Domenico Di Lillo was born in Italy in 1994. In 2016, he moved to London and is now graduating from MetFilm School. He has been involved in several projects across London and Naples. This includes short films, documentaries, video commercials, and music videos. His latest documentary, titled ‘The Black Man’s Consortium’, records a well-being event facilitated by members of the Brixton community in south London. The documentary will be screened on the 10th of June at MetFilm School. We had the opportunity to speak to Domenico about his career aspirations and the purpose of the film.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. Congratulations on your career to date. How did you get into filmmaking?
Thank you so much for having me.
When I was 16 years old, my sister was attending her first year of the university of fine art and I remember she used to come back home with a long list of movies to watch. I remember we used to spend weeks analyzing directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino, David Lynch, and many more. Unconsciously, I began to cultivate my passion for films.
In 2016, I moved to London for a fresh start. I soon realized that there were so many opportunities and paths to take. I then decided to continue to cultivate my passion for film and joined the MetFilm School in 2018. Since then I have tried to learn as much as I can and get involved in many projects as possible.
Aside from my course, one of the experiences that helped me build my skills as a filmmaker, was working with the director and cinematographer Cassius Rayner, especially during his last movie ‘Dead Eye’, the award winner of the Stockholm short festival. Shooting all the behind-the-scenes of the film allowed me to follow the process of the movie, from the writing to the editing, and to learn as much as I could from his actions.
Who are your biggest industry influences?
I believe my biggest influence is Cassius Rayner, simply because he introduced me to professional filmmaking. With time, I have realized that I unconsciously express part of his style in my work. I spent a lot of time with him during the process of his work. The work of Cassius allowed me to expand my horizon and improve my standard. I began to work with him during my early years of university when I didn’t have much experience in the film industry.
Please share your early experiences in the sector and your career aspirations?
When I started the course at the MetFilm School, I was driven by the curiosity to know more about filmmaking. All I wanted to do was to express myself through a film. I didn’t have a professional camera, so I was using my smartphone. The MetFilm School introduced me to a highly practical learning style, which allowed me to get hands-on experience using very professional equipment. I have been taught all the basics of filmmaking, and step by step, it was less and less challenging to make a movie. I always tried to keep myself motivated throughout the three years at the film school, even during quarantine when we couldn’t have access to the facilities.
Thanks to a project created by a tutor of MetFilm, called Short film club, I was able to shoot ten movies in ten weeks, only using a camera, an actor (who was my flatmate at the time), and all the props I could find at home. That was the most personal and useful experience I have had during my time at the university. It allowed me to experiment, being fully immersed in the creative process, but also understanding myself.
That experience made me realize why I am so passionate about filmmaking and why it makes me feel good. It is a tool that gave me the ability to express myself and to communicate things that I can’t express verbally. This is why my career inspiration is to talk about mental health through my movies and face certain types of topics that I am not able to express verbally such as depression, suicide, death, etc.
You have just directed a documentary on mental health for The Black Men’s Consortium; a community-led exploration arts project. The film will have a special screening at the Met Film School in west London on June 10th. Please tell us more about the project and how you got involved?
The Black Men’s Consortium is a group of men from the community of Brixton led by the art practitioner, trainer, and producer Tony Cealy, that have been able to express and share their own experiences with mental health through the use of multimedia, visual art, music, poetry, and drama.
They have been able to create a space in which differences of opinion, unspoken feelings, and resentments are safely voiced and shared, involving the views and experience of the local authority, community, and local NHS services aiming to raise awareness on topics such as suicide prevention, mental illness, and depression.
The way I got involved is pretty simple actually. I knew from a friend that they were looking for a filmmaker to shoot a documentary about this event. As I was very interested in the topics, I decided to apply.
The project highlights an ongoing issue and the importance of mental health. This is particularly worrying for freelance professionals in the creative industries. As a young emergent artist in a challenging and competitive industry, what methods do you apply for sustaining your mental health and a positive creative attitude?
I think it is important to learn not to be too harsh on ourselves. I used to put too much pressure on myself and I felt like I was always in competition with someone else. This attitude didn’t bring me anything but headaches. I have learned that I need to take a break when needed and stop making myself feel small only because other people are doing the same thing I do. I think it is important to think about it as a journey rather than a race.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am directing a documentary called ‘The process”. The project was born from the collaboration with the contemporary multimedia visual artist Eugene Ankomah. The documentary explores the creative process of the artist and how he expresses himself through his art.
I am the editor of “Let’s Dance Again”, a short film that revolves around William, an Alzheimer’s patient, and Esme, his carer. It occurs over one day – the day they first meet. The characters will learn how to cope with one another, which means there is a conflict between the two but, in the end, they manage to work everything out.
Where can our readers find out more about you and your projects? Note: please provide website and social media links.
Yes of course
here is a link where you can have access to all my work
Photos by Stefon Grand
For further information on The Black Men’s Consortium visit http://theblackmensconsortium.com/
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