Jersey Shore Shark Attack — Saturday, June 9 at 9PM – Led by an all-star cast of Tony Sirico (The Sopranos), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Jack Scalia (Dallas), Joey Fatone (‘N Sync), William
Atherton (Die Hard) and Vinny Guadagnino (Jersey Shore) the movie unfolds during the July Fourth weekend at the Jersey Shore, where angry sharks are on a rampage, devouring residents, leaving it to the local Guidos to save the day. The movie also stars Jeremy Luke as The Complication, Melissa Molinaro as Nooki, Joey Russo as Donnie, Daniel Booko as Balzac, Audi Resendez as B.J., and Alex Mauriello as J-Moni. Jersey Shore Shark Attack is a production of Hybrid Entertainment. The director is John Shepphird. Jeffrey Schenck, Barry Barnholtz and Peter Sullivan are the producers.
On Tuesday a group of reporters participated in a phone interview for Jersey Shore Shark Attack. Here is the transcript of that conversation.
Gary Morgenstein: Welcome everyone to the SYFY Saturday original movie call for Jersey Shore Shark Attack. Guido’s versus sharks I mean it really doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
(Unintelligible) for the first time ever presents four Saturday original movies in one month kicking off on Saturday, June 9 at 9 o’clock with Jersey Shark Attack.
And we’re delighted to have the producers Jeff Schenck and Barry Barnholtz here. We’re going to be joined by cast soon.
Jeff, Barry – welcome.
Barry Barnholtz: Thank you Gary.
Jeff Schenck: Thank you.
Gary Morgenstein: Operator you can go with the first question please.
Jamie Ruby: Hi guys thanks so much for taking the call today.
Can you talk a bit just kind of about how the whole movie came about? And what made you decide to do it?
Jeff Schenck: Gary you want me to jump in on that?
Gary Morgenstein: Yes go ahead.
Jeff Schenck: Okay well we had done a film for SYFY prior called Malibu Shark Attack. And in pitching projects you feel SYFY has done everything under the sun with sharks and snakes and what have you.
So when I came in there saying we wanted to do another shark movie the audi – the room of SYFY executives was like yes we’ve done that.
And literally as we talked about sharks I was thinking well what’s iconic – Malibu was iconic, what else was iconic?
And we really just came up with Jersey Shore because it was so (unintelligible). I think I had just gone over to a meeting and seen the whole Jersey Shore cast somewhere on a magazine.
And thought that’s an iconic place and as you did your research you find that there are – there was an infamous shark attack in 1916.
So the two melded together not only into a brilliant title but I feel a brilliant movie that Barry and myself produced.
Jamie Ruby: Alright, great thanks so much. And I did enjoy it.
Barry Barnholtz: Thank you.
Jeff Schenck: I hope – listen the biggest thing that we want people to come off it that they had fun with it. We didn’t intend this to be the scariest movie. We intend it to be a thrill ride with a lot of fun and a few winks; I should say a lot of winks to the audience.
Jamie Ruby: Yes.
Jeff Schenck: So I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Jamie Ruby: It was very funny. So – and I don’t even watch Jersey Shore but it was still funny.
((Crosstalk))
Barry Barnholtz: …a much younger audience as well. For this particular movie.
So I think we’re – I’m hoping that the – by using some of the old some of the stars that are a little bit older as well that they also attract an audience that spans a little bit older as well.
But I think the young people are really going to get a big kick out of this movie.
Jamie Ruby: Okay great thanks so much.
Jeff Schenck: Sure.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of (Kyle Nolan) with noreruns.net – please go ahead.
(Kyle Nolan): Hi guys, thanks for taking time to talk to us.
So I haven’t had a chance to see the film yet but from the trailer it does look like it’s a lot of fun.
What have been the reactions from the actual cast of the Jersey Shore to some of the characters?
Jeff Schenck: To me…
Barry Barnholtz: Let me just say one thing Jeff.
Jeff Schenck: Yep.
Barry Barnholtz: The – it’s amazing because like the characters and all the talent actually played the characters so well that were in the film that they actually carried it off the film as well.
And during the duration of filming – of the film of how long we were capable of using the cast, they all had that same mentality of like using the accent and just playing the part.
I was really impressed by that.
They all had a great time.
Jeff you want to elaborate?
Jeff Schenck: Well I misunderstood. I thought you were saying what did the real Jersey Shore cast think of it?
(Kyle Nolan): Yes that’s what I was…
Barry Barnholtz: Oh the real Jersey Shore.
Jeff Schenck: The answer is Vinny I think understands there’s life beyond the Jersey Shore and that’s why he agreed to do the movie. And I said to him think of your character as a Mario Lopez where he’s an actor part host or Ryan Seacrest.
And I think that – I’m guessing but I think that appeals to him to be in the movie because he wasn’t playing a character of himself, he was playing a persona.
