Meet Michael Manese | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Manese and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
To be a successful artist you have to have talent. Talent is important when trying to establish an artistic career, but it’s not everything. If you want to become an artist for the sake of being an artist, it’s fine. But if you want a career, a working, sustainable career, marketing, persistence, connections (it’s not who you know, it’s WHO KNOWS YOU!) lots of money, possibly a well paying day job to fall back on just in case, and most of all pure luck, are equally just as important, if you want to “make it.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a Philippine-born, New York based Filmmaker. As a Filipino American I’m interested in telling stories of Filipinos living in America. I like to explore how they fit in with mainstream American society. Some blend in seamlessly, in a true melting pot. Some blend in but retain their Filipino sensibilities, more like a salad mix. I’m very proud of my short film “The Pleasure of Being Served.” The main character is an undocumented domestic worker from the Philippines. Her boss is a rich, young, up and coming American musician. Her main responsibility is to ensure that his numerous girlfriends never know about one another when they visit on alternating weekends. That includes switching photos, laundry and toothbrushes around. One of the twists in the story is one of his girlfriends happens to be a fellow Filipina, who she becomes close friends with. Ultimately she would have to decide which is more important: solidarity with a fellow country woman, or the generous amount of money her boss pays her to enable his womanizing. A feature length version of this script has been written. My goal is to produce it next year with myself writing and directing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Manhattan. I would give my best friend three days to visit the city’s “must see” sites like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park, etc. The rest of the days I would take him out to do less touristy activities like having dim sum in Chinatown, walking the Highline Park, walking along Hudson River Park, having the best NYC pizza and having drinks at one of the more discreet speakeasys in town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank my film professor John Belton and producer Gil Quito for their friendship and support not only for my films but for myself as an aspiring filmmaker in general. Special thanks to Roberto Rizzo, Bill and Michele Sorvino, Chris Cullen and Aaron Simms for continuing to believe in me. Most of all I want to thank my wife Melanie for her undying love and support.

Website: http://www.angrydougfilms.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angrydougfilms/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-manese-nyc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.manese