Cranston filmmaker returns to where it all started

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 4/26/17

By JACOB MARROCCO Tom DeNucci had aspirations of a career in law enforcement before enrolling in a video production class during his senior year at Cranston High School West. To his recollection, his graduating group was the first to be offered that

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Cranston filmmaker returns to where it all started

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Tom DeNucci had aspirations of a career in law enforcement before enrolling in a video production class during his senior year at Cranston High School West. To his recollection, his graduating group was the first to be offered that course. It turned out to change his career path for good, and he was “bit by the filmmaking bug.”

DeNucci, 32, has already received the 2013 Rhode Island International Film Festival Robert Burgess Aldrich Award and recently finished shooting a Christmas movie in his hometown. Production wrapped over the weekend for “The Santa Files” as DeNucci shot some final scenes at his old stomping grounds.

“It’s a pretty surreal feeling,” he said of shooting a film at West. “I had no interest until I took that class. It was taught by [football] coach Jay Jones, and that changed my life. I took it as a senior in high school and I had a eureka moment.”

That a-ha moment has resulted in more than 16 acting, seven producing, four writing and five directing credits for DeNucci, according to IMDb. His latest effort centers on a group of “outcast” kids at the fictional Norepole Middle School with a fixation on the paranormal. Their latest goal is to set out to find the true identity of Santa Claus.

Just about every frame of the picture was shot in Cranston, and DeNucci said the city has accommodated his crew well. Other shooting locations have included Cranston Print Works and the Cranston Veteran’s Memorial Ice Rink on Phenix Avenue.

“Having it all in Cranston made sense,” DeNucci said. “Everything was a hop, skip and a jump away. Mayor [Allan] Fung was really great, the city of Cranston was really great in terms of facilitating us. R.I. Film and Television Officer [Executive Director] Steven Feinberg, he was able to get me in contact with a lot of the right people.”

DeNucci isn’t the only local connection to the movie. One of the children acting in the film is Warwick Veterans Junior High’s own Chase Andersen, 13, who plays a bully named Roger. His mother, Toni, said Saturday that they have enjoyed the experience of working with DeNucci.

“It’s been amazing,” Andersen said. “For Chase, he’s having the best time of his life. It’s an awesome group of kids and adults. It’s been a really great experience overall, and the production team and the cast, it’s been nice all around.”

DeNucci said that, in order to keep long days of filming enjoyable for his child actors, he often will slip into their roles and become a kid himself. He said that’s an easy and entertaining task.

“We did a scene where everyone is dressed up with bandanas like little commandos and they have toy laser blasters,” DeNucci said. “I’m on my hands and knees with a bandana and laser blaster running around after them.

“There is certainly a different approach you have to take [with kids]. Being an actor is work. It’s hard work for long hours and it’s repetition. The adults understand that. The kids don’t understand that right away, especially if they haven’t been on set a long time. The key is keeping them engaged and making it a game at times so it doesn’t feel like work.”

An adult who certainly understands that concept is one of the film’s stars, Ed Asner. According to his IMDb page, Asner, 87, has more than 360 acting credits to his name, most notably in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant” and the voice of Carl Fredricksen in the animated feature Up. He has won numerous Golden Globes and Emmys and has his star on the Walk of Fame.

“Working with Ed Asner is certainly a notch in any director’s belt,” DeNucci said. “He’s a legend. He’s been in over 100 films. He’s done it all and to work with a guy like that, it certainly helps to have someone that can bring so much to the table in terms of their performance.”

While there is no set date for the movie’s release, DeNucci expects it to be out in time for Christmas this year. He continues to live his dream as president of Woodhaven Media in East Greenwich, with a close-to-home production under his belt.

“As a kid I dreamed of making movies, and now I’m walking those hallways with a crew,” DeNucci said.

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  • JustBeWell

    Nice story...local kid makes good.

    Sunday, April 30, 2017 Report this