MEET OUR TEAM - Severyn Vae
INTRODUCING SEVERYN VAE
Chaotic artist, Soft geek, and Resourceful Production Assistant!
Severyn Vae (they/them) is a bold figure in black with a real knack for cinematography: give them a camera and they'll give you something beautiful. They're also an accomplished editor and specialize in audio mastering and fine arts as well! They've got a lot of experience and a really strong aesthetic in their work and I was really curious where they get their inspiration for creating film from.
Severyn teaching the camp crew how to use the cameras
When did you know you wanted to get into filmmaking/producing?
Part of me never knew, but always knew. I've been into the idea of producing since I was pretty young. I was interested in camerawork and always wanted to get my hands on any camera I could! When I hit post-secondary school I could actually decide between Visual Arts Media class or Cinema Class and with those classes I could finally get access to all the cameras I needed! I started experimenting with that and I also started making a lot of music and some installation work as a fine artist
What was your favourite project you've worked on?
It was my undergraduate project, and I'm still working on it! It's called Abandoned and it's a non-narrative piece we filmed at an 100 year old factory. It was a challenge for me because I had hired someone else to do the videography. I'll often go in with an idea but then improvise from there, so this time I had to explain my ideas fully to my camera operator and then see what they got from there. Now I'm still editing it and It's a fun challenge to get it to a vision where I want to be. I love capturing stuff that's about nature and man-made places, so a man-made place that had been taken over by nature was perfect!
Seveyn, Leo and Sonya at the 2021 Gala
What was your first impression of the studio?
First online summer camp! I was surprised to find a place where neurodivergent people could share ideas and express themselves freely. I had a lot of joy and curiosity, since it was just like a concept to me. I could see how strong the community was and feel the freedom and camaraderie a lot of the participants had. Seeing how low the barrier to education was and that everyone could share ideas amongst each other was pretty sweet! People could just work on stuff without pressure and collaborate more! It was really all for the joy of creation!
What goes through your head as you try to get a unique shot?
I guess when it comes to the videography I've done, I jump a lot between assistant directing and being a director of photography. I've learned how to get the shots I want through experience, since I see every project as a learning opportunity. I've done some commercial shoots and when I draw off what I learned from that, I can come up with really fun shots! Whether for a client or a film, I can always find a great way to make some magic happen. I always figure out what the best angle could be based on what the client wants and what I know myself. It's about making the best kind of footage and I really lean on my resourcefulness.
Severyn on a production shoot in Toronto
How would you describe your aesthetic?
My own aesthetic is very dark, textured and abstract, whether it's working with footage and/or photos. I go for something that is viscerally relatable and gets to people's emotions. It can be very aggressive, soft, or ethereal. I'm a big fan of early modernist cinema and video art, one of my biggest influences being Andrei Tarkovsky!
What's something you like to do for a fun creative activity?
I'm a total geek! I spend a lot of my free time reading or watching Lord of the Rings, Game of thrones, and Star Wars, so I'm into a lot of fantasy and sci-fi! I also love playing video games like Heavy Rain which is super dramatic and has an amazing story. Also Breath of the Wild, the Metro series, and Elder Scrolls which I've played since I was ten! And I've played every star wars game I can get my hands on!
That is super nerdy! You make some of the most distinct and eye-catching work, and I'm glad you're making it with us!
Severyn is the Production Lead for our Production Services, and helps the Spectrum Live team as well. If you want to make a production request you can go here! We also still have our artist call out for Spectrum Live open so If you want to contribute to the show, go here!
