CAZENOVIA – An Oxford High School graduate and recent Emmy award winner is taking the documentary world by storm. Lukas Korver, director, camera and editor, has a story that highlights the importance of diligence and determination. Before winning Emmy awards and dealing with giants like FaceBook, Duracell, Under Armour, Vans, Sports Illustrated and Guess by Marciano, he was a student who chose to pursue his passion for film as a career.
“I love getting shoved into someone else's world... meeting people you would never normally meet,” said Korver.
Thus far he has been to every continent in the world, except for Antarctica, and has worked in almost every major city in the United States. Ironically, he works with Hollywood stars and interviews numerous people with extraordinary stories, yet describes himself as a former loner with a history of shyness.
For him, this ability to be solitary has had benefits in that he often spends tens of hours alone working on planning, editing and formatting his productions. While his numerous awards and highly demanding clients speak of his success and ability to create art with film, his start is similar to many of those living in the area.
“Growing up in Chenango County prepared me in a lot of ways,” he said. “There is a humility and kindness that you maybe wouldn't have learned in another place and an understanding that nothing is going to be given to you.”
Both of his parents and step-mother worked as teachers and Korver explained that this was helpful later on as he determined his career path.
“I wasn't constrained,” he said. His family did not demand that he get a structured, high powered job after college. “It wasn't 'What are you doing to make money?' but 'How are you contributing and, most importantly, do you enjoy what you’re doing?'”
Korver had always preferred creating videos to writing papers in high school – a propensity that reemerged when he joined the communications department at Newhouse at Syracuse University. There he majored in television and film production – skills which he quickly employed when he decided to follow a civil rights violation themed story in Florida after graduation.
After this experience he explained, “I set on making it my career but that didn't happen for another five years.”
Shortly after his escapade in Florida, in late 2003, he moved to Los Angeles.
“For the first six months I couldn't even find an unpaid internship,” he said. His life consisted of various side jobs such as working as a valet, moving furniture, painting and shooting weddings. Korver spent the first four to five years doing odd jobs until his work as a producer and editor took off.
“My career only recently became financially viable,” he said. Fortunately, what was once was a drought became a flood of job prospects.
"I'm always juggling several projects at one time or another, all varying types of projects in different stages of production,” he said.
Korver does not advertise – instead many of his clients are referrals or see his work online. He has won an Emmy award for co-directing segments of a “Sports Illustrated” piece titled, "A Boy Helps A Town Heal." He was also the director of photography for a film that won top honors at the Vimeo awards, among numerous honors.
The work itself is very interesting and complex. Not only does he have to understand his client's vision, Korver then has to learn about the subject(s) and perform interviews (if required). The interviews serve as the background narration and then Korver works to get shots and interesting angles to portray the story accurately. This is followed by many hours choosing the best shots to make films that are often approximately five minutes long – though he has produced full length documentary films.
“I try to create images that are as cinematic as possible without feeling overly produced,” he said. “I try to capture real moments in a cinematic way.”
Korver has previously spoken to younger students to help guide and inspire them. For any individuals hoping to enter the industry he suggests to continuously make videos.
“Shoot things you are an expert on ... you are interested in or are curious about or make a short video about a friend or relative with an interesting story,” he said.
A decent, HD quality camera can be purchased for $200 to $300, which will serve as a great start to learn the basics.
“Storytelling, having an interest or expertise in the story (and) persistence to follow through with it,” said Korver when asked what is most important to be a successful filmmaker. “Also, the courage to get started.”