And I think we’ve got to look at that cast and say look you could document the day in the life of anybody from Jersey Shore to Malibu Shore.
I think the ideas that these people actually have strong personas that for better or worse attract an audience.
So I could only guess that imitation or parody in this case is the most sincere form of flattery.
I hope they take it that way because really the Guido’s are the heroes of the movie.
(Kyle Nolan): And just as a follow-up – usually in these SYFY films like there’s sort of a mutation or supernatural element to the creature.
Were there any – ever any thoughts of cross breeding the sharks with something else?
((Crosstalk))
Barry Barnholtz: I don’t think we ever went in that direction.
Jeff Schenck: No it – you’re right there was a note at one point for us to – SYFY has a sort of unofficial demand to make things, it’s not just a great white shark.
They want it to be bull sharks because it was authentic to what you found off the Jersey Shore.
But the reason they’re albino was the drilling, the science behind it if you will, the drilling that was going to do the beautification or the gentrification as they say in the movie of the Shore cause these deep dwelling sharks.
And there’s been cases in Malibu Shark where these pre-historic sharks got loose and they haven’t been seen in thousands of years so that’s hence the albino pigmentation.
That was our science if you will.
(Kyle Nolan): Thanks guys.
Barry Barnholtz: We were thinking about making the – we just wanted them to be very mean looking as well.
And it’s amazing because if you have one shark you just – one shark isn’t that scary but when you have a series of abundance of sharks that – then there’s a real fear concept that comes across too.
Jeff Schenck: Yes.
(Kyle Nolan): Well the movie looks like a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see it.
Thanks guys.
Barry Barnholtz: Thank you.
Jeff Schenck: Thank you.
Jeremy Luke: It’s Jeremy.
Gary Morgenstein: Hey Jeremy.
Barry Barnholtz: Hey Jeremy.
Gary Morgenstein: Jeremy Luke who stars as The Complication – welcome to the call Jeremy.
Jeremy Luke: Hey, how’re you doing?
Jeff Schenck: We’ve missed you.
Barry Barnholtz: Hey Jeremy.
Gary Morgenstein: Operator could you do the next question?
Operator: Next question is from the line of (Tony Tellado) with SYFY Talk – please go ahead.
(Tony Tellado): Thank you gentlemen. This looks like a lot of fun. I’m in New Jersey and in actually Hoboken next to where two of the stars are taping a show in Jersey City next door.
I’m really getting a kick out of this. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.
If you – the producers can discuss the casting process and how it came – how the actors were plugged into the roles.
Jeff Schenck: Are you – well I’ll tell you and I’ll let Barry elaborate but for us we did a wide casting call and the nice thing is we really felt it was important to shoot this film when I say in town shoot it in the state because a lot of the movies as are shot in Eastern Europe or Canada or Australia.
And we felt the authenticity of getting these actors and personas was going to be here.
And Jeremy’s on the phone so he can elaborate. It was one of those castings where we must have seen 100 people for every role.
And Jeremy and Joey have a show called TurboandJoey that they do as a Web show and we’d seen there audition and seen that and was like we had to go no further.
They were the ones and there was nobody else to play the role.
And the same with (Melissa).
So we got very lucky in finding out lead actors.
And then as Barry elaborated to an earlier question, we really felt it was important to get some recognizable faces for an older generation because these new fresh faces are amazing talent but between SYFY wanting certain names and Barry and myself coming up with some names, I think we rounded it out with a brilliant young cast.
And some names like Paulie Walnuts from Sopranos, Jack Scalia and Paul Sorvino, William Atherton – we really wanted to balance the two out.
Wouldn’t you say Barry?
Barry Barnholtz: Yes, yes and by the way the younger cast they just played off each other so well.
I think the entire group of the people that were selected for casting and I think we really went out of our way to just be very, very meticulous of the selection of the cast.
And everyone looks like they’re that they’re right off the Jersey Shore as well.
Okay, its like – and everyone just had great chemistry working with each other as well.
So we were very lucky to be able to have Jeremy as a part of the cast and all the other individuals that wanted to jump on this script as well because the script was so great as well.
And some of the people that called in we were thankful, we were very impressed by them but we were very fortunate to be able to receive the individuals that we acquired to be able to be in the film.
(Tony Tellado): Well congratulations gentlemen for beating (Roger Corman) to the punch. And I have a question for Jeremy and how did you base – I mean how did you approach The Complication and kind of make him your own?
Jeremy Luke: That’s actually a good questions because I talked to (John) and Jeff and Barry about this a little bit.
Well what I didn’t want to do because the script – (Michael Semare) and (Rich) and all these guys they wrote a great script. And the script is funny as it is.
So what I really did not want to do was like do an impersonation of The Situation or anything like that.
Like I really wanted to make it my own. And I think for me playing the character The Complication was and to make it very real and funny and as goofy and entertaining as this
movie is but to make it very real you have to play the character very real.
And you have to play the character as if there are white fin killer albino sharks in that water and they’re going to get us and they’re going to attack the whole they’re going to ruin everyone on the Jersey Shore.
I also went through like – I went through a regimen also preparing for the role. I mean Joey was my roommate at the time and we both – like I was out of shape when I got cast and these guys said like get to the gym.
Jeff and Barry and (John) said get to the gym and like right away I just got on it.
So having come during the day I was like run, work out – at night I would sit down with the script and that’s how I would do it.
But like the working out was very, very good but I wanted to keep – I really wanted to keep the character real. That was my thing. Realistically play it, don’t play for like the big spoof thing or anything like that because you want to make – the writing’s good enough.
Barry Barnholtz: I had actually heard that Jeremy that some of the cast actually after shooting for the duration of the evening then they worked out for even two or three hours after that.
Jeremy Luke: Yes that was the – yes that was our thing that we would do.
And like we would go, we would shoot maybe until like 8-9 o’clock and then I’d come home, I’d go to the gym and I’d just go and would sit there at the gym with my script for about 45 minutes and just ride the bike and sweat and work out.
And then come home, go to bed and wake up at six and it was like – it was a great experience because we all got along so great.
Like (Danny Buko), (Melissa), everybody – I mean we couldn’t stop laughing when we were making this movie. Like we it was the most fun that I’ve ever had on set by far.
(Tony Tellado): Cool thank you guys, really appreciate your answers.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of Jamie Ruby with syfyvision.com – please go ahead.
Jamie Ruby: This question’s for Jeremy – did – watch any of the Jersey Shore or anything? Kind of get some of that, to emulate them somewhat?
Jeremy Luke: Yes, yes I did watch Jersey Shore. Actually it’s funny that you should ask that but I’ve watched Jersey Shore a bunch.
My best friend in New York is actually – this is how connected everybody is in like the East coast.
My best friend in New York is cousins with Mike, The Situation.
So I watched it also because Vinny is also cousins – Vinny from the Jersey Shore is also cousins with my friend (Sal) and I coached Vinny and helped Vinny with his auditions in LA.
So I’ve seen the Jersey Shore a bunch. The only reference that I really didn’t get was the turnpike reference that they were always doing the turnpike and you see (Melissa)’s dancing on the bar and that’s the dance that the girls do on the Jersey Shore.
But I didn’t get that until I watched the Jersey Shore even more.
But yes I did watch Jersey Shore a lot for this.
Jamie Ruby: Okay that’s awesome.
And for – I guess this is more for you Jeremy because you were an actor but the others can chime in.
You started to say how you had a hard time because it was really funny working through it.
Is there any specific thing you can remember where you guys just could not get your lines out because you couldn’t stop laughing?
Jeremy Luke: Yes, yes there was…
Jeff Schenck: That was like every scene.
Jeremy Luke: Yes Jeff exactly it was everyday like we would like and it got to the point – and the crew, everybody was great. So on set was great.
But the crew and those guys it was like calling for lunch or it was like the last shot like stuff on the – there was a scene on the beach where the whole – where the six of us, the three girls and the three guys are coming up and I’m coming off the beach after the firework incident.
And I say something like I’ve got an idea, we need a (unintelligible) – all that stuff.
But we were doing next scene we could not keep a straight face and the crews just looking at us like standing around like come on you guys and we just kept crying. Like I remember just looking at (Melissa) or (Danny) and just crying and not being able to hold it.
Like you may see in the movie there’s some takes where we’re just walking with our heads down or a couple of cast members are walking with their heads down because it was so funny.
It was so fun.
Jamie Ruby: Okay great – and for all of you quickly, what did you find the most challenging?
Jeff Schenck: I think everything.
Barry Barnholtz: Yes.
Jeff Schenck: And I don’t mean that jokingly. I think get – putting this piece together the meetings went from who could figure out how to dir – getting the story together and scripting was (Richard) or (Michael) to how we’re going to put together this cast.
To then what director could take this cast on.
I remember one of our first production meetings that Barry and I had the biggest thing was how do we get the Ferris wheel to roll off the pier?
And we were watching a cut of the movie when the CGI was put in and I think it’s pretty convincing that that – by the way that Ferris wheel didn’t exist on that pier in case you’re watching the movie.
Jamie Ruby: Oh wow.
Jeff Schenck: Yes and it’s pretty amazing how we put – we shot that practically but morphed it into our pier that we shot at.
And we thought it really…
Barry Barnholtz: Think we might have lost Jeff here.
Gary Morgenstein: We got so excited by this.
Barry Barnholtz: It was also the locations, the selection of the location that – and scouting locations. It’s – when we scouted locations there must have been 40 or 50 people just all coming together looking at different locations.
