When it comes to film I like to look around me instead of in front of me. It's this way that I find the best stories to listen to. A good example is my interview with GianCarlo Fernandez and Rocco Petrullo, the makers of the upcoming film 28 Minute Epic. Here's what they had to say:
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
28 Minute Epic: The story about Jim and Dave, aimless Jersey boy best friends, who are recently fired from their cushy porn-shop jobs, and decide to become superheroes for hire in order to at attain financial stability after accidentally saving someones life. With help from a "professional" crime fighter, they find that being a hero isn't always super.
Rocco Petrullo (Writer/Actor/ Producer)
Rocco tell us a little bit about yourself
1. I was born and raised in Garfield , New Jersey. Never has the thought of being anything other than a film maker crossed my mind. After getting a BFA in film making from Montclair State University, I became a free lance videographer and editor, all while doing stand up comedy and writing many short films.
2. I am interested in writing, acting, and directing films. I’m a big cinema fan and study movies constantly. I examine what the conventions of films are, then I see if there is a way to subvert them.
3. When I was young, I always loved movies and that translated into writing short stories. In High School and College I furthered developed it into short films.
You're up GianCarlo tell us about your background, interests, love of film
GianCarlo Fernandez (Writer/Director/Producer)
1. I was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Edison, New Jersey. I honed my creative energies at Montclair State University, where I studied fine arts with a concentration in filmmaking and film production. My ambition and skill-set, evidenced by my overachieving student films, quickly earned me a rare internship with Michael Uslan, the famed Batman producer and CEO of BatFilm Production, INC. Under the mentorship of Michael Uslan and fellow producer F.J. Desanto, I contributed ideas and got first-hand experience in film development on over a dozen major studio films while still in college.
2. I am interested in all things film, art, photography, technology and literature. I am also a health nut and receational soccer player.
3. My fervor for film and filmmaking started at a young age with acting out Rocky movies and watching Psycho on a weekly basis with my little sister. I got curious about the process and eventually started using my mothers video camera to film my sister and myself doing silly things and pretend we were making a movies. I remember thinking I could actually make a film after watching Chasing Amy for the first time.
Can you give us a little bit of information on the cast/crew?
We have a great group of people that are just as passionate about the film as we are. So far we have all worked for free because we all believe in the project and know that we can get it funded through a crowd funding site like kickstarter.com. Everyone involved has a specific job to do but we all wear multiple hats during production. This film is true collaboration of talents.
GianCarlo Fernandez is the co-writer/director/producer/
Rocco Petrullo is the co-writer/actor/producer
Main Cast:
Rocco Petrullo as Jim/The Masked Avenger, is a trained actor that has experience in stand up comedy and has been in multiple short films. This is his first feature film.
Patrick Lithgow as Dave/Spanky, is a trained theater actor that has been in many plays. This is his first feature film.
Steve Boghossian is a trained actor that has been in short films and an extra on feature films. This is his first feature film.
Cinematographer/Colorist: Danny O’Halloran is an NYU trained DP with tons of experience in short films, music videos, marketing videos and more. He is also a a frequent collaborator with GianCarlo Fernandez.
Assistant Cameraman: Alain Nonguierma, Johnny George
Executive Producers: Alain Nonguierma, Johnny George
What are the goals for the film?
We want to show that a bunch of local guys who have training and ambition can produce a great film that will make people laugh. We hope to take our finished film to many festivals this upcoming year and find a distributor to get the film out there to the masses.
Do you think it’s easier to be in film now?
The only easy thing about being in film now is finding good equipment to shoot with. The competition is greater, and it’s easier to get lost in the shuffle, but we have learned that creativity, talent and drive can make a project shine through.
Got any advice for people trying to break in:
Always over prepare so you’re not underprepared. Following your dreams is great but you need to know what to do when your faced with the reality of making that dream come true.
Closing thoughts:
Making a film is a crazy endeavor, but that’s what this movie is about. Following your dreams on the off chance that it will pay off because you’ve worked so hard to make it come to fruition. We appreciate you taking the time to find out more about the film. Thank you for your time. Below we have attached links to our clips and social media. Our kickstarter campaign will be launching this month so we’ll keep you posted when it does. We leave you with this thought: what’s better than 15 minutes of fame? 28!
Thank you for the time gentlemen and best of luck with your film. Please make sure you follow the film , bellow are links to the trailers and social media:
Teaser Intro
Teaser 1.
Teaser 2.
Teaser 3.
Teaser 4.
2. YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.
4. Twitter
@28MinuteEpic
5.Instagram
@28MinuteEpic
