Interview with writer Guido Maria Giordano
Welcome Guido we are very excited to have you today with us to discuss about your work.
First off, Who is Guido Maria Giordano and how did the passion for creating begin?
Guido Maria Giordano, as well as his brother Domenico, inherited the passion for creating from the Lombards, a "barbarian" population coming from Pannonia (roughly corresponding to today's Hungary) who invaded Italy in the 6th century.
They conquered the entire internal area, from Friuli to Pavia - which became the capital of the Lombard Kingdom – and to the South to found an autonomous Principality based in Benevento.
Prince of Benevento was Arechis II, when Charlemagne invaded Italy and defeated King Desiderius (774 AD), putting an end to northern Lombardy. What remained was that of the South, called "Langobardia Minor", with its capital Benevento, despite the growing role of Salerno.
Guido is a Germanic name and belongs to the tradition of the Principality of Salerno, which originated in 849 AD, due to the fragmentation of the Principality of Benevento, which in the first half of the 1000s included almost all of Southern Italy.
The Lombards, highly skilled craftsmen, warriors and jurists, around the year 1000 were progressively subjugated by the Normans, warriors and politicians, who put themselves at the service of the Church, the Lombards and the Byzantines, for the sole purpose of acquiring land and being recognized as a political entity. This clever game led them to conquer the whole of Southern Italy. Their capital was Palermo.
While the Lombard descent comes from his mother's side, Guido descends from his father's side from the ancient Norman family “Drengot Quarrel”, established in southern Italy in the 12th century. At that time, Giordano di Nocera was lord of a strategic territory, a narrow valley between the Principality of Salerno and the Principality of Capua. From the top of his castle, whose triangular-shaped tower allowed perfect control of the access routes to the valley, according to historical sources between 1111 and 1115 the Jordan had guaranteed support and protection to the Monastery of Cava dei Tirreni , to Montecassino, as well as to the Abbey of Sant'Angelo in Formis.
Can you tell us about your previous work ?
As regards the previous works, they are essentially photographic shots (black and white film, later color and finally digital) obtained during countless trips to Italy and Europe to discover the artistic and landscape beauties.
CONVERSATION ABOUT: 1000 - The Sword in the Stone series (Episode #1: The Druid, the Sword and the Raven)
How did your upbringing influence your interest in storytelling and the themes you explore in your work? Did your education in classical studies contribute to the mythological and historical elements present in your script?
The grandparents' stories were certainly able to convey the pride of belonging to those families, together with the curiosity to delve deeper into the salient events.
However, only the hard training in classical studies made it possible to acquire the knowledge bases and methods of historical investigation, indispensable for appreciating the immense heritage of mythological and historical elements that characterizes Italian culture.
Can you speak to the importance of cultural authenticity when portraying historical settings? Are there any specific cultural elements or traditions that play a significant role in the narrative?
Cultural authenticity is fundamental whenever historical settings are portrayed, whatever period they belong to.
Obviously this requires a long and expensive period of documentary and setting research, in the hope of being able to hear the so-called 'Genius loci'.
In this regard, various cultural and traditional elements play a significant role in the narrative:
- the fear of Millennium Armageddon.
- the sword as a symbol of justice and power.
- the fundamental political and economic role of women in the ancient world.
- the Investiture Controversy between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Roman Catholic church.
What was your process like for developing the plot and characters of "1000 - The Sword in the Stone series"?
The process to develop the plot and characters of the "1000 - The Sword in the Stone" series began with the choice of an important figure from the year 1000, unknown today because erased by the oblivion of time, who at the venerable age of 72 years he ventured, alone, on a journey of no return among the dangers of the European continent in the hope of helping his people.
An example of courage, self-sacrifice, sense of duty and altruism unmatched for the time.
Through the detailed chronicle of his journey and his meetings it is possible to easily read medieval society.
How would you describe your writing style, and how does it manifest in this script? Are there any particular themes or motifs that consistently appear throughout your body of work?
In the book I chose a simple linear style, imagining what a pleasant novel to read could be for me.
On the contrary, in the film project I chose the action/adventure film formula, drawing heavily on the school of the great and inimitable master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.
What do you hope audiences will take away and what emotions or reactions do you aim to evoke through your storytelling?
Vision, suffering but also joy, compassion and empathy, understanding, with the hope of being able to contribute to the search for the truth.
In future projects, do you plan to explore similar genre intersections, or are there other genres you're eager to explore & can you tease any upcoming projects ?
For future projects, I have already started exploring different, but equally challenging genres, such as family adventures, science fiction, children's fairy tales:
MANITOUANA - WHEN TIME STANDS STILL (Three siblings, Megan, Nicholas, and Brooke, think they are going on an uneventful family vacation. They couldn't be more wrong. They find themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of their long lost great-great-uncle Jack);
PLANET X - DEMIGODS AND MAN (Year 2077. Seven demigods from Planet X descend to Earth to steal the souls of Earthlings and destroy the planet. Will they succeed in their aim at the end of the complex mission?);
WHITE MOON'S ADVENTURES ("So much wasted space! In this wonderful unexplored universe there will also be someone up there to share fantastic adventures! No matter where we come from or who our friends are, what matters is that we experience wonderful emotions together and love each other").
That was the interview with our beloved creator Guido Maria Giordano. Our community is rising everyday, new talented filmakers and screenwriters get onboard. Be sure to check the rest of our interviews and why not schedule one for yourself to promote your work.
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