If you were to take a bird’s eye view of Marc and Gio’s films you’d conclude that their work is very visual and cinematic but when you dive below the surface, you’ll find the common denominator that ties their films together is pure emotion. Not coincidentally, Marco Bellone (Marc) and Giovanni Consonni (Gio, pronounced Jo) are Italian, and also not coincidentally the road that led them to form a directing duo was also full of emotion.

Gio attended a high-school for the arts in the idyllic northern town of Lecco, surrounded by mountains, lakes and trees, learning classical painting and sculpture at a high-school for the arts but it was his Sony Handycam that captured his imagination. While other students practiced their brushstrokes, or sculpting techniques, Gio spent his free time shooting and editing films. Eventually, Gio ended up at the European Institute of Design, studying art direction, learning from professors who also held jobs at local advertising agencies in Milan. He learned the importance of sweating the details: obsessing over every aspect of art direction and design. Before long Gio was working as an art director in an advertising agency but when he got an opportunity to work in television, bringing him closer to his true love of filmmaking, he jumped at the chance. After a couple years, Gio was hired by MTV where he started directing many projects, and as fate would have it, lead him to meet someone that would again bring him closer to his dream.

On a hot September day at the Polytechnic University of Milan, Marc walked into the first day of the most popular class, expecting the typical academic challenges, along with a the typical end of year exam. Instead, Marc would soon find his world turned upside down. Renowned professors Alessandro Guerreiro and Franco Bolelli stepped from behind their desks, formed a circle and told the students that they decided to throw the official university curriculum for their class out the window and instead, they challenged each student to pursue an artistic project of their choosing, alone or in a group. Their teachers would serve as mentors, lending an open ear and gentle guidance when needed. Marc threw himself head first into filmmaking, devouring books, watching all sorts of films, uncovering every aspect of filmmaking but his newfound freedom came with a crushing expectation because he wanted to neither disappoint his professors or himself. He spent 96 hours without sleeping to finalize his first film, but after a rapturous applause, his course in life was set.

During his last year at school, Marc had heard about Gio, a great director working at MTV, when one evening at a party, the two met and their conversation instantly turned to film. Each found in the other, a passionate student of cinema, endlessly curious and hungry. It did not take long before their conversations led to co-directing and the strength of their friendship has grown with every passing day. The directing duo quickly started working with many of the best advertising agencies from around the world, including Leo Burnett, McCann, TBWA, Ogilvy, Y&R, JWT, Publicis, etc. for a long list of clients including Jeep, Coca Cola, Heineken, Luxottica, Fiat, Emirates Airlines, etc. and in 2013 directed their first feature film entitled “Ameriqua,” starring Bobby Kennedy III, Alec Baldwin and Giancarlo Giannini. The two have have never looked back, instead always searching for new techniques, sweating the details, finding ways to improve their work, to surpass their expectations, and to always infuse their work with pure emotion.