Feature Film Being Shot in Ave Maria
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Published on Thursday, 14 November 2013 16:47
Many Ave Maria residents have been getting a taste of Hollywood recently, with the shooting of a feature film in town. Starring Paul Sorvino (right with director Tony Randel), the film titled Hybrids is billed as a family movie that is both a spoof on horror films and a "coming of age story for three generations."
Most of the filiming is being done in temporary studios constructed in the three-story commercial building whose only tenant currently is the Shamrock bank branch.
Hybrids was written and is produced by Ave Maria resident Tony Schweikle, who hopes it will spark interest in more film production in southwest Florida.
"My vision is to attract more film and television production to southwest Florida," Mr. Schweikle said. "To do this, we must have competent professional crew and equipment available for producers looking to shoot their films in the region."
The crew for Hybrids is 90 percent Floridians, Mr. Schweikle said, many of whom have been trained to fill various roles. The production also has boosted Ave Maria's hyper-local economy, with the cast and crew renting condos and patronizing restaurants and shops.
In addition to established Hollywood talent like Mr. Sorvino, director Tony Randel, and co-star Carolyn Hennesy (left with Mr. Sorvino), Mr. Schweikle has hired many Florida actors and also has been using several dozen Ave Maria residents and students as extras. Mr. Sorvino's brother, a Naples psychiatrist, also makes an appearance.
Filming is scheduled to wrap up Nov. 19, with post production expected to take a few months after that, Mr. Schweikle said.
"It's a movie for the whole family," Mr. Schweikle said. "Yes, we se zombies, vampires and witches, but it's really a spoof on all of them. There's a lot of comedy."
Although the characters are not exactly all human, Mr. Schweikle says the movie is about everyday human matters.
"The message of the film is that families are the most important thing in your life, and that respect, understanding and communication will make life more enjoyable," Mr. Schweikle said.
For a WINK-TV News story on Hybrids click here
(photo above right by Cameron Doane; above left by Bob Wunker)
