Putting Your Own Stamp on the Writing of Others: A Conversation with Ivan Silvestrini, Director of The Sea Beyond

This dialogue with Ivan Silvestrini explores some of the most relevant creative and production dynamics behind the widely acclaimed Italian teen drama Mare fuori/The Sea Beyond (2020–). Silvestrini, who directed seasons two through four of the series, reflects on the multifaceted process of inheriting and reshaping a television series that already saw one season, an effort which requires balancing the needs of such a rich, complex production with his own directorial imprint. The conversation follows the different stages of production—from casting to the adaptation of the script taking place on set, from camera movements to editing—illustrating how creativity is always negotiated within collaborative, time-constrained frameworks, and is constantly involving the creator and writers, the actors, the production company, and the commissioner Rai. By juxtaposing examples from the series with more extensive reflections, the director underscores the stylistic, professional, and ethical deliberations that have informed his choices concerning emotional tones, representations, and the engagement of young mainstream audiences.