emotional charge within it that inspires me to bring it to life. The collaborative process with other creatives also sparks my own creativity. By talking to someone about their work, I get ideas or get inspiration to create something totally new. No one person holds all the great ideas in their mind, but when two people come together they can create something new that would otherwise be impossible.
These experiences fuel my creativity so I actively seek them out. It’s part of my job to find and harness it within my work in order to create new and innovative content. At the very core of all of this though is just enjoying the work. Good energy is the foundation for my creativity that keeps me from burning out. I go out of my way to make sure I contribute to creating a positive environment on set that encourages collaboration. Sometimes the best way is just to remind myself and those around me that the work we do is truly special.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Growing up as a first-generation American, being in the film industry was always a far fetched dream. At a young age I knew that dream meant I had to be a bit delusional. Getting into my dream school was the first step to making it a reality and it was a long journey to get there. That’s why I cherish every day I get to do what I do, because I know if I had changed anything or given in to what others said throughout my journey, I wouldn’t be where I am.
Naturally, as a dreamer infatuated with the art of film, narrative is where my passion lies. That doesn’t just mean that I love narrative projects, but that I bring that element into every part of my work. While I take on a lot of commercial projects, I never lose sight of the story we want to tell and how I can use my artistic style to do that. The collaborative process in narrative work is unlike any other. Bringing together creatives with different experiences, styles, and ideas to expand each other’s frame of thinking and create art is why I am in this line of work.
Truly, what I do is bring stories to life and push the boundaries of what is currently possible no matter how wild it may seem. I’ve heard a lot of people wonder where the film industry will go next assuming everything has already been explored. The most exciting part about this industry is the endless world of possibilities still ahead of us if we are brave enough to pull the curtain back a bit. Everything seems crazy until it works. I’m here to think outside the box and show everyone that there is so much still left to explore.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In the film industry, it’s common to wear many hats and pick up skills across all of production. There are some qualities though that is relevant and necessary in every part of it. One thing that has really impacted my journey has been my ability to creative problem solve. When you can identify where there is an issue AND provide a solution, your value to the team grows exponentially. There will always be problems and even people who can identify them, but there aren’t always people who can turn them into an opportunity for greatness.
I am a firm believer that in order to work in a creative industry and get things done, there needs to be order. Some people see a creative environment as unorganized, but the truth is without leadership creativity can turn to chaos. My ability to lead a team and bring structure to a creative and free flowing environment has made me someone my team can depend on. This leadership has actually promoted collaboration and creativity on set affecting every project I work on.
Most importantly kindness and empathy has impacted my journey. Genuinely connecting with people, taking the time to understand their vision, and doing everything in my power to bring it to life is one of the greatest things to positively impact my work. There is nothing like getting a phone call from someone saying they loved working with you and want you on a new project.
The best advice I have is to be genuine and authentic to yourself at all costs. Everyone has a unique perspective and something to give. If you try to be like someone else, you rob the world of your own greatness. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to network and make connections for work, just focus on connecting with your fellow humans.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for people to collaborate with because it’s the foundation of our industry. I’d love to work with people who are willing to push boundaries, think outside of the box and innovate the way we create through film. Anyone that is excited about breaking conventions and norms to pave new roads is a friend in my book. For anyone wanting to collaborate, they can easily reach out to me on Instagram or send me an email.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sevagchahinian.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sevagchahinian
- Other: sevagchahinian@gmail.com
