Filming In Smithtown For "Christmas Eve In Miller's Point" To Begin In February

By Adam Navas

This February, Smithtown natives Eric Berger and Tyler Taormina will be shooting a feature film they both co-wrote titled Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point on location in Long Island. The two have worked on multiple movies together but this will be the first time their hometown will be the chief backdrop. To obtain some more information, I was lucky enough to interview co-writer Eric Berger and ask some questions pertaining to the film and its exciting portrayal of the Smithtown area. 

How has the process been between getting the initial idea and now that you’re a month or so away from shooting? 

I want to say Tyler and I started developing this in late 2017 or 2018. We outlined for months before completing the first draft while on a writing retreat in Twin Peaks, then continued writing and revising over the next year or so.

Was it just the two of you?

To start it was the two of us, but later our close friend and editor Kevin Anton came on board and helped us bring the script to completion. 

Were there any challenges in writing the script together, or was it easier than doing it alone? 

He and I have an amazing rhythm together. We’ve known each other since we were twelve, so our rapport is as natural as it gets. A shared sense of humor and complementary well of ideas makes the whole process a lot of fun. The only downside is that at some point we have to stop writing.

What sparked the initial idea for the script? 

Tyler had come to me with the idea of a Christmas film with a big family, so we started talking about it, then started building out the family. It’s a pretty large family, with the extended members it’s between 10 and 20 people. Then we created backstories, psychologies, and it became more interesting. Just dialoguing at length is enough to get us excited and committed enough to see the film through.

How would you describe the film as a whole? 

[Christmas at Miller’s Point] is a portrait of a family coming together for the holiday, full of excitement and tension, as one generation gives way to another. It’s a comedy about looking for ourselves in each other, about growing older and apart and tracking through the snow to start over again.

When do you start shooting? 

We’re starting on February 15th!

What are you hoping the people of Smithtown draw from this film? 

Hopefully, they’ll be able to go to theaters and see something of themselves on screen. We’re from the town and our families still live here. The film is for them and our friends and an idea that puts it all together.

What are you hoping the general audience will draw from the film? 

The film has a classic and nostalgic appeal while being adventurous in form. It’s meant to be a good time with a lot of laughs, and if we’re successful audiences will leave with a deepened interest in independent cinema.

If you’re interested in supporting the project send your name and contact information to omnesfilms@gmail.com. If you’d like to audition to act in the film send your information and a photo to the same email address. Be sure to look out for Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point in the near future, and if you’re interested in Eric and Tyler’s other work you can find the last feature they wrote together Ham on Rye on Amazon Prime.

Adam Navas is an award-winning filmmaker/screenwriter, in both narrative and documentary, currently residing in Los Angeles. Navas has worked for major networks such as Disney, NBC, and Hulu, as well as producing his own internationally-screened content. His social media journalism throughout the pandemic garnered a following of over sixty-thousand people and millions of views. In 2020, he was awarded top honors by the Golden Script Competition, Milan Gold, Hollywood Just4Shorts, and Short Stop International. He currently has three films - one documentary, two narratives - slated for release in 2023.