Your career spans writing, directing, and producing. How does wearing all three hats influence the way you approach a new project, and which role feels most natural to you?
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Working in all three roles simultaneously makes me think about the project from a 360 degree view and not just about what part of the process is in front of me. Writing a script or play is such a fun start to the process, but there's no use for me writing something that I can't possibly make. So being able to be creative with ideas and also practical with how I'm going to realise them does keep me grounded. Sometimes it can feel conflicting, with the battle between creative freedom and production constraints, but ultimately it pushes me, and that's a good thing. I'd say that producing comes to me the most naturally, because I am extremely motivated and enjoy bringing people together to achieve an end goal. I like hunting for locations, fabrics, backdrops, and really thrive on problem solving. It's so satisfying to see all the elements come together into one cohesive story.
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Living and working in Brighton, how has the city's creative community and atmosphere shaped your storytelling or the kinds of projects you're drawn to?
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It's definitely given me confidence to express myself in a more fully realised form, way more than if I stayed living in a small village in Surrey where I grew up.
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Your debut play, BEYOND BERLIN, marked an important milestone in your career. What was the original spark for the story, and why did you feel it needed to be told on stage?
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I have wanted to write a play for at least ten years and never found the right moment to do it.
This year I knew I wanted to step away from short films for a bit, and experiment in a new medium. It was at this moment that I realised it was the right time to work on a play. I wanted to be in a room with actors, working together to create a live immersive experience. In film I'm so used to stopping and starting, 'let's do another take', that kind of thing. I wanted to challenge myself and do something live! I had the idea for Beyond Berlin last year when I was on a plane. I saw a male flight attendant with a baby face and very curly hair. I saw him and instantly thought 'you look like you belong in the 1920s'. So I drew a sketch of him in my notepad and then started to create a story around him. Making Beyond Berlin has been one of the best decisions I've ever made, getting to direct in a way that flows. For as long as I can remember I've always loved the jazz age. I think it's the idea of a bygone era, the black & white Hollywood stars of a time gone by, and the idea of decadence and decay that intrigues me. In fact 'Beyond Berlin' was originally called 'The Decadence & Decay' because it sums up the contradiction of the beauty and the turbulence of the era. I have long been drawn to the books of Christopher Ishwerood and F Scott Fitzgerlad. My play (in some ways) is a love letter to that era, with my own spin on it.
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Without giving away too much, what themes does BEYOND BERLIN explore, and what conversations do you hope audiences are having as they leave the theatre?
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Beyond Berlin deals with the idea of 'people as outsiders', outsiders to their own feelings, outsiders to places and spaces. There's some dark themes throughout, like lust, desire, longing, intrigue and betrayal. But the play is also A LOT of fun. In parts it's camp, pastiche and silly. I'd like the people who come to see my play to leave feeling entertained. Life can be so gloomy and tiresome, so I want to give these people one hour away from their normal lives, to step into a different era, a fantasy.
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Every first play is a learning experience. Looking back at BEYOND BERLIN, is there anything about the writing or production process that fundamentally changed how you create work today?
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It's made me much more confident to write longer scenes, without fear. In today's creative landscape I hear a lot of 'make scenes short, don't write too much dialogue, make everything snappy! Anything over 3 seconds will bore people', that kind of thing. It's really limiting to constrain yourself in those ways. I freed myself of all that. I did it by writing the scenes I wanted to write, and to create the stories I wanted to create. I had SO much fun making the backdrops and sourcing the props, it's definitely something I want to do again.
As both a writer and director, how do you balance staying true to your original script while remaining open to ideas from actors and collaborators during rehearsals?
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I acknowledge that while I am writing (and it took me six months and close to 40 drafts to get the script fully realised for Beyond Berlin) that this is my time to flesh out the ideas and characters, this sacred time is when the characters are only truly ever 'mine'. Then, when rehearsals start that is when the material evolves and changes and the characters then 'belong' to us all in the room. It no longer is just about words on a page, it's a living breathing entity that the actors are pumping life into. For this reason I want to hear their ideas about the characters, how they interpret the lines and motivations. I am open to suggestions, but of course, I keep a reign on the overall feel and direction to make sure it's still in the world that I created. But it would be naive of me to not pull from the many creative brains I have in the room with me when working on a production.
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Many creatives talk about the tension between artistic ambition and practical realities. As a producer as well, how do you navigate the balance between creative vision and budget or logistical constraints?
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Life on its own can be crazy, beautiful and complicated at the best of times. Throwing a production into the mix can feel like a bomb that goes off and affects everything around you. At times it's a challenge to have a full time job, a relationship, keeping in touch with friends and making the show, but I've come to peace with the idea that at times some areas of my life will thrive more than others. It's about communicating that to those around you so they know where you're at in your head with all the plates that are spinning. I think all artists live in a space where they feel pulled between two realities, that of 'everyday life' and that of 'creating'. I think both need to exist in order to balance the other out. It's not always easy.
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What kind of stories are you most passionate about telling? Are there particular genres, themes, or characters you find yourself returning to again and again?
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Most of my work tends to revolve around queer stories. I write what I know, and I think it's important for every artist to have a perspective, which is why I pull from these ideas. A lot of my work tends to have two characters who are vastly different from one another. In Beyond Berlin we have Raymond - a shy, sensitive Englishman who has never been to Berlin before. We then have Ernst - who is a cabaret performer in Berlin and super confident and extrovert. The seeds for both characters originate from the different shades of my personality, but are also something entirely of their own. So I suppose I am looking within myself to explore and understand the different layers that make me 'ME'.
For aspiring writers and filmmakers, what's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out?
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It would have been to 'tell the stories you want to tell' and 'find a way to make it happen'. I think a lot of young talent get discouraged because they don't have 'a great camera', or 'thousands of pounds' to make something look high end. Start small, use what you can and don't let your own negative thoughts discourage you. You've got this!
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Looking ahead, what's next for you? Are there any upcoming theatre, film, or television projects that you're excited to share, and might we see BEYOND BERLIN evolve further in the future?
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Definitely! I would love to see Beyond Berlin expand in production size and venues. I have started looking at options for 2027. I want to take the show on the road!
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BEYOND BERLIN is on at BN1 Arts Centre - New England St on Friday 6th & Saturday 7th November at 7:30pm. Get tickets here: https://beyondberlin.eventbrite.co.uk
For production updates follow: @madebymilletti