This Group of Early-20s College Students Made a Feature

Most artists in their early 20s are still trying to find their footing, learn the basics, and maybe make some shorts. This group of 20-somethings, however, has already made a feature film. “With no funding or institutional support, we’ve completed the first-ever, truly original Hip Hop musical. And by “musical,” we don’t mean theater kids belting show tunes. Nor do we mean ‘hip hop’ in the gentrified sense of Hamilton. I mean these words in a boldly original sense,” says producer and Columbia student Moise Hilaire.

The feature film, Ow!, was made with no money but plenty of improv and imagination. Along with his friends, director PierSimon (Simon) Magnifico and actor/musician Sam Charlot, with the help of their community in Norwalk, Connecticut, these aspirational filmmakers made something special purely through hard work, never allowing limitations to handicap their abilities. As they move forward, they seek to champion originality amid the rampant nepotism and creative bankruptcy plaguing mainstream American filmmaking. To share a taste of their originality, they talked about their lives and process in a sit-down interview:

What was the initial spark that led to Ow!? Was there a particular moment, song, or experience that made you say, “This has to be a film”?

Moise: Firstly, Ow! wasn’t the original movie we were going to make. We abandoned that first idea, which was a blessing because Simon’s backup script was just as good. At the time, we were at community college, and I started promoting it. We asked for actors/actresses, professors helped advertise, and that’s how we formed the cast.

Simon: Ow! had been on my mind for five years by the time we went forward with it. I was trying to get to sleep one night, and suddenly, the premise popped into my head, and I couldn’t fall asleep that night. I spent the whole night thinking about it. Funnily enough, at that time, I hadn’t met Sam or Moise yet. After working with them and engaging with their personalities, it translated into the story. If it hadn’t been for them, this project never would’ve gotten to the next level.

How did your background and life experiences shape your approach to storytelling and filmmaking?

Moise: I love talking to people. I’m always down to approach people and say, “Hey, let’s team up!” That helped a lot during the project because we met many people through random acts. Honestly, if we weren’t all part of this film, it wouldn’t have turned out as well as it did. Simon, honestly, is a genius. He can improvise and turn a shoestring budget into gold.

Simon: Moise and Sam were on set every day, and having them push the project forward was such a big help. I think we all pretend because we all have a story we want to tell, and we know that the audience must come along on a journey with us. So much of the movie was based around Sam, and I don’t know if anything we did would’ve been possible without him, his acting, and his musical talent. Also, big shout-out to the city of Norwalk.

Sam: When it comes to making the music, there wasn’t much of a thought process behind it. Most of it was translating Simon’s ideas into a song. Taking a scene in the script and turning it into a song was a challenge, for sure, but you can listen to the music and still understand what’s happening.

You’ve described “Ow!” as a true Hip Hop musical – not theater-style, not gentrified. How do you define “Hip Hop” in your cinematic language?

Sam: I don’t know how to define “hip hop,” but it’s more than just rap; it’s like a movement. Many different styles and genres are incorporated: R&B, Soul, Jamaican – the last is my specialty. Black culture is prominent in it, and that’s important to my work.

Did you draw from any filmmakers or musicians as influences – or was part of your mission to reject the familiar and start from scratch?

Moise: One thing that I will never do is get in the way of someone else’s vision. When I’m producing, it’s all about making someone else’s vision come to life, not mine. Maybe one day they’ll return the favor, but for now, I’m a helping hand for the people that need me.

Simon: There was a certain element of originality, especially with Sam’s music. He made it his own, which is why it’s unique. Also, the movie is wacky: the point was to be wild and chaotic because every decision we made came from our improvisation. Of course, as with anything, there’s some kind of artistic influence on anything you make. I can point to certain camera moves and hyperediting I love, like those of Martin Scorsese and Edgar Wright.

Sam: For the music, I wasn’t drawing from a specific artist. Although I did take inspiration from old-school Disney Channel cartoons, the sort of pop-punk, scrappy guitar that opens the film.

As you mentioned, you’re a group of 20-year-olds who came together and made this film without funding or institutional support. What did that independence allow you to do – and what were the biggest challenges?

Moise: The independence we had meant we didn’t have time limits or people hounding us to get it done. We didn’t owe anyone anything other than the assurance, “If you have a film to make, let us know, we’ll be there.” The challenges were, as is typical, problems with actors – thankfully not with our crew.

Simon: Things happen. A lot of times, you have to go with the flow because we’re running on a low budget. We didn’t have sets, but I think that lent the film a certain feeling. Being out and about in the city, letting things happen, created a nice sense of the everyday. Even if something gets in the way, it kind of helps the environment feel more real.

As a potential word of advice for other filmmakers, how did you balance creative ambition with the practical realities of production?

Moise: Know that you’re not studio-level yet; if you don’t have money, don’t think of ideas that need money to exist. This is a team project, and you must be able to work with other people. Also, scout out your locations beforehand. We avoided issues by preparing and knowing what we were doing beforehand. We did this by doing favors with other people.

Simon: I hesitate to give advice for anything across the board because it’s one of those things that’s different from one set to the next. What I will say is, don’t worry about being fancy. People always want the director’s chair with their name on it, but that’s not reality for beginners. Truthfully, just go out there and do something, whether it’s 30 seconds or 3 hours long.

Sam: One thing I will say is to make sure you back up your files! Send them to other people. You will lose songs and files.

In an era when Hollywood is dominated by sequels and nepotism, what does originality mean to you?

Moise: Originality means that innovative stories are being told and new feelings are being felt. Currently, because of nepotism, worthy stories are not being told. Originality matters so much because students are studying to become the best creators possible. Still, they don’t have a chance to share their beautiful ideas because they don’t have a friend or family member in the industry. Originality means taking a chance on someone with a vision to shake things up.

Looking back, what did making Ow! teach you about yourselves, and how do you see your filmmaking journey evolving from here?

Moise: This film taught me that anything’s possible. It was filmed in under a month, almost every day. It taught me to never give up on something you want to get done. If you see the path, follow it. Sam and I have decided to make something every year. Keep working, and maybe one day, someone will give us a chance to make that original project.

Simon: This film showed me a lot. What a good collaborative experience is like. Also, what the opportunities of long-form storytelling could be. It shows me what’s possible when you put your head in the game and say, “I’m going to do something!” You can go out and make something and get yourself noticed in this sea of nepotism.

Sam: This film showed me the importance of focus. You have to know exactly what you want and how you’re going to get it.