'Labor Of Love': Long Island-Filmed Feature Explores Relationships, Judgment

LONG ISLAND, NY — What began as a one-day film project evolved into a feature-length movie shot across Long Island.

"Wait List: A Love-ish Story," an independent feature from Long Island native Debra Markowitz, was filmed throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties with the help of local actors, crew members, and residents who opened their homes and businesses to production.

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Markowitz, who wrote, directed, produced, and cast the film, said the project took shape after a conversation with actor Travis Grant about filming a short project. She soon began envisioning Grant alongside actors Bec Fordyce and Loring Murtha.

"What started as a one-day short film became a feature script a few days later when I saw how great their chemistry was," she said.

The nearly two-hour film explores relationships and the way people judge others based on what brings them happiness. While the story tackles emotional and heartbreaking moments, Markowitz said she set out to create something light and uplifting in a time when the "world has been so dark. At the center of it all is that love can be real, even when it looks different," she said.

When assembling the cast and crew, Markowitz said relationships were key. Her husband, business partner, and the film's director of photography, John Marean, taught advanced production courses at local colleges and recruited former students to work on the production when opportunities arose.

Because of schedules, crew members have to be switched up from time to time, but she said some will "always have a place on our sets," including Dom Broccolo, Jack Kelly, Zach Walker, and Kory Diskin.

Markowitz completed the first draft of the screenplay in about a week. Casting and securing locations took several more weeks, while filming stretched over a few months to work with actors' schedules, including those of Abigail Hawk and Robert Clohessy, who were still working on "Blue Bloods." The post-production stage took roughly a year.

A longtime advocate for the film industry, Markowitz founded the Long Island International Film Expo and led the Nassau County Film Commission for 33 years. Through that work, she has connected with filmmakers from around the world.

"It's all about telling stories that move me," she said. "If they move me, I know they'll move others. When you write the script, cast the actors, and film the movie, you're building worlds. There's nothing better to me than building those worlds."

She also encouraged Long Islanders to support independent films, noting that smaller productions often bring fresh ideas and original stories to the screen.

"Filmmaking is the most rewarding and yet the hardest industry in the world," she said. "People always complain about sequels and prequels and remakes, and independent filmmakers generally bring something new to the table."

The film, which Markowitz described as a "labor of love," relied heavily on community support. Filming took place throughout Long Island, with some cast members, friends, and residents offering their homes and apartments as shooting locations. Scenes were also filmed at Governor's Comedy Club in Levittown.

"When you're an indie filmmaker, you count on the kindness of strangers," she said.

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video.