For the last 25 years, Film Brothers has created films, shorts, trailers and other video productions around Wilmington.
August 23, 2024 |By Sydney Livingston
Film Brothers is celebrating 25 years of producing films around Wilmington. Here, co-founder Gordon DelGiorno talks about the milestone, the production company’s work in the community and his vision for the future of Film Brothers.
To celebrate 25 years of filmmaking in Delaware, Film Brothers will host an exclusive event on October 4-5. The event will feature a special screening of Academy Award winner and Wilmington native Luke Matheny’s short film God of Love.
Ahead of the event, DelGiorno took us on a trip down memory lane, recalling the founding of the organization and the journey so far.
The Beginnings of Film Brothers
Gordon DelGiorno founded Film Brothers with his brother Greg in 1999, but its roots go back much further, according to the co-founder.
“My family always had a very sarcastic sort of way, and our mother used to make us do skits in front of the whole family during Thanksgiving and Christmas,” DelGiorno says. “So we’ve been embarrassed and humiliated from an early age.”
The experience acted as a sort of early exposure therapy, encouraging the brothers to embrace opportunities even if it meant looking a bit foolish.
When they were in their 20s, the DelGiorno brothers saw Clerks, an independent film made in New Jersey. The black-and-white, low-budget film made over $3 million at the box office.
“We thought, in our naive thinking,” DelGiorno recalls, “‘we can do better than that!’” It was that sentiment that brought about Franks & Wieners, the first film produced by Film Brothers.
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“What we wanted to do was poke fun at all the insecurities that all of us had in that movie,” DelGiorno explains. “A lot of the stuff we did then, we couldn’t show it now. It was that abrasive.” The filmmaker admits they reeled that side of things in a bit after the screening. While the brothers appreciated a good laugh, they had no interest in garnering a reputation for being too crass or shocking.
The film may not have been the huge financial success the brothers originally envisioned, but they did sell out the Newark Cinema Center. About 1,100 people showed up to see the film and enjoy a good laugh. In fact, so many people came out that DelGiorno was asked to hold off on starting the movie until about 10 minutes after the scheduled screening time. With lines out the door, the concession sales were booming, and they didn’t want to miss out on folks leaving the line to catch the start of the film.
The experience left DelGiorno with a lesson he carries with him to this day: the value of a good local collaboration.
“I really learned through desperation how to collaborate with others,” DelGiorno says. “I was always thinking, ‘What do they gain from having me or my stuff involved?’”
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After Franks & Wieners, Film Brothers went on to produce a more drama-focused short film called Routes. The 30-minute film was centered around two garbage men with opposing worldviews on their route. The film was a discussion of philosophy and life that premiered at the Center for the Performing Arts in Wilmington in 2002.
Then, in 2007, Film Brothers released Jack of Clubs, which follows a fictional man’s court-mandated community service in a youth facility. DelGiorno was inspired by a screening of Willy Wonka to get kids involved, and the comedy/drama involved five child actors and the local Boys and Girls Club.
A Lasting Impact
As time went on, Film Brothers continued to impact the Wilmington community and cultivate the local art scene. From 2010 to 2016, the Film Brothers movie co-op operated in downtown Wilmington, providing a space for film, art and music to thrive.
“Gordon DelGiorno and Film Brothers were an integral part of the creative community at 2nd & LOMA and in downtown Wilmington for many years,” says Deborah Schwartz, Property Manager at The Lofts @ 2nd & LOMA, where the co-op was located. “Gordon’s space at 205 N. Market Street was the hub for the arts, whether it was film, art or music.”
One day, DelGiorno’s high school friend, Matt Del Pizzo, approached him with an idea centered around craft beer vessels—the can vs. the bottle. This conversation eventually led to Beer Can – A Love Story and Film Brothers’ most recent release, The CanFather—a collaboration with Wilmington Brew Works that was filmed in locations around the city.
The Local Legacy of Film Brothers
Throughout the years, as Film Brothers entered new eras and explored different avenues, one thing has always remained the same—a philosophy grounded in community. From using local actors and benefiting Delaware area nonprofits to including local films in the annual Festival of Shorts, DelGiorno continues to prop up the city of Wilmington and the state of Delaware through the arts.
“Gordon and Film Brothers are incredible force multipliers for good and for Delaware,” says former Delaware governor Jack Markell. “Gordon’s positive attitude is infectious and Film Brothers brings people together! Delaware is better because of them!”
Currently the United States Ambassador to Italy, Markell was a supporter of the local film and art scene during his time as governor. DelGiorno recalls he was always open to ideas and collaborations with Film Brothers.
Along with short and feature films, Film Brothers expanded to offer video services to many local organizations. Kristen Castell, the managing director at the Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE), turned to Film Brothers to create a promo video for the nonprofit.
“[DelGiorno] made me feel comfortable when asking questions and was very hands-on and collaborative,” she recalls. “He spent additional days filming b-roll, which felt like we were filming a blockbuster movie! His team was easy to work with and professional.”
“I try not to get hung up on worrying about tomorrow or whining about yesterday and what could have been. I’ve learned to really stay in the moment.” —Gordon DelGiorno
With years of experience and a stacked portfolio, the local filmmaker admits to one minor regret:
“It was around ’99 or 2000, and we were casting for Franks,” DelGiorno recalls. “It was my last casting day and there were just a few people scheduled to come in. These two 16- or 17-year-olds come in. One’s dressed in a chicken suit and the other one has an accordion and he’s going and she’s dancing around.”
DelGiorno described the audition as “odd, but fun.” He was determined to fit them in somewhere, despite the film being fully cast. He had them portray a couple in a diner with some ad-libbed lines.
“They came up with some really funny stuff,” DelGiorno says. “But it was too long, I had too much and had to pare it down. So I cut them from the scene…it was Aubrey Plaza.”
Rather than worrying about past regrets, though, DelGiorno has embraced the philosophy of living life in the moment.
“I try not to get hung up on worrying about tomorrow or whining about yesterday and what could have been. I’ve learned to really stay in the moment.”
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