Although Vin Diesel is mostly known for being a type casted generic action star, his ability as an actor cannot be denied based on his experience as a racially ambiguous man. Prior to breaking out in Hollywood, he made his own semi autobiographical short film entitled Multi-Facial, inspired by his own frustrations trying to make it as an actor of mixed ethnicity. Made in New York on a budget of $3,000, the film went on to screen at the Cannes Film Festival and would eventually launch Diesel's acting career, along with another personal film project Strays. Rightfully so too as the film feels very personal.
The film follows a man named Mike (Diesel) who goes through one audition after another trying to find his big break in spite of the professional and emotional issues he faces. As the old saying goes, write what you know, which is exactly what Diesel did in putting the film together. Given how much Diesel was yearning to break into the industry back in the day, one can relate to the ins and outs of auditioning again and again with the same results. The plot itself is told through a series of acting auditions Mike goes through and failing to even be considered due to some typical type-casting criterion. Similar to how everyone is said to not be dark, light, skinny, fat or whatever enough for a specific role, Mike's Italian/Black ethnic background comes at a common disadvantage. Despite his impressive musculature, it's the acting range and commitment to his craft that Mike wants to showcase to producers, which most casting directors don't seem to rate very highly. It's almost shocking to see Diesel growing over the years based on how rough of an experience he had to capture in this film.
As far as neat filmmaking tricks, the film begins with a cold open monologue, almost like Vin is selling himself as an actor through his own material. When it turns out that the monologue is for an in progress audition for producers, the camera becomes a frame piece for communicating the set up and punchline. Much of the film's sense of humor is derived from the different types of set pieces. While Mike isn't dark enough for a black role, he is brown enough for a Hispanic role, despite not knowing any Spanish. We can sense one of Diesel's idols is Al Pacino when Mike rants that Scarface himself wouldn't do a commercial, something he clearly doesn't want as much of a bigger piece of the moviegoing pie. At the end, we have a closing audition that is as unexpectedly emotional as it is organic, almost feeling like a brief summary of Diesel's own life. Adding on to Diesel putting some of his own amateur rap music to the film's soundtrack, as well as some remarkable rapping of his own as Mike, and you've got a whole series of set pieces that anyone can relate to in Mike's own shoes.
Even for what could be passed off as a demo reel showcase for a then struggling actor, Multi Facial works pretty well as a short set piece of Diesel's talented range. Although nowhere near as well known as Fast & Furious, Xander Cage or Guardians of the Galaxy, it can be summarized as the seed that would eventually sprout an ambitious man's drive to become the best actor he could have ever thought possible. For all his muscle bound facade, underneath is a highly determined creative who found the right way to tell his story through the art of filmmaking, and that alone is worth the price of admission.
The film follows a man named Mike (Diesel) who goes through one audition after another trying to find his big break in spite of the professional and emotional issues he faces. As the old saying goes, write what you know, which is exactly what Diesel did in putting the film together. Given how much Diesel was yearning to break into the industry back in the day, one can relate to the ins and outs of auditioning again and again with the same results. The plot itself is told through a series of acting auditions Mike goes through and failing to even be considered due to some typical type-casting criterion. Similar to how everyone is said to not be dark, light, skinny, fat or whatever enough for a specific role, Mike's Italian/Black ethnic background comes at a common disadvantage. Despite his impressive musculature, it's the acting range and commitment to his craft that Mike wants to showcase to producers, which most casting directors don't seem to rate very highly. It's almost shocking to see Diesel growing over the years based on how rough of an experience he had to capture in this film.
As far as neat filmmaking tricks, the film begins with a cold open monologue, almost like Vin is selling himself as an actor through his own material. When it turns out that the monologue is for an in progress audition for producers, the camera becomes a frame piece for communicating the set up and punchline. Much of the film's sense of humor is derived from the different types of set pieces. While Mike isn't dark enough for a black role, he is brown enough for a Hispanic role, despite not knowing any Spanish. We can sense one of Diesel's idols is Al Pacino when Mike rants that Scarface himself wouldn't do a commercial, something he clearly doesn't want as much of a bigger piece of the moviegoing pie. At the end, we have a closing audition that is as unexpectedly emotional as it is organic, almost feeling like a brief summary of Diesel's own life. Adding on to Diesel putting some of his own amateur rap music to the film's soundtrack, as well as some remarkable rapping of his own as Mike, and you've got a whole series of set pieces that anyone can relate to in Mike's own shoes.
Even for what could be passed off as a demo reel showcase for a then struggling actor, Multi Facial works pretty well as a short set piece of Diesel's talented range. Although nowhere near as well known as Fast & Furious, Xander Cage or Guardians of the Galaxy, it can be summarized as the seed that would eventually sprout an ambitious man's drive to become the best actor he could have ever thought possible. For all his muscle bound facade, underneath is a highly determined creative who found the right way to tell his story through the art of filmmaking, and that alone is worth the price of admission.