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

Hi Dianna, how do you think about risk?

Taking risks goes hand in hand with being a creative person. I remember a quote I used to have tacked up above my desk. It was by Mark Twain. It read: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

You have to take risks in order to grow and learn as an artist, and I find myself always challenging myself in order to do that. I don’t always write in the same comfortable genre that I started off writing in. I like to explore different worlds, different time periods and cultures that I know nothing about and then I do a deep dive. I don’t always know what I’m doing or if I’ll make it to the other side, but the fun part is in the journey. I’ve taught myself how to write films take place in Australia and England and The Congo with different dialects and accents and I never know if I’ll be able to pull it off in a seamless way, and that’s the exhilarating part of taking a risk. If you don’t try, you’ll never know what you are capable of.

When it comes to risk-taking as a director, I’d have to say I embrace that aspect of filmmaking. Many times the films I shoot are indie budgets, so there is quite a bit of guerrilla shooting I have to do. If I don’t have a permit, I’ll run and gun it. I’ll do whatever it takes to get a shot that has good production value, so if that means taking a risk and shooting a quick shot without proper paperwork, you bet I’m gonna do it. It’s always fun to read how even big budget features will steal shots in order to capture just the right location. Risk taking is just part of being true to yourself and not letting fear get in your way.

 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I am writer and director, and most of what I do as a filmmaker comes from being observant. I started off as a photographer, where you learn to see things. To know when to snap the shutter, to have patience, to have good timing. Those skills have translated into my work in film. I have always tended to be more of an introvert, and study people and really listen to them when they talk. This has helped me a great deal when it comes to writing dialogue. I also love to focus on the details, the little things that say so much in a film. That comes from my photography background as well, and I think that helps to make me to stand out. Thematically I gravitate and always have to stories about underdogs. This can be found in most of my work. From biopics I’ve written about famous musicians, to political thrillers, and coming of age stories. There is always a character who is struggling to achieve something, who has self-doubt and that is part of what is distinctive in my work. It’s very satisfying to write the triumphant scene at the end of a film when the character finally achieves their goal. It can be internal or external, small or big. I strive for the emotional impact of that moment.

I am constantly learning and growing and getting better as a writer. That goes for my directing as well. Not being afraid to tell my stories, and just having tenacity is how I got to where I am today. You just have to dive in and believe that there is a way. That’s how I have always moved through life. There can be many obstacles in the world of filmmaking, from budget issues, to losing locations, having writers block, or just dealing with problematic egos. That’s par for the course, but you just have to believe that you can do it. Only the belief in yourself can guide you to fulfill your dreams.

It goes without saying that being an “artist” is going to in some way be challening. It’s not a path that offers any assurances. It’s all a risk. You don’t know if the hard work you put into something will ever pay off. But if you’re an artist at heart, you forget about those odds, and just go for it. There have been plenty of road blocks for me, and I have definitely gotten disheartened on the journey. I can’t control what people want to read when it comes to scripts, and I have no control over who has the magic “greenlight” button to say yes to my projects. But what has helped me keep going is the fact that I love what I do. I am a storyteller at heart, and always will be. I don’t have a plan b, or a fallback position. When things get tough, I just pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. It’s not easy, and it’s definitely emotional, but I always try to remember that the fun is in the journey, and in the satisfaction I get from meeting challenges head on.
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Everyone grows up watching movies, and some of those movies end up staying with you. They become your favorite warm blanket when you need them. Some of the films I feel that way about, that have influenced me are – Almost Famous, All the President’s Men, Norma Rae, Tootsie and Enchanted April. They have something in common. They all deal with tenacity and overcoming fear of the unknown. It’s a central theme that I strive to achieve in my own work.
I want my characters to learn life lessons and become the masters of their fate That is what gets me excited about storytelling. To go from an underdog to a top dog. If you think about it, most stories are about underdogs – even Spiderman. When you watch my films, or read my scripts, you will find that aspect interwoven. Underdog stories give us hope. And when you walk out of a theater feeling that — it can carry you for several days afterwards. That’s what I want and what I will continue to try to achieve.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

The hidden gems in Los Angeles are what make it such a spectacular city. I would recommend things like visiting The Mosaic Tile House in Venice, CA. It’s a large-scale art structure filled with colored tiles – red, yellow, orange and other bold colors that radiate throughout the space. Almost every square inch is covered in the tile and it’s like walking inside a coral reef.

To eat I would recommend a shipwreck themed restaurant called The Warehouse in Marina Del Rey. The decor is nautical with a tiki/Polynesian vibe. It’s surrounded by palm trees and a wooden walkway entrance that overlooks a lagoon with live turtles. There’s a special Dine/LA menu for $25 bucks you can’t beat. Definitely check it out.

The Prince in Koreatown is a little known (except to movie buffs) place that is fun to visit at least once and has been featured in the movie Chinatown, and TV show’s like Madmen and New Girl. The decor is blood-red leather banquettes, which gives it a classic New York steakhouse vibe but the cuisine is Korean. Located on the ground floor of a brick Tudor Revival-style apartment building at the intersection of Seventh and Catalina in Koreatown, the restaurant is partially underground. The windows facing the street are red stained glass are backlit so they glow like a still fire. For those looking for a place to escape without leaving the city, it is tough to beat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have two people I’d like to recognize that have definitely contributed to my success as a filmmaker. The first shout out goes to Lisa, a New York producer I work with. We’ve been collaborating together for a few years now, and she has always been a great champion of my work. She gives 110% to all my projects, and constantly strives to get them in front of the best directors and producers. It’s really great to have someone who wants to see my dreams come true, as much as I do.

The second shout out goes to the late author and screenwriter Blake Snyder. He wrote the well-known screenwriting book Save the Cat, which has been my Bible. I read it 15 years ago, and keep in on the bookshelf nearby. I can always find an answer to a troubling question, in his book. It’s been a constant guide for me for years. Blake always showed me great encouragement and took the time to talk about my work in depth, and showed me the tools I needed to help me become a better writer. He was a kind, and thoughtful man, and the conversations we shared linger in my mind. Whenever I feel stuck in one of my scripts, I think “What would Blake do?” and I somehow always manage to figure it out.

Website: http://www.diannaippolito.com

Instagram: @itsallhappeningfilms

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DiannasEye/

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