Joe Cecchini is the writer and director of the short film “A Trip to the Ocean,” which premiered at the Gasparilla International Film Festival this week. A Tampa native, Cecchini chatted with CL about making movies.
CL: What is your occupation/job title?
Joe Cecchini: Filmmaker/Filmmaker Assistant.
How old were you when you made your first movie?
Twelve.
How many movies have you made?
Depends on what counts as a "movie", and what you count as "made." My biggest movie that I was an Associate Producer on was Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton. My latest short film that I wrote and directed is "Shower" starring Charlie Saxton [who co-stars with GIFF presenter/ award recipient Thomas Jane in HBO's "Hung"].
What themes do you like to explore and why?
I try to keep it simple: relatable characters in interesting stories. But with themes, I'd say betrayal and regret; desire and coming to terms with reality.
This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2013.
