Alan Melikdjanian
Encyclopedia
Alan Melikdjanian is a Latvian-born independent filmmaker. He is the founder of Amelik Entertainment, LLC, a South Florida
-based video production company specializing in unique and inventive films, web series, commercials and music videos.
Alan has been active in the founding of video-sharing sites Openfilm
and FilmNet, and is the creator of the YouTube
web-series Captain Disillusion, a comedic series of videos promoting critical thinking and skepticism.
Since 2008, he has regularly attended The Amaz!ng Meeting
, an annual conference that focuses on science
, skepticism
, and atheism
.
In Riga, during the school year, Melikdjanian would spend most of his free time trying to copy the styles of Disney animators. During summer, he'd resume his circus life on the road.
At the age of 4, Alan appeared (in scenes deleted) in the 1984 Russian film 'Shutki v storonu' (Jokes Aside) though his image remained on the movie's poster. At the age of 12, Alan and his family immigrated to the United States.
He attended high school at William H. Turner Tech
, in Miami, and studied video production and 3-D animation. He continued to do so at the International Fine Arts College, now known as the Miami International University of Art & Design
.
He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree in Film Production.
Also that year, Alan worked as an animator on the English-language, award-winning film Zelimo, a coming of age film that tells the story of a young Jewish farm boy who embarks on a journey from Russia to America in search of a better life.
Alan was the director, writer (with his father), editor and composer of the 2006 direct-to-DVD Russian-language film Citizen Mavzik
, the story of a Russian immigrant family's assimilation into American culture. The film was produced by Vilalan Productions, named after Alan and his father Vilen.
The movie took three years to make, and first premiered at the Cinema Paradiso, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
. The film first streamed live on RTVi
, on February 4, 2007. However, it aired during the Super Bowl
. The same day, Melikdjanian posted a humorous video expressing his frustration to YouTube.
Melikdjanian is the co-founder and creative director of FilmNet, and is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Openfilm
. Both are intended as alternatives to popular video-sharing site YouTube
, but for serious amateur filmmakers who "don't want to place their work alongside YouTube's mediocrities."
In 2009, Alan founded his own video production company, Amelik Entertainment, LLC, an abbreviation of what he has called his 'unpronouncable' last name. The company is involved in the pre-production
, filming, and post-production
of various independent films, music videos, commercials, etc, and showcases its efforts on its official website.
In 2011, Alan had a brief voice cameo as 'Pistol Patty' in "A Fistful of Paintballs
," an episode of the popular TV series Community
.
.
In his videos, he wears a vintage 1980s tracksuit, and the skin of the lower part of his face is covered in silvery paint. His video 'Fire Angel Debunk' introduced a sidekick, 'Mr Flare,' also voiced by Melikdjanian.
He ends each video with his motto: Love with your heart. Use your head for everything else. His videos often conclude with a humorous ending sequence, which occasionally relates with the preceding video.
Melikdjanian stated in a Twitter
post: "Modeling a 3D space vehicle, complete with cockpit interior, for next video. You know, the video that was supposed to be short and simple."
, Phil Plait, the James Randi Educational Foundation
, Fortean Times
, Home Media Magazine
and Sun Sentinel, among others.
In 2008, as his YouTube videos first became popular, he was interviewed for 'The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe,' a downloadable podcast.
He has been interviewed for The Skeptic Zone, an Australian podcast, in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Captain Disillusion
Additional
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
-based video production company specializing in unique and inventive films, web series, commercials and music videos.
Alan has been active in the founding of video-sharing sites Openfilm
Openfilm
Openfilm is a website for finding and distributing independent film. Its Advisory Board includes members of the film industry, such as James Caan, Robert Duvall, Scott Caan and Mark Rydell, and independent filmmaker Alan Melikdjanian....
and FilmNet, and is the creator of the YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
web-series Captain Disillusion, a comedic series of videos promoting critical thinking and skepticism.
Since 2008, he has regularly attended The Amaz!ng Meeting
The Amaz!ng Meeting
The Amaz!ng Meeting is an annual conference that focuses on science, skepticism, and atheism. It was started in 2003 by the James Randi Educational Foundation...
, an annual conference that focuses on science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, skepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
, and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
.
Early life
Alan Melikdjanian was the son of Soviet-era circus performer parents. His father, Vilen, was a particularly well-known performer. He toured the Soviet Union with his parents until beginning school at age 6, at which time he would live with his grandmother in Riga. During that time, Alan assumed he'd grow up to be a circus performer himself:In Riga, during the school year, Melikdjanian would spend most of his free time trying to copy the styles of Disney animators. During summer, he'd resume his circus life on the road.