And so just the director and Jeff and myself and maybe the first AD and it was just – we had a huge group of people that the line producer and all kinds of other people, wardrobe and everything else that were coming down there to be able to scout the locations with us.
Once we had a selection of – and narrowed it down to a better few ones to be able to choose.
So it was the locations, the CGI was very aggressive. I mean we had a tremendous amount of shots that had to be implemented with the CGI.
The cast had a schedule that was very rigid and having trying to find out when everyone was available to be able to be a part of the movie from Jeremy and (Melissa) and (Jack) and (Paul) and (William) and (Tony Suroko) and Joey Russo and (Daniel).
It’s like all the – and I think all the talent really loved – tell me Jeremy did all the talent love working with people like (Tony) – (Tony Suroko)?
Jeremy Luke: Oh yes those guys – yes (Tony) was great. I mean Joey Russo just did an interview on the Facebook Jersey Shore Shark Attack page. But he said something that was really smart, like something that was really true actually.
He said that some of the best times were just sitting around with (Tony Suroko) and listen to stories and listening to like an older actor tell stories.
Just sitting in our trailer and having a good time. And not taking ourselves too seriously.
There were no egos on set. Like everybody was just way cool, way nice. it was great, it was really great.
Joey Fatone was like the nicest guy ever. I mean he came in for one night, flew in, he didn’t sit in his trailer. Like sometimes you get around actors they sit in their trailer or something like that but I mean everybody was so gracious on that set.
We just had like we had a blast. We had like the cast, crew, everybody – we had a blast.
Barry Barnholtz: Jeff and I we’ve done so many films. And we’ve – all the films that we’ve been involved with we’ve never seen politics of people in front of the camera versus people behind the camera.
Everyone got along just great as well.
And so it was, thank goodness that the weather was cooperative with us as well. And listen, the water was pretty cold as well I mean for a lot of the talent they have to jump into the water.
Jeremy Luke: That’s what I was going to add. I was going to add to your challenging question.
I mean obviously Barry, Jeff, (John Sheppard) – these guys had obstacles and challenges like every single day.
Like these guys were working nonstop. I went home and went to bed; these guys didn’t go to bed.
But the biggest challenge for me and I’m sure the other guys could attest to this too is – was the water. What you don’t know is that we were shooting in December – we we’re shooting in December.
And the Pacific Ocean, it’s not like the Atlantic Ocean – its cold, its freezing.
I think the water comes from Antarctica.
So we were freezing a lot, freezing. And there was no body fat or anything like that so we were freezing.
And that was my biggest challenge and I’m sure the guys could attest to that also.
Barry Barnholtz: Also working around water there’s always a lot more people that are needed. I mean to be able to shoot on one boat you actually need to have two boats to be able to have one there for the camera and for some of the crew to be able to shoot the other boat.
To people in wet suites and that have thin straps on the top of them and to be able to go into the water.
It’s – working with water is a lot more difficult than just doing something on land.
Jamie Ruby: Okay great, yes I could imagine.
Jeff Schenck: Just – sorry I cut out on that call but I was listening to everything they said and they said it perfectly.
Everything you see in that movie seems seamless, it’s because an amazing crew, an amazing director and our talent not just acting but the circumstances they put up with like the cold water to what have you on the pier it looks so seamless and fun you wouldn’t know there were any obstacles.
It’s really a testimony to everybody involved in this movie.
Jamie Ruby: It did look like you had a lot of fun. Well thank you.
Barry Barnholtz: Thank you.
Jeff Schenck: You’re welcome.
Jeremy Luke: You’re welcome.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of (Kyle Nolan) with noreruns.net – please go ahead.
(Kyle Nolan): Hi guys you had touched a bit on the CGI – could you talk about filming the shark attack scenes? Were there any practical effects? Or was everything done with CGI?
((Crosstalk))
Barry Barnholtz: No actually we were – actually we had a shark that – a mold that was actually made up and it took a long time to be able to develop this and to be able to make this.
We had to give them a lot of lead time to be able to do this.
Also we had divers – professional experienced divers that where we strapped a fin upon their back and they had a propeller to be able to move them along in the water so as a faster speed so you wouldn’t see – have to see any fins flapping in the water ?
And that was just in addition to all the CGI shots which were several hundred CGI shots that had to be made.
(Kyle Nolan): Yes and for Jeremy did you have any – did you have a tough time like keeping a straight face or acting to something that wasn’t there then when you were doing these scenes?
Jeremy Luke: It’s funny you should ask that because you just got to – I did have a tough time keeping a straight face I mean like we talked about before, we had a tough time keeping a straight face during the scenes because just some of the stuff was so funny.
Like white fin killer albino shark – saying something like that.
But what you pose a good question because it is something that’s not there? Like it’s something like when I stabbed the shark in the eye or whatever I was just stabbing into water, I didn’t see anything there was nothing there.
