It’s not easy being Superman, or so the song says, but imagine how difficult it is being his director. Production costs, costumes and bad weather can all wreak super havoc, but South Philly resident John-Paul Zito has managed to overcome them all. His short movie, Major Liberty v. Justice Lad, will be shown later this month at the Prince Music Theater as part of a Temple University film festival.
The 21-year-old director, who recently graduated cum laude from Temple with a degree in film and media, found inspiration in his lifelong love of comic books as well as his part-time occupation as a legal courier in Center City.
The movie, which pits two superheroes against each other as they try to legally dissolve their crime-fighting partnership, was shot in and around the city and used all local actors — who also happen to be Zito’s friends.
"Without a doubt, I couldn’t have done this without them," the director says of his buddies, who met with him twice a week over the course of the year it took to convert a five-minute script into a 16-minute movie.
The film was the centerpiece of Zito’s senior project in a prestigious Temple course that admits just 25-30 students per semester.
Of those students, only a few are chosen to participate in the upcoming film festival, an all-day affair that boasts a bevy of diverse films. Admission to the June 27 event is free.
Graduates often use their senior-project films as a business card of sorts, their way of nudging open the door to the film industry. Zito hopes to follow that blueprint.
"Ideally, after this show, I’ll take the movie on the road to independent film festivals in Florida and Chicago and a few other spots," he says. "The thinking is that if your film goes over well, you land yourself an agent. Then, you hopefully find a studio that’s interested in your work."
In Zito’s project, studios will find an altogether distinct film that pays homage to the director’s hometown and to his love of comic books.
Several critical shots were filmed in Center City office buildings, and the heroes even took to running outside of Independence Mall and posing with tourists.
"It was strange. I wasn’t sure if they were posing with us because we looked ridiculous or if they genuinely wanted a picture," says Pat Maitino, of the 2400 block of South 22nd Street, who portrays distraught sidekick Justice Lad.
The actor did indeed stand out in his blue-and-white superhero costume, which represented one of the movie’s larger obstacles.
"I had a heck of a tough time getting campy, realistic costumes made," Zito says.
Though it cost him more than $400 to clothe his heroes, the director’s grandfather, who worked for 60 years as a tailor, ultimately saved the day.
"He never asked any questions, he never even made mention of how odd this whole project was," Zito laughs.
The director quickly learned an on-the-job lesson in just how expensive it is to make a movie. He had to resort to fundraisers to cover the cost of producing his film — a major problem that many film students face but one for which few actually plan.
"I had saved about $3,000 over the course of four years just in anticipation of this project, and it still wasn’t enough," Zito says. "Temple gives each [senior-project] student two $250 grants to work on their films, but that covers very little. You have to pay for post-production, color correction and for additional film, which is usually developed by an outside agency like NFL Films. That costs you an arm and a leg."
Because few students plan for all of the expenses, many of them run out of steam in the middle of production, he adds.
Despite money-saving measures like employing the talents of friends and family and working with a directing partner, fellow graduate Brad Wolf, Zito says his funds "barely got me to the finish line."
As if costume conundrums and money messes weren’t enough, Zito struggled with East Coast weather patterns throughout filming.
Snowfall in January and February delayed a number of filming sequences, and shots done on alternating days in Center City offices were ruined by changing weather.
"We had one scene that was in front of a huge window with a skyline view. [The scene] started out bright and sunny, but when we came back a few days later, it was pouring. That was a royal pain," Zito sighs. Still, the director said his reward came as he saw his characters develop and his film take shape.
"We worked for a long time, fleshing out these characters, getting them just right," he says. "The hard work certainly shows up on film."
The actors were pleased with the finished product as well.
"They fit us so well," Maitino says of Justice Lad, the character he portrays, and fellow lead Anthony Trovarello’s Major Liberty.
"Basically, Justice Lad’s a tough little guy who can’t stand his control-freak boss, who constantly demeans him in public. That conflict leads to them wanting a legal separation," Maitino explains.
Zito says he expects viewers to be thrown by the premise of his film — in fact, that was one of his working goals.
"I’d say it’s an offbeat dramedy. Very offbeat, in fact," Zito muses. "What makes it so fun to watch is the group of actors I have. They have no real training, but they’re all hams and they’re all willing to do whatever I ask, whenever I ask them."
Reflecting on the power he seemingly wields, the director leans back and lets out a maniacal laugh.
"It almost sounds like the superhero thing is getting to me, doesn’t it?"
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Major Liberty v. Justice Lad will be shown at the Temple University Senior Project Film Festival, which will be held June 27 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.liberty-justice.org.
