Today we’d like to introduce you to Pietro Cornini.
Hi Pietro, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve discovered filmmaking late, I would say. At 16 years old, I did my 4th secondary school year abroad alone in Denmark. Until that period I neglected the existence of an artistic side in me, but after spending one year away from everything, I found myself, I found my artistic side, and I fell in love with it! From that point on I decided that I needed to follow my heart and find what I really want. After completing school at 18, I fully embraced my artistic side and decided that art was never going to leave my life.
Right now, 5 years later. I am directing and producing an Italian commercial project made by multiple sets all over the world, I am visiting great places, traveling a lot, and doing good work. I am really proud of my professional growth. It all started self-learned at 18 years old, and after 2 years at 20, I decided to leave Italy and go to the US to study filmmaking. COVID did a big hit during my studying years but I made it through while going back and forth from Italy, where I had a commercial project to direct. Right now it’s almost 2 years from completing my studies and I have directed and written a short film (‘Bottom Girl’); directed and produced multiple very good commercial projects.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was definitely not a smooth road. When I started I had a lot of motivation and ambition, which I still have to this day, but COVID hit very big on me, I didn’t realize it at the moment but now I see it. As it happened to all of us in the world, I had to find a different way to continue and the best way to proceed and complete what I had started. I had to stop my studies and go back to Italy not knowing how long it was going to be, it turned out a good decision because thanks to a mixture of luck and hustle I got a big project to produce and direct that lasted 6 months, thanks to that I finished 2020 in a very good way. So, in 2021 I thought would be the restart, to finally go back to the US and finish, which is what I did, but it didn’t go exactly how I expected, I faced some of my hardest times, and I had to live the reality that the school couldn’t provide what was promised, online classes nearly depressed me and facing the living costs of LA and not receiving the teaching I was supposed to get was very hard for me, but I had some important friends that helped through this time and let me focus on the most important thing: directing my Short Film “Bottom Girl”, I completed it on August 2021. Right now it’s 2023 and I completed my first year as a fully independent filmmaker both in Italy and LA, I got to say, it was successful and full of good moments. The struggles I had made me what I am today and looking at myself in the mirror I thank those struggles and problems because I am proud of how my life is going and the direction is taking. I have future commercial projects and I have a short film in pre-production, so I will continue to improve myself and my future and face all the possible struggles that may arrive because I am not giving away my passion for filmmaking.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a commercial and film Director. I also do 1st Assistant directing. I am known mostly for my commercial projects that I have done in Italy that involve long productions with different sets all over the world. I produced and organized several of those collaborating with big and important clients such as E80 Group, Evian, Constellation Brand, Nestlè, Niagara Waters, Coca Cola with production and long transfers in different countries like Spain, France, Canada, USA, Mexico, Brasil, Costa Rica. It is some very intense work, but very rewarding when completed, to see that you successfully organized and completed a production that involves the risks of moving so much, it’s a very good feeling. I am definitely very proud of all my projects, especially my short film and some 1st assisting directing I did for some short films in LA. I think that what sets me apart from others is my ambition and dedication to the projects I get, I am very meticulous and precise when it comes to production, but also when it comes to directing I can deliver a good final product.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned some important lessons, as I mentioned in the previous question, I faced some hard times because of it, but the most important lesson I learned is perseverance, no matter what problems may come keep going and don’t stop what you started, don’t give up dreams, ideas, projects and hope because of what is happening, you will always find a solution if you have perseverance. This is what I believe mostly teched me during those hard times, which we still face some consequences today during our basic life needs. I would like to mention another lesson I learned which is: to love what you have and be grateful, sometimes I forget what I already have, but COVID made me understand that I must be grateful for it because I was so eager to get what I couldn’t at that specify moment and my vision blurred from the reality of the fact that I have a loving family and friends that appreciate me in the core.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pietro.cornini/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pietro-cornini-8117881a0/
