Interview with filmmaker Rob Ciano
Interview with filmmaker Rob Ciano
1. What made you pursue filmmaking?
I’ve always been fascinated by storytelling, whether in the form of a movie, a book, a play, or even a comic strip. Additionally, I grew up acting on stage, so from a young age I was not only an audience member, but also involved in creating entertainment for others. In my spare time, I was always writing, drawing, and eventually I got my hands on a video camera and started making my own short films. I remember finding so much joy in creating something interesting with the camera and then sharing it with others. When it came time to think about my future career, film was really the obvious choice.
2. What directors or writers influenced you growing up and why?
Two major influences of mine were definitely Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. I enjoyed Spielberg’s films because of his ability to create vivid, three-dimensional characters who you care about and root for, and the rich storylines he crafted. George Lucas and the Star Wars films were also a huge inspiration to me, from the expansive and detailed universe to the deep message about connection to that universe and to others. Actually, some of my first scripts and shorts were Star Wars fan-films, and Spielberg-type disaster films.
3. How did you come up with the concept for the thriller film Shimmer?
Shimmer began with a thought experiment - most people are familiar with fear of the dark, but is there a reason one would be afraid of the light? I dove into that idea and came up with a number of characteristics of light - for example, the ability for light to reveal that which is hidden. Once I had a good list of ideas, I started stringing them together into scenarios - or into characters - and the story began to reveal itself from there.
4. What was it like working with Nichole Galicia (“Once Upon A Time in Hollywood,” “Django Unchained”) and Kazy Tauginas (“The Equalizer 2” “John Wick,” “Dolemite is My Name”) Any fun behind-the-scenes stories?
Both Nichole and Kazy are extremely talented actors, and I’m so glad they were able to lend themselves to the film. Nichole was always on point, ready to act and collaborate and tell an effective story. Kazy was also excellent to work with, and came up with a good number of ideas for his character and scenes. The chemistry between them was great as well, and really translated to the screen and the relationship between the characters. Beyond their professionalism and talent, Nichole and Kazy were also a blast to work with on set, cracking jokes and really helping facilitate a productive environment. I’m very fortunate to have worked with them.
5. Did you stick to the script while shooting Shimmer?
We stuck to the script for the most part, but there are two scenes in particular where we abandoned the written word almost entirely. Sometimes you get to set, and the scripted scene just doesn’t work. Luckily, our whole cast is extremely talented and in both cases, the actors were able to find the right words to tell the story. But improvising new dialog is one thing - it’s another to edit that scene together without the script as a blueprint. That’s a major testament to our editor - I watch those scenes now and can’t even remember what I originally wrote!
6. Do you have any advice for young filmmakers?
My advice is this: don’t wait. If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be a director, find some actors and put together a scene. If you want to be a cinematographer, take photos and video of everything, from every angle. It doesn’t matter if your stories or shots or scenes are terrible, because the very action of trying will make you better. People like to wait for a particular stroke of inspiration, or they wait because they feel unworthy or need someone to give them permission. I say, forget all that. If you want to make a movie (or do anything new or challenging), start taking steps toward it as soon as you can. You’ll be glad you did.
7. Can you tell us more about your upcoming project(s)? (for example: “Twenty-Nine”)
My next feature is a coming-of-age romantic comedy called “Twenty-Nine”, about two characters who meet and fall in love just in time for life to take them in separate directions. That project is nearly complete, and I hope to release it in 2022. Beyond that, I have a few other projects I’m writing, including a comedy, an action film, and a sci-fi horror. Plenty of fun projects on the horizon!
SHIMMER
SHIMMER is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD at Wal-Mart, also available to stream on Amazon, Vudu, Dish and InDemand. Starring Nichole Galicia and Kazy Tauginas.
Comments
Post a Comment