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MAKING THE DAY

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ABOUT THE FILM

Synopsis: A has-been character actor attempts to complete a movie honoring his deceased wife, when divine intervention leads him to a free-spirited actress who might just be his perfect leading lady.


Art imitates life in Making The Day as the film’s director, Michael Canzoniero (Wedding Bros, Don Peyote), employed a hybrid-narrative/documentary process called organic filmmaking in the production where elements of the actors’ real lives were incorporated into a heavily improvised shoot. In the case of Making the Day, lead actor Steven Randazzo’s own real-life struggle with underground film financiers “coming after him” for an incomplete movie, provided the inspiration behind the film’s narrative.

 

Making The Day was produced by Francesco Ros, Ellyn Vander Wyden, and Tim Dorsch and edited by Michael Berenbaum (Sex and the City, The Americans, Barton Fink and Marry Me starring Jennifer Lopez.) The script was co-written by Michael Berenbaum and Michael Canzoniero. The film features an original score by Peter Nashel (I, Tonya, Marco Polo) and an original song by composer Gabriel Berenbaum.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

I really believe that it is the chemistry between the lead actors that is the single most important element of a quality movie. I’m thinking of Deniro and Grodin in “Midnight Run” Benigni and Waits in “Down by Law” or Lopez and Clooney in “Out of Sight”.

''The magic of the film’s ending only happens because of the journey these two have gone through in the pressure cooker of trying to make a movie together.''

If that lead actor dynamic is combustible, if that pairing can create sparks, there’s a magic on-screen that all the big-budget CGI in the world can’t compete with. So in the case of Making the Day, my co-writer Michael Berenbaum and I began not with a script but with an attempt to “organically” build a story around the hysterical energy that we had discovered between Steve Randazzo and Juliette Bennett in some of our early workshop exercises. To us, their performances were like gasoline and tinder in almost every scene: Steve’s a totally grounded, everyday guy, downbeat and desperate, while she’s a spinning top of almost manic energy, with an innocent optimism that is both contagious and comedic. The magic of the film’s ending only happens because of the journey these two have gone through in the pressure cooker of trying to make a movie together. After all the laughs the movie delivers, I still get a lump in my throat every time I watch that last sequence play out.

 

Michael Canzoniero, Director, Making The Day

BTS 

THE CAST

The two leads are played by Steven Randazzo (Awakenings, Mighty Aphrodite,The Night of) and Juliette Bennett (The Nth Ward, Don Peyote, Las Vegas.)

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Movie's still with Juliette and Steven

The ensemble cast features some of New York's most talented actors including Tony Winner Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Goldbergs), Dominic Fumusa (13 Hours, Nurse Jackie, Homeland), Ali Marsh (Rabbit Hole Bull, The Affair), Natalie Knepp (A Joyous Christmas, Sam, The Good Wife), Nicole Ansari (Son of The South, Remember Me, Side Effects), Sondra James (The Joker, Late Night with Stephen Colbert) Christian Campbell, (Reefer Madness: The Musical, Trick, True Detective) America Olivio (Chicago P.H, Blue Bloods, Mission Impossible-Rogue Nation) Ilana Levine (Friends with Kids, Failure to Launch, The Nanny Diaries) Dwayne Hill ( Mean Girls, Peg + Cat, Atomic Betty), Craig Geraghty (Ray Donovan, Iron Fist, The Many Saints of Newark) Ray Iannicelli (Joker, Annie, Madam Secretary) and Timothy "Speed" Levitch (The Cruise, Up-to-Speed, High Maintenance). The film also features Supermodel Kira Dikhtyar in an acting role and several New York comedians.

ABOUT MCM CREATIVE

MCM Creative is a full-service production and post-production company with over twenty years of experience in the New York market. MCM  Creative produces and shoots narratives, documentaries, live shows, music videos, and interviews.

They are known for their feature films: Don Peyote, Wedding Brod, and the award-winning documentary Shelter Island

STILLS

REVIEWS

''I thought the film was terrific, very funny, heartwarming, and in some instances, all too true. The cast was wonderful, especially Juliette, and it's well-directed. Please congratulate everyone, I think it will do well on the festival circuit."

Frank Marshall,  Producer (Indiana Jones, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Signs, Jason Bourne, Jurassic World) and Co-Founder, Amblin Entertainment and Kennedy/Marshall Company.

"Making The Day is original. It deserves the best kind of attention"

Brian Cox, Actor (X2, X-Men United, Troy, Adaptation)

''Making The Day is delightful! A joy ride!''

