THE GARBAGE MAN
A Feature Film Proposal
A Hollywood producer filming on location in New York City spirals into a high-stakes game of survival when his father-in-law’s mob past resurfaces, dragging him and his family into a dangerous world of crime, deception and family secrets.The Garbage Man is a wild ride in which an Italian mobster learns to respect and love his son-in-law and gains his respect in return. ​​It's a blend of suspenseful action and comedic moments, balancing the intensity of mob threats with the absurdities of Hollywood filmmaking while raising a family.​​ The Garbage Man promises non-stop thrills, emotional depth and unexpected twists.
The Garbage Man is a feature film that centers around Tony Ferrara’s family and how he has been hiding from the mafia for years. Tony used to work for the mob, but he decided to leave and start a new life in California and by a chain of events and circumstances, the mob finds Tony and tries to rub him out. Tony out wits the hitman several times, but knows his luck is running out. He engages his unwilling son-in-law to help him slip away from the mob, but now his secret is out. He has to confess his association with the mob to his son-in-law. Not even Tony’s wife and daughter knew he had mob connections. Through a series of decoys, booby traps, hiding in plain sight to engaging all of the family’s abilities and imagination, a plan is hatched as how to catch the mobsters and send them all to jail. But it’s never that easy. Even from jail, our mafia family reaches out to destroy Tony and his family. Each of our characters discover how to use their own talents and abilities combined to help them conquer the mobsters. The show is a combination buddy picture and mob drama. The characters learn and grow and find the true meaning of family and integrity.
SYNOPSIS
“Tony Ferrara - I Found Him”
Introduction to Josh Weissman – TV Producer
Josh Weissman is the unsung hero behind the scenes of every successful shoot. He is on a film stage, balancing his time between the client and his director. His organization skills keep the shoot moving smoothly.
​
Out of nowhere, the director needs Josh—and only Josh—for a critical mission: delivering a special gift to a high-profile client visiting the set. It’s an odd request, and Josh knows stepping away will throw a wrench into the already tight schedule, but the director insists. With a heavy sigh, he rushes off.
​
While he's gone, chaos brews. The director seeking perfection, slows the shoot to a crawl. By the time Josh returns, the production is in shambles—they’re an hour behind schedule and overtime is inevitable. The budget is on the verge of breaking and the entire crew can feel the tension crackling in the air.
Without hesitation, Josh makes a bold decision finish the day by having the crew go into overtime. He sacrifices two full days of his own pay to cover the extra costs, ensuring the project stays afloat. His silent donation keeps the production within budget, shields himself and the director from executive backlash, and saves the entire team from fallout. The director takes the credit, the crisis is averted—but at what cost to Josh?
​
A Thankless Sacrifice
After the shoot wraps, the key crew members gather for dinner to celebrate. The Director thanks each one individually for their work, but skips over Josh, who is the one who is the glue that holds the production together. When the group disbands, Josh invites the director for a late-night snack in Little Italy, New York.
​
Josh finds a small, unassuming bakery / restaurant that’s open late, hoping to pick up some cannoli, but as they walk in, they seem to have interrupted a private meeting. Around a table sit six men, dressed in suits, who look like they belong in a mafia movie. When Josh politely asks the man behind the counter for some cannoli he is told the shop is sold out. Suddenly, one of the men at the table, Vinny Ascoli, intervenes. Vinny insists that Josh and his friend be served, offering them some cannoli and striking up a conversation.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
A Hidden Connection
As the conversation flows, Vinny learns that Josh’s father-in-law is Tony Ferrara, who was possibly a member of his “Friendship Family” and known to the group as “The Garbage Man”. After their goodbyes, Vinny quietly orders his nephew, Little Vinny, a psychotic hitman, to follow Josh and the director, suspecting a the deeper connection to Tony. While the tail is far from smooth, as Little Vinny loses Josh at the airport, but manages to keep track of the director.
The Chase Continues
A few days later, the director is on another film shoot, and Little Vinny, who is still following him, sees Josh on set— but this time he is accompanied by Tony, the very man Vinny Ascoli had been searching for. Realizing the significance of his discovery, Little Vinny quickly phones his uncle. Tony, thought to be dead, is alive and well in California, seemingly hiding in plain sight. Tony, has now been rediscovered by Vinny Ascoli, and Josh has unwittingly brought their worlds back together.
The Morning After: A Dangerous Encounter
The next morning, Tony Ferrara returns from the gym to find an unsettling sight: Little Vinny sitting at his kitchen table. Tony’s wife, Evelyn, had let him in after he introduced himself as an old family friend from New York. While Evelyn is unaware of the danger lurking behind the visitor’s façade, Tony immediately understands the gravity of the situation.
