Tony Germinario Director for ‘The Price for Silence’ on making his film

The Price for Silence film was directed by Tony Germinario and has been acquired by Circus Road Films. Having just begun its festival run, this outstanding film has already won 9 awards, including multiple awards for Best Actor, directing and for Best Film. Tony Germinario reels us through his work on making his feature film.

indieactivity : Please can you give us a background of your personal filming and share more about the story?
Tony Germinario : I have been writing scripts for about 10 years and The Price for Silence is the second feature film I’ve both written and directed. The film is very timely as it centers on a woman who was raped as a teen, but her father took money in order to cover it up. It’s now years later and after her father dies, the woman comes home to confront everyone involved.

indieactivity : Did you start  with a cast in mind?
Tony Germinario : The only cast I had in mind initially was Lynn Mancinelli, the star of the film  I had worked with her on my first feature, BAD FRANK, and she was so talented I knew I wanted to work with her again. I went to her with the original idea and she jumped on board right away. I wrote the script with her input so it was a great collaboration.

Related Story: The Price For Silence with Kristin Carey, Emrhys Cooper, Richard Thomas & Lynn Mancinelli released in theaters July 19th

indieactivity : How long did you take to complete the script?
Tony Germinario : It probably took me about 4-5 months to complete the script, partially because I still have a day job that takes me away from writing full time. I typically try and follow the Hero’s Journey process, but like any writer, sometimes my mind wanders and I drift off course.  Fortunately, I had a good team that kept me focused.

indieactivity : During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
Tony Germinario : I think there were a number of difficult scenes because the material was pretty heavy, but there’s one scene with Lynn and Kristin Carey who plays Lynn’s mother in the film that was challenging. It was not only emotional, but we shot it in a small bathroom with a huge mirror which presented a few challenges. They were both troopers and nailed it in the end.

indieactivity : What works better in this latest production that mightn’t have worked so well in the last one you did?
Tony Germinario : Well, BAD FRANK was the first feature I directed so I was sort of learning as I went. I think I was a lot more confident in working with the actors and knowing what I wanted. Again, it helps when you have a great team supporting you. My DP, Mike Hechanova, was fantastic. He worked on my first film, and for this one we were basically editing as we were shooting.

indieactivity : You wrote and directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
Tony Germinario : I’m a very collaborative person, so I like to collect input from my team.  I hire talented people so I expect them to give their opinions and advice. At the end of the day, I’m the one making the decisions, but I’m smart enough to know I’m not always the smartest person in the room, so I’ll do whatever I have to in order to deliver the right stuff.  

indieactivity : Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
Tony Germinario : Budget.  Doesn’t everyone? But seriously, I struggle a bit sometimes with the paperwork and the red tape.  I get it, but sometimes people make it a real hassle just to get your project seen.

indieactivity : Where do you think your strengths line as a filmmaker?
Tony Germinario : I love actors, and I love to see them become their role, so I like to give them the freedom to explore a bit. I don’t need to work 100% off the script because I want the actors to breathe life into their characters.  As long as their staying within the guidelines of the idea, I’ll let them play all day and I think most actors like that.  

indieactivity : Let’s talk finance, How did you finance the film?
Tony Germinario : We were fortunate enough to get some investors to put up the funding. They had seen my first film, and wanted to be part of this next one.

indieactivity : How much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
Tony Germinario : We actually came in under budget. I spent a lot of time in the business world, and I’m also the father of three beautiful daughters so I’ve learned how to control a budget. When it’s not my money, I actually feel a lot more responsible with it. 

indieactivity : How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
Tony Germinario : Marketing is huge. I think it’s extremely hard in today’s market to get any film out there that isn’t a comic book movie or doesn’t have a “name” so marketing is crucial. While I know it’s importance, I can’t say I’ve mastered it yet, at all. It’s a constant learning process for me.

indieactivity : Can you tell us about your marketing activities on the project – and how it’s gone for you?
Tony Germinario : We work with a PR person who’s done a good job getting our name out there with interviews, reviews, etc. I do my own social media, which is a job all by itself, and the people on my team do their own, as well. I think we could definitely doing more, because there are always people and markets that have never heard of you. You just have to keep grinding.

indieactivity : What do you hope audiences get from your film?
Tony Germinario : I hope that audience will really appreciate the story and the performances. The film was written and shot before the #metoo movement started, so it’s crazy how relevant it has become. When you think about abuse and addiction and the effects they have on people, it’s a universal story, so I hope people can relate to it.

indieactivity : What else have you got in the works?
Tony Germinario : A ton! I’ve finished a script I worked on with a partner of mine, Choice Skinner called THE LEGEND OF CISCERO which is an urban horror film. I’m also working on another horror film based on Alcatraz, a stoner comedy called Chairlift, and a dramedy called COUSIN FINBAR’S IRISH WAKE.  (Gotta shoot that one in Ireland because that would be awesome.) I’ve got several other projects in the works, but those are the ones bubbling to the top right now.

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