Inside the making of documentary “A Little Fellow” with Davide Fiore

Image Source: A Little Fellow LLC.

“A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini” is an inspiring documentary about A.P. Giannini, the first-generation Italian-American trailblazer who revolutionized the banking industry with his small Bank of Italy (later Bank of America), the first bank for “the little fellow” or everyday people.

We sat down with director, editor, writer and producer of the film, Davide Fiore, to learn more about how he used Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects and Frame.io to tell Giannini’s story.

Read on for more insights from Fiore on creating the powerful sequences for “A Little Fellow.”

How and where did you first learn to edit?

Back in high school, I had this little side gig — pranking my teachers. Nothing too crazy, just a couple of cameras, some staged scenes, and a whole lot of sneaky fun. It was my version of "no harm, no foul." I'd film the whole thing and then dive into editing. Honestly, editing was like a game to me at first, just figuring out what crazy stuff I could create.

Fast forward to college, and I decided to level up. I did 3 years of Virtual and Digital Design. I got my hands on Adobe Premiere and After Effects — those were my new toys. That’s when I first met motion graphics. It was 2008, 2009, and I was like, “Wait, this is magic, right?” That’s when I realized editing wasn't just about cutting footage, it was about making the impossible look cool.

How do you begin a project/set up your workspace?

When I start a project, I like to go all in on the organization from the get-go. First thing I do when I get the project files is set everything up in my system. I name each folder with a numeric structure — 001, 002, 003, and so on. Inside each of these main folders, I create subfolders, all numbered accordingly. Here’s how I break it down: 001 Footage, 002 Audio, etc. Then there’s music, sound effects, visual effects, deliverables or exports, and documents.

I typically have around 9 or 10 main folders, but within each one, there can be several more.

For instance, under Footage, I break it down into Raw Footage and Proxies, with subfolders for shooting days, archives, internet downloads (like YouTube or other websites), and stock footage.

It's all about keeping everything neat and easily accessible, so I can focus on the creative work without getting bogged down in chaos.

How did you first get into motion graphics? What drew you to it?

Alright, let me take you back to my college days, where After Effects came into my life and I was lovestruck. I mean, titles? VFX? It was like discovering a whole new world of magic! At the time, I was all about working with music — lyrics, music videos — you name it. And motion graphics? They were crucial to make your work shine. It was like the secret sauce that made everything pop. Every year, I tried to learn something new. Networking events, labs, endless YouTube tutorials — I did it all. No stone unturned, just trying to level up my skills post-college. And here we are, motion graphics are my editing BFF. I can’t edit without them. My brain is constantly thinking, "What transition can I throw in here?" or "What graphic can I have jump out?" It’s like a reflex at this point — motion graphics are practically woven into my editing DNA.

Tell us about a favorite scene or moment from this project and why it stands out to you.

My documentary, “A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini,” has a lot of special moments that really stand out. It tells a compelling, warm story, but if I had to pick a favorite scene, it would be the childhood sequence.

That scene is where I had to get especially creative, since there wasn’t much archival footage of A.P. Giannini’s early years. I had to craft most of the imagery from scratch. I spent hours storyboarding by hand what I wanted to see and then brought it to life in the first cut.

A lot of research went into finding public domain images I could incorporate into the collage along with some low-frame motion graphics that I envisioned.

It was a deeply personal process, from storyboarding to editing, as I was creating images from nothing. The childhood moment itself is a sad one, so tackling it alone, without collaborators, made it even more intimate.

What was the inspiration behind your motion graphics work on the film? What were you trying to achieve?

My main inspiration came from the clean, simple style of VOX’s YouTube channel — think minimalistic graphics and text overlays that highlight key points. I also pulled from the vibe of VICE TV videos and the collage-style animations you often see on Vimeo. I wanted to create something historically engaging but still fresh and accessible for a younger audience. Since the film starts with a lot of still images, I didn’t want to lean too heavily on just pictures. Instead, I aimed for dynamic animations that keep the audience immersed, so they wouldn’t feel like they were just watching a slideshow.

What were some specific post-production challenges you faced that were unique to your project? How did you go about solving them?