Feigning calm, Tony sends Evelyn on an errand to keep her safe. As soon as she leaves, Little Vinny reveals his true intentions. He confronts Tony about having run out on the family years ago, escaping the mob’s clutches. Now, he claims, Tony's time is up. Little Vinny threatens to finish the job his uncle wants done—taking Tony out for good.
But Tony, a survivor, acts quickly. Seizing the moment, he grabs a pot of boiling water from the stove and throws it at Little Vinny’s face. As Vinny recoils in pain, Tony smashes the pot over his head, knocking him out cold. Without hesitation, Tony ties up the unconscious Little Vinny and drags him to the garage. The next morning, he dumps Vinny's bound and unconscious body in a garbage pail, just as the garbage truck comes by and picks up the trash.
Tony’s Countermove
With Little Vinny temporarily dealt with, Tony knows this isn’t the end. The mob will surely come for him, and his family will be in danger. Tony retrieves a package of incriminating evidence he had gathered over the years—proof of the mob’s activities. Sealing it in a large envelope, Tony mails the evidence to the FBI, knowing that it could be his only bargaining chip in a deadly game with his former associates.
Little Vinny’s Escape
Dumped at a remote trash heap, Little Vinny eventually regains consciousness and manages to break free from his bindings. Bruised, battered, and disoriented, he stumbles upon a small gas station. He uses a payphone to call his uncle, Vincent Ascoli, back in New York. Infuriated by Little Vinny's failure and the audacity of Tony’s resistance, Vincent quickly rounds up two of his men. They board a plane for California with one mission: finish the job themselves.
Tony’s Last Stand
Meanwhile, Tony gets wind that Vincent and his crew are en route to take him out. Realizing that his actions have escalated the situation beyond repair, Tony knows he must protect his family. In a calculated move, he arranges tickets for a cruise, announcing to his family that they will be going on vacation the next morning—without him. Although his family are confused and worried, Tony reassures them that it’s for their safety.
As the family prepares to leave for the cruise, Josh receives an unexpected call—it's the job opportunity he’s been waiting for his entire career. Torn between a fun cruise and his professional ambitions, Josh pleads with his wife to let him stay behind. Reluctantly, she agrees, and Josh cancels his trip to focus on the big meeting.
The Mob Arrives
Back at his house, Tony prepares for the impending showdown. He sets up an array of makeshift booby traps inside, drawing inspiration from “Home Alone” but with far deadlier consequences. He positions wires, triggers, and heavy objects around entryways, anticipating the mob’s every move.
Vincent Dascoli, however, makes sure he has plausible deniability and spends the day on a “Hollywood "Star Tour", making sure he's seen in public, laying an alibi for himself. Meanwhile, Little Vinny and two of Vincent’s associates head straight for Tony’s house.
The three gangsters enter through different doors to cover all sides of the house. But the moment they breach the perimeter, the traps spring into action and disable the three gangsters with a comedic sense.
Tony’s Getaway
With the mobsters incapacitated, Tony doesn’t waste any time. He grabs a pre-packed bag and heads for Josh’s house. He knows he can’t stay in one place for long, and his next move requires a safe haven while he waits for the FBI to get his package. Tony has decided that Josh, unwittingly caught in this tangled messed, might be his only chance for protection.
A Confusing Reunion
Tony arrives at Josh’s house, sneaking in through the back door. He knows that time is running out, and the mob will be on his tail soon enough. Shortly after, Josh comes home, ready to prepare for the meeting of his life. As he steps inside, he's startled to see his father-in-law lurking in the shadows.
“Tony? What are you doing here?” Josh asks, clearly confused.
Tony, looking over his shoulder and appearing on edge, doesn’t have time to explain everything. "We need to talk. It’s about your wife and family... and why things are about to get very dangerous." Josh is taken aback, but he’s already late for his meeting. He tells Tony that they will figure things out, but now, he needs to leave for his meeting. Tony realizes that the mob may be closer to him than he ever imagined.
“Josh Weissman - The Plan”
Second Thoughts and Rising Anxiety
Tony’s nerves are fraying. Tony knows that this time, he's gone too far. There’s no turning back, and he fears the worst for his family.
Meanwhile, Josh is focused on the biggest meeting of his career—a chance to pitch his script ideas to a major Hollywood agent. While Josh packs up, ready to go, Tony, unable to sit still, asks to tag along. Josh, though confused, agrees to take Tony with him, not knowing what’s going on in his father-in-law's mind.
