CHERRY LIMEADE: COMING SOON TO THEATERS NEAR YOU
The main character, portrayed by Joseph Salamone, confesses his love in this still from Cherry Limeade.
April 13, 2018
Two Seminole High School seniors, Joseph Salamone and Devin Ramey, have established their own film company: Aggressively Okay Production Company (AOK). Salamone and Ramey write, film, and produce short films under the AOK label. With over 500 views on YouTube, their debut film, Cherry Limeade, has been an overall success.
Ramey, a former videographer for NDN School News, has previously gained experience by filming music and sports videos, short documentaries, and weddings. Salamone and Ramey are both part of Thespian Troupe 3266, where they have worked together on many projects.Their productions feature not only their talents, but their close friends in both the acting and technical aspects.
Their first motion picture, Cherry Limeade, features Salamone as director and lead actor, as well as senior Jordan Freeman and junior Jaedyn Quintero. The plot centers on a relatable teenage scenario, drawn from Salamone’s own life experiences: heartbreak.
Therefore, Cherry Limeade follows the story of a teen (Salamone), who professes his love to his friend (Freeman). However, the friend rebuffs his romantic ventures, leaving Salamone’s character alone at the restaurant with nothing but a Cherry Limeade drink.
Salamone has been dreaming about creating films since he was 10. He is also the student director of SHSTC, which he believes has helped to improve his directing ability.
“Joseph and I met because we were working on a film together, and we’ve been teaming up on different projects ever since. He’s acted in a film of mine, I’ve shot and edited other films [Joseph] has directed, and we work well together. Our skills balance each other out, and we have a really good understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Ramey.
Ramey and Salamone are not the only friends on set. The production of these short films incorporate their fellow actors and friends, both in front and behind the camera.
“Working with Joseph on this project was really awesome. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’m glad I got to work with him. I know that [filmmaking] is something he is really interested in, and I hope he is able to create some even bigger projects someday,” said Freeman, who played the love interest in Cherry Limeade.
Even after graduation, the Aggressively Okay Productions team wants to continue producing short films, which take about a month to formulate and film. They currently have an Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter account, all with the handle @aggressivelyokayproductions.
“We plan on making more throughout college and submitting them to various festivals,” said Salamone, who will be attending UCF and majoring in Film this fall. Ramey, who also plans to pursue film, added, “We just really want to get our names out there.”
The AOK production team plans on releasing their next short film, Zipper, in the coming weeks.
“Devin wrote Zipper, and it’s based on a dramatic experience he had. It features our friends Luke Salamone and Jackson Wise, who are acting in the short. We wanted our first film to be kind of serious and took a hard right on this one and made something pretty ridiculous. We are currently in the process of editing,” said Salamone.
The Aggressively Okay Production team will continue to make shorts in the future as they expand their knowledge in film. Cherry Limeade, their debut film, has been published on YouTube; you can also watch it below.