Ed carves totem for movie thriller Snake Island II

Tiki artist carves out movie role

By Roni Bea Kayne — FLORIDA TODAY

Indialantic tiki artist Ed Volonnino has been given a morbid role in "Snake Island II," a new low-budget thriller movie being filmed in Brevard County.

He must imagine what it would be like to plan revenge on eight teen-agers who killed his father and then carve a tiki to represent each murderer.

Volonnino, 29, said the 13-foot totem pole is the biggest he has done. He estimates its worth at $1,000 to $2,000. "I started at the top and worked my way down. I had to try and feel as though I'm the murderer."

"Snake Island II" is about a group of teens who accidentally start a fire at a serpentarium, where the main character's father works. The son, also presumed dead, plots revenge by killing each of eight teens on a deserted island on the Indian River.

Volonnino said he was given a script and asked to capture the personality and description of each character in the wood. Each 20-inch head — five women and three men — includes glass eyes to give the tiki an eerie look. In the movie, the main character carves the tiki in seven years; Volonnino said it took him a month.

Footage of Volonnino's hands at work on the tiki will be used in the film, another step toward stardom for the carver whose work has appeared on an album cover, "PM Magazine" and in publications.

Producer Jim Ingrassia of Rockledge said he is glad residents were not around to see the 7-foot to 17-foot boa constrictors moving through the trees of West Melbourne while cameras were rolling this past weekend.

"We didn't want to put anyone on the Brevard coast at risk," Ingrassia said. The location was not disclosed to avoid the crowds that came to view the filming of "Sunstroke U.S.A." two years ago in Melbourne Beach. The $500,000 film has been shown at film festivals but has not been released yet. Ingrassia said he expects "Snake Island II" to be released by February.

Ingrassia said he plans to recruit extras from local talent agencies within the next two weeks.

ED'S HEADS: Indialantic artist Ed Volonnino stands by his work. On scaffolding above Volonnino is his manager, Mitchell Maged.

Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY