COPLEY — He doesn't

Have the clout, budget or dis-

tribution channels of a movie

director such as Steven Spiel-

berg, Clint Eastwood or Ron

Howard, but Steve Pallotta is

A filmmaker just the same.

For Pallotta; "Hollywood"

Is a heated garage just a stone's

throw from the Copley Greens Golf Course. It is there that he puts his ideas for films onto storyboards, meets with actors, plans on-location shoots, uses a computer to edit his films and mixes in music and sound

effects.  

Pallotta, who has been mak-

ing movie shorts since 1983, is

almost finished with his first

full-length film, "Lake Ever-

more." The film will be ready

for a March 1 party for the cast,

crew and several hundred

extras. The film's premiere,

which is open to the public,

will take place May 16 at 6

p.m. at the West Theatre in

Barberton.

"Lake Evermore," written

by Pallotta and his long-time

collaborator, Gary Kiser, fea-

tures a cast of eight local

actors. Like most of the Pallot-

ta shorts that preceded it, the

90-minute "Lake Evermore"

is of the science-fiction genre

with a touch of humor.

The story follows Mike and

Evelyn Turner who travel to the idyllic Lake Evermore where   they  inherit  a  cottage

from Evelyn's late aunt. From

the quaint general store to the

ice-cream social to the vintage

cars surrounding him, Mike

begins to notice that time

stands still at Lake Evermore.

As he tries to make Some

changes to the quiet little town,

he learns the valuable lesson

that some things are best left

alone.

Pallotta filmed parts of the

movie around the Portage

Lakes and on Comet Lake, a

private lake near the YMCA's

CampY-Noah.      .

A highlight of the project

was shooting a brief scene in

downtown Barberton last Octo-

ber. Word got out that Pallotta

needed vintage cars and sever

al hundred extras – in clothes

typical of the 1940’s and 50’s-

for the scene. As the day drew

closer, Pallotta began to worry

that too many people would

show up to be in the scene,

"But it worked out great,"

he said. "We had about 50 to

60 old cars, about 200 extras,

most of them dressed correct-

ly. We had reporters on hand.

The Barberton safety director

allowed us to block off the

street. I thought to myself,

 See FILMS on page 27

Continued from Page 24

'This is as close as it gets to

being a Hollywood director.'"

A distribution company is

interested in "Lake Evermore,"

but even if his $10,000 film

doesn't gamer a nationwide

audience, Pallotta said he won't

be disappointed. In fact, the

experience of making "Lake

Evermore" was so positive that

it has only fueled his desire to

make bigger and better films

through his production compa-

ny, Fool's Gold Entertainment.

"We see that what we are

creating here is a network of

people who want to be  involved

in independent moviemaking,"

said Pallotta. "If for no other

reason, our premiere will be a

great place for these people to

meet and network."

Rick Montgomery, the actor

who plays Mike Turner in the

film, ,said there are probably

dozens of small independent

filmmakers like Pallotta work-

ing throughout Northeast Ohio.

"A lot of people have the

vision and the best intentions,"

said Montgomery. "The differ-

ence is Steve has the dedica-

tion and drive to complete the

project. This film is not a big

budget movie, but he did a pro-

fessional job."

Pallotta makes his living

repairing computers; while his

wife, Leia, and her family own

and manage Copley Greens

Growing up in Cuyahoga

Falls, Pallotta was a huge fan of

TV shows such as 'The Twilight

Zone" and "Outer Limits," as

well as Alfred Hitchcock

movies. In 1983, he won third

place in Sony's Visions of Amer-

ica Video Contest for a 15-

minute short movie appropriate-

ly called, "Steve's New Cam-

era." During die next few years,

the self-trained filmmaker went

on to make another sci-fi short,

"Static," a five-minute silent

drama called "Arivvaderci" and

a science-fiction/comedy called

"The Devil and Mr. Dinkerson."

Partly filmed on Copley Greens,

the short centers on a golfer who

unknowingly makes a deal with

the devil to improve his game.

After viewing Pallotta's

2002 science-fiction short

called "The Boogie Man," one

industry insider told Pallotta

that distributors would definite-

ly be lined up if he put more sex,

violence and blood into future

films.- But he said he doesn't

want to take that route.

'To a certain extent, I think

you have to create your own

job," said Pallotta. 'Ten thou-

sand dollars is not pocket

change,' but it's nothing com-

pared to what the typical Hol-

lywood producer spends. The

art is what interests me. Mak-

ing a living at it would be icing

on the cake."

Progress comes in small but

important steps nonetheless. Ini-

tially, Pallotta depended on fam-

ily and friends to fill his on-cam-

era roles. Now he works with a

Cleveland talent agency more

than willing to send him profes-

sional actors, and many local

actors are willing to work unpaid

for a chance to add screen work

to their stage credits.

Most of all, Pallotta seems to

enjoy the technical challenge of

filmmaking on a budget. When

an underwater scene was need-

ed for "Lake Evermore," he fig-

ured a way to put his digital cam-

era in a seal-tight Rubbermaid

canister. To get higher and more

creative camera angles, he craft-

ed a crane out of a long piece of

aluminum pipe attached to

lawnmower wheels.

"If s kind of like being a

magician," said Pallotta.

"Moviemaking is all about

the art of illusion.^'

Tickets to the premiere of

"Lake Evermore" cost $5. To

reserve a seat, contact Pallbtta

through e-mail at huckball®

msn.com or visit his Wet) site at

www.foolsgoldenteirtainment.com

 for more information.