He lens a hand

To a prepubescent Nick Lanciano, being shut out of R-rated movies was frustrating. But he refused to be excluded from the film industry. The movie buff decided to put his creative mind to work and make his own movies.

"I had this silly idea of doing movies on a super-8 camera and charging neighborhood kids a nickel to see the movie," says Lanciano, now 36.

Transforming his basement into "Nick’s Nickelodeon," the amateur filmmaker screened his movies for a group of discerning critics (better known as his neighborhood pals). His debut was an adaptation of the 1978 horror classic Halloween.

Lanciano used locales and on-site locations — including his own home — to mimic the film’s plot. His friends played the roles of heroine Laurie Strode and madman Michael Myers.

"He basically chased her up and down the street with a fake knife," says Lanciano, originally from 12th and Dickinson streets. "Since we had no sound, we played a tape recorder of the soundtrack while the movie was filming."

Lanciano’s next picture was a more family-friendly choice. Borrowing the Review‘s office at 12th and Porter streets, the then-12-year-old filmed his rendition of Superman II. The office served as the headquarters for The Daily Planet.

The cash-strapped innovator knew that expensive special effects were a no-go. So he used his ingenuity and tips from the now-defunct Cinemagic Magazine to create his own. One trick involved using a magnifying glass to add the effect of laser beams emitting from Superman’s eyes.

"I still amaze myself when I watch it," says Lanciano.

The onetime prodigy never lost his love of moviemaking, and today has a film-editing suite in his home on the 2400 block of South 19th Street, where he produces music videos for local singers.

Much like when he was a kid, Lanciano is doing it for fun.

"Right now, I’m not looking at it as a business," he says. "I want to do it because I love it and want to help somebody out."

A 1986 graduate of St. John Neumann High School, Lanciano honed his production skills at locations throughout the city during his teens. >

At age 14, he landed a position in the audio/video department of Thomas Jefferson University’s Scott Memorial Library. Lanciano would train doctors and students on manning the technical equipment.

When he was 18, Lanciano had the privilege of filming and editing surgeries at Hahnemann University Hospital. Students analyzed the videos and used them as a supplement to their courses, he says. Lanciano also repaired the medical school’s electronics and sound systems.

As an adult, he worked at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnefield.

Describing himself as the antithesis of a "school person," Lanciano says he never attended college. His hands-on experience has been more valuable than taking "useless" classes that do not apply to his field, he adds.

However, his lack of technical certification has prevented him from getting jobs at local broadcast stations.

Ever the entrepreneur, Lanciano decided to open his own production company in 1989. Lanciano Productions filmed local events, commercials for local businesses and a few music videos.

But the foray into his dream business ended quickly.

"I couldn’t compete with other companies who had this great equipment at the time," Lanciano says. "All of a sudden, it wasn’t fun anymore. Now I was doing it to pay bills."

The discouraged producer says he took jobs in the more "technical end" of his field — installing theater, satellite and sound systems in local homes.

But Lanciano’s inner-child filmmaker yearned for more.

Last year, he decided to approach the business without the pressures of turning a profit. Lanciano transformed his home office into an editing suite and started Apexalon Films to produce music videos. The equipment is "10 times better than it was back then," he says.

Harking back to his days as a young filmmaker, Lanciano shoots the videos at locations across the area, including a space he rents at the Opera House, 20th Street and Penrose Avenue.

The musicians must have their songs professionally recorded before the video is shot, he notes.

"They will send me a CD, and I will draw up a couple scenarios on storyboards and give them a couple of ways to do the film," he says.

For now, the producer is offering his services for free.

"I’m doing it to build up my demo reels and help them out at the same time," he says. "I always said that if I ever have the opportunity to help somebody out in the entertainment industry, I’m going to do it."

Lanciano says the future looks bright for Apexalon Films. Along with an agreement to produce some videos for his friend’s record label, Lanciano plans to film some short movies in the next few years. He is currently penning scripts with his friend Marc Valentino.

Lanciano pays the bills with his full-time job at Audiomax in Blue Bell. The company sells and installs sound, video and music systems. He also supplements his income through another venture, Lanciano Communications, setting up residential audio and video systems.

He shares his home with his wife, the former Ruth Zdanavage, 36, and their two daughters, Meah, 2, and Erica, 10.

Lanciano has high hopes that his sideline will grow.

"I would love to have a production studio and doing all kinds of features with a full crew," he says. "But if that doesn’t happen, that’s fine, too. As long as I’m doing this, I’ll be happy."