WE MET
WE MET is a cinematic fashion story inspired by Wong Kar-wai’s films and aesthetics. While it seems the narrative is about two women whose relationship is elusive and cannot be precisely defined by the view, Domenico explains, “The real main character of the story is time and relationships that end.
Relationships that quietly fade away and become forgotten.” The element that is explored is creating a set-up to transmit the emotion on an intuitive level. The direction of the protagonists’ gaze, the physical distance between the characters in the frame, the position of the camera - come to present an intimate story for the viewer to decipher.
The element that is explored is creating a set-up to transmit the emotion on an intuitive level. The direction of the protagonists’ gaze, the physical distance between the characters in the frame, the position of the camera - come to present an intimate story for the viewer to decipher.
The creative team behind the fashion shoot and the film take us behind the scenes providing a deeper connection to the chosen aesthetics. Domenico Scialò, a Creative Director and Stylist, reveals that the decision to include food and the process of meal consumption comes as the perfect invitation for the characters to come closer, enabling to depict an edge of the sensuality with additional layers of meaning. Luisa Pagani, a Videomaker, says that “The moment of dinner and food itself create a circumstance in which sounds and little gestures become very important.” The video relives the frames and takes the viewers’ emotions to the level of a new understanding.
Creative Director & Stylist Domenico Scialò Videomaker Luisa Pagani Photography Teresa Ciocia MUA Sofia Foiera Hairstylist Alessio Sifanno Talents Chen Pei Yi at WAVE MANAGEMENT MILAN Xian at Official Models NY Lea
‘WE MET is a story about two women - two generic female figures - their relationship is not defined: we do not know if they are sisters, friends, or lovers, and it doesn't matter.’
— Domenico Scialó
What is the story WE MET - 你和我遇見了about?
Domenico Scialó: WE MET is a story about two women - two generic female figures - their relationship is not defined: we do not know if they are sisters, friends, or lovers, and it doesn't matter. The real main character of the story is time and relationships that end. Relationships that quietly fade away and become forgotten, without knowing how, neither when to step away, to then re-meet as strangers.
The editorial project was inspired by the cinematography of the Chinese director Wong Kar-wai. This year is also the 20th anniversary of one of his biggest projects, In The Mood For love. A few years ago, for the first time, I watched one of his movies because I was attracted to his strong aesthetic research. After two hours, once the movie was finished, I started thinking, forming an opinion about it. The idea I had of the movie was overturned. Paradoxically, the power of the narrative had taken over aesthetics and left me in confusion. At that moment, I realised that the story matched perfectly with my way of thinking and conceiving feelings. I need to say that the intention of WE MET was to conceive a story/feeling with the same way of expression. The project wasn't set to give a nostalgic taste.
‘Neither the identity and the roles of the main characters were well defined because they are useless information for the story. It could confuse the understanding of the story.’
— Domenico Scialó
Who are the main characters, and why do you think they meet?
Domenico Scialó: As I said before, neither the identity and the roles of the main characters were well defined because they are useless information for the story. It could confuse the understanding of the story. Surely, the objective is to let a certain grade of intimacy transpire from the behaviour to the conversations. The meeting between the characters happens through embarrassment. Distance, head held high, and the gaze down can transmit an understanding stronger than any type of contact. It is exactly the embarrassment that makes us understand their grade of intimacy.
‘Food is strictly a way to connect and create a moment of intimacy between two protagonists. The moment of dinner and food itself create a circumstance in which sounds and little gestures become very important.’
— Luisa Pagani
The atmosphere in your photography is of hyper-realism, a moment in time of an occurrence (as if the camera happened to be in your hands by a mere chance). How do you create this atmosphere?
I think for my approach, it’s important to have a rough framework for orientation. But within that, I leave a lot of things undecided to force a little bit of chaos.
The aesthetics of photographing food and people eating food became an important field in photography and cinematography. In the editorial, food serves to emphasize sensuality and also to create a setting for the meeting. Walk us through the specifics of choosing food to photograph in the story?
Domenico Scialó: Meals are an occasion to meet for everyone and the best situation for a confrontation. It is possible to sit at the same table with one or more people: acquaintances or strangers. After all, once the meal is over, you will have a better idea about the person/s you had
eaten with. That’s why I chose the table as the scene to begin with the video. It's the beginning of the story (video), but also, it's the end. Food, as we said, is emblematic, especially in this case. In the story, the choice of food doesn’t come to emphasise the sensuality, neither it's allusive: there are no trivial oysters or aphrodisiac elements. Food has, for sure, been the right expedient to adopt a certain type of behaviour and to justify some kind of expressions; expressions that instead are intentionally sensual and that help understand the story. Food is knowledge.
Luisa Pagani: From my point of view, food is strictly a way to connect and create a moment of intimacy between two protagonists. The moment of dinner and food itself create a circumstance in which sounds and little gestures become very important. So, in my opinion, thanks to this element, we could emphasize the moment and its every little facet.
Let’s discuss the process of making a short film. What do you find as the most challenging aspects when comparing the two mediums: photography and video?
Luisa Pagani: Since now, I am mostly a filmmaker rather than a photographer, a moving image is, for sure, a great way to tell a story. It's different from catching the moment; it's more about trying to tell it with your point of view and making it understandable to others. The most challenging part of doing it - is to express the mood to the protagonists who come from the fashion field and are sometimes new to the world of film. Some talents used to stay in front of the camera, but maybe, not that much to "play" as actors.
What is the most memorable moment or episode from the shooting day or the preparation for it?
Domenico Scialó: For me, the most exciting moment of the shooting day is always when the model wears the first outfit. It’s when after weeks of planning, everything comes together in details: pairing, variations of colours, acquiring all the props, taking care of the location, the model with hair and makeup on wearing the outfit that I prepared goes to the corner of the location and realises the pose I was planning - that’s it! It’s at this moment when I see the idea I had in mind - become reality. It doesn’t matter if we haven't started shooting yet; at that moment, thoughts become reality and assume a picture. At that moment, I feel the adrenaline in my body.
