SHORT BIO
Alessio is a British writer and director of Sicilian heritage based in London. His stories often blend drama with dark humour and explore issues surrounding family, loneliness and existential affirmation in a fresh, contemporary fashion. Alessio’s background stems from over a decade of experience supporting the film and TV industry in camera technical services for companies such as Panavision London and RED.
FILMOGRAPHY
Why Won’t You Talk To Me? / The Hourglass / Back, Forth, Wherever
1. Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking is your way of telling stories?
When I was a teenager, I had this Sony handycam that I would take on holiday with me when visiting family in Sicily. When my cousins were together, we would all make each other laugh and so I always carried the camera on me in case my cousins or grandparents did something funny and sometimes we would even shoot silly videos parodying movies that we loved. It was when I got back to London that I learned I could weave a narrative from all the footage by editing it into these short comedy bits for my family to enjoy.
2. Do you think it is essential to go to a film institute in order to become a successful filmmaker?
I’m sure there are many benefits, but I wouldn’t say it is essential. When I finished school, I knew I wanted to work in film but had no connections in the industry and so I messaged anyone and everyone I knew who might be able to put me in contact with someone to get some work experience. There were a lot of freebies to start with, but I treated it like it was my own version of film school and learned so many things from different departments that I would credit for my knowledge and approach to filmmaking today.
3. Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?
I get very excited by the prospect of starting new projects, but sometimes it is easy to feel guilty about approaching others for help with a project if the funding isn’t quite there. Nine times out of ten though, they will absolutely want to be there for you and help you. I would say starting small is a great learning curve as it gives you the time to grow more comfortable with your own voice and find solutions within restricted parameters. You always want to make sure the people you bring into your project are looked after and have that inclusivity of lending their knowledge and expertise. A project like The Hourglass was a huge leap in terms of ambition for me and it required so much more planning and preparation than my first short film. The more prepared you are in the beginning, the smoother you make it for yourself to keep going.
4. What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film? How did that lesson happen?
I think not being afraid to communicate the vision clearly with the team had a real positive impact on the film. I’ve had it in the past where I lacked the confidence in my vision and I’d stray down a path that resulted in the piece suffering. With The Hourglass, I found that all my preparation ahead of time allowed me to find that perfect balance between communicating my vision and being open to the input of those around me. It was so effective to know when to step back and give other departments the creative freedom to come up with amazing contributions to the film.
5. What were the production realities from casting through editing that you had to accommodate? How did you navigate those compromises or surprises and still end up with a cohesive film?
We were put in a predicament when our original producer became unavailable two weeks prior to shooting. I had already reached out to actors, assembled a talented crew, lined up the location and I didn’t want all that to go to waste, so I decided to go ahead with the production and hire a PA to assist on the day. The original script also had elements that far exceeded our budget, such as wire-rigging and additional visual effects elements. It certainly added a curve ball, but I knew that as long as I retained certain elements bolstering to the core, then I could afford to make a few compromises elsewhere.
6. What was the hardest artistic choice you made in the making of a film, at any stage in production?
I think before we started shooting The Hourglass, I had a mix of excitement and my own reservations about treading into VFX territory because I had no prior experience in that field. I explored practical effects and was on the fence about which direction to go in, but I found that committing to a blend of the two ended up being the best choice for our fantasy elements.
7. You are a collaborator. How have you discovered members of your team and how do you keep the relationship with them strong?
Listening to the input of the team you surround yourself with is a huge factor for maintaining long-standing relationships. Also, when the budget is limited, a decent meal and some level of monetary compensation goes a long way. I’ve worked on set and in rental houses for many years and you naturally meet like-minded people who strive to create and are looking to help one another. I found my network began to grow as soon as I started offering to help overs.
8. What do audiences want? And is it the filmmaker’s role to worry about that?
Sometimes I find myself worrying that my work is sometimes too niche, however I also found that the projects that never even got made were the ones where I was trying to write/create in order to appeal to others or I was trying too hard to be seen as a filmmaker. I think as long as there is a strong central dramatic argument or theme to explore, then most of the time if you focus on what you would like to see as an audience member, chances are there is an audience out there that will identify with your work.
9. What role have film festivals played in your life so far? Why are they necessary? How do you get the most out of them?
Networking can be awkward and tricky the first few times you do it, but without actively going I wouldn’t have met composer Gedminte Samsonaite who was a crucial member of the team when working together on The Hourglass.
10. Do you believe that a filmmaker should be original and fresh or he/she should stick to classic but safe cinema style?
I think using classic cinema as a reference is incredibly helpful when starting your career as a filmmaker. You get a sense of what you gravitate toward and start to think how you might do something differently. I think being able to quickly identify the tools and tricks of the trade used by directors, cinematographers, editors and sound designers etc. is a great baseline of knowledge when you’re starting out. After the first few times, I feel as though you begin to grow more comfortable with your own voice as a filmmaker and that’s where you can really start take more risks that could lead to something unique and original.