So basically you’re under water like in that last scene I’m under water in a tank and there’s just the camera men who dive there and then somebody with their hand sticking out and that’s the scary shark.
And that’s – it is a bit of a challenge it is, I’m not going to lie.
But we got over it. We did pretty good with it, I felt okay with it.
Jeff Schenck: Well also Jeremy I have to point out the one note we kept getting from the network as they watched daily was it’s great but we want more swagger.
So you’ll see a scene like in the police station I think that note came right afterwards the next day where you see them kind of swagger about us.
And I remember watching it with my wife and she said wow do they really walk that way? And I said well this whole movie’s exaggerated. But you walk the line both in tone and persona that you really play it to the edge and I think that’s what’s really about you and your co-stars.
Jeremy Luke: Yes.
Jeff Schenck: That’s…
((Crosstalk))
Jeremy Luke: You’re right Jeff we did have a swagger about us. I remember that note.
Jack Scalia: Before you jump into the next question I want to let you know I’ve been on the phone for a while. This is Jack Scalia.
Man: Jack.
Barry Barnholtz: Hey Jack.
Jack Scalia: Just so I’m listening so don’t say anything cross or take a cheap shot at me.
Gary Morgenstein: Okay we’re going to make sure the next question is going to be for Jack.
Operator want to put that through?
Jack Scalia: It’s been very interesting listening to all of you talk and share your thoughts, your memories and your descriptive what you guys accomplish while shooting a film. It’s been very interesting.
Jeff Schenck: Uh oh the God Father has spoken.
Jeremy Luke: Jack plays my dad. He’s a foot and a half taller than me.
Jack Scalia: I told you, you take after your mother’s side.
Jeremy Luke: Thanks dad I love you.
Jack Scalia: Love you too Jeremy.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of (Tony Tellado) with SYFY Talk – please go ahead.
(Tony Tellado): Hi gentlemen, for all of you – what was it like working with your director (John Sheppard) and actually Jack why don’t you go first?
Jack Scalia: What did I do?
Barry Barnholtz: No how was it…
(Tony Tellado): What was it like working with him?
Jack Scalia: With who? The whole crew? The whole cast?
Barry Barnholtz: The director.
(Tony Tellado): You’re director.
Jack Scalia: Oh (John). (John)’s fantastic. Yes (John Sheppard)’s a great guy.
One of the things is that you could always count on him was that no matter how – because it was – I was listening to you answer the last description Jeremy about how it’s hard to keep a straight face when you’re looking at a hand waving at you in the water and it’s supposed to be an albino red eyed attack shark killing everybody.
(John) always kept a calm about the set. He was very professional, very prepared and there’s a lot going on.
Especially when you’re using effects with CGI, green screen – anything with that he was – I always took a look he was always looking at his shot list which is very, very after being 30 plus years in the business and having done a few jobs.
One of the things I know for myself as an actor is how well prepared is the director because he’s basically the quarterback and he gives us the plays.
And if the quarterback is – was feeling good either in the pocket or on the move, then that instills a confidence in me as an actor.
But it’s also a signal to the other actors and to the crew alike. And I think also to assure the producers that he’s in control of the set and he knows what he’s doing.
And he was – because we had a tendency to within the parody of what we were doing we had a – we also we fooled around a lot, we kidded around a lot.
And (John) was a very steadying force and letting us know we get back to work and I believe all the people that were there we’re all professionals, we want to do a good job.
But when there’s an opportunity for us to kind of relieve some of the long hours or the just from the tension that can build from that we just would start to laugh then we would go on a roll and (John) would be there to let us know it’s time to go back to work.
But him being prepared and him being field general out there it always makes a difference. But – and (John) has a great sense of humor so he would let us kid when we wanted to kid and then it was time to get back to it.
But knowing that your director is prepared and knows what the job is where objective is and he’s going to be the one that’s going to get us there in a way that’s going to be gratifying on film and also allowing the actors which I thought was really important was to give us – was let us give him our ideas and how we may feel the scene is.
And not so much how we see the scene but how the scene feels to us and if there was a line or
there was some composition in the structure of the scene that we may have had a little bit of artistic difference of opinion – I mean one of the wonderful things is that he let us get it out.
And that’s really important because sometimes we don’t want to do it the way we would like to do it but to know that we had a chance to at least get our creative instincts out, talk to him about it and then we go and do it the way he wants us to do it.
Barry Barnholtz: He had a real calmness about him too didn’t he everyone?
Jack Scalia: Yes.
Barry Barnholtz: He – and we’ve worked with – Jeff and I’ve had an opportunity to work with a lot of directors and he brought a sense of calmness and not being excited about things even during problems on the set.
There was always that calmness that he – the control that he had?
By the way Jeff and I had an opportunity to be able to meet I don’t know what 10 or 12 other directors. And some of them we were very – before meeting with (John) we were very excited about. But we worked with the executives over at SYFY and with Jeff’s relationship with SYFY they really – they love (John) from past experience and really thought that (John) could really bring something wonderful to the table.
