Full Moon Artists (FMA) Productions has signed a deal with Shorts to produce a romantic drama titled Love in the Hamptons. The microdrama is set to film in East Hampton, New York at the end of the month. It marks the inaugural installment of a new branded strand called FMAxShorts, created by FMA’s Sarah Moliski and Rebecca Stoughton. Marc Cotter and Bilella from Water Street Films are attached as writers.
Moliski’s Roots
The series is inspired by Moliski’s own background. “It’s deeply meaningful to create a series inspired by my life, my friends, and the community that raised me,” she said. “There’s so much more to the Hamptons than the way it’s sometimes portrayed in our media, and this is the first of its kind to tell that story from the inside.”
The New Partnership
FMA Productions’ first full-length production comes from horror producer Charles Band, who joined forces with microdrama stars Moliski, Stoughton, Felix Merback and Eric Guilmette to form the company this year. Moliski has earned a name for herself as a villain actress across the vertical space and among those shaping the microdrama industry in L.A., where she also works as a casting producer in demand.
Another pioneer of the American microdrama is Stoughton, who has appeared in more than 40 vertical soap operas and dramas.
Band’s Role
Full Moon Features serves as Band’s streaming channel, giving viewers access to his extensive collection of horror movies. The company is a major classic Hollywood horror producer and distributor, and Band has recently expanded into the microdrama market this year.
Why the Hamptons Matter
The man who leads development at Shorts described the project as a wager on a specific setting and period. “Love in the Hamptons is a bet on place and time. The entire series is shot in a world that audiences worldwide have come to adore, and for generationally good reasons. It’s a bet on a story that lives on after the last episode.”
The Creative Team
Water Street Films’ Marc Cotter and Bilella wrote the show, while Moliski and Stoughton created it. Moliski draws on her own experience of the area for the story.
The First Vertical Drama There
According to the creators, this series is the first time a vertical drama has been shot on location in the Hamptons.
What Comes Next
The production team will reveal the cast later. For now, the project remains in pre-production, with principal photography set to begin at the end of the month.
The Order of Events
- FMA Productions was formed this year.
- Moliski and Stoughton developed Love in the Hamptons.
- Marc Cotter and Bilella wrote the series.
- Principal photography begins at the end of the month in East Hampton, New York.
- Cast announcements will follow.
What We Make of It
The force behind this story is Moliski’s personal stake in it. As a casting producer whose services are in demand, she brings more than her credentials to the project. Her background in the genre also informs her understanding of what audiences expect from content designed for quick consumption.
Band’s distribution adds weight to the partnership, while the Hamptons location gives the show its own distinct appearance. The question of whether it delivers a fresh take on a place that has been shown many ways before still hangs in the air. For now, the aim behind the project is easy to see.
Creators with substantial experience in microdrama have come together for this project, which has repeatedly proven its worth. The setting in the Hamptons aims to balance both nostalgia and novelty. Moliski’s own story from inside the production’s pride in telling her hometown’ indicates she is approaching it with real weight.
Moliski is using her own story as the model for Love in the Hamptons, a modest-sized project aiming to present a well-known location in an entirely fresh way. She is committed to ensuring the finished product honors the people who shaped her.
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