A big challenge for me was being alone through most of the post-production process. I had to manage and solve so many aspects on my own, which often meant waiting — whether it was for transcoding or rendering graphics. Time was a major factor.

Another struggle was balancing my roles as both director and editor. I found it tough to step back and get an outside perspective. My priority was making sure the story was clear, even to those who didn’t know anything about the subject. That was the biggest hurdle — finding a fresh pair of eyes when I was both the judge and the jury on the project.

From a technical standpoint, space was the main issue — especially with all the footage and graphics rendering. Keeping everything organized and as clean as possible was key to managing it all.

What Adobe tools did you use on this project and why did you originally choose them?

I primarily work with Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Adobe Photoshop — those are my daily essentials. I also rely on Media Encoder for rendering and spend a lot of time in Audition to clean up audio, especially when I need to deliver something to producers before a full sound mix. Frame.io is my go-to for getting feedback from producers.

In the past year, I've dabbled with some generative AI, mostly to resize images. For example, I’ve used it to stretch a 5x4 image into a 16x9 by adding a few extra pixels when needed. But here's the thing: when it comes to documentaries, authenticity is key. I don’t use AI to create anything that strays from the real story — it’s simply unethical. The only time I use AI is to add missing pixels or re-scan a photo at a higher resolution when details are lacking, just to maintain the integrity of the original.

Do you use Frame.io as part of your workflow? If so, how do you use it?

Absolutely, I use Frame.io as part of my workflow, especially when working with producers. They send me notes, and I love that I can have their feedback directly on the timeline. I can download it and have it right in my Premiere timeline, which is huge for me. It makes it easy to find their notes, and since I’m not the most organized person, it also helps me keep track of how many notes I still need to address and how far I am in the process.

If you could share one tip about Premiere Pro and After Effects, what would it be?

There are so many tips we could talk about for hours, but one thing I’ve stuck with over the years is keeping them somewhat separate, even though the Adobe Dynamic Link is super helpful. Personally, I prefer keeping them distinct. When I’m editing in Premiere, I’m in that editor mindset, focused on the cut. But when I jump into After Effects, I switch gears and think like a motion graphic designer. I trust myself to get the best out of both programs this way. It’s a personal choice, but for me, keeping them separate works best!

Who is your creative inspiration and why?

My creative inspirations as an editor are Thelma Schoonmaker, Tom Cross, and Shane Reid. What I admire about Thelma is her ability to balance suspense and thriller with impeccable rhythm and pacing. She nails the long takes while strategically cutting at just the right moments, and her mastery of jump cuts and smash cuts has made her iconic.

Tom Cross, on the other hand, is a genius at music editing — just think of his work in “La La Land”, “Whiplash”, and “Babylon”. His editing is driven by the music, making every beat and transition feel so connected to the score.

Then there’s Shane Reid, whose comedic timing is unparalleled. What I love about him is his ability to create humor through sound and music — he doesn't rely on actual punchlines or dialogue. His clever use of music and sound effects is what gives his edits that comedic edge, even when the scene itself isn't inherently funny.

What’s the toughest thing you’ve had to face in your career and how did you overcome it? What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers or content creators?

The hardest part for me was breaking into the film world. I wasn’t born into it — I had to carve my own path. I not only had to master editing but also networking and selling myself. It’s not enough to be good at your craft — you have to be able to talk to people, show them what you’re doing, and prove you're the right fit, figure out which projects were the right match for me, and which ones weren’t.

Share a photo of where you work. What’s your favorite thing about your workspace and why?

I love working in a dimly lit space — I've painted my entire room nearly black, with just a few accent lights. It creates a peaceful, calm atmosphere that helps me focus and get into the zone. A standing desk is a must for me, especially since I spend so much time sitting as an editor. I also surround myself with movie posters that are meaningful to me, whether they're from films that inspire me or from my own work. And I can't resist having objects with history around me — like vintage typewriters, old maps, artifacts like a Mandarin-texted drape, a 19th-century tomahawk, a nail from 1870s train tracks, and unique rocks. It's like a mix of a noir detective's office with an Indiana Jones vibe.

Image Source: Davide Fiore.