STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN
Shoot: NYC/Long Island, N.Y. (2018)
World Premiere: Tribeca 2019
“Standing Up, Falling Down” was filmed over 22 days in Long Island, NY, during the holiday months of November/December. Billy Crystal and Ben Schwartz are dream casting for any producer, which immediately puts the film (and Billy’s performance) into Oscar discussion. Filming in his hometown was particularly interesting, as residents would find ways to get on-set to “say hello to their friend Billy.” It lent itself to more fun facts, including filming a funeral scene (no spoilers!) in the synagogue he was Bar Mitzvah-ed in.
We filmed the first half of the movie with Billy and Ben before Thanksgiving, after which we took a week off and came back to finish Ben’s character arc. We returned to Los Angeles for one final shooting day, having driven our picture car cross-country to ensure continuity!
This was the second film I made alongside Tilted Windmill and Whitewater Films and my third project in New York City. Having the film in competition at Tribeca Film Fest in 2019 was a perfect landing spot.
BAND OF ROBBERS
Shoot: Los Angeles (2014)
World Premiere: LA Film Festival 2015
“Band of Robbers“ remains, to this day, one of my favorite films to have been a part of. A hilarious perspective on a classic Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn story in which the boys are now adult-aged. Huck (just out of jail) and Tom (a crooked cop) get up to their old hijinx, and you can imagine the ensuing hilarity.
This was my first time working with the Nee Brothers (Adam and Aaron) and dual Directors. What has always struck me was how prepared they were together and how of one mind they were. You could ask Aaron a question, then walk across Set and ask Adam the same question, and get precisely the same answer from each. Unsurprisingly, these brothers continue to work through the ranks in Hollywood- having recently finished directing “The Lost City” for Paramount while slated to direct “Masters of the Universe”.
AFTER THE REALITY
Shoot: Malibu, CA/Crane Lake, MN (2014)
World Premiere: Newport Beach (Opening Night - 2015)
When your filming location goes from Malibu, CA, to Crane Lake, MN (directly on the boundary waters with Canada), you will have some interesting challenges. In this film, Matthew Morrison’s character is on a “Bachelorette”-style show when he learns of his Father’s death back home in Minnesota. We did some exciting things with this juxtaposition, including filming all the Malibu scenes in the style of any/every good reality TV show at a perfect ocean-side mansion!
At Crane Lake, we filmed AND lived at Nelson’s Resort- an incredible and idyllic resort for anywhere in the Northern Midwest. We took over the cabins, the property, and the bar- culminating in a cast and crew talent show and a large-format ping-pong competition with more than one injury (but less than 10!).
“After the Reality” was the first big film I produced, and to this day, I still have not had a location scout as exciting as the 7 days I spent taking boat tours on as many of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes as we could find.
HEIGHTENED
Shoot: Portland, Maine (2021)
World Premiere: Dances With Films (2023)
It doesn’t get much better than having an opportunity to be in Portland, Maine, in late Summer/Early Fall. “Heightened” captures the beauty of the Eastern coast and, for good measure, includes Lobsters and lighthouses to drive home the setting.
This film is special to me because it’s written by, directed by, and stars the amazing Sara Friedman- someone whose talent, strength, and drive push me in all facets of life- personally and professionally. Being able to support Sara on this journey felt like the perfect way to launch Cut 4 Productions as its own Production Company- with its first above-title credit and logo.
Filming in the remote State of Maine does come with its challenges (No 2-day shipping from Amazon!?). Still, the incredible group of people we brought into this project from the top down embodied the true definition of collaboration and “Functional Teamwork.” My vehicle for the show was a U-Haul filled with all our equipment (but I never will complain about driving big trucks), our camera that we shipped from LA was lost in transit, and it’s more complicated than you’d think filming on a rocky beach. But the film turned out incredible, and I can’t wait to be a part of the journey it goes on from here.
YINZ
Shoot: New Castle, PA (2015)
World Premiere: Orlando Film Fest (2018)
It turns out Western Pennsylvania’s version of “y’all” is “yinz.” Sounds made up, right? Cut to two hours after I get to the city of New Castle (one hour North of Pittsburgh), and I’m standing in the Mayor’s office being referred to (along with Writer/Director/Producer Jeremy Michael Cohen) as “yinz” by the Mayor himself.
“Yinz” was another tricky show given the somewhat remote city of New Castle, especially when you consider the nicest hotel—where I lived for three months—was a Super 8. That, plus January in Western PA (with subzero temperatures) and the general difficulty purchasing liquor, made for some long nights, but Jeremy and my producing partner Victoria Hill were already good friends of mine at this point, so we made it nothing less than an adventure.
This film marked the only time a gun was drawn on me during an interaction, but I guess when you’re from up there, yinz, don’t take kindly to strangers on your property.