Cielo
Multiple Shades of Sky
Directed by Michele Bizzi and BG
Interview by Ro Purushotham
Michele Bizzi, a Milan-based filmmaker and writer, together with BG, a communication expert for luxury goods, took on the task of translating the multi-diverse products of Sesia&co - rugs, tiles, parquettes and other home decors patterns - through film. Through colour coordination and graceful choreography, their collaborative film - Cielo (Sky), introduces the viewer to a non-conventional approach blending dance, interior design and film with a fresh pinch of kaleidoscopic post-production effect.
Cielo mixes and matches dance moves into a new design concept creating an ethereal and alluring atmosphere. The film won Best Sound Design at Digital Media Fest, Best Fashion Film at Short To The Point and Best Campaign at Sarajevo Fashion Film Festivals, beside being nominees among well-known festivals worldwide.
Michele Bizzi, who is also the director and co-founder of the visual factory Kinedimorae, and BG, share their vision and tips on the key features that drive the success of branded content.
What inspired you to choose a dance format to tell the story of Sesia&co? And what was your inspiration for the piece?
BG and Michele Bizzi: Dance has been an inspiration since the very beginning of the project. The design industry usually talks about its products without any emotions, and the focus is all on the product itself. We wanted to bring simple and essential materials to life. We thought not only about the look of such materials, but also the feel and mostly their sound. So the idea of Cielo was born.
Cielo comprises three narrative lines: fashion, dance and design. How did you incorporate them under a single idea while also keeping in mind the commercial purpose of the film?
BG and Michele Bizzi: The commercial purpose was not a problem, Sesia&co gave us the freedom to explore and find a way to convey their new design concept. Even though the visuals are at the core of the film, there is a subtle narration, a sort of storytelling that connects all the chapters of the story, so it wouldn’t appear as just a list of set-ups. Every colour and material inspired a sequence, a dance move or a sound. Then all these tableaux were connected to create an evolution throughout an architectural space.
Every element of this film, including each person involved, was crucial and essential to reaching the film’s purpose. We felt we were like the conductors of an orchestra: without choreographer Paolo Vecchione it wouldn’t work; without stylist Chicca Nanni - who re-created the Sesia&co colour palettes - it wouldn’t work; without the hair and make-up team (Dora Roberti and Mamrez), we couldn’t have the coherent movement of two talents; without the visuals of cinematographer Michele Brandstetter it wouldn’t work, and without the set-decoration of Claudio La Viola it wouldn’t work. We were particularly keen on letting everyone in the team express themselves.
Take us through the editing process and the merge of choreography and film. Have you compromised on the continuity and completeness of the dance to get the perfect visual story?
BG and Michele Bizzi: According to the story we wanted to tell, editing and music were crucial and were thought of from the very beginning. It would not have been possible to think of them afterwards. Choreographer Paolo Vecchione wanted to give the dancers freedom to interpret some parts of the song. So we decided to give him and the performers - Carol Ulivieri and Chiara Giubergia - the possibility to perform huge parts of the choreography without interruptions, knowing that several elements were going to be edited afterwards. It was a whole choreography between them, steadicam operator Luca Sportelli and editor Ilaria Fusco. It was like they were all dancing together at different moments.
Kinedimorae adheres to the idea that “the key to marketing is differentiation.” What do you think is the unique feature of Sesia&co’s collection Cielo, and how did you decide to show it?
Michele Bizzi: When Lorenzo Comoletti, creator of Sesia&co, was explaining the characteristics of his design concept to the team, we were suddenly hit by its originality.
We had to find a way to convey the same amazement we lived while we were discovering all the colours and materials. The language of fashion film seems the perfect way to show how inspiration can become a visual experience, even if it starts from different sensory inputs. As previously mentioned - the feel, the sound and the colours of those materials can inspire a visual image, a movement, or a story.
How did you get involved in filmmaking? And what motivated you to get into commercial film production?
