Interview with surreal filmmaker Samantha Oci

Welcome Samantha, we are very excited to have you today with us to discuss about your work.

Who is Samantha Oci and how did the passion for filmmaking begin? 

I’m a London-based filmmaker, with a particular interest in the dark, psychological, and sometimes surreal.  I’m currently in pre-production for my short film ‘Forget-Me-Not’, which will be filmed in 2024. 

Back in 2012, I had the opportunity to film two behind the scenes videos for a fashion photographer who was shooting for a magazine in St Maarten. This was the first time I had used my camera to film. Prior to that, I had been focussed on still photography. This first experience had me hooked on the art of capturing the moving image and visual storytelling. After shooting a couple of music videos, I was approached to work on an independent feature film (Serurta) as a camera operator. This fantastic opportunity really ignited my passion in filmmaking and I’ve never looked back. 

Can you tell us about your previous work?
In 2013, I worked as a camera operator on the independent feature film ‘Serurta’ from Director/producer team Steven Lyons and Merlyn Roberts.  Over the years, I’ve worked as the cinematographer on independent short films, in addition to directing, producing and editing music videos for artist’s Machine Rox, X-Kin and Claudia F.  I directed and edited the trailer for Monica Salvi’s broadway show ‘Mad women in my attic’ and advertisement for Leon Paul’s ‘Evolution’ LED Sabre amongst other projects.

It’s been great to be involved in a variety of different types of projects over the last 10 years, and I’m very excited about directing my short film in the new year. 

CONVERSATION ABOUT: I Said About You

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the cyberpunk, dystopian sci-fi aesthetic in the music video for 'I Said About You'? 

When the artist and drag queen ‘Claudia F’ approached me to direct ‘I said about you’, upon hearing the song, it straightaway conjured up images of something dystopian, the sci-fi aspect didn’t initially spring to mind.  I knew that I wanted the backdrop of the video to capture some of the depressing and alienating aspects of inner city living. The social isolation felt by Claudia’s character against a backdrop of brutalist architecture. As the lyrics address the challenges of being part of the LGBTQ + community and the adversity faced, I wanted to creatively address the bigotry often encouraged by the mainstream and social media against marginalised groups. This is where the concept of the ‘Robo-Thugs’ came to fruition and we decided that Claudia would need to defeat adversity in the form of a group of brainwashed and media-operated Robo-thugs.

We wanted to inject some fun into the concept as well, so defeat by Lightsabre was the most viable ending for the video.

What was it like collaborating with singer Claudia F on this project? How closely did you work together to bring her vision for the song to life visually? 

I met ‘Claudia F’ in Bologna, Italy back in 2012, and we have worked on a number of projects over the years.  Claudia has always been open to new ideas and has given me the autonomy to run with an idea, no matter how crazy it may sound. As a result, the pre-planning and the actual shoots have always been very fun and collaborative.

We spent time sharing ideas and through our discussions that concept did evolve over time. As the meaning of the song was very important to Claudia, I wanted to make sure that our vision was in alignment. I drafted some mock-up shots and a mood board for Claudia to review, so we were working closely through every step of the process. As we were working on a limited budget, we both needed to be clear on what was possible to do and what was outside of our budget. 

The music video has a visually striking and complex aesthetic. Can you share any technical challenges you faced during the production and how you overcame them?
On every shoot there has been a technical issue, I always factor these into the process, and I find a workaround. It does force you into being creative and thinking on your feet, which is a valuable skill. Vary rarely does everything go to plan. 

For ‘I said about you’, we did face the challenges associated with filming in a public space. The fight scenes were filmed in a public car park in the centre of London on a Saturday afternoon during a far-right march. We had 2 hours to film before the car park was flooded by cars and shoppers. Although we had booked and paid for the space for the allotted time, no-one had told security that we were filming there, and someone had raised a concern after seeing the robo-thugs and Claudia fighting with lightsabers in the car park.  Thankfully the security guard saw the funny side of things.

As a London-based independent filmmaker, how do you feel the city's atmosphere and culture influence your work? Are there aspects of London that you intentionally incorporate into your projects?

Having been born and raised in London, I think it’s going to be difficult for the culture of London not to influence my work wherever I end up. There is a saying “you can take the girl out of London, but you can’t take London out of the girl”

There are many aspects of London and the UK that I really don’t like. It’s dirty and full of rubbish in many places, and against the backdrop of the brutalist 60/70s architecture and rain, it was perfect for the video’s concept. However, I don’t want to be restricted to working with this aesthetic. I don’t want to absorb it too much, even for a project, otherwise I think it could have a negative impact.

The story of my next project will be based thousands of miles away from London, in Northern California, and aesthetically it will look very different to ‘I said about you’. 

How would you describe your directorial style, and do you feel it has evolved over the course of your career? Are there specific filmmakers or artists who have influenced your style?

Giving the actor/artist ownership of their character is conducive to a more collaborative process. I want to direct but not dictate. I’m quite good at forming connections with people, and creating an atmosphere of trust with the cast and crew is paramount. I think a good director strikes a balance between good planning, pre-production and being open to listening and trying new ideas raised by your team. 

David Fincher is a big influence on my work.  I’ve still not recovered from the news that Mindhunter will never be finished. It breaks my heart a little.  I think aside from the content and aesthetic, I love the music score of his films over the last 10 years. His collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the score for Gone Girl and The Social Network and Jason Hill for Mindhunter has been very inspiring. 

Is there a particular moment in the music video that holds special significance for you, either in terms of the filmmaking process or the final product?

I don’t think there is a particular moment in the video or the process that holds a special significance. I’ve learnt so much from this project, especially in the pre-planning phase. Most importantly, I really enjoyed the process from beginning to end. It was such a pleasure to collaborate with Claudia, and our wonderful cast during the pre-production and the shoot. Everyone was open, fully engaged and willing to have fun with it.  I have very fond memories of the making of this video. 

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers, especially those looking to venture into music video direction and independent filmmaking?

Pick up your camera and start shooting. You’re not going to create a masterpiece the first time you shoot anything, you'll learn by ‘trial and error’.  There is a wealth of knowledge on YouTube for emerging filmmakers, I’ve learnt a lot from following content creators and filmmakers, but my learning process has really been driven by getting involved in other’s projects and by shooting some experimental films of my own. You don’t need any expensive camera or lighting equipment either. Most cellphones have a camera, and you have an in-built light above your head; the sun (Apologies to those in London, the latter doesn’t apply). 

If you’re interested in making music videos, I suggest following and contacting independent artists (local to you) on social media and offering to shoot their music video. Keep it simple at first. You’d be surprised at how many artists will approach you once you have one video completed. 

For aspiring filmmakers that wish to work on more narrative based work. Contact local actors and offer to shoot some scenes for their show reel. If the actor is also an emerging artist, often they would appreciate material  to showcase their acting skills.

This marks the conclusion of the interview featuring our esteemed artist, Samantha Oci. Our community is growing steadily, with a continuous influx of skilled filmmakers and screenwriters joining us. Explore our other interviews, and consider scheduling one for yourself to showcase your creative endeavors.

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