John Sorie has always wanted to make a movie. The shorter-than-most detective with a big heart loves to tell stories. This one is about finishing what you start as much as fulfilling a dream.
On Saturday, the cast and crew of Sorie’s short film “Clover,” along with a few other acquaintances, were treated by Sorie to a private screening of the movie in the lower level of the Arts Center.
The lack of windows in the basement contributed to a movie theater feel while guests enjoyed popcorn, drinks, and afterward, a dense, rich cake.
“Clover” is a short film that was written, directed, edited, and produced by Sorie, a longtime resident of Fayetteville and currently a full-time detective with the Fayetteville Police Department. Sorie joined the police force in 2003 because he wanted to serve his community.
Sorie has always had a creative soul. Originally a graphic designer, he worked at MJ Soffe sportswear for 12 years.
One Halloween, Sorie showed up for work wearing a homemade Predator costume he made from scratch. The suit was so detailed, it could have passed for the movie version. Sorie thought of everything, including the skin. Sorie wore a tight body suit that he airbrushed to mimic every detail of the creature’s skin.
“I’ve always been a creative person,” Sorie told the audience at the film screening. “Movies and stories have always fascinated me ever since I was a little kid. I’d crawl up in my mother’s lap and read the same book over and over.”
The movie bug
About 2009, Sorie said, he was finishing a police call when he was approached by a mass communications major at Methodist University. The student said he needed a cop for a movie he was making. Sorie agreed to be in it, and the movie bug had bitten him.
That’s when he wrote the script for “Clover,” a story about a former police officer.
For Sorie, finishing “Clover” has been a long journey. After writing the script, he tried to film the movie but struggled to turn his project into a reality. He tried three times to make it work.
Sorie could not pay his actors, and some would make other commitments. He shot a few scenes with the original “Clover” cast before things fell apart.
“It’s hard to corral everyone to finish when there’s no money to pay them,” Sorie said, sparking laughs from the audience.
Sorie credits computer technology with finally turning his vision into reality.
“Technology finally caught up where a talentless hack such as myself can have a camera and computer and make a movie. It’s amazing what computer programs can do.”
Sorie’s background in graphic design allows him to use technology to create a polished look and taking his movie to a professional level. His budget may be small, but these days he can afford to pay for talent because of the investment of several friends.
“Paying my actors was greatly important to me,” said Sorie, recalling his struggles and how far he has come.
He promised the audience he would not get misty-eyed. But it was perhaps at that moment that Sorie may have realized that something he had dreamed about and worked on for so long had finally become a reality.
Saturday was his day.
About ‘Clover’
“Clover” was produced by Sorie’s production company, Castellum Pictures.
The story revolves around Danny “Clover” Giordano, a hotshot cop in New York until he takes money from evidence to pay a debt to the mafia for his brother. Danny gets caught and goes to jail, and his brother dies on the streets. Danny gets out of prison, and his parole is almost up. But a crooked parole officer has Danny under his thumb and uses him as muscle to advance his own criminal agenda. Danny finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place, especially when he is forced to stir up trouble with major-league wise guys.
“Clover” runs about 23 minutes and was shot entirely in Fayetteville. Sorie used places like Thee Backdoor Bar and Spirits, Van Story Hills, and Redline Tire and Auto. Sorie also asked a lawyer friend if he could use the law office office for one scene.
“’Clover’ was shot on a Friday and a loooong Saturday,” said Sorie.
Since the story is set in New York, Sorie made sure the film had a Big Apple look. That included a New York license plate for the lead actors car, a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 that was volunteered by a friend, Tom Jackson. Sorie even added an elevated subway in the film.
The lead role of Danny is played by Chad Ayers, a career actor from Summerville, South Carolina, who currently works out of Charlotte. He’s worked with acting legends such as Burt Reynolds and Mickey Rooney and also shares credits with Demi Moore and Ving Rhames. Though Ayers has lived in Charlotte for 17 years, it was his first time in Fayetteville.
“Working for John and being in this town has been fantastic,” said Ayers. “Everything ran smoothly, and John did a magnificent job in running the production. It was very efficient. John had a strong concept and put together a great cast.”
“Clover” also stars Jamal Farrar, Owen Daley, Daniel Jacobi, Anna Nalepha and Ron Fazio.
Sorie plans to enter “Clover” in several film festivals to gain more attention.
“Some festivals do not allow movies that have been released for public view, so ‘Clover’ will not be made available for the public until I hear back from the festivals I’ve entered,” Sorie told CityView.
Sorie says that finishing the project has been his biggest accomplishment. But now that he has the experience on his resume, he’s ready for more.
