“Keep your dreams really big and continue to follow what you’re obsessed with,” states American digital creator, celebrity interviewer, and TED speaker Joe Sabia. He is most well known for creating the famous Vogue Series: 73 Questions but, to Milford residents, he is a beloved Foran High alumni.
Starting in 2014, Sabia originally created the one-take, rapid fire interview format for an opportunity to converse with Sarah Jessica Parker through Vogue. Flash forward ten years and there are now 83 of these videos, each with millions of views. The series features a variety of celebrities, from rapper Nicki Minaj to actor Michael B. Jordan.
When Sabia formulated the concept, he wanted to capture the true view of Sarah Jessica Parker as a person — not Carrie Bradshaw on rom-com series Sex and the City. His goal with this project was “to help make someone relatable” while “the fans get to feel like they are spending time with them.”
Although the final take comes off as very casual and natural, each celebrity completes about three or four practice runs prior to the final product. These videos, which average 13 minutes when published, could take an hour or two to film in real time. Therefore, each question is rehearsed and prepared ahead of time.
Sabia says, “Of course the whole thing is staged. Of course we prepare. Of course they know the questions ahead of time. But, that doesn’t change the fact that their answers are really real.”
Part of getting real answers is asking real questions. Sabia had a team of people who assisted in creating the perfect questions. On that team was his now fiancée, who he met because she was a producer on the project and did research and formed questions.
“She tried to find questions that would reveal something that has never been revealed before,” Sabia continues, “that’s the most important thing, giving questions that are surprising for answers that feel new.”
One tactic that the crew uses to increase the real-feel that the series has is having the celebrity make eye contact with the camera as if the viewer is asking the questions, not Joe. Another fun addition is when the celebrities offer the camera food or beverages as any good host would when a guest is over their house.
Part of what makes these interviews so captivating is the setting, most of which take place in the celebrities own homes. When the celebrity is in their home it doesn’t only make them more comfortable for these high pressure situations but it adds to the inside look into their personal lives.
“If it’s not in their home then it’s going to be in a place we hope has some sort of connection to their story. If Jennifer Lawrence likes mini golf then we’ll have it at a mini golf place. If Gigi Hadid can’t be in her home then let’s go to her modeling agency offices,” states Sabia.
The location is not the only thing that makes the celebrities comfortable for these shoots, part of it is the natural born talent to be in front of the camera. Sabia says one of the more challenging aspects of this one-take format is that not all celebrities are accustomed to the fast paced questions or the choreographed aspect of it.
This aspect can also be overwhelming for Sabia.
He says, “I am so focused on the space and the movement and the choreography… and the rhythm of it. all because I don’t want a celebrity to sit there for ten minutes straight, I need a reason for them to move.”
After working with several amazing celebrities, Sabia can’t seem to pick just one that is his favorite.
He says, “These people left a really positive impression on me, I would say a good chunk of people really were my favorites.”
To name a few, Sabia listed off Nicole Kidman, Roger Federer, Emma Stone, and Emily Bundt’s interviews as memorable episodes.
The celebrities are not the only aspect of Sabia’s job though. His real art is the digital creation that he specializes in. Digital creation was not the first career that Sabia had in mind, he actually studied Economics at Boston College before realizing he had discovered his true passion years before while in high school at Foran.
When asked what inspired him to pursue a career in digital creation he says it was truly his friends. Sabia never technically participated in the film class here at Foran, but the ultimate catalyst was his recreational love for being behind the camera.
The one project that Sabia recalls igniting a true love for digital creation was in his senior year of high school when his AP Literature teacher – Mrs. Greenstone– assigned a video project. Through the process of filming, directing, and editing, he saw a glimpse into the future of his life.
That project moved him and about twelve friends from Foran to make comedic videos and upload them as a TV show called “Tuesday Night Riot,” which is where he and his friends taught each other camera and editing skills.
In addition to discovering his love of film, Sabia gained a lot of valuable experience at Foran as an excessively involved student. He started the Ski Club and was in Debate Club, band, youth and government, student council, Key Club, National Honor Society, and many other clubs.
“When it comes to running around and doing a lot of things, I still think a large part of me runs around and stays busy,” Sabia adds.
Surprisingly, Sabia didn’t favor any tech or even economics classes, instead harboring a love for science. Not necessarily the class but the teacher, Mr. Decerbo.
“He was such a good teacher that everything that he taught us, I still remember to this day. And I think that’s the definition of a good teacher,” he said.
In summary, the experiences he had and people surrounding Sabia in high school led him to pursue what he does now. If he had not picked up a camera in his senior AP Literature class at Foran, he would not be traveling the world to interview celebrities.
And yes, he did say that Taylor Swift is a very nice person for all the “Swifties” wondering.
