Today’s Notable Young Professional is actor turned director Frank Giannini, and owner of production company, Franky Films. We caught up with him to find out what inspires him and what advice he would share with other young professionals…
WORK
1. Describe what you do in less than 140 characters. Go.
I am a storyteller who tells stories through visual compositions made up of moving images. My goal is to touch people with these images and stories and hope that they can experience a variety of emotions and feelings to which they can relate.
2. What was the inspiration for your career route?
The inspiration came from a very young age. My brother and I were always playing with cameras and re-enacting scenes from films we loved or creating original content as well. I was a dreamer from a very young age and still am today. My professors and teachers always told me I was a daydreamer, especially in the classroom where I found myself lost in my thoughts and imagination most of the time.
3. What is the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
To this day, I must say there are a few memorable moments. One that stands out the most was one of my first acting experiences alongside Susan Sarandon and Penelope Cruz in a film called Noel. I went on set as an extra and came off as an actor. I was nervous and stressed at first since I was not prepared for it, but once the camera started rolling, I felt right at home. I felt that I was in my element and I knew then that I wanted to be a part of this business for the rest of my days. Another milestone was my first short film The Race of Life being accepted at the Cannes film festival in 2012.
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?
I see myself directing a few feature films in the next five years – more than a few actually, and also producing in the next 10 years. In 20 years, I see myself producing films for young struggling filmmakers trying to make it in the business as I am today.
5. Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Make your career choices based on your passion for something you love and not because of obligation and financial reward. If you do what you love, yes, the journey will be difficult, that is certain, however, it will never feel like work and down the road, you will find yourself to be in a happier place than most. Being a professional also means being happy.
6. Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is it (or they) important to you?
I do not, but eventually would love to. I have worked with many different charities in the past as a cameraman so I can say that I’ve donated my time to a good cause.
7. What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
Making movies is a constant challenge so it is difficult to pinpoint one specific event. But one moment I can remember was when I had to work a music video shoot with a bad case of the flu in the middle of February along with an ACL tear that happened a few days before. Torture!
8. What does the word notable mean to you?
It means recognition, hard work, and respect.
PLAY
1. Where is your favourite place to wine/ dine in your city and why?
It used to be Prato Pizzeria , not sure if they’re still open, but they made a great oven pizza, Italian style.
2. What’s the most visited website on your Internet browser? The most played song on your phone?
Gmail. I don’t have music on my phone, but if I did have one it would probably be an old U2 song.
3. Who’s one person you think everyone should be following on social media?
Tony Robbins.
4. What’s your favourite country to visit and why? And what’s the next one you plan on travelling to?
Caribbean Islands, especially St. Maarten. The next place will probably be Italy.
5. What gives you the greatest FOMO?
Not enough time to visit the stories that inspire me and be able to film these stories.
6. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
Nutella with a spoon.
7. What’s something you wish you didn’t spend so much money on?
Coffee.
8. What’s something you wish you spent more on?
Coffee machine.
9. And finally, what does success look like to you? Work, play, or otherwise…
Success for me is doing what you love for a career and what you are passionate about. If you can achieve this, then it will never feel like work for the rest of your life. If I had to define what success looks like for me, this would be it.
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