Hype is a TV series in eight 25-minute episodes, available on Rai Play. The series is filmed and set in Milan's QT8 (an acronym for Quartiere Triennale 8), conceived as part of the eighth edition of the Milan Triennale after World War II, is an "experimental neighbourhood" that includes Monte Stella, an artificial hill, and green spaces surrounding housing-subsidized apartment buildings and private villas. Natives of the area, the friends have absorbed its approach to life and are influenced in their choices by the social microcosm that inhabits those places; they move with ease through the various environments to the point that the area itself becomes a sort of co-protagonist in their story. Scenes were filmed on Monte Stella and in the Church of Santa Maria Nascente.
“Before writing the scripts, we lived in these places with the producers and screenwriters to create a connection with the neighbourhood. We wanted to get it right: the language, the rap music, and the character dynamics. The actors lived together for two weeks to create the 'family' that features in the series. By getting to know the neighbourhood and the people, we tried to refine the writing of the characters and their attitudes. Some things changed, in a certain sense, precisely because we wanted them to be as faithful to reality as possible. It was great for us to explore QT8, because we both come from the suburbs," said directors Domenico Croce and Fabio Mollo.
Hype is a TV series in eight 25-minute episodes, available on Rai Play. The series is filmed and set in Milan's QT8 (an acronym for Quartiere Triennale 8), conceived as part of the eighth edition of the Milan Triennale after World War II, is an "experimental neighbourhood" that includes Monte Stella, an artificial hill, and green spaces surrounding housing-subsidized apartment buildings and private villas. Natives of the area, the friends have absorbed its approach to life and are influenced in their choices by the social microcosm that inhabits those places; they move with ease through the various environments to the point that the area itself becomes a sort of co-protagonist in their story. Scenes were filmed on Monte Stella and in the Church of Santa Maria Nascente.
“Before writing the scripts, we lived in these places with the producers and screenwriters to create a connection with the neighbourhood. We wanted to get it right: the language, the rap music, and the character dynamics. The actors lived together for two weeks to create the 'family' that features in the series. By getting to know the neighbourhood and the people, we tried to refine the writing of the characters and their attitudes. Some things changed, in a certain sense, precisely because we wanted them to be as faithful to reality as possible. It was great for us to explore QT8, because we both come from the suburbs," said directors Domenico Croce and Fabio Mollo.
Rai Fiction, Fidelio
Milan, QT8 neighbourhood. Raised in the same challenging urban environment, three young friends (Anna, Luca and Marco) are united by their passion for rap music and determination to stand out in a competitive and hostile world. Their talent attracts the attention of Parsifal, an established record label, and they are offered a contract. With the support of Fabrizio, an ambitious, young talent scout, they begin their journey to success. But QT8 is a neighbourhood where dreams and ambitions clash daily with the dynamics of the street. Their success does not go unnoticed, attracting the attention of local criminals who see their popularity as a threat to the balance of power. Anna, Luca, and Marco's artistic journey turns into a battle for survival as they tackle pressure, intimidation, and violence. Hype is the story of a friendship put to the test, of a dream that collides with reality, and of a generation searching for its voice.
