Joey Cicchelli and Garbage Day Productions grow film inspiration through collaboration
By Max Rappaport
The wide, muddy trail is surrounded by trees on each side. A caravan of dimly lit figures trudges towards a designated spot known only to the few among them who have already been there. Weak flashlights illuminate the path, so the walkers huddle together, squinting at the ground to ensure nothing is spilled from the carts and carriages they drag along. Each party member knows their role and brings along the tools required for participation.
“Here!” yells the group’s leader after about 15 minutes of meticulous walking.
Immediately, blankets are laid out, and fake blood is smeared on the faces and hands of some of the participants. Equipment is gathered and brought to spots pre-designated by those in charge. Excited chatter fills the windless night, and a generator warms the air. However, the group’s dynamic is charged mainly by the leader’s passion and anticipation for the evening.
What is this seemingly occult gathering? As much as it may mimic some strange ritual deep in the woods behind a suburb, this is only a location for the student-produced horror film “Veil of the Barrens,” which tells the legend of the Jersey Devil. The caravan of people is a dedicated film crew. The carts carry lights, cameras, and microphones. The man in front is 19-year-old Joey Cicchelli, a Five Towns College Film & Television student, who gathered this group of almost twenty fellow students and friends to realize a vision and work on his second feature-length film. Cicchelli is dressed in a tan button-down and an aviator with a furry collar, starkly contrasting his baggy sweatshirt and pants. He is adorned as such because, besides producing and directing the film, Cicchelli is acting in it as a young volunteer park ranger dragged into the mess of murder and mayhem caused by the Jersey Devil.
Cicchelli is in his element on set, but his passion is contagious even outside of a film set. He’ll tell you about a concert or a movie he saw and not only provides details, but also conveys the feeling of being there. He can share an experience from his past; no matter how long you’ve known him, the story will feel like it’s coming from an old friend. Wherever he walks, he is surrounded by a group of aspiring producers, artists, and scriptwriters, all discussing ideas for films or sets, and it’s hard not to get excited when you hear them.
This group is Garbage Day Productions, a film production company started by Cicchelli and manned by Five Towns film students. The team meets regularly to go over scripts and ideas, which they have many, with seven projects planned out over the next few years. “Everyone just has such a passion for it, not just for the art, but for everyone around them,” said Cicchelli.
With all the passion and excitement among friends, Garbage Day’s sets often give off the vibe of a party or hangout, but at the end of the day, things need to get done. Jiselle Carlo, the Assistant Director of “Veil of the Barrens” and the Vice President of Garbage Day, is the go-to person for keeping everything and everyone on track. She perfectly encapsulates the experience of being on one of Joey’s sets, calling it “fun but stressful.” Her face maintains a serious expression; if problems occur, she works quickly to minimize the issues. However, once a project progresses smoothly, she can relax and join the fun, feeding off the excitement from a well-polished production. Cicchelli and Carlo cultivate a working environment that feels almost like a family, as those involved describe.
Also among the entourage are fellow FTC students and friends Daniel Davis and Ryan McClelland. Daniel Davis is well put together, always clean-shaven, and wears his hair with a part in the middle. His shirts lack any designs and fit well, always tucked into a belt and pants that match the sense of professionalism he gives off. He speaks slowly and takes time with each word when he speaks. Ryan McClelland is frequently by his side, and he contrasts Davis’ appearance in nearly every way, with scruffy hair and a beard, always wearing dark sweatpants and shirts featuring art from his favorite IPs. His words flow into each other when he speaks, almost combining as he rushes to impart each of his passions.
What McClelland and Davis do have in common is a love for film. McClelland yearns to be a producer and director and has the ideas to back it up, constantly discussing what makes movies he’s seen great and how he wants to change the industry. Davis focuses on the smaller picture, dreaming of being a director of photography. He is passionate about designing great battles and shots like you’ve seen in “The Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars.” Since arriving at Five Towns College, they been sucked into the inspiring vortex that is Garbage Day and Joey Cicchelli. When together, the three speak highly of each other in a brotherly way, even relishing in the disagreements they’ve had on set. McClelland described how his goals changed after becoming involved with Garbage Day, saying, “[I knew] I could do more, and now I have three shorts I am doing and a feature I’m working on, all through Garbage Day.”
WATCH: Max Rappaport goes behind the scenes with Garbage Day Productions
The Five Towns College Film & Television division supports student initiatives that extend beyond classroom learning. “I am all for it! They are getting out there, creating the content they want. We inform them to work with everybody, which is why we usually pick their film crews for course assignments/projects. It helps them find their people while growing their FTC network. Those skills will guide them to opportunities within the entertainment industry and provide the confidence needed to be a vital member of any production,” said Film & Television Chair Colin Hickey.
Cicchelli’s journey to creating a film production company began with a film inspired by his life. “In Headlights” is the first feature-length film under Garbage Day. It follows Tommy, whose character Joey is modeled after himself, and his time navigating all kinds of relationships and the troubling emotions they can bring. Much of the film was shot in Westchester County and the surrounding area, where Cicchelli grew up. Nostalgia played a big part in the film’s location. After premiering at Carmel Cinemas, the movie has played at the AMC Stonybrook, the Five Towns College Film Showcase, and the Lakeview Manor in Brewster, New York.
Cicchelli’s desire to create a network of people hoping to influence the film industry stemmed from a darker place. A few years ago, when he was 16, he hit a low point. He was skipping weeks of school and felt something was missing. While he was at his worst, he hid it, telling his parents he was at school and hiding his emotions and truancy from them. During this time, he composed a series of journal entries that dwelt on him as he eventually made his way to Five Towns. Cicchelli knew that he wanted these experiences to influence his art somehow. Eventually, they took shape in his first feature film, “In Headlights,” which explores his journey dealing with failing relationships and tragedy. It was a powerful moment when Cicchelli’s mother saw the film. “The fact that that movie could explain to my mother what I was trying to explain for three years at that point and couldn’t… I think that goes beyond showing the power of filmmaking.”
Cicchelli and his company were recently recognized at the 2025 Luminaries Ceremony (Five Towns’ version of the Oscars), when he won the top award in the Documentary/Non-fiction category, for “Trash to Treasure: The Making of Garbage Day Productions.” And even though the school year is over, Cicchelli and Garbage Day have a busy summer ahead. The team has been working on a feature-length film and plans to shoot it at the end of July. During June and August, they will work on two other short films.
Cicchelli is full steam ahead with collaborating with others in the Five Towns film community to take on an uncertain and incredibly competitive industry. “Knowing that I could give the people whom I really trust and admire a platform to be able to do it [their work], is why Garbage Day seeks to exist in the first place. So that’s what I want to keep doing. That’s why I’m more focused on Garbage Day’s success than my own success.”
