Interview with jill of all trades Joiah Luminosa

Welcome Joiah, we are very excited to have you today with us to discuss about your work.

First off, Who is Joiah Luminosa, and how did the passion for filmmaking begin?

I was born and raised in Padova, a city near Venice, Italy. I grew up in a multicultural household. My mother is Colombian-American, and my father is Italian. I have been exposed to many different art forms since childhood. I have called Amsterdam my home for four years now, where I’m pursuing my pluridisciplinaire career in music, sound, directing, and curation. A Jill of all trades, trying to master all of them. My biggest inspirations are Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), Johnny Depp, and Lucy Liu, multi-talented artists who can do everything well.   

My mom taught me an appreciation for film and cinema since my sisters and I were young. She shared knowledge about acting techniques, filming, and more. Back in the day, she was a casting director for Acapella Casting Agency in Paris and an agent for Omar’s modeling agency in L. A and NYC. She had the pleasure of working on the set with figures like Ettore Scala and Alberto Sordi, to name a few, a badass in a nutshell. I was genuinely fascinated and inclined to that world. Growing up, I never considered getting into filmmaking as the main focus was music. But even if I never had formal filmmaking classes, my interest has grown organically over the past year. I absorbed knowledge and insights from various sources and talented friends in the industry. What started as a casual exploration became a genuine passion for storytelling through film. I’m excited about further developing my skills and contributing my perspective. 

Can you tell us about your previous work?
I haven't been a director before, but I've led teams and managed projects in my past jobs, building up good leadership skills, whether on sets for editorials, videos, or other scenarios. I'm keen to use what I've learned, keep growing, and do well in a director role to contribute to the team. For this, I have to credit Timotej Letonja, editor-in-chief of Numéro Netherlands Magazine, for trusting my vision and ideas and allowing me to share my work through his amazing platform. Another credit goes to the people of Levenslang club, who gave me their space to manifest the project.

CONVERSATION ABOUT: LIFETIME

What inspired you to create "LIFETIME," and how did the idea for this project come about?

It all started when I set foot in the nightclub for the first time. The club's name is Levenslang - dutch for Lifetime. It was the former boiler room of a prison known as Biljmer Bajes. 

I was immediately captured by the club's style and overall ambiance. One day, as I was dancing, I closed my eyes. I envisioned a shoot with models and dancers dressed in designer clothes, each symbolizing a type of raver in the realm of Amsterdam's vibrant scene. Not the one known by the tourists and occasional visitors, but the local scene that has lived for decades. The idea was to capture the dancers' movements and focus on personality more than aesthetics. We picked some actual dancers and ravers from the scene to make it genuine. I wanted to blend the unicity and diversity of Amsterdam’s rave scene in a place with an intriguing history. For me, mixing these two elements celebrates the rich history and culture of the city’s territory and enhances its signature and past. It highlights the ability to create new spaces out of old ones for better experiences. It’s a place people can meet, dance, and share memories that can last a lifetime. 

Can you elaborate on the concept of juxtaposing elements of freedom within confinement in "LIFETIME" and its connection to Amsterdam's rave scene?

I view this video as a dance for freedom, where freedom was stripped away. It is a contrast in which two unusual elements come together, shifting what might have been a dark past to a bright and prosperous future. I find that poetic. 

Another element of freedom is the evasion of purist perceptions of how a club should or could be but focusing on the overall experience. Whether sonically, visually, or artistically. For clubgoers and people in the business, it’s essential to create spaces that feel like home, where you can always come back to let go of the daily stresses. Somehow, Levenslang, like few other clubs, felt like home right away, as the Dutch would say, “gezellig,” which means cozy. Home to safe spaces, with lovely personnel, some smiling even if it’s six in the morning and they’ve worked an entire night shift. It’s something not to underestimate and pretty rare. For me, that makes Amsterdam’s rave scene unique and enviable. All these clubs share a common perspective and set of values. There’s so much respect for the culture that once you step out of the city, you understand that you have it so well and are spoiled. You don’t settle for less. The sound system and the overall organization are top-notch, making going to the club a qualitative and memorable experience. A statement that solely you, the raver, artist, organizer, worker, etc., can create. 

The abstract female voice plays a crucial role in the video. Can you share the thought process behind its inclusion and its impact on the overall narrative?

The choice of adding a narrative voice was to make it more relatable to the viewer. It describes the transition of doubt from going out to entering the club and starting to appreciate its surroundings and vibe. You may be surprised that, more often than not, the day you’re the least keen on going to a club could be one of your life's most epic nights.

