Today we’d like to introduce you to Avai D’Amico.
Hi Avai, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was making films across a wide variety of genres, and while that was a lot of fun for me, I found it was difficult to build any sort of following with that approach. I decided to focus on crime dramas so I could build a following while still telling stories that involved elements of thrillers, romance, and even action comedy. As long as every story was rooted in a crime drama, each new movie would also appeal to audiences who enjoyed my previous crime dramas.
We’re currently making an action comedy titled BETTER WAYS TO DIE. Two guys experiencing hard times turn to crime as a way to get by, but they accidentally steal from the wrong people, igniting a blood-soaked series of very preventable disasters. It’s the most fun I’ve had making a movie so far, and I expect that energy will translate well once the movie is completed and released. You can watch the trailer at NewTexasMovie.com today!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Now that I’ve got a dozen movies under my belt, pre-production and production consistently go smoothly. Post-production, distribution, and marketing are the more expensive phases of making a movie. Because I don’t have the deep pockets of a big Hollywood studio, that’s where headaches arise. Every movie I’ve made has taken a different route to get its funding, so I feel a bit like I’m reinventing the wheel each time.
I’m an independent filmmaker, and I’m fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so fundraising I do for my movies is also a charitable contribution tax write-off for anyone who can put money in.
The caliber of my work improves with every production. I hope to cross paths with the right Executive Producer someday. Then I can focus on making movies, instead of focusing so much on raising funds.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Cinematography is my specialty. I started writing when I was young, and I acted in my high school drama club. Once I got ahold of a camera and filmed my stories for the first time, it was the most fun I’d ever had, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life making movies. I regularly work as a for-hire cinematographer, filming other people’s movies. It’s fun to focus on lighting and cinematography, without worrying about writing, producing, coaching actors, or managing editing and distribution.
I have plenty of my own stories to tell, though. I began producing in order to get my own stories made into films. That’s been quite a learning curve, but fulfilling. I write my own scripts, build my own movie sets, manage the productions, and do my own marketing. It’s a lot – probably too much for one person to handle while staying sane. Along the way I meet people whose skillsets cover the gaps in my own, and together we make it all happen.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
There’s nothing stopping you from making your own movie. Everyone has a phone that can record video. Experienced people in every trade make videos online, so you can learn anything you need to, for free. What it comes down to is how much effort we put into practicing.
Don’t worry about quality when you’re starting out. You have to make bad movies before you can make a good movie. Make twenty short films. You’ll make mistakes, but be objective about your work and learn from the mistakes. That’s how you’ll make movies with fewer mistakes – movies that will be good.
Visit NewTexasMovie.com today to see our latest production and get involved!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newtexasmovie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avaidamico
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/avaidamico
- Other: https://www.avai.media
