Back in the good ol’ days, come Friday night, Americans would run home, turn on the radio, and sit back and listen to their favorite shows. From the 1920s to the 1950s, it was a time in history commonly referred to as the “Golden Age of Radio.” An era when the radio reigned supreme and was the centerpiece of our lives; a magical box where we would gather around, and get our news (Edward R. Murrow), our music (George Gershwin) and our drama (the ever famous radio adaptation of HG Well’s War of the Worlds with Orson Wells).
In 1930, Clara, Lu and Em was the first soap opera ever to air on the radio. Fast forward more than eighty years later and we have had our share of soaps–both on and off the radio. Programs such As the World Turns, The Guiding Light and Dallas have peaked and then dwindled, and resurfaced again, but never again in radio. As television continued to grow in popularity especially after War World 11, people suspected and rightly so, that the golden age of radio and all those wonderful radio shows would eventually become obsolete. And it did, but not for all of us. There were still some who loved the magic of words and of the spoken language. One such man was Italy’s Giuseppe Cossentino.
Born and raised in Napoli, Giuseppe has been busy writing and creating screenplays for the last several years. Knowing that the market was lacking powerful dramas via the radio, Giuseppe felt this rather intriguing inner calling to create a series that harkened back to the days of radio while adding a unique twist—the series would be broadcasted on the web. Eventually, he would write and direct his first episode which was launched in 2011, a web radio series called Passioni Senza Fine. While most would be daunted by naysayers, Cossentino followed his gut, and well, the rest is radio history. Now about to celebrate its 100th episode, Cossentino’s Passioni Senza Fine has had tremendous success with a growing and loyal following.
At only twenty-seven, Cossentino has done what many in the entertainment business fail to realize. That it is less about the movie stars that are paid millions, and their fancy CGI effects, and it is more about a good story told with plenty of suspense and plenty of passion. And passion is what his series is all about, as his characters interact, fight, make love, make up, and do all sorts of things which makes his dramas so exciting to listen to.
Though he literarily works all the time and rarely sleeps (I have had emails responded by him when it was 3 am in Italy), he and I had a chance to chit chat over Facebook. He being a writer, typed with lightning speed, and one could just feel his energy, youth and joie de vivre in every sentence. But what I marveled most was this one fact–At such a young age, Giuseppe has done something that most of us struggle to do. He has taken an idea, made it into a dream, and then turned that dream into reality.
Gaya Lynn: Welcome to L’Italo-Americano. It is such a pleasure having you. You have been writing for so many years. Tell me about your family. Were you always so passionate about writing?
Giuseppe Cossentino: Both my parents are retired, but my brother, Sante, works in the entertainment industry. He is a press manager. Even though my work as a screenwriter and his work are from different sectors, thanks to my brother, I was introduced to this world via some of the biggest soap operas such as Centovetrine… From my adolescence, I was drawn to writing, I loved to use my imagination and invent stories. When I was nineteen, I was recognized for my work in a fiction competition and from then, I began to pursue screenwriting.
GL: You must be quite proud of your brother and vice versa.
GC: Yes, I am. And also of my father. He wrote a book about the history of songs in Naples.
GL: It’s wonderful that all three of you have a hand in the entertainment industry. I know at one point you studied law and political science. When did you decide to ultimately go into screenwriting?
GC: I graduated in law last year. Although I believe I am more apt in screenwriting, this craft as with any artistic endeavors was initially difficult in pursuing due to the economic crisis that hit Italy… After graduating I decided to perfect my skills in screenwriting, and went to the scuola internazionale di comics with an emphasis in media entertainment. There, I got a general knowledge and techniques on how to write a screenplay in various formats: from the comics to a series or a film. I had the immense fortune of taking courses in Napoli and Roma, and took a screenplay workshop with one of the most in demand film screenwriters, Heidrun Schleef; he has collaborated with so many famed Italian directors such as Gabriele Muccino, Nanni Moretti, Michele Placido.
GL: Ho capito. Something about law and writing. The screenwriter David E. Kelly who wrote Ally MacBeal, Chicago Hope, and L.A. Law also also graduated in law. At a certain point, you developed, produced and directed your successful web-radio series, “Passioni Senza Fine.” Tell me about this journey.