Michele Bizzi: You can tell stories in many different ways, but I think commercial film production, especially, relies on visuals. Yes, storytelling is the basis of any good film work, but when you have to concentrate on everything in a short period, the stakes are high, and the results can be very intriguing. You have to be even more creative to say many things in a short time. Plus, you should adapt your style and language to the peculiarities of any project. Every time, it is a challenge, and a new experience.
“Every colour and material inspired a sequence, a dance move or a sound. Then all these tableaux were connected to create an evolution throughout an architectural space”
How do you balance meeting commercial objectives without sacrificing your art?
Michele Bizzi: When you accept a commissioned job, you know what the deal is. Your art has to adapt to a project’s purpose, not the other way around. I never saw the process as a sort of sacrifice. I believe that a list of guidelines to follow, a detailed briefing or a series of do’s and don’ts by a client, can be an opportunity to explore new ways of communicating. Anytime you are denied something, you find a solution and grow.
Being immersed in the fashion world and having directed for brands such as Armani, Calzedonia, Pupa and others, what do you think a film can do for fashion that other media forms cannot?
Michele Bizzi: Energy. Pictures can have a strong energy, underlying the still image. But when you have the chance to work with movement and editing, that’s a whole other story. I always say that when you try to express a concept or tell a story, you can aim at the mind or belly of a viewer. Video can do both very effectively. Brands are not only about the garments or designs, they always have more to tell, and video is definitely the best means to describe the whole world behind a collection.
Cielo does not only include multiple art forms but also reflects the collaborative nature of having a team of creatives. What challenges did you face while putting everything together, and how did the communication between you, BG and the team, in general, flow?
Michele Bizzi: We all previously worked together on several other commercial projects. After the first meeting with Sesia&co, BG and I brought in Stefano Negri, executive producer of The Box Films, and my partner Claudia DI Lascia, executive producer of Kinedimorae, which also distributes Cielo. With such solid names, all the best names of milanese fashion productions came in. We were all friends, more than coworkers, sharing experiences on many commercial film sets. There are two ways of coordinating such a talented team: a strict direction or - and this is the hardest - a more fluid way to let the ideas flow.
BG and I gave everyone creative freedom, it was hard, but when everyone trusts each other, it is a blessing.
What is next for Kinedimorae?
The future lies in serialised projects, branded or not. At least, this is what we believe here at Kinedimorae.
A design-film for Sesia&co.
Written and directed by Bg and Michele Bizzi
Produced by Bg Lorenzo and Massimo Comoletti
Executive Producer: Stefano Negri
Production Coordinator: Catherine Bourkiza
With Carol Ulivieri and Chiara Giubergia
Cinematography: Michele Brandstetter De Bellesini
Set Designer: Claudio La Viola
Set Designer Assistants: Giulia Sovico and Giorgia Buzzatti
Movement Director: Paolo Vecchione
Styling: Chicca Nanni
Hair&makeup Concept: Dora Roberti
Casting By Street People Casting (Sabrina Mastrangelo)
Editor: Ilaria Fusco
Color Grading: Michele Ricossa
Post-production: Kinedimorae
Original Music And Sound Design: Marco Ferrario
Still Photographer: Marco Cerullo
Steadycam: Luca Sportelli
1st A.c.: Loïc Bovolenta
2nc A.c.: Andrea Zambelli
Gaffer: Lorenzo Gardinali
Best Boy: Nicola Ciovati
Propman: Roy Kuranage
Propman Assistant: Carlos Coaquira
Runner: Mario Sema
Seamstress: Ave Lellep
Catering: Giuseppe La Barbiera
Sous Chef: Sally Garcia
On Set Nurse: Maddalena Beltramo
Rental: Moviepeople
Special Thanks: Claudia Di Lascia, Olivia Lusena De Sarmiento, Monsieur Dupont
Produced b ySesia&co,. Kinedimorae, The Box Films