The tone of voice (mine, by the way) is full of emotion and entices the inner struggle of a woman, in this case, who wants to be freed from her turbulent mind. From starting softly to intensifying more and more. The narrative follows a path in which the climax is achieved by fully getting carried away by the music and nothing else. She embraces its cure and trusts that it will break her chains of fear. 

It’s a direct reflection of what clubbing is about- a medicine that is needed from time to time—an expression in its pure form. What might have started as a negative night, could shift into a spectacular, unexpected evening. All you can do is lose yourself in the sound and let everything unravel.  

What emotions or sensations do you hope the audience experiences while watching "LIFETIME," and how did you strategically incorporate elements to evoke those feelings?

I want this video to transmit sensations of excitement, sensuality, joy, and everlasting freedom.  The main focus was the music, sound design (which I produced and mixed myself), the narrative voice, and maintaining a dynamic feeling within the shots to enhance these feelings. I wanted to tell a story through the music, which starts slowly and gradually accelerates to a fast-paced, rhythmic Techno track. I have grown an appreciation for Techno these past years, which has changed my perception of raving. They say that House music is the music for celebration, and Techno is for deeper experiences. For many, techno can become very spiritual. The repetition of grooves, evolving sounds, and tones creates a mystical sonic experience. One can get lost in the loop and feel very intense feelings. That’s also why, in the video, I mention ‘angels are elevating the atmosphere’ because even though this type of music is often associated with the devil and hell, it can ignite positivity and attract benevolent entities just as angels. For some, it’s the perfect music to liberate and convert the inner darkness into light. Ask anyone who went raving to clubs similar to Berghain or De School. I’m sure they know what I mean.

Creating a video that blends dance, narrative, and emotion seems like a complex task. What were some of the major challenges you faced in seamlessly integrating these elements during the shooting of "LIFETIME"?

I was lucky to work with a fantastic DOP and editor, Arnaud Moro. Arnaud Moro is known for his ability to capture the essence of a moment and tell stories through his images. He can work in various styles and gives people a new perspective. With a keen eye for detail, he can capture the beauty in even daily subjects. 

We used a Blackmagic Pocket 6k for this project with a Sigma 18-35 lens. He sometimes added lens filters in front to add visual effects. The main challenges were that he was shooting with digital and analog photo cameras and then changed to a video camera. It was pretty hard as he’d switch for all eleven dancers. Secondly, while shooting, some cast members were DJing, which helped recreate a realistic club night, but the music was super loud, and since I didn’t have a megaphone, I was shouting the whole time (which cost my voice the next day). Lastly, we rarely took breaks because we were on a strict time deadline, which we couldn’t surpass. Overall, the whole team was excellent. Everyone worked so enthusiastically, dancing and laughing all day long.  It was a day we’re all going to remember.

If you could attend a rave in any era or location throughout history, where and when would it be?

That’s a great question and a tough one as well. But, If I had a time machine that transported me to an era and suddenly ended up at a rave, I’d choose Studio 54 in New York City. Oh my, I heard so many stories about that club! My mom used to go there when she was a teenager. She was one of the dancers who would get kicked out because she was still dancing on the dance floor, even when the lights turned on. I’d love to experience the club for a whole night and get a taste of the madness that was going on. And maybe dance with a celebrity, why not ahah? The Disco era is a movement that always attracted me. It was a cultural revolution in music, fashion, and nightlife. Things I’m fond of. Its influence persists, shaping subsequent music styles and culture. It evolved into the music I’m passionate about today.

Can you give us a glimpse into any upcoming projects you're currently working on or planning to explore in the near future?

To be honest, I prefer not to share any upcoming projects. I’m pretty secretive about my work, not because I don’t want to share it, but because I learned it helps my manifestation process. I don’t even send my things to my best friends or family because I don’t want to get affected by their subjective points of view or comments, for example. I’m an artist who is very serious about her work and cherishes the external feedback after the work is done. I just do the job and share it when it’s ready. Call it superstition if you wish to ahah! All I can say is that I have high hopes and goals for 2024 and am already starting the year working hard and grabbing new opportunities.

This marks the conclusion of the interview featuring our esteemed artist, Joiah Luminosa. Our community is growing steadily, with a continuous influx of skilled filmmakers and screenwriters joining us. Explore our other interviews, and consider scheduling one for yourself to showcase your creative endeavors.

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