A Meeting Interrupted
As Josh steps into the agent’s sleek office, all eyes are on him. This is his moment—a chance to change his life with the perfect pitch. However, Tony, waiting in Josh’s car, has growing anxiety reaches its breaking point, he realizes that he needs Josh’s help to pull off the only plan that could save them both. He jumps out of the car just as the Hollywood Star Tour goes by. Vincent sees Tony and forces the bus to stop. Tony ducks into the building
In a moment of pure desperation, Tony bursts into the meeting, grabbing Josh mid-pitch. “We have to go, now!” Tony exclaims, his voice panicked. “The mob is after me, and if you want to protect your family, you need to help me—right now!” They run out of the office just as Vincent was about to enter. The door flies open, hitting Vincent in the head and knocking him out. “That’s him!” yells Tony. Josh looks at Vincent and thinks he knows him, but can’t remember. They rush out of the building and jump into Josh’s car and get away.
The Hollywood agent is left stunned, watching as Josh, who had just begun his career-defining moment, is whisked out of the office. Despite the chaos, the agent is oddly impressed—this was, by far, the most memorable meeting he’s ever experienced. Vincent stands up, shakes his head. The Agent asks “Who are you?” Vincent tells him none of his business and who the fuck are you….
Confession and a Plan
Once on the road, Josh, angry, flustered and confused, demands answers. Tony finally confesses everything—his deep ties to the mob, his betrayal, and how he’s been running for years. Now, with Vincent Ascoli hot on his trail, Tony knows his time is running out. He turns to Josh, not just as his son-in-law, but as the creative mind who can help devise a plan to outsmart the mob and put an end to it all.
Back at Josh’s home, Josh begins to work on a plan. A montage shows Josh furiously scribbling notes, brainstorming scenarios, and pacing through the night. Tony’s worn, anxious face watches, knowing this may be their last shot at safety. As the morning sun rises, Josh is ready—he has a plan.
Putting the Plan in Motion
The next morning, Josh and Tony meet with an art director and stunt coordinator, who are in on Josh’s plan. This isn’t just any plan—it’s a carefully orchestrated fake film shoot that will play out like a scene straight from a Hollywood blockbuster. The idea: stage a scenario where Tony appears to be killed in a high-stakes robbery-turned-police shootout, tricking the mob into thinking he’s gone for good.
Josh positions himself as the bait, knowing the mob is tracking his every move. As planned, the mobsters begin following Josh, who carefully leads them right to Tony.
The Fake Film Shoot: A Staged Death
The mobsters watch from a distance as Josh’s staged film shoot unfolds. It looks real—a tense bank robbery, police surrounding the building, while Josh and Tony appear to be stuck in a traffic jam caused by the robbery. As the plan unfolds – Tony sees Little Vinney following him and drives his car straight into the middle of the action. Just as Tony’s car reaches the center of the staged shootout, an explosion rocks the scene. The car is engulfed in flames, and when the fire dies down, nothing remains but the charred wreckage.
From a distance, the mobsters confirm what they think is Tony’s burnt body in the wreckage. Convinced that their mission is complete, they deliver the news to Vincent Ascoli.
The Fallout: Mobsters Arrested, Tony’s Whereabouts Unknown
Meanwhile, Tony’s long-held package of evidence has finally reached the FBI. With undeniable proof of the mob’s criminal activities, the FBI quickly moves in, arresting Vincent Ascoli and his key associates in New York. The crackdown is swift and decisive, with the mob's power base shattered in a matter of days.
The FBI, however, still has one loose end: Tony’s disappearance. They question Josh, suspecting he might know more than he lets on, but Josh maintains that he truly doesn’t know where Tony is. As far as Josh is concerned, Tony has vanished, and he’s unsure if he’ll ever see him again.
Epilogue: A Quiet Escape
Cut to: A peaceful scene aboard a cruise ship. Tony and Evelyn are relaxing on the deck, drinks in hand, the sun setting on the horizon. Far from the chaos of the past few weeks, Tony has finally escaped the mob’s reach, leaving his old life behind. His plan worked—at least for now. As the ship sails further from shore, Tony allows himself a moment of relief, though he knows the past might one day catch up with him.
Closing Twist: A New Threat Emerges
Back in New York, Vincent Ascoli sits in a grim prison cell, stewing over his downfall. But all is not lost. He has learned that Tony is still alive. He has one final card to play.