At the age of 4, Alan appeared (in scenes deleted) in the 1984 Russian film 'Shutki v storonu' (Jokes Aside) though his image remained on the movie's poster. At the age of 12, Alan and his family immigrated to the United States.
He attended high school at William H. Turner Tech
William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
William H. Turner Technical Arts High School, commonly referred to as Turner Tech, is a secondary technical school located at 10151 NW 19th Avenue in West Little River, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. Turner Tech sits behind Miami Central High School. The principal of the school is Ms...
, in Miami, and studied video production and 3-D animation. He continued to do so at the International Fine Arts College, now known as the Miami International University of Art & Design
Miami International University of Art & Design
Miami International University of Art & Design – is a for-profit institution and one of The Art Institutes, a corporate system of more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing education in design, media and visual arts, fashion, and culinary arts...
.
He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
degree in Film Production.
Early career, Amelik Entertainment, 2001–present
In 2001, Alan directed and composed the low-budget independent film: The Realm, about an introverted high school student who worries his teachers because he likes to write short stories full of violence and gore.Also that year, Alan worked as an animator on the English-language, award-winning film Zelimo, a coming of age film that tells the story of a young Jewish farm boy who embarks on a journey from Russia to America in search of a better life.
Citizen Mavzik
Alan was the director, writer (with his father), editor and composer of the 2006 direct-to-DVD Russian-language film Citizen Mavzik
Citizen Mavzik
Citizen Mavzik is a 2006 direct-to-video film from Vilalan Productions, and directed by independent filmmaker Alan Melikdjanian.The film was shot in South Florida-Summary:-Plot synopsis:...
, the story of a Russian immigrant family's assimilation into American culture. The film was produced by Vilalan Productions, named after Alan and his father Vilen.
The movie took three years to make, and first premiered at the Cinema Paradiso, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
. The film first streamed live on RTVi
RTVi
RTVi is an international Russian-language private television network, with studios based in Moscow, New York and Tel-Aviv, as well as bureaus in Washington DC, Berlin and Kiev, which broadcasts by satellite and cable in Europe, North America, Israel and CIS countries...
, on February 4, 2007. However, it aired during the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. The same day, Melikdjanian posted a humorous video expressing his frustration to YouTube.
Website founding
Melikdjanian is the co-founder and creative director of FilmNet, and is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Openfilm
Openfilm
Openfilm is a website for finding and distributing independent film. Its Advisory Board includes members of the film industry, such as James Caan, Robert Duvall, Scott Caan and Mark Rydell, and independent filmmaker Alan Melikdjanian....
. Both are intended as alternatives to popular video-sharing site YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, but for serious amateur filmmakers who "don't want to place their work alongside YouTube's mediocrities."
In 2009, Alan founded his own video production company, Amelik Entertainment, LLC, an abbreviation of what he has called his 'unpronouncable' last name. The company is involved in the pre-production
Pre-production
Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :...
, filming, and post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
of various independent films, music videos, commercials, etc, and showcases its efforts on its official website.
Additional work
In 2011, Alan had a brief voice cameo as 'Pistol Patty' in "A Fistful of Paintballs
A Fistful of Paintballs
"A Fistful of Paintballs" is the 23rd episode and part one of the two-part second season finale of Community. The episode originally premiered on May 5, 2011 on NBC. Acting as a sequel to "Modern Warfare" from the first season, Dean Pelton once again announces plans for a new game of paintball. The...
," an episode of the popular TV series Community
Community (TV series)
Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
.
Captain Disillusion, 2008–present
He is perhaps most widely known for his Captain Disillusion videos on his eponymous YouTube channel, which currently has over 23,500 subscribers. However, videos are released at a rate of only 3 - 4 a year, due to his exacting production standards. On his channel, he debunks, amongst other things, viral and paranormal 'hoax' videos, doing so humorously, and with a heavy focus on digital special effects. He edits his videos with Adobe After EffectsAdobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics and compositing software published by Adobe Systems, used in the post-production process of filmmaking and television production. Its main uses are the origination of 2D and 2.5D animation, visual effects compositing and finishing...
.
In his videos, he wears a vintage 1980s tracksuit, and the skin of the lower part of his face is covered in silvery paint. His video 'Fire Angel Debunk' introduced a sidekick, 'Mr Flare,' also voiced by Melikdjanian.
Format
Firstly, the Captain addresses the audience. A typical introduction to his videos is Hey, kids, Captain D here. Secondly, he goes on to show a popular video, often a paranormal or viral video which is 'too good to be true.' Thirdly, he reviews the footage, utilizing his experience with digital editing, to 'break down' the video and show how the end result was accomplished.He ends each video with his motto: Love with your heart. Use your head for everything else. His videos often conclude with a humorous ending sequence, which occasionally relates with the preceding video.
