Asbury Park, Ocean Grove Will Be Featured in Upcoming Film, Garden State Film Festival opens April 3
By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
 Eileen Meyers directs her film Asbury Park, an entrant in this years Garden State Film Festival. |
Rosaleen and Gerald Myers of Ocean Grove knew their daughter Eileen was destined for Hollywood when she was in high school.
She was always into theater and writing, Rosaleen said.
But little did they know that they would someday become an integral part of her movie career.
Eileens film, Asbury Park was chosen to be in the Garden State Film Festival coming to Asbury Park April 3 to April 6.
Asbury Park, which will be shown at the Stephen Crane House April 5 at 2:30 p.m., is about a brother and sister who revisit old haunts in Asbury Park after he is released from rehab.
The sister has not seen him sober for many years.
Their quest for re-connection and Bruce Springsteen takes them through a day of conflict, resolution, and eventually the revelation of a miracle.
The film stars Michael Esper and Reyna DeCourcy.
Cinematographer is Todd Armitage, also a New Jersey native.
The Myers family lived in Bergen County, where Eileen and her brother were raised.
Rosaleen and Gerald purchased a home in Ocean Grove in 1998, moving there permanently in 2000.
Eileen lives in Echo Park, California with her husband Kevin Shinick, an actor and writer.
Eileen is currently executive story editor and co-producer of the HBO series Big Love.
Rosaleen says she gets plenty of phone calls from friends who recognize street and character names that Eileen writes into episodes.
Rosaleen remembers telling Eileen after one episode that the dialogue sounded familiar.
It should, she told me, its a conversation you and I had when I was 15, Rosaleen said.
Eileen began working on the 28-minute film, Asbury Park, about five years ago, according to her father Gerald.
I play the old man talk about type casting, Gerald said.
Eileen began filming the movie in 2005 and returned to New Jersey twice in the spring of 2006 and in the fall of 2006 to complete the film.
The making of Asbury Park was truly a family affair with Rosaleen given the task of gathering extras for the film.
They cant be over 45 she told me. Im almost 70 so it was mostly neighbors, Rosaleen said laughing.
Rosaleen also enlisted the help of the wait staff from Moonstruck and Arnold Teixeira, co-owner of the Starving Artist in Ocean Grove as extras.
The restaurants of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove were well represented, she said.
Arnold, an actor himself, even got to play a brief part as a priest.
It was fun, we had a lot of fun, Rosaleen said.
Another task was buying two cases of beer to be used in a scene taking place after a Bruce Springsteen concert on the boardwalk.
Fortunately Rosaleens friend from North Jersey owns the Henry Richard Inn and she graciously allowed the inn to be used for interior scenes.
Speaking of the film crews Rosaleen said, They moved furniture, they moved curtains, it was hysterical, it was complete chaos.
Later one of the actors who was waiting for his next scene turned to Rosaleen and said, Youve got one good friend there.
Eileens husband Kevin Shinick, who writes for Nickelodeon and The Family Guy, had his film Its About Time, shown at the 2005 GSFF.
He was also host of the popular childrens program, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego and produced the Spiderman Stage Show, which toured the country and ended up at Radio City.
I call them the dynamic duo, Rosaleen said of the talented couple.
Read more about your town by picking up The Coaster at your local newsstand or subscribe today.
Published every Thursday.
