A recently launched Ukraine-based cartoon project with a
simple title “Ivan’s Money” is set to rock the online media as a boredom killer
worldwide. Quite ambitions, isn’t it?

One of the founders of this project has been talking to Real
Ukraine and revealing the secrets of a their strategy and in-built success
factors designed for Ivan’s Money. Who knows, what if they are right, and Ivan
is really going to bring in a lot of success and cash for the Ivan’s Money
founders.

Real Ukraine:

Vasyl, what makes your project so unique. What will possibly
give it a chance to get through the worldwide media. What makes your Ivan
competitive?

Vasyl:

Well, it is not difficult to see that we want to make a
fun-project. We want to enjoy what we do and, consequently, we want the
audience to enjoy just the same experience we had during the production. You
know, “Ivan’s Money” is a bit of a mix of South Park, Borat and some new
exciting and original ways to present our funny reality. No matter what you see
now on the demo, Ivan and the whole set of characters will have a very distinct
way of being. We sincerely hope that our fans will truly appreciate our
approach.

Real Ukraine:

So you think you will be original enough to grab the
attention of the ever-growing online public, switching from TV entertainment to
more mobile and get-it-everywhere internet?

Vasyl:

Internet is an interesting media. We want to distribute the
content only on internet via all possible means, however, only internet.  It
would be a bit like British music band Radio Head switching fully to internet
public. I guess that we want to target the same audience.  Probably, our
audience should not watch TV  so much, have a busy lifestyle and get to watch “Ivan’s
Money” online for relaxing and a laugh..  so that’s the strategy.

Real Ukraine:

What experience do you have in media projects to make sure
this one will not be a trial-and-error case?

Vasyl:

Exactly, this will be THE trial-and-error case. This has
started as a fun project between designer and myself.  Nothing to hide, we want
to make this all commercial at some point, but we are ok to make trial-and-error
as we like the whole process of production, as I said before.

Real Ukraine:

What is it all going to be about? All I can see now is a
flying sheep and Ivan….

Vasyl:

It is going to be a mix of everything but the main line of
the series will be Ivan’s desire to make money. He gets to meet this funky
alien-processed sheep who can fly and they, together with some help of magic,
travel around the world trying out different life-styles in making money and experiencing
different cultures. It is going to be about world issues, about funny issues
about celebrities etc. Most importantly, it is going to be voiced well. I guess
that’s 50% of success.

Real Ukraine:

What is Ukrainian about the project?

Vasyl :

Well, nothing very conscious at the moment. But it is our
aim to deliver, through the whole set of media and hidden messages an insight
into a Ukrainian identity, as comparing it to other cultures in a funny, sometime,
actually very bitter way.

Real Ukraine:

Well good luck! Looking forward to seeing more of the flying
sheep!  

We offer our readers some screen shots from the first
series!

More can be viewed at www.ivansmoney.com

The first thing Natalia said is that she learned a lesson early this month in Munich: there’s a huge difference between show business in the West and show business here. Everything is under control there. An artist is surrounded by technical and security personnel: there’s no panicking, no shouting or crying. Natalia also noticed that a positive attitude prevails over there. You don’t find a lot of downcast people, moping around in depression. It’s just the way it is. The most memorable people she met in Germany were Muse, the British band that recently played Kyiv’s Palace Sport, and the band Justice, from France. She also liked a Foo Fighters performance she saw in Munich before the ceremony, and was impressed how they managed to excite a sold-out house.

When talk turns to the Ukrainian music scene, Natalia says changes have to be driven by the bands themselves, and the music they put out. Production quality can get better, but in the end it all comes down to the musicians and the songs. Today a lot of good young Ukrainian bands are coming up, and Natalia has faith that the native music scene will be a rich one. Her favourite bands at the moment are Okean Elzy, Esthetic Education, and Dazzle Dreams. Natalia’s native western Ukraine has given us many arts figures of note. Ivano-Frankivsk is the capital of contemporary Ukrainian literature, one of the stars of which is Natalia’s acquaintance Irena Karpa, the writer and rock singer. In 1997 the two met in the same recording studio, where Irena was working on a project with her band Faktychno Sami and Natalia was singing in the duo Magia. Natalia likes Karpa as both a writer and singer, and they had a lot of fun when they met again this year through MTV, for which Karpa is a Ukrainian host. Natalia says her Munich experience led her to feel a lot more responsibility for her art, and that now she wants to try even harder to do her best and improve the quality of the things the does. She believes strongly in the power of her music, and realises that there are a lot of things to do in the future. Soon, for example, there will be a new video to launch, and a tour to complete.