Quick D
In late 2010, Alan started uploading 2-minute episodes to his channel which he has called "Shorter, crisper "debunks" that will be posted more frequently than regular episodes (which will still continue as well)." However, Alan has stated that the shorter episodes are far harder to produce than the regular episodes, which themself take a long time to produce.Melikdjanian stated in a Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
post: "Modeling a 3D space vehicle, complete with cockpit interior, for next video. You know, the video that was supposed to be short and simple."
Releases
In 2011, Alan released a DVD of his Captain Disillusion series, entitled Captain Disillusion - Fame Curve Collection. It contains all 16 episodes remastered, with optional commentary, with additional bonus features. He debuted it at TAM9, and later made it available online. The money made from the DVD will go towards future episodes.Recognition
Both his body of work, and his Captain Disillusion videos have gained recognition from Russian TV InternationalRTVi
RTVi is an international Russian-language private television network, with studios based in Moscow, New York and Tel-Aviv, as well as bureaus in Washington DC, Berlin and Kiev, which broadcasts by satellite and cable in Europe, North America, Israel and CIS countries...
, Phil Plait, the James Randi Educational Foundation
James Randi Educational Foundation
The James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
, Fortean Times
Fortean Times
Fortean Times is a British monthly magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised by Charles Fort. Previously published by John Brown Publishing and then I Feel Good Publishing , it is now published by Dennis Publishing Ltd. As of December 2010, its circulation was approximately 18,000...
, Home Media Magazine
Home Media Magazine
Home Media Magazine is a weekly trade publication that covers various aspects of the home entertainment industry, most notably DVD, Blu-ray Disc and digital distribution. Also covered is news relating to consumer electronics, video games, home video distributors, video-on-demand and Internet...
and Sun Sentinel, among others.
In 2008, as his YouTube videos first became popular, he was interviewed for 'The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe,' a downloadable podcast.
He has been interviewed for The Skeptic Zone, an Australian podcast, in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Filmography
Actor, Director, Writer, Editor, Composer, Visual Effects Artist, Animator.| Year | Title | As | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Shuntki v storonu | actor | Russian for Jokes Aside (scenes deleted) |
| 2001 | The Realm | director, composer | |
| The Monster Man | editor | ||
| Zelimo | animator | Directed by Aleks Rosenberg, Won—WorldFest-Houston Gold Special Jury Award for Best Feature |
|
| 2002 | Sin neudachnika | editor | (Television film) Russian-language. |
| 2006 | Citizen Mavzik Citizen Mavzik Citizen Mavzik is a 2006 direct-to-video film from Vilalan Productions, and directed by independent filmmaker Alan Melikdjanian.The film was shot in South Florida-Summary:-Plot synopsis:... |
director, writer, editor, composer | (DVD) Co-written with father, Vilen. Produced by Vilalan Productions. Available in Russian and English. |
| 2008 | Director Director (2009 film) Director is a 2009 action film directed by Aleks Rosenberg, produced by Alex Cohen, and starring Claudia Davilla, Stephane Kay, Mike Paris and Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated group's Prodigal Sunn. The film is set in Miami, Florida.-Plot:... |
visual effects artist | Directed by Aleks Rosenberg Starring American rapper Prodigal Sunn Prodigal Sunn Prodigal Sunn is an American rapper, actor and entrepreneur.- Biography :Prodigal Sunn was the only child of indigenous parents and grew up in Brooklyn. During his youth, Prodigal was known as the ‘Sun of Man’ and was later re-christened "Prodigal Sunn" by childhood friend Killah Priest in... . |
| 2010 | Crimefighters | visual effects artist, sound editor | |
Television / web series
| Year | Title | As | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 −present |
Captain Disillusion | Captain Disillusion Mr Flare (voice) |
(Web series) 16 episodes, (18, including Quick D episodes) Also creator. |
| 2011 | Community (TV series) Community (TV series) Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television... |
Pistol Patty (voice) | Episode: "A Fistful of Paintballs A Fistful of Paintballs "A Fistful of Paintballs" is the 23rd episode and part one of the two-part second season finale of Community. The episode originally premiered on May 5, 2011 on NBC. Acting as a sequel to "Modern Warfare" from the first season, Dean Pelton once again announces plans for a new game of paintball. The... " |
External links
Alan Melikdjanian- Alan Melikdjanian on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Alan Melikdjanian on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Amelik Entertainment Official website
- Amelik Entertainment on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Captain Disillusion
- Captain Disillusion Official website
- Captain Disillusion on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Captain Disillusion on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Captain Disillusion on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Captain Disillusion on iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
- Captain Disillusion on ZazzleZazzleZazzle is an online retailer that allows users to upload images and create their own merchandise , or buy merchandise created by other users, as well as use images from participating companies...
Additional