“A year ago I didn’t know what “taskbar”. And now often I use that word”. An interview with Maxim Galkin — about instagram, children, rap battles and Bulk
In 2015, Maxim Galkin went back to the First channel after eight years; in may of 2016, he launched their Comedy show “Max-max”, which six months later was closed due to low ratings. At about this time Galkin began actively to your instagram and for six months managed to become a popular blogger on a regular page with a selfie began to appear sketches with the participation of Alla Pugacheva, Philip Kirkorov, Laima Vaikule, as well as Lisa and Harry — children of Maxim Galkin and Alla Pugachev. Videos shot and assembled by the artist, gaining over a million hits.
The journalist of “Medusa,” Alexander Sulima spoke with Maxim Galkin on how to be a modern and joke on instagram, and rap battles, Russian laws, children and colleagues Malakhov, Urgant and Nagiyev.
First solo concert Maxim Galkin gave in 2001 at “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”. Over the years he became not only one of the major comedians of the country (Galkin continues to tour and collect full halls), but also one of the most famous TV presenters. “Who wants to be a millionaire?” “Two stars” “Dancing with the stars”, “Ten million” — Galkin started his television career on the First channel, and then 8 years working on “Russia”. In 2015 again returned to the First; from November 2016 Maxim Galkin’s show children’s talents “the best!”.
— Some months ago your instagram looked the same — only photo and video reports from concerts and events. Then, apparently, you took matters into their own hands and became a blogger. What happened?
— Until April of this year in the U.S. I was treated with some prejudice. People are social in the first place to show yourself. I always thought that places where I can show enough: I go to concerts, am TV program. Of course, instagram had, but it led my admin. She was doing a fine job, no complaints from me was not.
All this time I have used an old Nokia, which suddenly began to act up. I’ve been wanting to buy a new phone, but I’m pretty conservative and constantly purchase postponed. Moreover, in old phone, I had written more than a thousand rooms, and here I always imagined how I manually kill them all. Even in the fall while on tour in America, I bought the iPhone, but his hands before him, it never came.
— So all this time he was just lying?
Yes. In the spring I finally reached a store, threw all the phone numbers and started to use it. Naturally I was connected to my instagram. Then I saw that the iPhone is a good camera, and told my admin that instagram will conduct himself. And as soon as I began to do it, it became a passion, I liked it. Empirically I have found that instagram can do what they do not do on sites which are. And like any artist, getting a new audience, I continued to learn.
And then I started to get a response. I’m used to the instant reaction when you joke on the show, the reaction of the audience immediately understand, funny or not and here is similar story. In this instagram big advantage in front of the TV.
On TV you can do something to plan, to invent, to spend, to invest, and then suddenly it turns out that was not what was intended. On instagram — just comments, views, feedback.
— How much increased the number of your subscribers since April?
— When I started, there was a little less than 400 thousand. Now -1,7 million. The strongest gain — for 130 thousand a week was in June. These figures can be compared with indicators of instagram pages of the world’s major stars. Now the speed has slowed, I understand that its nuclear audience I have attracted. It is obvious that the audience that I was interested in, within our country or the Russian-speaking population, the end. But for me it is not the number of subscribers, and what percentage of them are actively involved in what is happening: the number of views, likes and comments. And the figure I have is very high — it can compete with the popular in our country instagram bloggers.
— And whose numbers you are targeting?
— I specially did not compare, but I saw that if you look at the number of views, then I’m in the lead. I will say again: I am a person fascinated by, and I, just this is not cool. I tried it and realized that there might be a popular one. But engaging this passes quickly — I know for myself. Proved to myself okay.
I have a character with the future in sight I don’t know how to insist on their uniqueness, thought and went further.
— Why do you need it all?
— In today’s world a lot of information flows. Page in the social network is almost the only one you can control yourself and convey through him to the public information that you think are important or truthful.
I don’t think not fixing, not fake. Usually all my videos are shot in one take. When you do something by force, it is not interesting and looks fake. Came up with the idea to pastebeti someone — BAM, gave someone from the home camera, read something, one or two takes, quickly put together, gathered, thrown into the Internet.
— You can mount?
Yes. If the installation easier, right in the phone mount. If more difficult, dropping into the computer, put in a more complex program.
Me very important this information platform, because not once have I been in a situation when the media spread about me is an outright lie. A social network is the simplest way to refute something or to say about what is important to you. The time has passed when it was necessary to refer to some publication.
Heroes rollers often become your children. Why did you decide to show them?
— Famous people is always a question — do I need to expose children. Is this correct? To be honest, I had a choice. I decided to remove the children after the paparazzi, and so they showed. Last year in Jurmala they were on duty near our house, kept watch. Can’t say that it’s nice. I’m loyal to all are not run by journalists, even if not appointed them a meeting — everyone has their own bread. But how they will remove you and your child that you will write, you give them at the mercy of. I also like the idea that they haunt my children when I’m not next to them when they come out with a babysitter.
When you decide how to show their children, “paparazzing” the tension is removed. This summer, no one bothered. They simply no one will buy the material — everything can be taken from instagram. For me it was vital.
— Speak if you are with kids, the script in advance?
— No. Moreover, I basically asked not to show them that video with them, which then expose that they are somewhere known. They know daddy loves them sometimes to remove. Lisa may refuse to act — in this respect she is a real lady — if she feels that now is not in the dress or in the hair. If so, then get it.
All the videos with children is snatched from a life moments that I want to genuinely share. Due to their activity in social networks, I was able to capture so many amazing stories that certainly would have missed. That is, my instagram is a kind of diary.
— Lisa and Harry as something incredibly organic in all videos: Lisa dances, they play musical instruments, arrange improvised concerts.
— It is, but you know, if I feel they start to act up, I stop shooting. I listen to them. No purpose they constantly show. I’m a bit embarrassed to insist on this thought: “Oh, look at me children.” You do not want to expose them or yourself to be an annoying fool with your own happiness. It is also annoying to people, no matter how great the children were.
Overall, instagram is a complicated story, if you treat it seriously. Is the same as any other modern mass medium: it calls and relevance, and originality.
— A series of videos of the adventures of Alla Pugacheva and Lima Vajkule in Latvia — “Lady of the dunes” is your notion?