For over a decade, Dante Hillmedo has been the guy behind the camera at some of culture’s biggest moments — Jay-Z’s Brooklyn Museum opening, Michael Rubin’s all-white party, three years of Met Gala coverage for Essence.
But on June 16, the Bronx-born director steps out from behind other people’s brands to tell his own story with Butterfly, his feature directorial debut, hitting Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Cox, and YouTube Movies & TV.
We caught up with Hillmedo ahead of the release to talk budget reality checks, beating out Spike Lee’s brother at the box office, and why he’s never been starstruck a day in his life.
For people who don’t know you yet, walk us through how you got here.
I’ve been shooting in this industry for going on 13 years now, but pretty much everything I’ve shot has been building up somebody else’s brand, somebody else’s name. Butterfly was my pivot into doing that for myself.
That’s a big leap. What did it cost you to make that happen?
I took my whole life savings to make this film. It ended up costing $90,000. I tried crowdfunding first and only raised about $3,000, nowhere near enough. I told myself I wouldn’t spend more than $25,000, but once the ball gets rolling, costs add up. It bubbled up into 90 grand.
Was it worth it?
Definitely. This isn’t a surface-level film. It touches on a lot of deep things that people of color deal with, and it shows how somebody’s art or passion can change the trajectory of their life. A lot of it is personal — I came from an immigrant household, mostly raised by a single parent, and I tied that into the film’s story, especially with the mom and dad characters. I took cues from my own mother and what she went through to keep a roof over our heads.
The film already picked up a major win on the festival circuit.
We won Best Feature Film at the Big Apple Film Festival last year. We beat out some serious contenders — a film executive produced by Spike Lee, another with Mahershala Ali, one directed by the guy who did Jurassic Park. I was pretty much the only Black face in there as a director, and we took it home. I’m very proud of that.
You skipped the big community screening rollout this time around. Why?
I did a red carpet premiere last year that cost me $16,000. I’m not looking to go through that again. This release is pay-to-watch across the platforms, but I do have a private screening link available for outlets and reviewers who want to cover it.
You’ve worked with serious A-list clientele — Roc Nation, Essence, Michael Rubin’s circle. What do you think keeps people calling you back?
Three things. One, I respect people’s privacy. I’m discreet; I’m not a clout chaser. My family never raised me to idolize anybody or fan out over anybody — you and I are both human, that’s how I look at it. Two, my work ethic. People aren’t going to work the way I work. At Michael’s all-white party, I don’t sleep for two or three days straight — prepping equipment, shooting all night, editing until sunrise so there’s a recap draft ready by morning, then editing again until the next evening. Three, my personality. I’m easygoing; I’m a problem solver. If something goes wrong on set, you’re not going to know about it, because I’m going to fix it and still deliver.
What’s next after Butterfly?
I’m writing a script for a horror film I’m hoping to shoot next year. This time I want to do it differently — submit the script to festivals first for accolades and grants before going into production, then bring in investors. That film’s going to need special effects and props, so I’m looking at a budget of $120,000 to $150,000. Long-term, I’d love to land brand partnerships with companies like B&H, Sony, and Aperture, and get into more panels.
Butterfly released on Tuesday, June 16, on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Cox, and YouTube Movies & TV.