CHARACTERS
CASTING STYLE SUGGESTIONS
JOSH WEISSMAN
Early 40s, based in New York, but moves to Los Angeles. Quick-witted, fast-talking, and unapologetically honest, Josh is a self-proclaimed film nerd. As a producer of commercials, country music videos, TV specials, and promos, he’s built a niche for himself in the competitive film industry. But deep down, Josh dreams of the director’s chair. His wife and kids are his greatest treasures, and he’s constantly reinventing himself, hustling to climb the next rung of the ladder.
EVELYN FERRARA
Tony’s wife, Evelyn, is a feisty matriarch in her 70s, who runs her kitchen—and her life—with passion and precision. Known for her endless pots of pasta and love of leftovers, Evelyn’s culinary skills are matched only by her fierce negotiation tactics. Whether haggling at the market or fighting with customer service, Evelyn always emerges victorious. A former legal secretary, she’s a self-taught expert in the law, quick to argue her case with sharp wit and stubborn resolve. Her knack for shorthand is a secret weapon she’s passed down to Louise, allowing them to communicate in code and outsmart anyone who dares cross them.
TONY FERRARA
In his 70s, Tony is the embodiment of Bronx pride. A retired sanitation worker with a big heart, he cherishes his Italian roots and the close-knit community he grew up in. Tony idolizes his daughter and grandchildren, but secretly wishes Louise had married an Italian man and stayed in New York. Though he reluctantly followed his family to California, he’s embraced his role as the doting grandpa, even if it means stepping out of his comfort zone.
VINCENT ASCOLI
Vincent, a mob boss in his 70s, runs a restaurant in Manhattan’s Little Italy that serves as a front for his criminal dealings. Hailing from the Bronx and an old school friend of Tony’s, Vincent is equal parts charming and dangerous. He lives by the mantra “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” but his ambition often outpaces his influence. A small-time player with a massive ego, Vincent dreams of gaining the respect of larger crime families, though his efforts have mostly gone unnoticed. His charm is as disarming as his betrayal is brutal—friendly one moment, deadly the next.
LOUISE WEISSMAN
Also in her early 40s, Louise is a true Bronx native, complete with a strong New York accent and an unapologetic attitude. She’s got Marisa Tomei vibes from My Cousin Vinny—smart, street-savvy, and effortlessly charming. A natural beauty with a no-frills style, Louise traded her career as an accountant at a Big Five firm for the classroom when motherhood called. Now, as a first-grade teacher with a master’s in reading comprehension, she’s shaping young minds with the same determination that led her to thrive in the corporate world. Her quick wit and deep loyalty make her the glue that holds her family together.
LITTLE VINNY
Vincent’s mid-50s nephew, Little Vinny, is the poster child for impulsiveness and insecurity. He’s a brash, hot-tempered bully who constantly seeks shortcuts to success, often leaving a trail of chaos in his wake. With a “short man’s complex” fueling his need to prove himself, Vinny’s recklessness and sloppy methods make him a liability—even to his own family. Despite his violent streak and knack for evading the law, his time is running out, and his days of dodging justice may soon come to an end.
ABOUT THE CREATOR
Mark Kalbfeld
Mark Kalbfeld is an award winning producer, director, editor and writer for over 25 years. Mark has produced TV specials, commercials, documentaries and hundreds of network promos and music videos, plus EPKs, Still Shoots and long form videos including multi camera music concerts. He knows production, truly from concept to shoot and the entire post production process and therefore can speak to all departments with knowledge and in their terms.​​The Garbage Man is a personal project for Mark. The character of Josh Weissman, the producer, is based on Mark’s personal career and relationship with his New York, Italian father-in-law. The Tony Ferrara character is based on his actual Father-In-Law (not the part about him helping the mob though). When first dating his one and only daughter, Tony had some trepidation of a non-Italitan man dating his daughter. After getting married and moving to California didn’t help the relationship. But just as in the story, Tony and Evelyn moved out west to be close to their daughter and grand children. Over time, Mark and Tony’s relationship grew and Tony grew to respect Mark for is career and his love of his daughter and their children. Louise Ferrara Weissman’s character is based on a combination of Mark’s actual New York based wife, Marissa Tomei’s character, Mona Lisa Vito and Marvel’s The Black Widow. She is a strong character who can be tough yet loving.As for the production stories, these are based on true life experiences that happened to Mark over his decades of working in the film business, from dealing with incompetent camera personnel, to the meals in Little Italy after a New York shoot, to walking into a restaurant to get a cannoli and being face to face to what seemed to be a mob meeting. Productions are filled with strange stories, characters and sometimes ridiculous situations that the producer needs to solve.
Contact Information
For a copy of the full length feature script contact:
​
Frames Per Second Productions, Inc
Executive Producer - Mark Kalbfeld
310-497-1645
