Eugene Nikitin<\/a> is a Siberian-born filmmaker, director, and photographer who\u2019s carving a name for himself through experimental, cinematic visuals rooted in stories of disenfranchised youth. His family is currently in Georgia, although today he speaks from Belgrade, and soon he plans to move to Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At just 24, Eugene travels the world, creating music videos, visuals, and films for artists aligned with his creative vision. Eugene\u2019s work exists across multiple platforms and mediums: online, at festivals and exhibitions, and in print. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eugene\u2019s filmmaking style treads the line between cinematic and pop culture, and his creative process is as unique as his concepts. He painstakingly plans each frame to match his vision, putting just as much emphasis on the planning stage as the execution itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2020, Eugene\u2019s worked with Artlist Original to create stock footage<\/a> for the catalog, combining familiar industry techniques with fresh, experimental approaches to image-making. Today he shares the stories behind his most boundary-pushing films, as well as advice for filmmakers who want to carve their own creative path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artlist Original<\/a> is a curated collection of cinematic stock footage created by independent filmmakers and visual artists. Exclusive to Artlist, this footage showcases high-quality, creative clips that go beyond typical stock content, with a focus on unique storytelling, striking visuals, and artistic expression. Designed for filmmakers, editors, and content creators, Artlist Original Footage can be used in a huge range of creative projects while supporting the independent artists behind the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Tomsk, a small city in Siberia, Eugene first picked up a camera on a hiking trip with school friends. \u201cWe were in the mountains and I just started to film a few action shots,\u201d he remembers. \u201cI discovered I enjoyed filming travel and road trips, so I started to improve my equipment and my skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eugene grew up surrounded by cinema-lovers. \u201cThat was always the family evening, watching movies, and that\u2019s how I decided I wanted to be a director,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, once he graduated, he moved to Moscow, where he studied cinema as a Director of Photography, before heading to St Petersburg to learn how to direct. He began making videos at the age of 19. \u201cJust small videos, to learn how to work with a team, try different types of cameras, and image creation,\u201d he says. \u201cLike we did print, we did film, night vision stuff, and just tried to find new forms of media.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eugene\u2019s early films were inspired by exploring wild places. \u201cI wanted to capture those experiences on film, imagining their journeys through rivers, mountains, and other challenging spots,\u201d Eugene says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He filmed his surroundings, creating rhythmic video essays accompanied by music and experimental edits. \u201cTo reach a wider audience, I started collaborating with fashion brands because I was drawn to their visual storytelling, costumes, and the opportunity to experiment,\u201d he says. \u201cWorking with them allowed me to explore my style, camera techniques, and develop my own creative medium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Eugene spent the early days of his career experimenting because he knew he needed to stand out if he wanted to achieve his dreams. That\u2019s why his breakthrough project was such a success; it was a truly unique vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Archive Prints\u2019 Be With Ari<\/em><\/a> <\/em>was filmed in 2021 and released in August 2022. The film was inspired by experimental directors and unconventional image-making techniques, and Eugene used night vision, handycams, and infrared lighting to create a fashion project using reflective, color-changing textiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eugene and his team filmed in restricted Moscow locations like libraries and the metro, using inventive methods to avoid permissions while highlighting architecture and movement. He then spent a year creatively processing the footage, printing and rescanning frames to produce a new, textured visual medium. \u201cWe split it frame-by-frame, made the composition in DaVinci Resolve, then split it frame-by-frame again,\u201d he says. \u201cWe scanned it back, we placed it on the timeline, and we got this kind of texture that is really different from anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This groundbreaking project received immediate acclaim from within the film world, including a feature on the Directors Library<\/a>, which established Eugene\u2019s reputation for a distinctive, experimental visual style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not film, it\u2019s not video, it\u2019s not digital, it\u2019s a completely new medium, almost impossible to work with because it requires painstaking effort,\u201d Eugene says. \u201cPrinting and then cropping each image back to the aspect ratio we used. Nobody was doing this at every stage of a project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eugene\u2019s flow soon got interrupted when he was forced to leave his home country. \u201cThe war started, so I escaped Russia and started to make videos because that was the only thing I could do,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the success of his former projects, he started creating music videos for artists, and connected with Artlist in early 2025. \u201cThe team from Artlist reached out to my friend in Georgia, who owns a production company,\u201d Eugene says. \u201cWe were immediately on the same page, it just felt like a natural match.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first Artlist Original project Eugene worked on was Destroyed Youth<\/em><\/a>. It\u2019s a cinematic work that intertwines youth culture, rebellion, and the grit of urban decay. The footage showcases contemporary dance, casual hangouts, and playful moments amongst a group of young people, all set against the backdrop of abandoned buildings and crumbling cityscapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n What is Artlist Original?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Roots, vision, and experimentation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eugene\u2019s boundary-breaking approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Working with Artlist<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n