Particularly interesting is Natalia’s view of the Ukrainian pop scene, where everything is based on public relations and marketing. She says she does her best to be minimally influenced by that sort of dirty business. Her team has its own strategy and makes its own mistakes, and Natalia says she’s immune to star fever, and that her image consists of being herself: what you see is what you get. The name Lama was Natalia’s idea, not some producer’s, and Natalia does her own styling, with the help only of one hairdresser, who colors and cuts her hair. She says that there’s a big problem in Ukraine when it comes to finding professional stylists and personal designers. Real specialists are always busy, and she doesn’t trust the young amateurs. “In Munich there were a lot of stylists, and I heard adequate recommendations for the first time in my life.” Munich also turned out to be a place where you can buy inexpensive clothes, and Natalia found shopping there to be a pleasure. Natalia moved to Kyiv from Ivano-Frankivsk seven years ago, and remembers that it was hard here at first. She was a popular singer in western Ukraine, but there was no room to grow there. In the capital, there were possibilities. “Now I feel like Kyiv is my city too,” she says. “I like to meet up with my friends at Antresol and walk in the Botanical Gardens.” Such a life might be far from the bright stages of Munich, but it suits this unpretentious star just fine.

Performing is an important facet of Mishalow’s work. He has given recitals and has made appearances in North America, Europe and Australia, including solo performances in venues such as Carnage Hall (New York), Massey Hall (Toronto) and the Sydney Opera House. He has also appeared at a Royal Command Performance in the Netherlands. Victor has completed several concert tours in Ukraine, with over 70 solo concert recitals. He has appeared as instrumental soloist with the Tommy Teaco International Orchestra in Sydney, Australia and the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in Detroit. Mishalow participated in producing the music for 4 documentary films.

One of Victor Mishalow’s most consuming and important task at land is to install to the youth of Ukrainian heritage the love of the Ukrainian culture through form of music, namely the bandura, (the voice and soul of Ukraine). Mishalow, with his technical expertise has attracted over 130 students that have been the playing the bandura in the short time that he has been in Toronto. Mishalow is the founder of the Hryhory Kytasty Bandura Chorus, and along with the Bandura Chorus have received support and acknowledgment from various support agencies: Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Foundation, Prometheus Foundation, Canadian Ukrainian Congress, Ukrainian Canadian School Board, World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, and many others.

It is the dream and aspiration of Mishalow to update. to bring in new and contemporary elements, and to make the music of bandura loved by all music enthusiasts. This new direction is best exemplified in his recent releases of Bandura Magic and Bandura Christmas Magic.

This band was created in 2003 in Lviv and then in a few years it moved to Kiev. Each concert is an event for them where they completely devote themselves to creation of “atmasfera” of mutual understanding between musicians and audience. Members of the band are always demanding to the quality of sound, arrangement and lyrics of their songs.

The name of the band is made of two words: “atma” – in translation – person, and “sfera” – something that surrounds that person. And in general it means everything that surrounds that person – their internal world, feelings and concerns.

Andriy Shadiy – voice, guitar, mandolin:
AtmAsfera – is the opportunity of creating something that can influence other people’s fates and can change their lives for better. I don’t like this idea of art for the sake of art; music as the expression of soul must be motivated by a strong effort of soul with clear idea, the point is to give away from oneself something, help others, do some self-sacrifice, otherwise what is the difference between art and craft?”

Yulia Yaremchuk – voice, keyboard:
“I would always wanted to create music with would reach audience not only on mental level, but would flow into listener’s hearts of hearts and would give a chance of experiencing something deeper. I would really like that after listening to our music people would become happier.”

Anastasiya Yaremchuk – voice, flute:
“For me Аtmasfera is not simply a word – it is the whole world – internal world. Oftentimes I would immerse myself in the unlimited ocean of stuff, problems and their solutions and I can not even notice the most important. I wish I could stop and look at the life from different perspective. I would like our music to be listened to by heart so that it would help them to stop and find themselves.”

AtmAsfera is well-known to the public thanks to their participation in these festivals: Chervona Ruta, Taras Bulba, Etno Evolution, Nivroku, Different music, Mazepa Fest, Dream land and others as well as from concert all over Ukraine.

The band has presented itself for real after wining Qualifying Heats of International festival The Global Battle Of The Bands’06.

According to Ukrainian record ’06– AtmAsfera was announced – Discovery of the Year. (www.uaformat.com).

AtmAsfera presented Ukraine at international festival Przystanek Woodstock (Poland) in 2006-2007 ( www.wosp.org.pl)

Apart from musical concerts, AtmAsfera takes part in theatrical performances and writes music for theatre plays.

AtmAsfera – is an open project that cooperates with charity organizations, theatre studios and takes part in charity concerts and activities.

The band was originated in Kiev in 1998. Since that time the band members have been reviving the spirit of the ancient art by contemporary methods. If rock-music had existed then it would have been quite similar to the music of the band. VOANERGES’s style might be conditionally labeled as world-music or alternatively as art-rock and even Slavic gospel. The music relates ancient (even archaic) Slavic melodiousness with the modern rhythms, and timbers of traditional instruments with cosmic keyboards, heavy sound of guitar with jazz trumpet. The band ties art-rock with hip-hop and offers its own rendition of Holy Writ.

“Zlata Vrata” is spiritually patriotic event. It should make Ukrainians residing in villages realize that they’re human beings and those city-dwellers become aware of their Ukrainian roots. The songs lyrics are simple and accessible but philosophical at the same time – they’re about living and eternity. The songs regenerate the hope and conscience, raise the questions and reveal the answers.