Leonardo Valenti

Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your background in filmmaking?

Hi, my name is Leonardo, I have a long career as screenwriter, especially for tv series. But, like many in our field, I’ve started as a wannabe, and I made some shorts as writer/director before becoming an established screenwriter.

 

What inspired you to become a filmmaker, and how did you get started in the industry?

As long as I remember I’ve always dreamt about working in the comic book industry and the movie industry. I sucked at drawing, but I had ideas, so I focused my efforts on moviemaking. I made some short movies and then applied to a good screenwriting school organized by the Italian Public Broadcasting Company. I was selected and that’s how I started.

 

What was your motivation behind creating this particular film?

First of all, this short was shot and edited back in 1997. I thought it was long lost but found a copy only recently. It’s the first narrative effort I made. I wanted to tell a story from A to Z and this is the first real story I decided to shoot.

 

Did you face any challenges during the production process? If so, how did you overcome them?

The main challenge was that it was a zero budget production, meaning that I shot it with my S-VHS camcorder and edited with two VCRs. Yes, I couldn’t afford Betacam and a real editing room so everything was homemade. But I wanted it to look the most professional I could anyway.

 

Can you discuss the creative decisions you made while developing your film, such as the visual style or narrative approach?

Let’s say that I wanted it to look like a live action cartoon. The angles and the acting and the music, everything is cartoonish like a Looney Tunes or an anime.

 

Are there any specific themes or messages that you aimed to convey through your film?

Back at the time, I thought that the Italian television programs sucked, so I wanted to make a funny satire about that. This is why the TV Man is living in an empty world inside the television. But mainly, what I wanted is to shoot a funny story.

 

How do you feel your film stands out from others in the same genre or category?

Well, I believe that it’s a short movie which ha still some professional qualities compared to others shot with the same resources. And I believe that the cartoonish tone is still an original take.

 

What do you hope the audience will take away from watching your film?

I hope they will laugh and that they will tell other people how much they enjoyed it!

 

Can you share any interesting or memorable experiences you had while making this film?

Well, I guess that the most interesting this is that we were so much committed to the project that Marco one day acted even if he was ill and had to go to the hospital! But mainly I believe that all the editing process was memorable. I had to edit the project in one single day, I had no right to error!

 

What are your aspirations as a filmmaker, and where do you see yourself in the future?

I actually am (almost) where I wanted to be. I’m in the industry since 2002. But I believe that, if I found a copy of this long-lost shot movie maybe is because I have still fulfil the dream of becoming a director. Maybe that’s my next step.

 

Are there any filmmakers or films that have greatly influenced your work?

Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, John Landis, John Carpenter, John Woo, Satoshi Kon, David Lynch…

 

Have you participated in any other film festivals or competitions? If so, how was your experience?

I’ve participated in some festivals back in the 90s and early 2000s. Fabio, the TV Man of this short movie, had the chance to win as best actor in another short film I shot after Te L(e)o Comando.

 

Is there anything else you would like the audience and the film festival organizers to know about you or your film?

I really love this small homemade short film. Back at the time, we did all we could to make it happen. I just hope you’ll like it.