Luigi Scarpa
He is the co-director of La Donna Nella Stanza Dollar Baby film.
SKSM: Tell us about yourself, who is Luigi Scarpa and what do you do or have you done?
Luigi Scarpa: I am an Italian film director living and working in Milan. I am a member of AIR3, the Italian directors’ association. I have been working in this field since 2007. I have always had a passion for cinema, especially horror films. I have written and directed three horror short films that have been shown around the world at major festivals, winning several awards. I also work on commercials, and my speciality is “black humour”. La Donna nella Stanza (The Woman in the Room) is the fourth short film I have worked on, and I directed it together with my colleague and friend Federico Gasca.
SKSM: How would you decide that shooting movies was your mission?
Luigi Scarpa: Good question. I decided to do this job during my final year of secondary school. I found a video library and rented a film, got hooked and started renting about three films a week. In a year, I must have watched over 100. So I decided that this would be my path.
SKSM: The Woman in the Room. What is it in the story that you liked so much to develop into a movie?
Luigi Scarpa: I have Federico Gasca to thank for this. Federico asked me to join this project. When I found out it was Stephen King and read the story, I immediately became fascinated by it. It was a slightly different kind of story, not entirely horror, which made it even more interesting to me.
SKSM: You are the co-director of this Dollar Baby film. How did you communicate with the other director to achieve a similar vision?
Luigi Scarpa: Federico is not only a colleague but also a great friend. We often work together, which has allowed us to do a good job together. We both have a lot of respect for each other’s ideas, and in my opinion, this is the most important thing when working together.
SKSM: Can you tell us about your experience on this Dollar Baby film? Was everything planned ahead or did some things change during filming?
Luigi Scarpa: The film was very complex because we shot in a real hospital and only had one day to do it. The opening scene was supposed to be shot outdoors, but unfortunately it was raining and we had to change our plans. Even for the exterior of the hospital, the two protagonists are under the rain, which wasn’t supposed to be the case at first. However, these things were handled well and, in our opinion, added value to the film.
SKSM: Why do you think people like this story so much?
Luigi Scarpa: Because it is a very topical story that deals with a very important issue, which should be taken seriously in our society.
SKSM: Can you tell us something about the filming process? What is easy or difficult? What did you have in mind?
Luigi Scarpa: Federico and I had studied all the camera movements perfectly. Everything was studied and planned. This film and its direction were at the service of the actors. The most difficult thing was to create the right context for the actors to express all their emotions in the film’s most powerful scene.
SKSM: There are several changes from Mr. King’s original text. Personally, I appreciate that, because it’s like reading the story for the first time, but how do you think the public will react when they see these changes?
Luigi Scarpa: I like to think that people can appreciate the strength of the main theme and a more proper horror tribute to King for the more specifically horror scenes we created.
SKSM: Can you share with us any significant moment or memories that happened on set?
Luigi Scarpa: The best moment was when we shot the first full take of the most powerful scene in the film. The actors were very good, there was absolute silence on set, and when we called cut, there was so much passion and emotional intensity in that scene that we were all moved.
SKSM: Were there unexpected moments or difficulties during the making of the film that have become a new point of view?
Luigi Scarpa: Yes, the weather did change our plans a bit, but in the end everything went well.
SKSM: What has this experience left you from a professional and human point of view?
Luigi Scarpa: Our set was a truly professional one, with totally professional production and management. On a personal level, it was a great experience, because it was my first time co-directing, and this further strengthened my relationship with Federico.
SKSM: Were any movie fragments cut out that you now miss?
Luigi Scarpa: No, all the footage was used.
SKSM: What are you thinking of the end result of the film?
Luigi Scarpa: I am very satisfied, because it is very difficult in films of this kind to make the actors seem totally credible and not “fake”. I think we did a good job in this respect.
SKSM: This is a low-budget film, what do you think is the biggest challenge in filming a low-budget horror movie?
Luigi Scarpa: Having a large budget allows you to have more shooting days available and therefore to pay more attention to detail. For a horror film, this is very important, because it is essential to create the right atmosphere.
SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?
Luigi Scarpa: Yes, very much so. The Shining and It are my favourite films.
SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?
Luigi Scarpa: I am looking for a production company for two horror feature films. I am also working on some horror comedy commercials and trying to get a documentary film project off the ground with Great Britain.
SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Luigi Scarpa: I am a director who works extensively on atmosphere and the power of images. My first three short films are essentially films without dialogue.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Luigi Scarpa: We need to appreciate independent cinema and independent horror cinema even more, because even though it may not seem like it, there is a lot of work behind it and often, due to low budgets, it is even more difficult to achieve a good result.
SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?
Luigi Scarpa: I really hope that lots of people will enjoy our film and, above all, that it will make them think about the important issue it addresses.
