Today we’d like to introduce you to Emanuele Daga.
Emanuele, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up in the cultural epicenter of Rome, where streets are crowded and chaotic, I developed a fascination with people watching. As a teenager, I often documented the bustling chaos of the eternal city through pictures and micro-documentaries. Intent on turning my love for anthropology into a lifelong career, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Cinema Studies in Italy and then moved to Los Angeles to complete an MFA in Directing at the American Film Institute. The more movies I made the more I understood my vision as a film director, which is to dig deep into the human condition and highlight the importance of empathy, self-acceptance, and vulnerability. Prior to commencing my debut feature, I cut my teeth with over ten short-films, of which some ended up on TV and won international awards. I am currently developing two feature scripts.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think smooth roads are quite rare to encounter in life. In my experience as a writer-director, almost every aspect of filmmaking hides a struggle. From plot structure to finding characters’ motivations, from understanding where to put the camera to when and why to move it. From always having to be the most motivated person on set to bearing the responsibility of the film’s outcome. While I could go on forever, I must say the aspect I struggle the most is casting. Sometimes I have to work with a small budget and therefore the pool of available actors drastically shrinks. Finding a good one in such a small pool is certainly one of the hardest challenges.
What characterizes you as a filmmaker?
What characterizes me as a filmmaker is my obsession with structure, theme, and cohesiveness in stories. I strongly believe in the power of stories and I know a story well told can have a big impact on individuals. For this reason, I deploy all my expertise in script and story development with an almost mathematical approach. Mckee, Vogler, Snyder, Campbell are my heroes and guides. I think, ultimately, it is this mix between a scientific and a creative approach to storytelling that sets me apart from others. A mix in which, as in all the best recipes, love is the secret ingredient.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Feeding my brain. I have always been interested in expanding my knowledge in order to make connections between ideas and create new philosophical theories on life and on humankind. To this day, I get obsessed with new topics or activities for as long as one to six months. Books, the Stock Market, Chess, Psychology, Religion, Meditation, Boxing, Climbing, and MBTI are recent examples.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.movitaz.com/
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
