Today we’d like to introduce you to Rocco Giuliano.
Rocco, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I discovered long ago that my one and only talent is writing or, more specifically, storytelling. My mother started reading to me at an early age and, when I was ready, bought me lots of kids’ books. When I was old enough I made regular trips to my local library, a magnificent example of Romanesque architecture in Quincy Square.
An even greater influence was my grandfather who regaled me with tales of revenge from his native Sicily, all revolving around a point of honor and invariably ending with the offender being shot, stabbed or garroted. I should add that grandpa often improvised dialogue and acted out key scenes with, depending on the period depicted, props ranging from the Japanese naval officer’s sword uncle Sal brought back from WWII to the Smith and Wesson .32 purchased when he first arrived in America in 1921. In any event, I became hooked on narrative in the form of books, movies, oral history and personal anecdotes, and came to highly respect old people because they invariably told the best stories.
But to get back to my own story, after a decade as a rock band roadie I did indeed go to photography school and worked for ten years as a medical photographer, while, on the side, I hosted a pirate radio program called Verbal Assault, freelanced for Digital Equipment Corporation, and had movie hosting gigs on WSBK-TV 38. Since then I’ve written/co-produced three full length documentaries and any number of short films, one of which has screened in more than 13 festivals around the world. Right now, I’m working on another documentary series, along with whatever corporate assignments might come my way.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I have been fortunate to work with brilliant people. The wildly satirical radio program Verbal Assault, produced by Joe Tyburczy, was aired on illegal (hence, “pirate”) shortwave stations around the world, e.g., Radio Free Augsburg (Federal Republic of Germany) and Music Radio Holland. Henry Dane produced two series on TV38 which I wrote/hosted, Rocco Goes to the Drive-In and 38Late. All this goes back to the ’80s and ’90s. In 2010 Rob Delgaudio of Black Pearl Productions and I worked together on a savage indictment of mismanagement at TSA with the assistance of current and former Red Team Leaders and Federal Air Marshals. We created a shorter version for foreign television. The overarching message was that all bureaucracies are living organisms that suck energy out of the environment and exist to grow and protect themselves.
We need them, but they bear watching. I worked with Richard Tilkin of Boston Digital Productions on two docs, one about mortality and the other about people living with unusual names. These can be viewed on Netflix and Amazon Prime. In the meantime, Henry Dane, Gino Mauro and I have churned out short films centered around my experiences as a resident of an artists’ coop in Fort Point. And right now, Rob DelGaudio and I are working on a documentary series called Decoders about the hidden talents of people with dyslexia, especially their exceptional ability to process complex visual information. All of this work is inspired by the idea that there is always much more to any subject (and fellow human being) than meets the eye.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Happily, I don’t have that problem because I’m married to the brilliant photographer Sylvia Stagg-Giuliano and we live in a visual artists’ coop. I tend to get inspiration not from other writers but from artists in other media. That said, the best way to make connections with artists is to make art.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Aside from That: A Film About Everyone’s Least Favorite Topic can be viewed on Amazon Prime or purchased as a DVD on Amazon. The Strange Name Movie is on Netflix in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland and Australia, and can also be purchased on Amazon. It’s also viewable via 20-odd streaming services, many of which I didn’t know existed. The 54-minute version of the TSA movie, under the title TSA: The Myth of America’s Airport Security or the original title Please Remove Your Shoes, can be viewed online.
The long version is also available for sale as a DVD. Also check your local library. The short Fort Point films turn up at festivals in places as far afield as Vienna, London, Texas and the Ozarks. None are available online because Henry wants to protect our ability to submit to obscure film festivals. If people want to support the Decoders series, they can go to the Webb Innovation Center for Dyslexia website WICD.org, watch the trailer, and donate with the click of a button. You can also follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, or check me out on Facebook for updates. I’m easy to find online if you spell Giuliano correctly.
Contact Info:
- Address: Studio 34 249 A Street Boston, MA 02210
- Website: rocco@mondorocco.com
- Phone: 617 426 6135
- Email: rocco@mondorocco.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mondorocco
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoccoGiuliano
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roccogiuliano/
Image Credit:
Henry Dane, Rob DelGaudio, Gino Mauro
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