Making 12 Films in 12 Months with Luigi Cogliani (MA Directing)

Back in January, MA Directing student Luigi Cogliani made a bold resolution: over the next twelve months, he would make twelve films.

This ‘Film A Month’ Challenge has seen Luigi work across genres and formats, testing and developing his skills month after month.

And this practice is already paying off, with one of these twelve films, Beyond the Final Line, winning ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2024 Berlin Indie Film Festival!

In today’s blog, Luigi shares some of the top filmmaking tips he’s learnt from the challenge so far…

Twelve films in as many months is an ambitious project! What brought about this challenge?

They have a saying in Scotland… don’t let truth get in the way of a good story! Unfortunately, though, I don’t have a good story for this – so we’ll have to settle for the truth.

Unlike many of my peers, I didn’t have a formal education in filmmaking before joining my degree. I was actually working a corporate job up until just a few months ago!

While there are some skills that have transferred beautifully – things like rapport-building and networking, they are not a substitute for the fundamentals. Directing a short film – or twelve – is a fantastic way to play catch-up!

With a couple films now under your belt, how have you seen your work progress?

I have a strong, mean inner critic, so it’s hard for me to be objective. But I’ve been told that my work is improving with each film.

A good tip I’ve learnt is to schedule individual retrospectives with your Heads of Department after each stage of the process.

These people are your family, and you want them to thrive – so start by telling them what they did well. After celebrating their success, ask them what you did well, and add that to your filmmaking toolkit.

Then, ask them what they weren’t happy with, and brainstorm how to prevent it from happening again. Encourage them to be honest, and foster a safe space for constructive feedback – but remember to only give this feedback if the person asks for it.

Working at such a fast pace, have you picked up any filmmaking tips?

Delegate! You need one or two teams of people you trust (shout out to Jasmina Pawlewska and Teena Dernaika). Talk to people in your circles – not just those in film school, and discover their interests or skills.

When you’re looking for your team (otherwise known as your family!), give them the elevator pitch of your story, and fly your flag. People react to emotions – if you make them feel what you feel, and if they share your values, they will ‘fall in love’ with you, and you with them.

And don’t shy away from getting into ‘fights’ – though remember to always find peace again! If you’ve created a foundation of trust and respect, then your family will feel confident in speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. This is the only way to ensure everyone is working to their full potential.

And more generally, how has your time on MA Directing helped to make these films?

We have an unparalleled Kit Room, both in terms of equipment and staff. I spoke with film students from other schools in London, and none of them have the same access for personal projects.

Plus, the tutors are fantastic – they’re knowledgeable, they go above and beyond to answer our questions, and they know what we need to succeed in this industry.

Congratulations on the success of Beyond the Final Line – can you tell us a little more about this project?

At the beginning of my degree, I was networking hard. I asked screenwriters to share their ideas, and that’s how I met Alice Pafumi. She sent a lovely and mellow fairytale about the dangers of closure and the power of friendship.

Alice had had the idea while walking around Walpole Park, but the moment I read it, I knew I wanted to shoot it in The Hill Gardens and Pergola. Getting the permission was a real struggle, and we had to scale down both our kit and crew, but it was well worth it.

Of course, it would have been nothing without the performances of Anna Eadie and Ben Lonergan – they’re both exactly the kinds of actors that help me to find my ‘Plan A’.

And from the initial idea to the final film, did you have a favourite part of the process?

Rehearsing with actors. Making a film is like crafting a beautiful painting – your cast and crew are the tools with which you create your art, but if you don’t find the real story between your actors, you have nothing to paint!

Actors are not puppets. You don’t need to tell them ‘you’re sad in this scene’, because they’re able to feel a world that exists only in their imagination. I love making time with my actors to explore this world together – and if you did a great job in casting, it’s your actors who will help you to find the coveted, billion-dollar-idea that forms your ‘Plan A’.

And finally, there’s still half a year to go with the challenge… what else can we expect?

I like each movie to have a ‘set piece’; something that makes it stand out – and it also makes for a good teaser!

Ghosting features a green screen character, while The High Energy Break-Up will be shot in a single take. The Price You Pay has show-stopping costumes, and our documentary on exorcism has, well… exorcism!

I’m always looking to grow our family, so please reach out if you would like to work with us!

• Luigi Cogliani studies MA Directing at MetFilm School London. This degree is also available in Berlin and Leeds.
• Reach out to Luigi via his Instagram – or follow the Film A Month journey at Beyond.MotionPictures!