Rob Ciano Director of SHIMMER on his hands-on approach to filmmaking

My name is Rob, and I’m a writer, director, and producer. I started acting in community theater plays when I was still in elementary school and began creating my own short films not too long after. Of course, at that age I was doing all of the filming and editing work myself, so I had to quickly learn about things like camera techniques and sound design.

Between this hands-on approach to learning film and the community experience of acting on stage with others, I developed a collaborative approach to working with others. I’ll have a vision going into a project, but I also want to hear from the artists and experts I’m bringing in to create it with me, because they may see something I don’t. Some of my favorite moments in “Shimmer” were not in the script at all!

Between this hands-on approach to learning film and the community experience of acting on stage with others. I developed a collaborative approach to working with others. I’ll have a vision going into a project, but I also want to hear from the artists and experts. I listen to collaborators I’m bringing in to create it with me, because they may see something I don’t. Some of my favorite moments in “Shimmer” were not in the script at all!

indieactivity: Are you only directing your own projects, or you’re open for hire?
Rob Ciano (RC): I’m open for hire! I have experience directing others’ scripts as well as working on the production end. I love working with new people and tackling new challenges.

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Do you always hire a casting director, or do you like to choose the cast yourself? If so, what criteria go into your casting?
Rob Ciano (RC): I cast many previous projects myself, but I do like working with a casting director when possible. A good CD will have a wide pool of talent resources and will know how to sort through them to find the right person for a role. When casting a film, I first look for believability in the role and might do some exercises to see how the actor interprets direction.

I’m always impressed when an actor introduces themself and then becomes a completely different character as they read the lines. But as you might guess, I’m not just looking for talent. Because we may be working together for days, weeks, or even months, chemistry on set is very important. Regardless of whether I’m working with a CD, I like to have a say in the final casting decision for the simple reason that I want to make sure all my teammates are on the same team.

I believe a harmonious set creates a better product, and part of that comes down to the casting!

What went into the casting process for SHIMMER?
Rob Ciano (RC): “Shimmer” got its cast from a few sources. We worked with a casting director to fill a majority of the roles in the film, which involved placing casting ads in a few sources and having select actors send in audition tapes. Next, the CD whittled down the applicants and we requested additional readings, sometimes asking for performance adjustments, sometimes providing new lines, and we filled the roles from there.

However, a few of our actors came from existing contacts of the CD, myself, or other members of the production. These actors went through the same process – auditioning, adjustments, and then potentially casting – if they were right for the role and for the team.

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Without giving anything away, tell us a little bit about the script, how did you come up with the idea?
Rob Ciano (RC): The idea for “Shimmer” came out of a thought experiment. A lot of people are familiar with the concept of fear of the dark… but is there a reason someone would be afraid of the light? I started brainstorming ideas about the characteristics of Light, and how it could be threatening or scary.

Eventually, those ideas morphed into a story about a series of strange deaths, secrets, fear, family, and things once hidden “coming to light”.

Who is SHIMMER for? Who do you think would enjoy it the most?
Rob Ciano (RC): First and foremost, “Shimmer” is for anyone who’s tired of seeing the same old story on screen. This is anything but. It’s for people who want to enjoy a fun mystery with unexpected twists and turns.

As for who would enjoy it most? I think if you’re a fan of anything mysterious, be it Sherlock Holmes, X-Files, Doctor Who… even Scooby-Doo, you’ll really enjoy “Shimmer”.

When did you form your production company – and how did that come to life?
RC: I officially formed my production company, Venture Cinema, in February 2019. I had worked on a few short films to this point, but I knew that in order to grow, I’d need a foundation to grow on.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve released my short films and movies under different “production company” names, so actually filing the paperwork to form the company was a bit of a dream come true.

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How long did it take to shoot the entire film?
RC: We had 18 total shooting days over the course of about three weeks, in October and November of 2019.

How long was the post-production process?
RC: We actually had a cut of the film pretty quick – our first pass on the film was complete by January 2020… but of course, then the pandemic impacted our ability to move quickly. Between the editing refinement and working with visual effects, post-production took about a year.

What are your goals with SHIMMER?
RC: My goals are to continue to get the word out about this fun, exciting, interesting film! It’s available to own digitally or on Blu-ray, and I’m going to be releasing a novelization in the next few months. I know we have a new trailer and some fun imagery that’s about to be released, so keep an eye out for that!

What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?
RC: I’m currently wrapping up post-production on my second feature film, “Twenty-Nine”. We just premiered a preview version of the film at the Garden State Film Festival to a very receptive audience, and I’m looking forward to screening the film at other festivals over the next year.

Beyond that, I have a bunch of outlines I’m polishing up, and I plan to start writing my next screenplay soon!

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What would you recommend to a new director at the beginning of his/ her journey? Any special courses, workshops, helpful books they can read?
RC: For one thing, it’s always a good idea for someone who wants to give direction to take a few acting classes, learn improv, or act in a play or short film directed by someone else. “Acting” is an excellent, real-time lesson in what kind of directions make sense, and what doesn’t bring out a performance.

Once you have a good sense of what it’s like to receive direction, gather some actors and practice directing them in scenes. These could be scripts that you have written, scenes from existing plays or movies, or could be totally improvised. The point here isn’t to create a finished product necessarily (though you can of course record your work if you want to) but is instead about developing a language that you can use to communicate with your actors and crew.

And of course, seek knowledge from those who came before you! There are dozens of great books on filmmaking and directing (check out “Making Movies” by Sydney Lumet, and “Creativity, Inc.” by Edwin Catmull & Amy Wallace for two great perspectives!), as well as online video courses and traditional education.

As I like to say, any move you make in the direction of your goals brings you one step closer to achieving them!

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