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Anthony Di Mieri on Going Viral, Indie Film, and Reinventing Political Media in NYC

An onstage conversation introduces filmmaker Anthony Di Mieri and traces his decade-spanning path across comedy, politics, and independent cinema. Anthony describes discovering filmmaking as a child using his mom’s camcorder, being influenced by a theatrical Italian American family, and early projects ranging from kung fu and zombie ideas to homemade teen films. After being rejected from NYU film twice, he shifted toward politics and activism, studying political science at Fordham, interning at Democracy Now with Amy Goodman, and learning editing and videography while filming figures like Noam Chomsky. He then worked in advertising, where he met and apprenticed under filmmaker Jason Klein, learned directing and auditions, and gained time to write and create.

The conversation follows Anthony's long collaboration with Kareem Rahma, beginning when Rahma reached out after seeing “Bros.” They developed projects together, including writing a feature script about animal influencers (“To Be Frank”), making sketch comedy, and later working on Rahma’s “Keep the Meter Running,” which evolved into the viral one-minute subway interview series “Subway Takes.” He shares behind-the-scenes details, early format debates about vertical video, favorite episodes, and the show’s rapid growth, including prominent fans and international travel.

Anthony also details how his filmmaking skills transitioned into political media: he co-founded Melted Solids and began producing campaign videos for progressive candidates after being inspired by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s style of authentic political media. Starting with Rafael Espinal’s campaign, the team expanded to races like Jamal Bowman’s and then began working closely with New York City politician Zoran Mamdani through his Astoria campaign, the “Fix the MTA” legislative campaign, and eventually a larger mayoral run. Anthony describes the campaign’s mix of humor and on-the-street authenticity, including interviews across boroughs, SantaCon footage, and a video visiting small donors at their homes. He recounts how viral videos—especially interviews with Trump voters discussing issues like Gaza and anti-war perceptions—hit a nerve after the 2024 election and circulated widely.

Additional threads include Anthony's directorial debut feature “Love New York,” which won Best Feature at the Bowery Film Festival, and his upcoming horror-comedy-romance “Romance Never Dies.” He reflects on emotionally intense moments around the campaign’s primary night and later celebration, as well as Bernie Sanders giving the team an impromptu pep talk emphasizing the revolutionary power of social media. The episode closes with Anthony advising aspiring filmmakers to build and participate in community, describing independent film as a “favor economy,” and crediting friends and collaborators for helping make “Love New York” possible through volunteer support, location help, and grassroots fundraising.

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