“We began writing Into the Valli in August of 2015, after I had pulled over on the side of the road to blurt this idea into the notepad of my phone,” said Buscarino. “The film as a whole stems from the first original hotel scene. The first scene we wrote turned out to be the starting point we needed to explore this character more. I told Pat about the idea and it just grew from there. We used to work together so we were always able to collaborate on ideas. I actually had to quit my job when we filmed because we both weren’t able to take vacation time simultaneously.”
Bradley added, “When he brought up the idea of that scene, we tossed ideas back and forth of how to make that a ‘perfect scene’ which could have been either a short film or great scene from a longer film. Once we started fleshing out the scene, Pandora’s Box opened and next thing we knew we both had different feature-length versions of that original concept. We decided to move forward with budgeting to see if we were able to produce it ourselves, combined scripts and voila, Into the Valli.”
On their plans for the future, Buscarino said, “More writing. We are both constantly working on scripts. Pat has formed Always Write Productions, and I have Lead Based Productions. The hardest part is just committing the time to sit down and write. I hope Into the Valli is just the start. I would like to progress to making more films.”
Bradley added, “My goal always has been and always will be to continue writing both film and television. I currently host the Two Minutes for Instigating Podcast, and can definitely see some more directing and self-financing my own projects in the near future.”
When asked what makes it unique, Bradley said, “Into the Valli is not your typical drama. On camera, the story travels to unfathomable darkness along with its originality and willingness to not play it safe every step of the way sets it apart from its competition. Behind the camera, the film was produced in 10 days with a shooting budget of $30,000 by us alone. Two guys did the entire pre-production process by themselves with no prior experience. We handled everything from financing, casting, and insurance to location scouting and everything in between.”
Digital transformation of film and entertainment
On the impact of technology on film and entertainment, Buscarino said, “There is just a constant connection to anything and everyone, at some points it’s overwhelming. You can collaborate with people you’ve never met and see what other film-makers are up to.”
Bradley acknowledged that technology has made it a lot easier to self-produce direct to consumer projects. “Whether it is music, radio or film. This is a gift and a curse. It’s creating a microwavable entertainment industry but at the same time allowing everyone the same basic opportunities to create,” he explained.
Regarding their use of technology in their daily routine as film-makers, Buscarino said, “As far as writing, I don’t. I have to handwrite everything first before I can type it. Even to jot down ideas, I will come home sometimes and have little scraps of paper from my pockets. Once I have my outline and know where I can to take the story, I’ll use a script program.”
Bradley noted that he does not hand-write his outlines and rough drafts. “Even with this film, my outlines were handwritten and then typed or spoke into the software. Everything now starts as an idea typed into my phone, synced to Screenwriter or Celtx/Celtx Mobile and worked on through various devices. Simplicity at its finest,” he said.
For aspiring film-makers, Buscarino said, “Just go out and do it. All the resources are there. There are a lot of competitions you can enter for feedback and funding for films. You don’t have to have a huge budget, you can film 4k on your phone. The tools are available.” “You are in the same position with the same potential as everyone else in the industry, just create. Do not aim for an audience or try and pander to consumers. Always create what’s in your heart, stay true to your vision and the audience will come,” Bradley added.
Both writers and directors encouraged the public to check out Into the Valli on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema at the Regal Cinema. They shared that they welcome genuine feedback and conversations about the movie.
To learn more about the film Into the Valli, check out its official website, and Instagram page.
