Michael Imperioli has signed with Perretti Productions, New York, for exclusive representation as a commercial director. Imperioli is also an actor, best known as The Sopranos’ mobster Christopher Moltisanti on the HBO series. He just completed his first spot assignment for Perretti, helming Rutgers University’s "The Fan" via DKB and Partners, Morristown, N.J. He has also directed a series of short Web movies for The Sopranos.
For the past dozen years, Imperioli has worked as an actor, producer and director—first in the theater, where he co-founded the Off-Off-Broadway company Machine Full, directing and producing several plays for the groupfland more recently for television and film. Imperioli’s interest in all aspects of theater led him to start writing, and about five years ago, he and Victor Colicchio began working on what would become the 1999 Spike Lee film Summer of Sam. "Writing," Imperioli recounted, "made me want to direct."
Imperioli’s background taught him to interpret a script and work effectively with performers—two invaluable skills for a director. He has also benefited from performing with some of cinema’s most respected names. "As an actor," he offered, "I’ve worked with a lot of good directors: [Martin] Scorsese [Goodfellas], Spike Lee [Clockers, Malcolm X and Jungle Fever, among others], Abel Ferrara [The Addiction]. You can learn just by watching these people and seeing what they do. … I learned that you really want to set up a creative environment where the crew and cast can do their best work."
Perretti executive producer Sal Del Giudice and president/ director Jim Perretti first approached Imperioli last summer. Del Giudice recalled, "I saw Summer of Sam, and recognized Michael’s name as one of the writers. He did a phenomenal job on the film. Then I realized that he had written an episode of The Sopranos"—last year’s ‘From Where to Eternity.’ " Del Giudice suspected that Imperioli might be interested in helming: "Sometimes it’s a natural progression for writers to want to direct. I thought I could at least present the option to him." Del Giudice and Perretti contacted Imperioli’s agent and set up a meeting.
Although Imperioli hadn’t considered directing ads, the offer intrigued him. "It’s challenging to tell a story in such a small amount of time. All the aspects of filmmaking are involved in a commercial; it’s just compressed into :30." Imperioli signed with Perretti Productions in February, and got behind the camera as soon as shooting on The Sopranos wrapped for the season.
The show has allowed the actor to explore other aspects of television production. So far Imperioli has penned two episodes of The Sopranos, including the upcoming "The Telltale Mozzarella." (That’s pronounced "mozzarelle.") He’s also helmed three digital video Sopranos-based shorts, which will air at the newly launched jeffreywernick. com Web site. Imperioli explained, "The gag is that this fictional character, FBI agent Jeffrey Wernick, is collecting information on all aspects of the Family. For example, one of the shorts is a commercial for the restaurant that [The Sopranos character] Artie Bucco opens. The films are offshoots of the characters’ lives."
Imperioli is available until September, when The Sopranos starts shooting again. He is currently seeking financing for The Crossroads at Monte Carlo, a screenplay he co-wrote. Columbo star Peter Falk is attached to the project, and Imperioli has high hopes for the film. "I’d like that to be the first feature I direct," he said.
Director/DP John Lindley and director Joe Scudiero round out Perretti’s roster. The firm is handled on the East Coast and in Canada by in-house rep Jessica Genevieve; on the West Coast by Joanne Madden of Madden & Associates, San Francisco; and in all non-North American territories by Amsterdam-based Colleen Comastro.
