What began as an independent film shot in homes, businesses and neighborhoods across Long Island has reached a global streaming audience.
Wait List: A Love-ish Story, a feature film led by Merrick filmmaker Debra Markowitz and produced through Intention Films and Media with business partner John Marean, debuted on Prime Video on April 2, marking a major milestone for a production rooted almost entirely in local talent.
The romantic comedy, distributed by IndieRights, is expected to roll out next to YouTube, Google Play, Tubi and additional streaming platforms as part of a broader distribution campaign.
For Markowitz, the streaming release is significant not only because of the audience Prime Video offers, but because independent films often rely on word-of-mouth and grassroots support to gain traction.
“Especially when you do an indie film, you don’t have the studio budget for the marketing,” Markowitz said. “You depend on the local press and people liking it and passing it on to other people so people hear about the film.”
Markowitz, a former Nassau County film commissioner who served from 1988 to 2020 and has long championed regional filmmaking, said bringing a Long Island-made film to a global platform carries special meaning.
“Not everything has to be made in New York City or California,” she said. “You can do it all here in the hometown. We do have our talent base. We love where we live.”
Shot entirely on Long Island over several months, the production used locations including private homes in Merrick, Wantagh and Lloyd Harbor, as well as Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown, an apartment in Long Beach and Soul Brew in Bellmore.
“There’s just a taste of Long Island throughout it,” Markowitz said. “Somebody watching the film may say, ‘Wait a minute, I know this,’ or, ‘That looks like home.’”
The film follows a young man pursuing a longtime crush on his childhood friend’s mother after learning she is divorced, setting off a mix of romance, comedy and complications.
Its cast includes newcomers Travis Grant of Merrick, Bec Fordyce, E.J. Acosta of Central Islip, Julia Winer of Mineola, Ryan DeNicola of Massapequa, Noelle Yatauro of Glen Cove, Loring Murtha of the Bronx and Kate Brady, originally from Manhasset, alongside veteran actors Robert Clohessy, Abigail Hawk, Lukas Hassel, Tara Westwood and Kim Director.
For Grant, seeing the film reach Prime Video has been a career milestone.
“It’s literally a dream come true,” Grant said. “I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer from day one.”
Grant said the release has brought attention from viewers well beyond Long Island, including messages from fans overseas.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “People are reaching out from the UK, from Italy. To have people from all over the world seeing the work — it means so much.”
Markowitz credited Grant, who entered filmmaking through the project after initially connecting with her to learn about the industry, as a key part of the film’s success.
“He was just a joy,” she said. “He was so committed to it, and the camera loves him without question.”
Grant, who is expected to film his first comedy special in Lindenhurst in November, said working with Markowitz and Marean helped shape his first major film experience.
“It’s such a collaborative effort,” Grant said. “We always find this pace, this gear, that we all lock into and work.”
Grant’s improvisational skill and chemistry with co-star Bec Fordyce helped inspire Markowitz to expand the project from a short film into a feature. By the end of the first week of filming the short, she said, she had written the screenplay for the feature-length version.
Behind the scenes, the film also drew heavily from Long Island talent. Crew members included electric and sound professionals Dom Broccolo and Zach Walker of Hicksville, Mike Tuminello of Massapequa, Acosta, John “Jack” Kelly, originally from Center Moriches, and Josh and Rob Graydon of West Hempstead. Production design was led by Kory Diskin of Roslyn Heights, while much of the soundtrack features music by Rorie Kelly of Sound Beach.
For Markowitz, whose career has included more than 50 independent films, the project also serves as proof that high-quality filmmaking can happen close to home.
“You can do it here,” she said. “If you have the right people, you can make some incredible stuff for a fraction of what Hollywood charges.”
Even as Wait List expands to more streaming platforms, Markowitz said Intention Films and Media is moving ahead with several new projects, including From the Embers, now in post-production; Couple of Guys, nearing the end of filming; and a planned holiday feature, Yuletide.
But for now, she said, seeing Wait List reach Prime Video is rewarding not just because of the film itself, but because of the people who made it.
“You really do become a film family,” Markowitz said. “And you love to see them get the attention.”
