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‘Road Work Ahead’ — Comedy short lampoons area driving frustrations

By Diana Lasko dlasko@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
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Local screenwriter and filmmaker Seth Smiley in front of the Pittsburgh Street bridge closure. Smiley and fellow filmmaker Jordan Lonigro made a comedy short about road construction around their hometown. 

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Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard

Local screenwriter and filmmaker Seth Smiley demonstrates his frustration with area road construction in front of the Pittsburgh Street bridge closure. Smiley and fellow filmmaker Jordan Lonigro made a comedy short “Road Work Ahead.”

“Road Work Ahead,” it’s the mantra of the season that falls between winter and fall in western Pennsylvania (AKA Orange Cone season).

It’s also the title of a short comedy created by two local filmmakers who have tapped into the collective frustration of motorists navigating their way through the labyrinth of road construction, repair and improvements in and around Uniontown.

The four-minute short film created by Seth Smiley and Jordan Lonigro, both of Uniontown, is a demonstration of the emotional whirlwind that happens when a simple task is upended by orange and black signs and safety yellow vests.

“This is a comedy short about two guys who are just trying to meet up to go have some coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Smiley.

In “Road Work Ahead” Lonigro stars as a guy who has been away from his hometown for a while and isn’t aware that it will take more than a little patience and inspired driving to meet up with his friend, played by Smiley.

“It’s the absolute nightmare he faces on his way to his buddy,” Smiley said.

The laugh-out-loud (bleeping) video chronicles Lonigro’s downward spiral from happy-go-lucky Harvard flunk-out dude, to frustrated, man-bun pulling, road-construction traffic hater, which happens pretty quickly as Lonigro ponders the idea that PennDOT just might be working on every single road in Uniontown.

“Telling the story within four minutes, we really wanted each scene to deliver a little bit of a punch, a little bit of a comedic punch and something everyone can relate to,” Smiley said.

The short film visits three now infamous road construction sites around the city and outlying areas including Route 21, Pittsburgh Street and Route 40 at New Salem Road.

“We really tried to choose the most nightmarish locations like this bridge,” Smiley said pointing to the road closed sign near the Route 21 bridge overpass. “Every day, I attempt to take this bridge, and every day, I forget it’s closed.”

It was out of that frustration that the idea for “Road Work Ahead” was born.

“I’m an extremely high strung individual, so getting around my hometown with every road being closed, I needed a way to vent creatively. So one day I called Jordan and said we need to create a comedy short about road work around Uniontown,” he said.

Lonigro and Smiley filmed for three days. Then Lonigro spent 18-20 hours editing the footage, which he did masterfully according to Smiley.

“We worked around traffic and weather and a lot of time was spent trying to find the most traffic possible which we were able to do with ease,” laughed Smiley.

The response, Smiley explained, has been phenomenal.

“In the first two days, we got 3,000 views (on YouTube) and we’re now closing in on 5,000 and more than 200 shares. I think as a filmmaker, as a storyteller, you want to be able to produce something that people can relate to and that people can feel the tension and the chaos. And everybody says this is spot on.”

“Road Work Ahead” isn’t quite a public demonstration or outcry against PennDOT, but rather a blend of angst and artistry.

“There’s a little bit of protest, but as a filmmaker, you’ve got to harness your anger in a positive and creative way. We were able to do that, and we were able to make a lot of people laugh,” Smiley said. “This isn’t the best environment to drive in, but when Uniontown gives you lemons, you make a short film.”

”Road Work Ahead” can be found on YouTube. Due to adult language, parental discretion is advised. 

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