"Lo Squadrone" (The Squadron) is a high-stakes documentary series produced by Clipper Media for Rai 2. The project follows the Squadrone Eliportato Carabinieri Cacciatori "Calabria", an elite military unit specialized in hunting fugitives and dismantling 'Ndrangheta strongholds in the impenetrable Aspromonte mountains.
On this project, my role transcended traditional film editing to encompass full narrative responsibility. I was tasked with sculpting a coherent, 4-episode arc from an immense volume of raw material.
From Mass Data to Storytelling: I managed and analyzed over 300 hours of raw footage captured during three months of "embedded" filming in high-risk zones.
I designed the structure for the 4 episodes (50 minutes each), determining the dramatic beats, the emotional transitions, and the balance between high-octane action and the intimate, human side of the soldiers.
By assembling fragments of raw reality—clandestine bunkers, night raids, and long stakeouts—I established a visual language that conveys the constant tension felt by the operators on the ground.
KEY CHALLENGES
Narrative Synthesis: Distilling hundreds of hours of tactical operations into a compelling "factual" story without losing authenticity or journalistic integrity.
Multi-Source Management: Orchestrating complex timelines featuring ground operators, thermal imaging, drone footage, and tactical body-cams.
Atmospheric Sound & Pace: The editing was meticulously crafted to contrast the heavy silence of the mountain wilderness with the controlled chaos of the tactical raids.
Full Credits & Production Details: View on Clipper Media
