Here are some interesting tid-bits, insights, and FAQs about our productions.
It will save you time from listening to the director’s track on the DVD 
THE FATEFUL ENCOUNTER
OF WENDY AND EARL
Gigantic Saturday is a translation of the title from the long running variety program “Sabado Gigante.” The story is based on an incident involving Leo Curbelo’s sister complaining about her lack of social life. She found her self at her parent’s house, recently divorced, with two children, on a Saturday night, and watching “Sabado Gigante.”
Actors Michele Carlo and Raul Dedos were found after a dozen painful auditions by other actors. They performed so well in their respected roles that it reinforced the adage CASTING IS EVERYTHING!!!
The line “…till your balls get ashy” was borrowed from a poetry slam at the Nuyorican Poets Café.
The apartment used in the production belonged to longtime GARRA collaborator Chuck Monsanto. Six months after the shoot, the building was sold, his rent was doubled, and he was forced to move away from Williamsburg after 13 years. Four months after that his National Guard unit was shipped to Afghanistan.
A crew member was overheard exclaiming that the kissing scenes were hotter then some pornos he had worked on. He wasn’t kidding.
Most of the props were bought for half price a piece at a 99 cent store going out of business
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THE FATEFUL ENCOUNTER OF WENDY AND EARL
The short was originally created for a one-minute web contest about wind energy and its benefits over oil power.
Actors were asked to audition in character, so role winner Jay Painter attacked the room shooting water pistols and scaring Pacino the dog under the table. Kate Russell was the first to audition for Wendy and was able to convey a believable little girl quality just by looking at the camera. Both she and Jay are Shakesperean performers.
The film was shot entirely at the Kerb Boathouse in the Central Park of Manhattan. Shortly after the filming all type of radio controlled powerboats were banned. Only sailboats are allowed.
The look of the film is an homage to “Amelie” by Jean Pierre Jeunet and the theme based on the famous French short “The Red Balloon.”
Claudine Strazza built and colored four identical paper boats for the shoot. Only one survived the production.
This was the only GARRA production that actually obtained permits form the Mayor’s Office to secure the location and avoid NYPD hassles. Absolutely no officials of any city administration approached anyone in the crew to show any sort of permit during the seven-hour shoot.
The basis of the story is based on the gentrification of New York’s poorer sections that started in the late 1980’s. It was written as part of a class project shortly after the infamous Tompkins Square riots.
Four different locations were edited together to create the empty lot of the final scene. The very last shot is inside Tompkins Square park.
The character of Uncle Bob is based on Dick Cheney’s actions in the pentagon during the 9/11 attacks.
The idea for the machete at the gate comes directly from the Bible. God placed a fiery sword at the gates of Eden to keep Adam and Eve out after expelling them.
For various drafts of the screenplay, Eddie was supposed to hit Warren with a baseball. During location scouting, a bright ripe tomato growing in a community garden provided the inspiration to change from the ball to the fruit.
The fictitious company name Mermaid’s Milk is a spoof of the ubiquitous coffee chain Starbuck and its siren logo.
James Domingo and Chuck Monsanto were teamed up again after their partnership in “Miss You” with Domingo playing the straight man this time.
Longtime film, television, and theater veteran Mateo Gomez, who plays the title character, survived a fatal helicopter crash in 1989 during the filming of Chuck Norris’ “Delta Force 2.”
The location of the garden is Avenue C and 6th street in Alphabet City, one block away from the garden that inspired the set of the musical “Rent.”
The story is based on The Rolling Stones song of the same title.
The lead character is named after beat poet Jack Kerouac. His slam poet friend Kasadee is named for Neal Cassady, Kerouac’s inspiration for On The Road’s Dean Moriarity.
The mattress Jack slept on was found in the street on the way to the first day of shooting. Actor Aaron Sherman was not too happy with the smell.
Chuck “Kasadee” Monsanto was such a big fan of the song he kept reverting to Mick Jagger’s rendering of the tune. This became known to the crew as the “I know the lines too well” incident.
Of the three Puerto Ricans coming to meet Jack only one was Puerto Rican. The other two actresses were of Cuban and Indian origin. More real Puerto Ricans joined the party scene later.
Aaron Sherman took over the lead role from “Merde’s” Eric Merola who had scheduling conflicts. Aaron went on to also star in “The Garden of Eddie.”
After a few screenings a crucial scene was omitted. The one shot at “Subway” restaurant who provided free meals to the production.
Three different instruments were recorded for the soundtrack version of “Miss You,” a saxophone, a mandolin, and a bandoneon.
The idea for the story came up when Leo Curbelo and his brother were goofing on their friend’s name “Landrieu.” Mr. Nelson Landrieu is an accomplished actor, head of the La Tea Theater in New York, and has shared screen time with Harrison Ford.
The short was shot over two Saturdays in April. By the second week the trees had bloomed and in some scenes brown trees become green. Actor Eric Merola also changed between weekends. He got a very short hair cut and had to wear the beret deeper on his brow.
The nice healthy piece of “merde” was constructed from clay, chocolate powder, and chocolate syrup. It smelled like the French pastry éclair, which just happens to be the director’s middle name.
The opening title sequence was shot underneath the bridge where the lovers meet. It took the crew two hours to find it when shooting pick ups and where forced to shoot at dusk.
The guy who rides by in the bike is Director of Photography Robert K. Chambers. He is now an Episcopalian minister. The waiter was played by Rich Rubin, the director’s childhood friend from Bushwick. Although it may sound like a nice prep school, Bushwick was one of the worst neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
All scenes were shot in Brooklyn except one. The park is Highland Park in East New York, the café is Oznot’s in Williamsburg, the beach is Coney Island, and the bedroom in a loft in Greenpoint. The establishing shot of the frenchesque house was shot at the Washington Mews alley in Greenwhich Village, Manhattan.
Ossi “femme fatale” Raveh was born in Israel. Eric “l’homme triste” Merola was born in North Carolina. Only Rich “le garcon gros” Rubin and Chuck “l’homme noir” Monsanto were born in Brooklyn.
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