And they were absolutely right.
(Tony Tiata): Cool, thank you gentlemen appreciate that.
Jeff Schenck: Absolutely.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen once again it is the 1 followed by the 4 to register for questions.
And we have a follow-up question from the line of Jamie Ruby with syfyvision.com – please go ahead.
Jamie Ruby: Hello again, I have one more quick question.
Whose idea was it to – with Joey Fatone’s big scene and what did he have to say when he found out that was kind of his part?
Jeff Schenck: Well I’ll tell you it was – I would love to take credit because I think it was brilliant but SYFY, all the executives in the room really wanted somebody culturally iconic to be at Sea Side Heights when we developed the story.
And we must have answered hundreds of names of people that were either Jewish related, Italian related – and then when Joey Fatone came up because you’ve got the remember this whole movie has a sense of humor but to play yourself in it you really got to have a sense of humor.
And Joey was totally game. He also knew that Barry and I make a lot of other family movies and he was liking as his producers what we were doing.
So he jumped in and did it and I told him the one outline that comes out of one of the stories before the movie airs is Joey Fatone is dead.
That’s what we were hoping with that shark attack scene that people would go oh my God, Joey Fatone’s dead and be more of a (unintelligible) because it’s such a wild like oh my God – OMG moment.
That’s – the network really fired it, I’ve got to be honest.
Jamie Ruby: That was really funny, it was awesome.
Alright well thank you.
(John Sheppard): (John Sheppard) joining in.
Gary Morgenstein: (John Sheppard)?
(John Sheppard): Yes.
Barry Barnholtz: Oh hey (John).
Man: Hello?
(John Sheppard): Hi this is (John Sheppard) joining in.
Jeff Schenck: (John Sheppard) the director has joined in everyone.
Barry Barnholtz: The famous director.
Jack Scalia: Welcome.
Jeff Schenck: Jack Scalia was singing your praises.
Jack Scalia: He (unintelligible) night of the opera.
Jeff Schenck: This is like a party it just keeps getting bigger.
Gary Morgenstein: Alright I’m going to send out the bagels; please keep bringing those questions forward Operator.
We have a follow-up question from Jamie Ruby with syfyvision.com – please go ahead.
Jamie Ruby: I have to at least ask the director something here.
So what did you find the most challenging?
(John Sheppard): Well working around water is making any movie whether it be frozen water or snow and ice or on an ocean it’s very challenging.
Everything takes – goes much slower and that was the challenging part was just staging the water stuff.
And I think there was a famous movie called Water World way over budget and now I understand why.
So working in and around water is always tough. But we had a great crew and a very willing cast and so it worked great.
I mean it worked – but if this was a different kind of film where we weren’t dealing with sharks and boats and everything else, it certainly wouldn’t have been an issue.
But as water – something about water and movies.
Jamie Ruby: Alright well thank you so much. Once again guys I really enjoyed it.
Oops sorry.
Jeff Schenck: Thank you.
Jack Scalia: Thank you.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of (Tony Tellado) with SYFY Talk – please go ahead.
(Tony Tellado): Hello again gentlemen. (John) thanks for joining us. I wanted to ask you because some of the actors touched upon it is as far as their characters – did you have enough time to discuss how you wanted them to play them? And did you have any kind of read through or anything ahead of time?
(John Sheppard): We did have a read through with our principal cast and I think Jack Scalia joined us which is very helpful.
We had kind of a table read. We all sat down in Barry’s office and it was a great meet and greet moment as well as everyone’s kind of looking around the room and like oh gee okay so – and it was – and I thought that was very, very helpful because hitting the ground running on day one we had already been – the characters had already been explored.
And then of course like with any film the actor kind of start to work on their character from day one and continue all the way through.
And that’s – everyone just kind of found – there’s a certain moment we can say everyone kind of finding their character.
And a handful of them are right in that first table reading we had in Barry’s office.
(Tony Tellado): Great and please confirm that William Atherton is playing a jerk because Ghost Busters and Die Hard, nobody plays jerks like he does.
Jeff Schenck: I have to interject in the story – when I met him on set because I hadn’t met him then. I went up to him and in talking about his work between Real Genius and Ghost Busters and I just looked at him after a while and go – you’ve played this part before.
And he just looked at me seriously and I thought oh my God he’s going to take this the wrong way.
And he burst out laughing he goes if I could bottle it and just passion that performance I could just keep selling it.
So he took it in good cheer that we knew he could bring that on.
((Crosstalk))
(John Sheppard): Those are always the best parts – the heavies.
And my vision of that character was Donald Trump.
And (Bill) was like yes I’ve got it and that was about all we had to say. And he brought a great – he really brought a great contribution. Really, really great ideas.
He was fantastic to work with.
