Films often impress not only with bright visual effects but also with captivating plots. This was realized early in the history of cinema by the Russian screenwriter Vasily Mikhailovich Goncharov. In the early 20th century, he was creating historical plays and accidentally found himself in the world of cinema. He needed video materials for the production of the epic about Stepan Razin "The Lowland Freedom", and he turned to film entrepreneur Alexander Drankov. Drankov, impressed by the script, convinced Goncharov that his work deserved to be adapted into a film.

The film's plot was based on Razin's campaigns across the Caspian Sea against the Persians and concluded with a dramatic scene featuring a captured princess. The film gained popularity among viewers and became successful. Inspired by the positive reviews, Goncharov fully dedicated himself to cinema. After "The Lowland Freedom", he created masterpieces such as "The Song of Merchant Kalashnikov", "The Daring Merchant", "Mazepa", "Yermak Timofeyevich", and particularly stood out with "The Defense of Sevastopol". By that time, Goncharov was already a well-known screenwriter. The director easily found funding for the shooting of the first full-length film in Russia, and Goncharov, using his connections, ensured the participation of sailors from the Sevastopol garrison and several ships.

Innovative methods were used for the film's creation for the first time in Russia, such as huge sets and simultaneous shooting from different angles. The scale of production was impressive. The newspaper "Petersburg Truth" wrote: "In Sevastopol, real battles took place for several days. Our fleet was sunk in the very place where it actually happened. About 3000 explosive shells were used, all for the sake of cinema recreating the picture of the defense." The film was successful again. However, Goncharov did not have time to realize all his ideas, as he passed away at the age of 54 in September 1915.