Marco Jemolo
Framed
|
June 18, 2020
Marco Jemolo, How do you define your filmmaking aesthetics? Who are the movie makers whose works have influenced your taste? That’s a really difficult question! I never thought about defining my aesthetics… If I had to choose a word I’d say it’s “organic”, meaning that instead of imposing my visual canon, I like to adapt to the script and the story, trying to figure out what’s best way to render it. |
Photo: courtesy of the artist |
I like to be the first interpreter of a text, to find the beats and the hooks on a page and let them drive me into the process of expression. Research is key in this process, that means that also my influences change constantly. The director I have as my guide is probably Ettore Scola with his wide spectrum of themes and emotions, his ability to be heartfelt and grotesque at the same time, his precision in execution, his passion and curiosity for human nature. I recommend his body of work to any filmmaker out there.
What have you watched in recent days that has made a big impression on you?
Adoration, by Fabrice Du Welz. A coming of age story about teenage love and mental illness. Masterfully shot and filled with incredibly vivid characters. We need more movies like that one.
Can you tell us more about your recent short titled Framed?
Best experience of my life. I come from a live-action film background, so in order to switch to animation I had to learn everything from scratch. Once again, I had a story that could only be told in animation, so I had to adapt to make it happen.
Framed is about a character that believes there’s more to life than what he sees, and he seeks help to evade the schemes he’s trapped in. Although there is no happy ending, I think there is an optimistic way to look at it. Framed is a film about determination, about the inner light we all have within.
Have you decided on what themes you’d like to focus on in your next project?
I’m writing a feature film and a TV series now. Somehow, they both deal with identity. They are about facing your true self. They’re comedies, though. Making people laugh by dwelling into deep emotions would be a lifetime achievement.
What characterizes your creative style and process?
I share a lot and talk a lot. First with the people I write with, then with the crew, then with the actors. If I’m good enough to let them know what we are aiming for, then everybody can run wild with imagination. I want them to give all they’ve got to the film and to do so they must feel involved, inspired and free to express. It’s like jazz.
You can fly high with crazy licks only if you have a solid rhythmic structure below. It has worked well so far…
How have you managed life in lockdown due to Covid-19? What’s been your reaction witnessing global protests standing up for racial justice?
I don’t know anyone whose health was affected by the virus, so I don’t have any direct experience of all the suffering and anguish those families went through. In isolation, I longed for the human touch, I missed my love, my family, my friends.
I think the time is right to make solidarity a key point of any political agenda, liberal or conservative. 2020 has taught us that we are facing global problems which can only be solved by global efforts. That goes for racism, too. When I saw the protests exploding in the US with such energy, I said “About time!”. Social injustice is true and it is an insult to everything developed democracies claim to stand for. I just hope this rightful outrage will soon turn into an organized political proposal. There’s a long road ahead.
Who are the artists and artistic organizations that you like and support and why?
I like Doja Cat. Also, here in Rome, there’s not much room for independent arts. The only spaces where we can enjoy alternative artists and performers are buildings and squats occupied by left wing activists. I guess you could call them Antifa, to use a word that gained some resonance recently… Those are the places where I’d like the new generation of artists to grow up.
What do you plan to make, promote, share in the upcoming weeks and months?
I’m starting a family. That’s all I’m about now.
#BeathTheBlues – We have this ongoing campaign about the importance of mental health. Do you have any advice or story to contribute to it?
I’d say it’s a great campaign. In these years, social media has compelled us to project a successful image of ourselves, to only share the happy moments of our lives or some off-brand positive thinking, leading us to feel inadequate for those standards, to believe that depression is our own fault.
It is important to realize that it’s ok to feel blue. And it’s ok to talk about it. And asking for help is not just right, it is extremely empowering. You’d be surprised about how much love there’s still around.
Your favorite word today:
Hoc Tok.
Ah, thank you. Glad to have a new friend like you, Marco.
What have you watched in recent days that has made a big impression on you?
Adoration, by Fabrice Du Welz. A coming of age story about teenage love and mental illness. Masterfully shot and filled with incredibly vivid characters. We need more movies like that one.
Can you tell us more about your recent short titled Framed?
Best experience of my life. I come from a live-action film background, so in order to switch to animation I had to learn everything from scratch. Once again, I had a story that could only be told in animation, so I had to adapt to make it happen.
Framed is about a character that believes there’s more to life than what he sees, and he seeks help to evade the schemes he’s trapped in. Although there is no happy ending, I think there is an optimistic way to look at it. Framed is a film about determination, about the inner light we all have within.
Have you decided on what themes you’d like to focus on in your next project?
I’m writing a feature film and a TV series now. Somehow, they both deal with identity. They are about facing your true self. They’re comedies, though. Making people laugh by dwelling into deep emotions would be a lifetime achievement.
What characterizes your creative style and process?
I share a lot and talk a lot. First with the people I write with, then with the crew, then with the actors. If I’m good enough to let them know what we are aiming for, then everybody can run wild with imagination. I want them to give all they’ve got to the film and to do so they must feel involved, inspired and free to express. It’s like jazz.
You can fly high with crazy licks only if you have a solid rhythmic structure below. It has worked well so far…
How have you managed life in lockdown due to Covid-19? What’s been your reaction witnessing global protests standing up for racial justice?
I don’t know anyone whose health was affected by the virus, so I don’t have any direct experience of all the suffering and anguish those families went through. In isolation, I longed for the human touch, I missed my love, my family, my friends.
I think the time is right to make solidarity a key point of any political agenda, liberal or conservative. 2020 has taught us that we are facing global problems which can only be solved by global efforts. That goes for racism, too. When I saw the protests exploding in the US with such energy, I said “About time!”. Social injustice is true and it is an insult to everything developed democracies claim to stand for. I just hope this rightful outrage will soon turn into an organized political proposal. There’s a long road ahead.
Who are the artists and artistic organizations that you like and support and why?
I like Doja Cat. Also, here in Rome, there’s not much room for independent arts. The only spaces where we can enjoy alternative artists and performers are buildings and squats occupied by left wing activists. I guess you could call them Antifa, to use a word that gained some resonance recently… Those are the places where I’d like the new generation of artists to grow up.
What do you plan to make, promote, share in the upcoming weeks and months?
I’m starting a family. That’s all I’m about now.
#BeathTheBlues – We have this ongoing campaign about the importance of mental health. Do you have any advice or story to contribute to it?
I’d say it’s a great campaign. In these years, social media has compelled us to project a successful image of ourselves, to only share the happy moments of our lives or some off-brand positive thinking, leading us to feel inadequate for those standards, to believe that depression is our own fault.
It is important to realize that it’s ok to feel blue. And it’s ok to talk about it. And asking for help is not just right, it is extremely empowering. You’d be surprised about how much love there’s still around.
Your favorite word today:
Hoc Tok.
Ah, thank you. Glad to have a new friend like you, Marco.