Barry Barnholtz: He’s so well-seasoned. I mean everything from Sugarland Express and Looking for Mr. Good bar and I think he worked with Spielberg as well on Sugarland.
Jeff Schenck: Yes.
((Crosstalk))
Barry Barnholtz: there’s two Die Hards.
It was terrific to work with him. Very, very, professional.
(Tony Tellado): And for the actors – any comments on that?
Man: Jack?
Jack Scalia: Yes sure no I’m right here.
Yes well one of the great things about William is we’ve all seen him in so many parts and you can say he’s done that part, he’s done that part and they’re kind of similar but they’re really not similar at all except that he’s playing the heavy or the jerk or the one who you want to shoot the quickest.
And through most of my – there were a number of my scenes that were with (Bill) and with of course the great Paul Sorvino and just so the kids that are on I’m just talking about the guys that have been around as long if not longer than me.
And one of the great thing was being with (Bill) in a scene and then – and probably Jeff can attest to this (Bill) would have a certain feel for the scene and do it a couple of times and then (John) would come up to him and I remember one time specifically when (John) was walking up to him and (Bill) just looked at him and goes don’t say it – I got it, I got it.
And then we – and he said okay great. So it’s as if (Bill) – William had read his mind and then (John) – William went away and walked away and then came right back to where he had felt there should be a change.
And he came back and it was actually a scene where he was right in my face with it being his very sarcastic and facetious and kind of I want to punch him in the face kind of attitude.
And he came back and he did it with a little bit different read to it and it made all the difference in the world.
And (John) just said thank you, cut that’s a print.
So I mean working with (Bill) – I always call him (Bill) but William was – when you work with people that have been around for a while and can make adjustments that quickly he was just he’s terrific.
I mean when somebody can do that and not – and know that he’s going to be directed in a certain way and with the experience he has and as I believe I heard I wasn’t sure Barry who said it but there were no egos on that set.
And it was all for one and one for all and we had a great time.
And William and Paul and I in particular scene where we get in each other’s faces towards the end of the movie where everything kind of unfolds, we – (John) had directed us marvelously a couple of times, gave me some instructions and direction and said try it this way or try it that way.
And very specific in his direction and when you work with people like that and you have a director who feels the way he feels for the actors in the sense of a scene because we’re in our own world at that time.
And we always took his direction and he was always spot on with what he directed. And William was wonderful. I mean you can’t say enough about a guy that’s as good as that and makes an adjustment with the direction or just the – just (John) coming to approach him to give him the direction and he already got it.
So William was fantastic.
((Crosstalk))
Barry Barnholtz: Yes I thought the idea of chemistry was terrific between – Jack between you and William as well.
I mean like you had to start in some ways a little bit humble and then to be able to get right in his face kind of thing.
It’s – your acting it certainly came out and showed us a lot of capabilities that you were being able to perform, ?
It’s wonderful.
Jeff Schenck: And I can’t emphasize enough when you talk about acting that I – we’ve been involved in many SYFY movies from Malibu Shark to Chupacabra that (John) directed as well to (unintelligible).
This one I’ve got to be honest with you. Everyone felt they were making the great Indie genre movie.
And no egos that Barry’s talking about, Jack’s talking about – the actors really like worked just honing in.
Everyone was into it. And not that that’s uncommon for SYFY movie but when people have done genre movies they feel like they’re just kind of coming in.
There were eight, nine takes that (John) did that were all performance based. And if an independent SYFY movie its two or three takes, cut move on.
(John) really labored over those performances. They’re not accidental and I challenge you to see other movies on the network and see those things were very done mannered and meticulous that everyone was there spot on, on their dates.
So I really can’t emphasize (John) and the talent how they came in ready to do this movie justice.
(Tony Tellado): Great guys thank you and it was a cue to get definitely to get (Tony Suroko).
Jeff Schenck: Thank you.
Barry Barnholtz: Yes thank you.
Operator: The next question is from the line of (Stacy Roberts) with seriouslyomg.com – please go ahead.
(Stacy Roberts): Hello thank you guys. I absolutely love the movie and I’m telling everyone I know to watch it.
Jeff Schenck: Great.
(Stacy Roberts): And my question is like for one question is for the actors – now I know you spent a lot of time like getting your bodies in shape but what about all the spray tanning and hairspray and all that stuff?
How long did that take?
Jeremy Luke: Hi this is Jeremy. That’s actually a very, very good question and I have to give props to the makeup girls and the makeup and the hair because that was a very tough job.
We did the six main characters there’s three girls and three guys had to go tanning twice, three times a week and I’ve never been spray tanning before in my life.
And it feels like when you’re in salt water and you put your clothes back on you’ve got that icky feeling?
(Stacy Roberts): Mmhmm.
Jeremy Luke: That’s the kind of feeling you have for about 12 hours and we did that about three times a week.
