We were lucky to catch up with Frankie Campisano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Frankie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
Earlier this year, my alma mater Elon University launched its inaugural alumni production fund. Alumni were invited to pitch, and three winners were chosen to partner with current students and bring our projects to life.
I’m proud to say that my experimental comedy/horror short SECRET MENU BEAUTY PAGEANT was selected as one of the winners. I put together a team of talented friends, alumni and current students and everyone brought their A-Game to set.
SECRET MENU BEAUTY PAGEANT is an off-beat odyssey that reflects on growing up in rural North Carolina and explores the absurd and insidious ways late-stage capitalism affects children. It delves into topics such as fast-food chain secret menus, basement beauty pageants, plastic Halloween masks, impromptu press conferences, and shopping mall carousels.
SECRET MENU is my take on the absurdist Adult Swim late night programming that I grew up on, drawing especially on the Infomercials anthology series. The short represents an ambitious step up for my friends and collaborators and we’re excited to take the finished film to the festival circuit.
Frankie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My career has two sides to it; on the one hand, I’ve been privileged to work day jobs in the entertainment industry, including at companies like NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Classics, Jigsaw Productions and Fox Broadcasting Company.
But my true passion lies in writing, developing, and producing comedy. Before the strikes, my calling card pilot, DROP DEAD, was wrapping up a successful contest and festival run, racking up over two-dozen placements. It’s important to me to have a robust portfolio, and one of the ways I manage that is frequently collaborating with other writers.
A favorite mentor once charitably described my writing style as “Aaron Sorkin on acid”, and across my portfolio, whether you’re checking out my shorts, television pilots, feature scripts, comic books, there’s an undeniable “Frankie” factor. There’s a unique style, tone, and voice that I bring to every project, collaborations and co-writes included, that I hope audiences connect with. Even when writing spec scripts, I’m not just demonstrating that I can write in the style of idols like Tim Robinson or Joe Pera, I’m showcasing the unique spin I bring to the table.
The projects I’m most proud of include SECRET MENU BEAUTY PAGEANT, DROP DEAD, and AMERICAN RETAIL FAMILY.
SECRET MENU is the most ambitious project I’ve produced to date, and I wore many hats throughout the process, including co-directing, co-writing, editing and producing.
DROP DEAD, as a sharp-tongued industry satire, is close to my heart as it tackles some heavy personal subject matter including mental health and suicide.
AMERICAN RETAIL FAMILY is my I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE spec script, a collection of five sketches in the style of Tim Robinson’s Netflix series. I have read a lot of I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE specs, and it’s hard to nail Tim’s voice. I think of this piece as something of a wildcard – folks are often surprised and impressed by this one.
When I’m not writing or workshopping my own material, I like to fill my free time watching movies and reading scripts, including unproduced material, often for festivals, contests, and independent production houses. I take a lot of pride in freelance script development, helping friends and collaborators shape their ideas into stellar scripts. I’m currently a member of three active writers’ groups, and it’s been a fantastic way to sharpen my skills and expand my creative network.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Above all else, my goal is to tell entertaining stories and make folks laugh. Ideally I hope to take my career to the next level by landing representation as a screenwriter and making my way into a writer’s room in a staff role, so I can continue learning and developing my skills alongside seasoned pros.
For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to bet on myself and invest in my professional growth in one form or fashion, using each project as an opportunity to raise the bar I’ve set for myself and collaborators.
Taking DROP DEAD out to contests and festivals represented a major benchmark, level-setting against my peers and providing the external validation to continue pursuing my goals in one of the most competitive creative lanes in the world. SECRET MENU BEAUTY PAGEANT is the culmination of the past few years of growth. The short was an ambitious undertaking and I’m incredibly proud of what my team achieved.
Looking ahead to next year, my goal is to continue learning from other writers and filmmakers to hone my craft, hopefully adding fresh showcase pieces to my portfolio along the way.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
When someone checks out your work for the first time, there’s nothing more rewarding than hearing them laugh or seeing their eyes light up as a joke hits. That instant dopamine hit is what everyone in comedy is chasing. After reading or hearing your own jokes a thousand times over, the punchlines no longer surprise you, so seeing it from a fresh perspective is essential.
It’s even more rewarding when you know someone’s expectations for your work are low and you’re able to win them over. When the chips are stacked against you and you’re still able to knock it out of the park, that can be even more rewarding than making someone laugh who you know is already a fan of your voice.
I love connecting with other creatives and helping folks workshop their scripts. If anyone reading this interview wants to do a script swap, I’m always up for it. And if you’re local to LA, I’m always down to grab coffee.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.frankiecampisano.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classicamericancool
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankiecampisano/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrankieThe4th
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK3fDAdhWz_qg-bcJA6kZ7A