January 16th, 2025
By: Richie Leyland 

Everyone has the shared experience of encountering an animal for the first time when we were children. Whether it was a pet or a stray, we were bound to have moments of joy or difficulty. For some people, that experience might have been with a dog, a bird, a gerbil, or a fish. In the new short film KITTY, the case is with a cat. 

Writer and Director James DiLullo recently spoke with us about this new film shot in his hometown of Batavia, New York. DiLullo has worked in Hollywood for over a decade as an actor on TV shows such as SWAT and For All Mankind. He has also worked as a producer and recently relocated to Western New York for the burgeoning film industry. Fresh off producing UNBILLIEVABLE, this film marks his directorial debut. He discussed his motivation for creating the movie, the development of the production, and the plans to get the film out to the rest of the world.

K: What was the initial spark of inspiration for the film "Kitty"?

J: Kitty’s inspiration comes from my own experiences as a child, enduring the affection of the family pet cat, while misconstruing that affection for aggression. I coupled this interaction with my current cat, Bunny, to create the force you see in KITTY.

K: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the production of "Kitty"?

J: Working with animal talent is always hard, and this project was no different. From distraction to inaction to down right hostility, it took an extra half-day of shooting (shout out Hope and Alex!) to wrap Bunny.

K: How did you approach casting the role of Mother? What qualities were you looking for in the actor?

J: In mother I was looking for a genuineness that can only come from understanding children, not necessarily motherly experience. Cara Fay submitted a tape that absolutely leapt off the screen. Sometimes in casting it all works out that way.

K: Can you discuss the film's visual style? What kind of mood or atmosphere were you aiming to create?

J: In the film’s visual style I wanted Andy [Morin] to look at things like Law and Order, CSI, and other procedurals to see how those creators took gritty and gruesome scenes and juxtaposed them with everyday life. What results is a story that uses the visuals to progress the protagonist's story just as much as the dialog or action occurring within those visuals. 

K: What is the most important message you hope audiences will take away from "Kitty"?

J: To trust your gut :) 

K: Were there any unexpected surprises or discoveries during the filmmaking process?

J: Initially we had Cara [Fay] interacting much, much more with her phone. The story arc was flowing through the device almost. But, in post I wasn’t satisfied with the result, and in one desperate exercise with Richie [Leyland] we cut 90% of the phone bits out. Because of Cara’s strong acting and Andy’s strong cinematography the cut turned out better. This was a massively unexpected discovery, and I think one that enhanced the film greatly as a result.

K: What was your experience like collaborating with the cast and crew of "Kitty"?

J: This cast and crew was an absolute joy to be around, professional, on task, and ready to make art great again. This is my second film featuring a predominantly child cast, and the mom crew has always been an asset. Huge shout out to Adria Callery, Alexis Arnold, and of course Chee Lullo.

K: What are your hopes for the future of "Kitty"? Will it be screened at film festivals? Do you have plans for a longer version?

J: Kitty is awaiting release, we’ve submitted it to several festivals and will continue to do so. Our primary goal is to showcase WNY talent and creativity to global audiences, and I am confident we will achieve that goal.

K: What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers who are just starting out?

J: Plan ahead, know your audience, and know your limits.

K: What is your favorite aspect of "Kitty"? What are you most proud of?

J: I’m most proud of seeing a thought in my head translate to the screen in the way I wanted to, and all the hard work it took to get there!