So like it was – that was – it was rough and we also had like one thing that all you guys should remember – (John) especially you is earrings.
We had fake earrings on and we were around water all the time so every time we’re doing a scene the earrings are watered around, earrings actually fell in the ocean.
At one time the last day I remember (John Sheppard) saying to hell with these earrings, let’s just go because we had just had it with the earrings.
But there was like a lot – and the girls especially I mean they had like – (Melissa) had so much stuff on, earrings, spray tan I mean it was a great time.
I wouldn’t – and that’s actually where we all – no we didn’t meet there the first time but that’s where we – we’d go to the spray tan, go out for lunch, it became like a regiment thing.
Then the bronzer, they put the bronzer on us like all day every day.
(Stacy Roberts): Sounds like fun.
Jeremy Luke: Yes it was actually a lot of fun.
(Stacy Roberts): Then for the writers – now being someone that’s from the East coast, hearing a movie that’s called Jersey Shore Shark Attack, I wanted people to die from the Jersey Shore.
Do you regret not killing any of them?
Like killing (Nookie) or my favorite is (Paulie Ballsack).
Jeff Schenck: No I mean I’ll jump in and everyone else can speak.
I really feel and I said this earlier on the call – there is something dynamic in every sense of the word about these characters.
And let’s face it we know the show is like any show is played up for a hyper sense of reality.
But let’s these people there’s a reason why they’re so popular.
They represent something that people are fascinated by and we didn’t want to kill off somebody that people are fascinated by.
And we really felt like look they do get a lot of credit and I’ll be honest there’s a lot of executives who are Italian at SYFY who that was the last thing they wanted to do was to stereotype.
A culture that we’re having fun with and the actors – all of the actors we have some Italian on the phone.
Barry Barnholtz: Yes this is not the type of film where everyone is killed off accept for one or two people.
And then that one person would be able to kill the shark.
I mean there certainly was a lot of kills in the show but as far as the main talent was concerned we kept them alive.
Jeff Schenck: We felt the rich preppies who represent the 1%’ers in this country were more worthy of dying then the hard working Guido’s.
Jeremy Luke: Yes we…
(Stacy Roberts): Have you thought about?
Hmm?
Jeremy Luke: I don’t want my character to die. I don’t want The Complication to die. I want to do part two.
Jeff Schenck: It’s going to lead to the sequel exactly.
Barry Barnholtz: That’s exactly.
Jeremy Luke: Exactly I was going to do part two with these guys. We love them.
(Stacy Roberts): So in other words there is a sequel in the works?
Jeff Schenck: Jeremy has just announced the sequel. Him and his on screen father are announcing it today. You heard it first.
((Crosstalk))
Jack Scalia: Thank you Jeremy for including me in that.
Barry Barnholtz: You heard it from the talent.
Jeremy Luke: No problem Barry.
Jack Scalia: What Jeremy failed to tell you about those three a week tans is he’s still doing it. He fell in love with that character and he’s still doing it.
Barry Barnholtz: He became addicted.
Jeremy Luke: Joey Russo might still be doing it, Joey Russo might still be doing it but I’m not.
Jack Scalia: How about Paulie?
Jeremy Luke: Paulie – hey he’s still got the hair going on. I don’t know if he is though.
The thing – if I can say this real quick, the thing about the Jersey Shore and people hate them it’s like you love to hate them and I’ve seen some of the comments that are online.
It’s like you love to hate them but you hate to love them.
Jeff Schenck: Yep.
((Crosstalk))
Jeff Schenck: I think anything in the middle – you’re absolutely right, I always say that.
It’s been to be loved or hated than just middle of the road because you’ve got to make people want to see you and politicians are the same way.
Either they love you or hate you but they electrify you and polarize you.
Operator: Our next question is from the line of (Scott Foy) with (dreadcentral.com) – please go ahead.
(Scott Foy): Well you’ve had sharks attack Malibu and the Jersey Shore. Where does the sharks attack next?
Barry Barnholtz: I think we should go to an exotic location somewhere guys, what do you think?
Man: Exotic sounds great.
Yes, yes Hawaii – we go to Hawaii.
Jeff Schenck: It will be somewhere nice, we can promise you that.
It’s not a question of where they attack; it’s more of a question of who they will attack.
We got rid of the 1%’ers now we can go for the next evil group.
Operator: And there’s no other questions at the moment. I will now turn the call back to you Mr. Morgenstein.
Gary Morgenstein: Thank you all very much for joining us guys. Thanks so much for getting on the phone and talking to the reporters.
And if you have not seen the movie it is quite a delight. Now I’ve seen it three times.
Most recently we had a screening Saturday night in New York at Paley Center with a nearly packed house whooping it up. It was wonderful.
Saturday June, 9 at 9 o’clock Jersey Shore Shark Attack only on SYFY.
Thanks again everyone.