GC: The idea of the first Italian web series “radiofinica” Passioni Senza Fine was initially inspired by the hugely successful American soap opera, The Guiding Light, which made its way from radio to tv. . My series was a revival of an old format which was then intermingled with the internet. I wanted to use a narrative strand that continues without ever having an ending. I was also fortunate enough to surround myself with professional actors such as Guendalina Tambellini , Maria Rosaria Virgili, Eleonora Baliani, Mariano Mascolo, Jessica Resteghini, Angelo Favale, Mirko Ferramola, Anna Calemme, Mimmo Fornaro, Giuseppe Scaglione. With their professionalism, and my writing and directing, the production has been a winning one while it is followed and heard throughout the world. The story line is about powerful families who work in the pharmaceutical sector. We also incorporate social and everyday problems as well as highlight Naples as a background. Through this series, we are able to bring Napoli to the world.
GL: The success of the series, tell me about its roots.
GC: There has been, from the start, an interest that took us by surprise. We have had soap opera actors from Italian and German series lend their voices and do cameos, such as Emanuel Tittocchia of Centovetrine, and Lorenzo Patan`e,. noted for the series Tempesta D’Amore, and Marco Cassini… I’m happy even though sometimes I cannot grasp all this success. At the end of the day, I do it with my heart and commit to it while rarely pausing even for a moment and perhaps that is the secret of the success for my series.
GL:I have known and loved those from Napoli and I am always struck by their passionate souls. Being from Naples, a city of such great beauty and so much passion, has that helped in creating such a dramatic series.
GC: Good question. Yes, in the arts, in theater, many great talents were born in Napoli, a city of art, culture, tradition and passion, and the visceral thrill of my radio series is from a part of me, and my personal experiences. Being Napolitano helped my first work entitled, “La Caffetteria Napoletana,” a fun and jovial monologue..which is included in the book “Napoli Nel Cuore” with Tina Piccolo e Giuseppe Nappa. From that, a program of my writings began on the radio with Francesco Palmieri and Stefania de Francesco, and it talks about the mysteries, music and traditions of Naples, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, heard through these two voices with the use of monologues and poems.
GL: In all your productions, you have worked with such fine actors who really are able to bring forth so much emotion.
GC: Yes, all the actors are really talented and true professionals who are able to give so much to the scenes. We all work night and day. I am really “pignolo” (meticulous) about my work.
GL: When you love your work, you become that way. I wanted to talk about your first episode. It is so sexy. I love how you began the series. You didn’t hold back and you didn’t start it in a timid or insecure way. You were confident and like a lion, roared.
GC: Beh. Well I wanted a something that would make the product stand out, and it is a “product” that has remained in Italian history… We are in our fourth year of production and we will celebrate by the year’s end with 100 episodes. It is the longest running radiofonica web series in Italy and maybe even in the world.
GL: I would like to talk about your seventh episode. It dealt with such an emotional and a delicate subject: domestic violence against a woman. It was moving, and what I admired most was its candor while the actress was amazing. Did you ever feel while writing this that the subject was perhaps too much for your audience to handle or do you feel, gosh, we are in 2014, it’s time we address such topics.
GC: This theme was studied and well thought out…With the actress that I directed, it was a delicate moment, a mixture of feelings and emotions well interpreted by the character, Laura. What was needed was a way for her not to be portrayed in the same manner of romantic heroines but it in way that reflected the experiences of so many women… We have so much positive feedback, and recognition with two nominations at the Rome awards, the Italian Oscars of the web for best web soap opera and best creative idea. I believe that this series is well liked because of these delicate themes we address; it is not the classical soap opera, but something new and innovative.
GL: I suppose on the web there is less taboo, less censorship than on tv. In the beginning did you have doubters? or naysayers?
GC: In the beginning, no one believed in this, but at the end this product became a reality and it is a pioneer for web series as it helped bring back this art form of radio in a modern way, one had disappeared from all forms of transmission…
GL: In the end, your determination and creativity has given us such an exciting new realm of entertainment. Grazie di cuore, caro. Any words to our readers of L’italoamericano?
GC: To the dear readers of Italoamericano..I am happy to bring the culture of Napoli and of Italy to the beautiful USA. With my screenwriting, I will work even harder.
For more on Mr. Cossentino, go to www.facebook.com/giuseppe.cossentino
Please drop by at www.about.me/Gayalynn
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