Arts & Entertainment

Scorsese Joins Local 'Paz' Movie Project

The acclaimed director and producer "loves the story, loves the script," says EG producter Chad Verdi.

Chad Verdi's film project on the life of Rhode Island boxing great Vinnie Pazienza received a high-octane Hollywood boost a few days ago, when Oscar-winning director and producer Martin Scorsese signed on as an executive producer.

"Having Marty join the deal is huge," said Verdi.

Verdi was put in touch with Scorsese after a conversation with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who is friends with both men. Whitehouse knew Verdi was making "Paz" and that Verdi's previous movies had brought jobs to the state.

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"Sheldon knew we were creating jobs in Rhode Island," Verdi said.

The company is – perhaps improbably – based on Main Street in East Greenwich, in the former United Methodist Church building. That’s because Verdi is from EG. (He’s behind Searle’s Old Tyme Ice Cream, too, also on Main Street.) And many of Verdi's films include scenes filmed in Cranston as well as in East Greenwich, including the most recent movie, "Army of The Damned,” which just finished shooting, and Self Storage, which was shot last year.

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But "Paz," the Vinnie Pazienza story, was always what Verdi was aiming for. In fact, he has readily admitted making the early films just so he could learn the craft and be more experienced for "Paz." Now, Verdi's got one of the most famous behind-the-camera names in the world.

"They love the story, they love the script, they love director," Verdi said of Scorsese and his producing partner Emma Tillinger Koskoff. The director is Ben Younger, of Boiler Room

"This is going to attract some of the biggest names in the world," he continued. "Marty’s the man, Ben Younger’s the man, everybody wants to work with them."

The movie has not been cast yet. Verdi said he was leaving the casting to Younger, particularly because Verdi himself is so attached to the project. 

"It was better for the film, it was better for the business," that way, he said. 

Verdi's learned a lot about the business in four short years and his companies (he has Verdi Productions for bigger films and Woodhaven Productions for lower-budget pictures with a fast turnaround) have been successful – his movies are on Netflix and in Red Box kiosks. His company is so busy making films, they are already scheduled through 2016.

"I have four movies for sale at the Cannes Film Festival," Verdi said. "We are so busy I can’t even go.... We can’t make films fast enough and keep up the quality. It’s a great position to be in."

"Paz" could begin filming in 2014 and Verdi said he wants it to be filmed in Rhode Island. But he said if the state eliminates the movie-making tax credit, they could decide to look elsewhere. Right now, he said, the tax credit is in place at least through July 2014.

"I’d be disappointed if [filming] went anywhere else," he said. 

As for the Paz's reaction to Scorsese's decision to sign on, Verdi said, "He’s on cloud nine. He almost didn’t believe it."

And did you know Paz is an alum of Park View Middle School in Cranston?


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