In 2009, I was at an impasse. I was bursting with creativity, but with no outlet to showcase these ideas.
One early September day, a lightbulb went off. I didn’t need to try and convince major network honchos to give me a shot; I knew the depths of my talent. Thanks to the emergence of digital media, I realized I could produce and distribute my own content. On October 22, 2009, Long Shot Productions was born.
Armed with a camera, laptop, and a dream, I set up shop in my parents’ guest room. I developed an online show called In the Zone with Lisa Marie Latino and I talked my way onto red carpets all across Manhattan to grab celebrity interviews. The show collected thousands of hits on YouTube.
Beyond ITZ‘s impressive slate of A-List guests (which included Gerard Butler, Julianne Moore, Derek Jeter, and other marquee names from Hollywood and the world of sports) the show garnered attention because of its high production value.
Soon, businesses from New York City and New Jersey started hiring me to produce content for their website and social media platforms. My first clients included Buffalo Wild Wings, WFAN Sports Radio 660 AM and 101.9 FM, and small businesses across a variety of different industries. Long Shot Productions also partnered with other production companies to create reality show pilots for network consideration. I spent the company’s first anniversary filming a documentary in Italy with The Infernos Band as they embarked on a charity concert tour to raise money for the L’Aquila earthquake victims.
In a couple of years’ time, I built a steady enough clientele to move into my own studio space in Fairfield, New Jersey. I also hired a dream team of cinematographers and editors to elevate Long Shot Productions’ production capabilities. In 2018, LSP moved to a bigger studio space, also in Fairfield.
Today, Long Shot Productions is an established leader for corporate and commercial video production in the tri-state area. LSP also co-produces Hip New Jersey, a Garden State lifestyle television show that airs on News 12+, Hometowne TV and NJ on AIR.