Los Angeles based, international film and television director with 30 years of experience in the motion picture industry.
Over the course of 6 seasons, directed 108 one-hour episodes on a hit Russian television series called Balabol.
Proud member of I.T.S.E. Local 728, in good standing for 24 years.
Graduate of USC School of Cinematic Arts (class of 1991).
Director's Reels
The following reels are from six seasons of Balabol directed in its entirety by Vladimir Melnik. Each reel is a mere glimpse on the immense scope of work done over years, representing hundreds of hours of labor by hard-working crews, exceptional writers, hundreds of talented actors, and committed producing team.
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To see full episodes of Balabol and its promotional materials (as of now regretfully only in Russian) click here.
Scripts
The following synopses are for my completed scripts.
Please note all works on this site are copyrighted material.
Please note all works on this site are copyrighted material.
A few years ago, I became fascinated by several cops & robbers cable series produced by BBC. The Silent Heart is the product of this fascination. I wrote this story with a miniseries in mind. Currently, four scripts are completed and ready for miniseries format. The story, however, can be weaved further into a full crime-drama, episodic series.
The Silent Heart
Genre: Crime Drama / Series
This crime-story tale is foremost a love story. Homicide detective Gabriel Hamelton, a man driven through life only by passion for his work, has his hands full. A high profile jewel heist goes wrong -- two cops and three robbers are dead. But the jewels are still missing. An old cop at the precinct points out a similarity of this case to another, a twenty five year old bank robbery gone wrong with similar dire circumstances. In order to solve his case, Gabriel will need to first dig deep into a twenty-five year old mystery. But will his heart get in a way, as his infatuation grows for his wild and beautiful prime suspect. The story is told in parallel narrative following one family through two generations.
Genre: Crime Drama / Series
This crime-story tale is foremost a love story. Homicide detective Gabriel Hamelton, a man driven through life only by passion for his work, has his hands full. A high profile jewel heist goes wrong -- two cops and three robbers are dead. But the jewels are still missing. An old cop at the precinct points out a similarity of this case to another, a twenty five year old bank robbery gone wrong with similar dire circumstances. In order to solve his case, Gabriel will need to first dig deep into a twenty-five year old mystery. But will his heart get in a way, as his infatuation grows for his wild and beautiful prime suspect. The story is told in parallel narrative following one family through two generations.
Inspired by the plays of Michael Bulgakov.
Theater of Scandal
Genre: Comedy / Feature
Before she looses her beloved Hollywood Hills house, a down-on-her-luck, ex-movie starlet, Elizabeth Campbell, decides to start up a discreet brothel in her home. But when her long-lost cousin, Hugh Grams, arrives at her door on the lam from the mob, Elizabeth’s plans take an unexpected detour.
Hugh has huge plans on making it big in tinsel town. With a script in hand and all the grand ideas on how they're going to make their huge comeback, Hugh blows the lid off of Elizabeth’s “ quiet and discreet operation.” The doors are wide open, and an ensemble of colorful clientele pours in, including an ex-KGB agent, a pimp hairdresser, a drug dealing movie producer, and a few mobsters for the perfect mix – just the right ingredients to make a good scandal.
The drug-induced soiree soon spins out of control, and their desperate antics lead to murder… But will the police find the victim this remains to be seen, for reality and fiction begins to blur at this never ending party inside the theater of scandal.
Genre: Comedy / Feature
Before she looses her beloved Hollywood Hills house, a down-on-her-luck, ex-movie starlet, Elizabeth Campbell, decides to start up a discreet brothel in her home. But when her long-lost cousin, Hugh Grams, arrives at her door on the lam from the mob, Elizabeth’s plans take an unexpected detour.
Hugh has huge plans on making it big in tinsel town. With a script in hand and all the grand ideas on how they're going to make their huge comeback, Hugh blows the lid off of Elizabeth’s “ quiet and discreet operation.” The doors are wide open, and an ensemble of colorful clientele pours in, including an ex-KGB agent, a pimp hairdresser, a drug dealing movie producer, and a few mobsters for the perfect mix – just the right ingredients to make a good scandal.
The drug-induced soiree soon spins out of control, and their desperate antics lead to murder… But will the police find the victim this remains to be seen, for reality and fiction begins to blur at this never ending party inside the theater of scandal.
Written as a play, this was my very first script that I optioned to a production company, later once more, to an independent producer.
Final Draft
Genre: Comedy / Play
Rufus, a successful screenwriter, has a problem: his ex-wife, Minni, while brandishing a gun, wants him to write her a script based on their life together. It will be no less than a masterpiece! And Rufus has until the morning light!
Genre: Comedy / Play
Rufus, a successful screenwriter, has a problem: his ex-wife, Minni, while brandishing a gun, wants him to write her a script based on their life together. It will be no less than a masterpiece! And Rufus has until the morning light!
