<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-08-04</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001001902</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTEVAC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IVAC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001346543</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Northern Right Capital Management, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>500 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 230</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13D 10% Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001451722</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Northern Right Capital (QP), L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>500 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 230</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13D 10% Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001451721</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BECKER DRAPKIN PARTNERS, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>500 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 230</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13D 10% Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001349003</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BC Advisors LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>500 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 230</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13D 10% Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001349005</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Becker Steven R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NORTHERN RIGHT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>500 CRESCENT COURT, SUITE 230</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13D 10% Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1652022</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>256384</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>354566</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents Common Stock directly held by Northern Right Capital (QP), L.P. (&quot;NRC QP&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents Common Stock directly held by Becker Drapkin Partners, L.P. (&quot;Becker Drapkin, L.P.&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents Common Stock directly held by a managed account on behalf of an investment advisory client (the &quot;Managed Account&quot;) of Northern Right Capital Management, L.P. (&quot;NRC Management&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">NRC Management, as the general partner of, and investment manager for, NRC QP and Becker Drapkin, L.P. and the investment manager for the Managed Account, may be deemed to beneficially own the securities described in footnotes (1), (2) and (3). BC Advisors, LLC (&quot;BCA&quot;), as the general partner of NRC Management, and Steven R. Becker and Matthew A. Drapkin, as the sole members of BCA and limited partners of NRC Management, may in each case be deemed to be beneficial owners of the securities described in footnotes (1), (2) and (3).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">NRC Management disclaims any beneficial ownership of all of the Common Stock listed herein, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein. NRC QP disclaims beneficial ownership of the Common Stock described in footnotes (2) and (3). Becker Drapkin, L.P. disclaims beneficial ownership of the Common Stock described in footnotes (1) and (3). BCA disclaims beneficial ownership of all of the Common Stock listed herein, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein. Mr. Drapkin and Mr. Becker disclaim beneficial ownership of all of the Common Stock described herein, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>NORTHERN RIGHT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P., By: BC Advisors, LLC, its general partner, By: /s/ Matthew A. Drapkin, Name: Matthew A. Drapkin, Title: Authorized Signatory, By: /s/ Steven R. Becker, Name: Steven R. Becker, Title: Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>NORTHERN RIGHT CAPITAL (QP), L.P., By: Northern Right Capital Management, L.P., its general partner, By: BC Advisors, LLC, its general partner, By: /s/ Matthew A. Drapkin, Name: Matthew A. Drapkin, Title: Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>BECKER DRAPKIN PARTNERS, L.P., By: Becker Drapkin Management, L.P., its general partner, By: BC Advisors, LLC, its general partner, By: /s/ Matthew A. Drapkin, Name: Matthew A. Drapkin, Title: Authorized Signatory, By: /s/ Steven R. Becker, Name: Steven R</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>BC ADVISORS, LLC, By: /s/ Matthew A. Drapkin, Name: Matthew A. Drapkin, Title: Authorized Signatory, By: /s/ Steven R. Becker, Name: Steven R. Becker, Title: Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>STEVEN R. BECKER, /s/ Steven R. Becker</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
