OmniScope Featured Artist:
Mike Starkov has built a multifaceted career in film and television, working across post-production and on-set roles as both a finishing artist and digital imaging technician. With a background in engineering and a passion for teaching, he brings a methodical, solutions-oriented approach to every project—whether he’s grading a film, managing multi-cam dailies, or translating technical knowledge into accessible classroom instruction.
We caught up with Mike to learn about his path into color, the evolving post landscape in Russia, and how OmniScope supports both his grading and QC work.
“I’ve been in the media industry for over two decades. In my most recent projects, I’ve worked as a Colorist and Finishing Artist in post-production, and as a DIT on set. I’m originally from Moscow and hold a Master's degree in Applied Mathematics and Physics. At first glance, this might seem unrelated to the film industry, but it actually helps me deeply understand color science and the physical principles behind color grading. It also helps me stay organized and methodical in my work.”
“I started my career at Deep Apple as an engineer, developing complex Apple-based solutions for clients like Condé Nast, Coca-Cola, IKEA, and BBDO. I really enjoyed creating sophisticated, integrated systems for the creative departments of those companies. During that time, I used Final Cut Studio extensively and attended nearly every Apple workshop held in Moscow.
In 2007, Apple Color was released and I was thrilled. Then, in 2011, DaVinci Resolve 8 Lite made professional color grading more accessible than ever before.
In 2012, I took part in the “CGI and VFX for Film Production” course at Mosfilm. For six months, I immersed myself in classes on world cinema history, producing, editing and sound design, color grading, and VFX. Every Friday was screening day, and we watched a wide range of film classics. That’s when I was first introduced to tools like Maya, Nuke, and Lustré.
Right from the beginning, I was invited to work on feature film sets in different roles: on-set editor, second AD, video assist, and data manager. And later, I was invited to teach at the Moscow Film School. Since then, I’ve taught at several film universities.”
“I decided to become a certified DaVinci Resolve Trainer through Blackmagic Design to support both my careers… as a Colorist and as an educator. It’s always a pleasure to connect with fellow professionals in person at NAB and during the DaVinci Resolve European Tours.
In Russia, post-production is primarily divided among Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere, and DaVinci Resolve users. Larger productions still rely heavily on Avid. However, Resolve is steadily gaining popularity, especially among mid-tier productions that are moving away from Adobe.
The Russian film and TV industry is a substantial market, with annual revenues exceeding $6 billion and continuing to grow. Broadcast television and OTT (online platforms) are the largest sectors, followed by theatrical feature films and social media, both live and scripted content.”
“That’s a great question… and the answer is, it depends. I have a degree in Translation for Professional Communication, and my Advanced (C1) level of English is a big advantage when I need to learn a new tool. I was even one of the translators for Hedge Offshoot.
On the other hand, if an editor or colorist doesn’t have strong enough English skills to understand user manuals or video tutorials, they often need to seek out courses in Russian or attend a film school. Fortunately, AI translation can now offer some help in making the latest tools more accessible.”
“My passion is delivering top-notch post-production services. I always try to find creative solutions within budget and deliver on time. Anticipating client needs and maintaining strong communication are key to a successful collaboration. Whether it’s a music video, commercial, multi-cam live show, series, or short film, I always strive to deliver my best work.”
“One of the latest projects I worked on as both editor and colorist was Show Mr. Blam. The challenge was producing over 50 episodes within a very tight timeframe. It was a hybrid format show with animated cutaways, which led me to learn 2D animation in DaVinci Resolve. I also had to decide how best to color grade the animated clips… most of which ended up requiring QC-style correction. That’s where the QC timeline functionality of OmniScope Pro proved invaluable.”
“My most recent DIT project was quite challenging. I joined after production had already started. My responsibilities included streamlining data management for two Alexa 35 cameras shooting ARRIRAW OpenGate, and improving the quality of the dailies.”
For my DIT work, OmniScope is extremely useful for color grading the dailies and performing general QC of the original camera files.
“These post-pandemic days, I often work from my home studio. I run DaVinci Resolve Studio on a MacBook Pro, which I also use on set. It's connected to an LG OLED UltraFine 27" 4K HDR monitor via a DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K in a Sonnet Echo Express enclosure.
I run OmniScope on a separate Mac mini M4 using an UltraStudio 3G Recorder, displayed on a 15” Asus portable monitor. I also use a CalDigit dock, the Elgato Stream Deck XL, and the DaVinci Resolve Micro Color Panel. My studio monitors are Genelec 8020D, connected to a Zoom AMS-22 audio interface. For storage, I prefer working off LaCie Rugged SSD Pro or SanDisk Pro-Blade drives, depending on the project.”
“As a Colorist, I really value the Dehancer film emulation plug-in. DaVinci Remote Monitor is also essential. As a DIT, I use Hedge Offshoot and Pomfort Livegrade Studio and Silverstack Lab, depending on the project’s needs and budget.”
“I discovered Time in Pixels during the pandemic while researching remote monitoring solutions for DaVinci Resolve. Nobe Display was available for free at the time, so I decided to try it. Later, I installed OmniScope and got carried away making custom layout presets.
In OmniScope I use a two-part layout that combines standard scopes like Parade and Vectorscope with OmniScope-specific ones like False Color and Skin Tone. When mastering, I often add the QC time tools.”
As a Colorist working in a controlled environment, scopes are indispensable, especially when your eyes are tired or you're preparing to export the final master.
As a DIT on set, we rarely have the luxury of perfectly controlled ambient lighting, so referencing scopes is essential for evaluating image parameters.
“I met Tom Huczek (founder of Time in Pixels) when I attended NAB in Las Vegas. It's always a pleasure to give feedback in person and to get live demos of new features. The Time in Pixels team has been incredibly responsive since the very first time I reached out for support. Their level of customer service is something other companies should aspire to.”
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