Gregory Nava, Writer (Frida, Selena, El Norte, My Family, Bordertown) and director (Selena, El Norte, My Family, Bordertown, Why Do Fools Fall In Love)

Final Cost Report Top Sheet

PDF to download 

CREDITS

Directed by

Michael Canzoniero

Writing Credits (in alphabetical order)

Michael Berenbaum

Michael Canzoniero

Cast (in credits order)

Dan Fogler ... Tony Guest

Steven Randazzo ... Nick Fazzio

Juliette Bennett ... Samantha Vanderputten

Dwayne Hill ... Mr. Smith

Craig Geraghty ... Mike Powers

Natalie Knepp ... Natalie Papp

Dominic Fumusa ... Movie Star

Nicole Ansari-Cox ... Kaya the Psychic

America Olivo ... Zombie Film Star

Timothy 'Speed'

Levitch ... Slim

Ilana Levine ... Hostess

Kira Dikhtyar ... Oksana

Sondra James ... Veteran Editor

Yang Miller ... Chazz

Tom Rizzuto ... Paul the P.A.

Alexandra Rey ... Audition Girl

Paul Moreno ... Grip One

Tom Dambro ... Ed the Accountant

Ray Iannicelli ... Wardrobe Stylist

Kika Child ... Nina

Ed Herbstman ... Eddie the A.D.

Nick Basile ... Horror Movie Director

Ylfa Edelstein ... Reporter

Gérald L'Ecuyer ... Reporter

Tony Notarberardino ... Antonio

Gus Randazzo ... Tommy Fazio

Thomas Michael

Sullivan ... Assistant Director

Anthony Caso ... Sound Man

Jimmy Clifford ... Bryce

Devon Brandon ... Security P.A

Peter Edmondson ... Pete

Nicole Beninato ... Blond Zombie

Ben Kissel ... Gallery Guest

Whitney Ward ... S&M Model

Frank Russo ... Grip Two

Jenni Shaw ... Alsi

Aubrey Hardwick ... Assistant Editor

Jamie Mattus ... Goon

Carmine Famiglietti ... Cagney Cried A.D.

Sal Mattioli ... Cafe Owner

Max Elk ... James

Jeremiah David ... Slate Zombie

Colleen Carow ... Masseuse

John Merolla ... Police Sergeant (credit only)

Pilot ... Camera Intern

Jacob Serlen ... Editor

Amy Hendrick ... D.J Booth Groupie

Grey Smoley ... Crew Member

Produced by

Juliette Bennett ... co-producer

Stuart Braunstein ... executive producer

Michael Canzoniero ... producer

Joe Coleman ... associate producer

Joe D'Imperio ... executive producer

Tim Dorsch ... producer

Robert O. Green ... associate producer

James Habacker ... associate producer

Dwayne Hill ... co-producer

Gérald L'Ecuyer ... executive producer

Sara Lennox ... line producer

Francesco Ros ... producer

Ellyn Vander Wyden ... line producer / producer

Adam Yeremian ... consulting producer

Nikolas Zasimczuk ... co-producer

Music by

Eric V. Hachikian

Cinematography by

Mauricio Vasquez

Film Editing by

Michael Berenbaum

Production Design by

Tim Dorsch

Tony Notarberardino

Makeup Department

Sophie Ono ... makeup artist

Carola Pizarro Hernandez ... makeup artist

Jenni Shaw ... makeup department head

Production Management

Peter Edmondson ... production manager

Aubrey Hardwick ... post-production supervisor

Tom Hohle ... production assistant

Desiree Lavoy ... post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Max Berger ... first assistant director

Thomas Michael Sullivan ... second assistant director

Sound Department

Neil Benezra ... sound effects editor

Max Berger ... sound mixer

Jack Dixon ... assistant sound editor / sound mixer

Brian Langman ... sound mixer

Tom Myers ... sound mixer

Carlos Rodriquez ... sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department

Michael Canzoniero ... camera operator

Sal Carolei ... key grip

Jake Clennell ... camera operator

Jason Daversa ... gaffer

Jeffrey Hagerman ... camera operator

Jared Levy ... camera operator

Alan McIntyre Smith ... camera operator

Tony Notarberardino ... camera operator

Isak Tiner ... still photographer

Editorial Department

James Clark Barton ... first assistant editor

Lou Daumas ... colorist

Jeremiah Davis ... assistant editor

Zachary Halberd ... Senior Colorist

Tom Hohle ... post-production assistant

Adam Teninbaum ... Graphic Designer

Location Management

Stuart Braunstein ... location manager

Thomas Michael

Sullivan ... location manager

Music Department

Gabriel Berenbaum ... music producer

Russell Pollack ... music producer (as Russell Evan Pollack)

 

Additional Crew

Sara Lennox ... Title Sequence Designer

Adam Seth Nelson ... Public Relations

Brooke Saffire ... Production Coordinator

Press Inquiries
Adam Nelson
Workhouse PR
nelson@workhousepr.com 

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