Rumena Dinevska and Konstantin Starodetskii
Film Directors/Producers/Podcast Hosts
Can you tell us a little about what you do?
We are an international creative couple, founders of Rumikay Studio and hosts of the podcast Rumikay Talks. At Rumikay Studio we create short films, music videos, and commercials. The podcast Rumikay Talks was born from our experience with filmmaking, acting, writing and our love of storytelling, We started the podcast during the pandemic. It has since grown into a fun weekly ritual from the comfort of our home, where we chat about the one thing we both enjoy the most – making films. In each episode of Rumikay Talks, which comes out every Friday, we share filmmaking insights and useful tips that can help any artist on their creative journey. We also interview professionals from the entertainment industry. One of our recent interviews was with Richard Hatem, executive producer on HBO Max’s “Titans.” Rumikay Talks is available on all platforms where you listen to podcasts. The episodes can also be found on our website.
How did you first become interested in art?
Art has always been a part of our lives. I (Rumena) come from an artistic family and was introduced to art from a very early age. Growing up in Macedonia, I was a frequent visitor to the Macedonian theaters, watching my aunt act in different plays. My mother, who’s a musician, instilled in me an appreciation for classical music and enrolled me in my first piano and ballet classes. In high school, I started acting in and directing plays as a part of the drama club. Soon I discovered films and was enchanted. Cinema is an art form where I can combine all the arts I enjoy. That’s what brought me to Los Angeles in 2014, specifically to Burbank where I studied filmmaking at the New York Film Academy and met my partner Konstantin.
Konstantin is Russian-Ukranian from Saint Petersburg, a city where one is surrounded by art. From literature, cinema, and theater arts to spectacular architecture and museums — art and history abound. Konstantin always recalls the days when he would watch three to four films in a row in movie theaters. That’s how he got introduced to Hollywood films and international cinema and discovered his love for filmmaking. Similarly, he too ended up pursuing an MFA in Filmmaking. Now we get to share our passion for the arts.
How does art enrich a community, and what are some ways people can engage with art in Burbank?
Art enriches a community by bringing people closer. There are no borders in art. It’s for everyone! Art opens our hearts, inspires us, provokes us and informs us about other cultures and histories. That’s one of the reasons we started the Rumikay Talks podcast. We wanted to share our love for filmmaking and the work of other artists. If we can inspire at least one artist to create, we’re one step closer to enriching our community.
Burbank, although small, has lots of things to offer! Being home to so many film studios, we must mention that going to the movies and visiting the Burbank International Film Festival is one way to engage with art. We also love going to the Garry Marshall Theatre where we watch some great productions, and the Colony Theatre where the Pacific Ballet Company stages a lot of wonderful ballet performances. Rumena also takes ballet classes at Media City Dance. The downtown Burbank Cultural Market is also a great place to discover creations from local artists on the weekends.
If you could share with our community one thing about art, what would it be?
Rumikay Talks has various episodes on what it takes to be an artist. If we had to pick one thing, we’d say that art is meant to be shared and a strong community is built on mutual support. We would love to encourage our community to support local artists by engaging with their art.
To find out more about Rumena and Konstantin and their work, visit their website rumikay.com, listen to their podcast Rumikay Talks, or follow them on Instagram @rumikaystudio.