Even the cab driver snapped a photo.
When Jesse Ferrara and his wife were on a babymoon in Japan, Ferrara, a lifelong fan of Power Rangers — yes, the Mighty Morphin’ kind — saw it as a great opportunity. On a break from exploring the local culture, the couple ventured to a remote quarry.
But not just any quarry. This very craggy spot was where scenes from many Japanese action series, including the original 1990s Power Rangers show, had been filmed.
They arrived in Tochigi after a two-hour taxi ride, and Ferrara quickly changed clothes. Boom! Tourist-friendly pyrotechnics went off behind him, centering Ferrara as an action star in full Green Ranger regalia.
How could the driver not capture that moment?
The explosion became the opening shot of “Power Rangers Uprising,” a fan film Ferrara wrote, directed, produced, edited and starred in. His production company, Monkey Train Entertainment, released it on YouTube in July.
The hourlong movie was filmed in and around Rochester — apart from the quarry explosion — with a local cast and crew.
“That experience in and of itself was cool,” Ferrara said. “But then also, here’s a fan film that actually was shot on location of the original [show]. All that makes it a little bit more special.”
Indeed, “Power Rangers Uprising” is the rare fan-made project that looks like a blockbuster. And with a half million views as of this writing, the fan community is taking notice. The costumes ripple with detail. The fight sequences, like the camera work, really move. The opening explosion is real.
It’s no small feat for a fan film, even one that raised $1,411 on Kickstarter (with more arriving via private donations). It’s also a testament to the work ethic of Ferrara, a coordinator for Enterprise vehicle fleets who lives in Greece with his family.
Before that, though, he studied film. He’d made some movies when he was younger. In 2022, Ferrara noted the deaths of two beloved icons: Jason David Frank, an original Power Rangers actor, and Kevin Conroy, the voice of animated Batman projects for decades.
“Whoa, two childhood heroes gone in a week,” Ferrara remembered thinking, “and just kind of that realization of, like, things happen. [Life is] short, right? So don’t wait.”
The script, and many ideas, followed. Ferrara found support from folks he met at Power Morphicon, a fan convention, in 2024. The work on “Power Rangers Uprising” began later that year.
It’s fortuitous timing, said Alex Sinicropi, who plays Billy in the film.
“Right now, there’s no new Power Rangers [series] being produced,” he said. “This is what’s keeping the fandom alive. Here’s a way that we can tell stories about the things that we love and tell them in an interesting way that might not have been done by the people who actually own the intellectual property.”
When he saw the casting call, Sinicropi knew he had to pursue the opportunity. After all, he’d studied screenwriting and had chosen his first tattoo to be the Power Rangers lighting bolt symbol.
During production, Ferrara took Sinicropi’s suggestions for the character seriously and even incorporated them into the film. Sinicropi ended up with a co-writing credit.
“Billy uses a lot of science speak, and characters are always asking the other characters to translate for him,” Sinicropi said. “I did a little bit of work to make them sound a little bit more like the old Billy.”
That attention to detail shines through brightest in the iconic costumes, which pop with color and texture in every frame. Spirit Halloween costumes they are decidedly not. Ferrara sourced them, along with several 3D-printed helmets, from noted international cosplay replicators. As such, costumes made up a large portion of the production budget.
And speaking of money, how does Ferrara not get sued? American toy giant Hasbro currently owns the Power Rangers franchise, and Disney recently had plans for a reboot (it was ultimately shelved).
Ferrara has a simple answer.
“The big piece here is that there’s no monetization. All the funds go directly toward the movie,” he said. “It might be obvious that this is my passion, but it’s a passion of all the actors and of all the cast members who are doing it because they want to. We’re not getting paid to do this.”
In its YouTube description, “Power Rangers Uprising” is labeled “a non-profit fan film made by fans for fans.”
One of those fans is the film’s main star, Sam Evans, who plays Jason. He’s the Red Ranger, the former leader of the team, now conflicted about returning to fight years after a devastating loss. While not as big of a Power Rangers authority as Ferrara or Sinicropi, Evans watched the series as a child in the ‘90s.
During production, Evans — an athletic boxer with some stage acting experience — focused more on getting Jason’s inner turmoil just right. That included how he displayed it physically via the battle choreography.
“Whenever I’d be in a fight scene, I’d go, ‘Listen, I’m a big guy, and I did cardio boxing and sparring. I promise you’re not gonna hurt me,’” he said. “‘Just try to make it look good, and if you accidentally hit me, just keep going.’”
Naturally, he did take a stray punch. It’s hard to almost hit someone realistically while wearing a helmet that obstructs 80% of your view, he said. But the moment made for a great take.
Evans also found a terrifying vocal register “that sounded like there was blood in my lungs” during a pivotal scene. He said he takes pride in that performance. He’s also looking forward to doing more.
Work has already begun on the “Power Rangers Uprising” sequel, with a script ready and another Kickstarter launched. Evans is back at the gym. Ferrara said the plans include new characters — and thus, new costumes — and a more ambitious budget.
He’ll continue to raise awareness of the film, including a screening and Q&A in February at the Phelps Arts Center and at fan conventions.
Sinicropi, meanwhile, will do whatever it takes to keep going.
“I’d make [the sequel] if the props were made out of cardboard and the helmets were made out of plastic,” he said. “I’m having a blast doing it.”
