Directed by Maria Vattimo
A young cellist unites some unsuspecting bus patrons with a street performance and transports them with his enchanting music.
Project Breakdown
Guess who’s back with her finalized internship video? This gal right here. The process of making the video was lengthy but nevertheless rewarding and I’m very proud to say I created it during my time at JTwo. The initial concept of my video is now just a distant cousin of the final cut, but the message remains the same. After my first concept didn’t pass the pitch, I had to rework my idea and give it more meaning beyond the visuals. I’m almost entirely a visual person, so translating the images in my head to an understandable written story has never been the easiest for me. Growing up, I was surrounded by artists and musicians, and I witnessed how these creative outlets served as an escape from reality for them. I wanted to make a video showcasing the hidden spots inside of us where creativity and spirit are able to flow freely and how music can become a mental time machine.
After workshopping my concept for a few days, Justin had approved my idea and I was able to move forward with the production. I reached out to all the actors I knew and within days, I locked down a full cast and crew which feels nothing short of a miracle. Then the locations… not as easy. My initial plan to film in a subway station and play live music was promptly shut down by the plethora of laws fighting against it, but I made it work. Then came the abandoned building that I needed; good thing my ballerina wasn’t afraid of running on active train tracks and breaking into an abandoned factory.
After four shoots, I had all the footage I needed and it was time to edit. A video comes to life in the edit and that is always the most rewarding part. After adding, deleting, and manipulating footage, the story had taken on a new meaning that I didn’t initially intend for, but I couldn’t be happier with where it went. Cut after recut, I was finally happy and so was Justin. Can’t wait to see what lies ahead next, here at JTwo.
Signing off,
Maria Vattimo
Filmmaker by day, Italian chef by night.
Meet the Director
Maria is a Philadelphian cinematographer and filmmaker. In recent years, her work has consisted of narrative films, fashion films, and music videos. With storytelling at the pulse of her work, she aims to create and illustrate with the camera, whether it be moving or still.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.