Finding Fausto – Behind His Latest Work

Director Fausto Becatti from Bioscope Films has, over the years, developed a distinct style and aesthetic in his work. His cinematic visuals paired with emotive music and authentic performances has lead to a kickass portfolio, but his latest two pieces for IndieFin and Castle Milk Stout have pushed him even further. We would now like to formally introduce you to the Fausto stamp.

As a director, Fausto can’t help but push the boundaries with visuals, creating evocative work that is rooted in story, but with oh-so-much heart. And this is the Fausto Stamp. Whether it gets you energised, angry or emotional – he will disrupt you. We caught up with Fausto while visiting his dad in Brooklyn, New York, to get the skinny on the two new spots he’s shot. To be clear, we weren’t in New York, only he was. We were just Skyping him from a wintery South Africa – shot for the invite Fausto!

The view from Fausto’s hotel room in Brooklyn. We’re there too, but in the top right corner looking jelz and bitter…#Shem

Stills and Talkies

Fausto’s photography has played a huge role in his directing work, the one seamlessly feeding into the other, or as he calls it ‘creating a creative loop’. When Fausto first got a call from the Creative Director in charge of IndieFin, it was purely for a photography brief. Not too long and Fausto got another call to find out if he’d be keen to shoot a commercial too and damn we’re glad he said yes! But as you can tell from Fausto’s images, the ability to tell a story in a single frame (and boy oh boy does he ever! Check out more of his work on his Instagram page) has influenced him to craft beauty in moving images, developed his eye as a director and be far more particular with framing and understanding light better.

Realising what kind of imagery he ultimately wanted to translate onto film has helped him grow his distinct and evocative style and made us sit up and take notice! So without any further adieu, herewith Fausto’s latest two spots and the Fausto stamp!

IndieFin ‘Be Indie’

Castle Milk Stout ‘#GetItBack’

iDidTht: On both IndieFin and Castle Milk Stout, the client gave you a lot of freedom, in fact they pretty much gave you free rein. Did this trust create better work?
Fausto: Oh yeah! They were so great to work with. They just said ‘you’re the director, so direct!’ It was a wonderful environment to work with and we should really celebrate clients like this!

iDidTht: The music in both IndieFin and Castle Milk Stout! It’s incredible. Do you direct with a specific piece of music in mind?
Fausto: Music is PARAMOUNT. It’s 50% of the final product, if not more. Design and composition are often an afterthought. It’s a crucial element, and I’ve always been acutely aware of how music can affect the tone of the work. With Castle Milk Stout I presented my treatment with a song in mind and that most definitely informed the visuals and movement in shooting. I was running the images in my mind to the song before we shot them.

iDidTht: Casting must have been a nightmare on both these pieces? How how how?
Fausto: It’s really important to me to find original people, new fresh faces, and real, authentic, often non-actors. That means street casting and alternative methods like instagram, which is an amazing tool.
iDidTht: Ah, so that explains why you haven’t cast us, you don’t follow us on insta! It’s @iDidThat.co
Fausto: Haha, got it.

IndieFin

The finished product on IndieFin is so mind-blowingly-wow that we just had to get a glimpse of what happened behind the scenes, after all, it’s not your run-of-the-mill insurance ad featuring Desmond Dube and a green screen. How the hell did they pull this off?!

Fausto: We had two days shooting all around Joburg, shooting in 15 locations and 3 days shooting all the bigger setups in the warehouse. Masks took a couple of weeks to get right, we built 30 of those. And the wheel also took two or three weeks to build with several iterations of it. It was so cool because the client just gave us creative freedom.
iDidTht: We need to enter them into the Client Awards immediately!
Fausto: Haha ja! And I just want to add that the whole team was amazing. Bioscope was and is pivotal in their open support of my creative vision to bring these projects to life. And then, of course, everybody from Sinister and Pressure Cooker who did the sound. The young sharp duo at Dolph did an amazing job and they deserve a lot of attention, and of course Deliverance! I really want to mention all those people because they did an amazing job.

Dear Fausto’s Girlfriend. Hold onto him, he’s an absolute keeper!

Castle Milk Stout

When Fausto and Joe Public presented the final version of the commercial, the client had not yet even laid their eyes on any edits or even any footage. Now just hold up while we preach for a second. This right here is proof that when you work with a team that trusts and respects each other’s talent and allow each other the freedom do their best in each position, magic happens. Sermon done!

Fausto: Amen! There was so much trust in the room, which is why I think this magic happened. It was just about making the strongest piece of work that we could.
iDidTht: Break it down for us, what’s currently driving you?
Fausto: Thematically, I’m interested in youth culture and authenticity. I’m favouring real and genuine people, moments, casting, performances. A rawness and beautiful realness.

iDidTht: Okay Mr Instagram-I-Know-Whats-Cool, tell us, kiff or k*k?’

Q: Food pics on insta…

Q: Catering on set…

Q: Craft gin pop up bars…

Q: Award shows…

Q: Winning awards…

Q: Kanye West…

iDidTht: What?! Kanye West Kiff?
Fausto: I know I know. I really like him, he is an absolute douche bag, such an idiot, but I like his music.

Dear Kanye West (who is definitely reading this). Fausto has since requested to change his last answer to ‘k*k’…we approve.

iDidTht: Show us the last tourist photo you took?
The last one! We can see you – swipe swipe swipe!
Fausto: Does this count?

iDidTht: OMG that’s all we want now! What else you got there?
Fausto: I’m trying to find a photo that’s better.

iDidTht: Haha! Love it!
Fausto: Okay guys, I have to go to the Yankees stadium now.
iDidTht: We hate you…

But of course, we don’t hate Fausto at all and neither should you. In fact, if you’re looking for authentic, cinematic and emotive, something with pulse to a beat (who isn’t?), let this man run free on your commercial, you won’t regret it!

View Giant Films

Contact Bioscope Films

View Bioscope on iDidTht
Executive Producer: Daniel Kaplan
daniel@bioscopefilms.co.za

Produced by the iDidTht Content Studio
Credits: Anne Hirsch (Writer) / Julie Maunder

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