The whole small-town-kid-hits-it-big-in-Hollywood dream may sound like a cliché for some, but for Levittown native Brian James Fitzpatrick, it is becoming a sound reality.
The Division Avenue High School grad left the suburbs of Levittown for Tinsel Town at the age of 26 to embark on a film career. Now returning to his roots to shoot a movie, Fitzpatrick shared just how life-changing following a dream can be.
“As a kid, I was always putting on puppet shows and entertaining my sisters,” said Fitzpatrick. “I found different ways to tell stories, that’s where most of this grew from. I was always reading ghost stories, making comic books with friends and making movies with my family.”
Fitzpatrick played sports in high school, but gravitated toward the theatre program. He attended Nas-sau Community College as a double major in theatre and communications before receiving his bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz. He also studied at The William Esper Studio in Manhattan.
“It was about a change of environment and to change the possibility of what was around me,” said Fitzpatrick on leaving Levittown. “While New York is great for actors and filmmaking, Los Angeles has that classic appeal so I figured I might as well try it and see if it sticks. That was almost 10 years ago.”
Unlike the starry-eyed youth that pack their bags and go, Fitzpatrick was responsible about his move.
“I transferred with a job from New York, but there was always a fear that people won’t listen to what you have to say,” he said, adding that his parents were supportive of his relocation.
When the recession hit in 2008, Fitzpatrick lost his job and began writing and working on short film projects. He applied for a position as an unpaid intern at Muse Film Productions—a company whose films he had always loved—and got the job.
“I went for it because of my love for movies and their projects,” said Fitzpatrick of the three month internship. “When the position expired, I stayed on and kept learning more about filmmaking. They saw my enthusiasm and asked me to come to New Mexico and Oklahoma to help with a movie called The Killer Inside Me where I worked as a key production assistant.” Fitzpatrick was brought on for other projects, including developing more visual materials, acting as a ghost writer and even helping produce several films.
Fast forward a few years and Fitzpatrick and Muse Productions are working together on his upcoming movie, The Events Surrounding a Peeping Tom & the Horror that Followed. Emmy nominated FX House has also been brought on to crowdfund the project.
“The story is about Martin Malone, who is a Peeping Tom. He has Scopophilia—a love of watching people,” said Fitzpatrick of his first feature movie. “He feels that by watching people, he’s having profound connections and relationships due to his disconnection from reality. When his peeping leads him to the girl of his dreams, the more he watches her, he finds that she may be involved in a dangerous secret society, so he must find a way to save her.”
Fitzpatrick described the film as a surreal, psychological horror movie or “horror noir,” a genre that happens to be his favorite.
“It’s all about the storytelling, and for me, the key is that you’re escaping and finding something that resonates with you,” he said. “There’s a community aspect and a group setting to working on a film, and Levittown has a great character to the town and the people,” added Fitzpatrick, recalling his hometown.
Aside from the fact that Levittown is so intensely suburban—just what his movie needs—Fitzpatrick is hoping to return for another reason.
“The core of me was developed in Levittown. I’m also trying to rediscover the love of film making again,” said Fitzpatrick.
“There’s a lot of stress to it, so coming back to Levittown, that’s the place where my heart and imagination is.”
If all goes well with funding the campaign through Kickstarter, Fitzpatrick and his longtime friend and producing partner Damian Maffei—who plays the lead actor in the film—will be on location in Levittown through May. They are looking at the Empress Diner, Red Wing Park, The Levittown Public Library and hopefully a good Chinese food restaurant as locations.
Nassau Community College has also opened its campus for the film.
Like any project, Fitzpatrick said that financing has been the most difficult part of his movie’s journey so far.
“The creative aspects are fun and will always be evolving; there will always be a continued passion, but financially, it’s a great barrier to find funds and it takes a lot of people, time and effort to make a movie,” he said. “Our campaign has been very slow from the start but it is progressing.”
Fitzpatrick and Maffei have been utilizing every form of social media, including horror channels and horror fan websites.
“I’m excited about working with material that is haunting and challenging because the type of story we have that is character driven,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s becoming increasingly present for all of us—this hyper-surveillance from the NSA and people peeping into each other’s lives on social media—that we need a new way to express that fear if it goes too far or gets dangerous. It’s a topical subject,” added Fitzpatrick on his take of a modern day peep show.
For now, Fitzpatrick is dedicating every ounce of his time and energy into his movie, but he encourages others in his position to stay positive.
“If you have a certain idea that would turn someone on, focus on how you can build it as best you can,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work but you’re supposed to be finding something about yourself and the world around you. Don’t lose the sense of creativity and fun.”
