Welcome To The Machine

The Girl and the Ghost

2012-01-22T16:50:00.001-08:00

Have been currently editing this animation, The Girl and the Ghost by the man himself Jacob Drake. It's looking really great so far. Looking forward to seeing it all put together.

~JR

The End of The World!

2011-12-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

New poster for 'Captain Wilcox Vs The End of the World". The animators for this project are amazing...All I did was slap on the title.

FOUR TANKS AND A HEALER - EPISODE 1 & 2

2011-10-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Four tanks and a Healer episode 1 & 2 is now online...thanks to TheOneRing.net

If we get enough support hopefully we can make this in to a full fledged series.

Episode 1 - "From the Beginning"

Episode 2- "Of Men and Noobs"

J~R

FOUR TANKS AND A HEALER IS NOW ONLINE!

2011-10-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hosted by TheOneRing.Net. A cartoon created by the legendary alliance of Larry Longstreth and Jacob Drake, know as, Four Tanks and a Healer, is now online for your viewing pleasure. Check it out!

Watch the cartoon CLICK HERE

J~R

BUY This movie with the really long title.

2011-10-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something is now available for purchase and rent. Blockbuster, Family Video, Amazon, Bestbuy.com, Barns&Noble.com, ect.

Be sure to save it to your Netflix queue also so that it will become available faster.
Thanks to everyone that has already purchased a copy and has helped to promote.

Thanks again,

J~R

Captain Jet Wilcox

2011-09-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

One Bad Ass Motha ****. Really excited to work on this...making the poster here was a lot of fun. Check it out. Also visit the Eddy Spaghetti Production facebook page for more concept art and hit the "Like" button.

LSD20 Maverick Spotlight

2011-08-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Buy it!

LSD20 Official Box Art

2011-07-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here is the Official box art...it's been out a few hours and I've already received many messages about it. Let me know what you think.

The Long, Slow Death Of A Filmmaker

2011-07-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

Through-out the past couple of years I have been lucky enough to find a group of like-minded filmmakers who don't look back or think twice about what they have gotten themselves into. Honestly, it takes a kind of fearless, ignorant determination from a lot of people to make a film work on a shoe-string budget. It's hard to find people like that about anything really, especially film, and especially in Ohio. So this is a "thank you" to them and a congratulations to a film finished and sold: "The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something."

To sum up the past year through-out all the seemingly endless production days there were sleeping DP's, broken 180° lines, poorly lit greenscreens, reshoots, equipment transports, much surveying of the many streets of Kent, a make shift steady cam, jib, lots of duct tape, the long and grueling editing process of perfectly timed transitions, continuity issues, tweeking, color grading, tweeking, audio clean up, and more tweeking. And at the end of it all, A dry erase board with the title "The Long, Slow Death of A Filmmaker" hung from the wall with 50+ more tweeks to make.

After all this, it might sound like I'm griping. I'm not. I loved it. It's what I dream about and I wouldn't have traded it for anything.

Peter Jackson gave a word of wisdom to his producer, who has been a mentor and producer for us. A word of wisdom worth stating that "Pain is temporary but film is forever."

I am very proud to have been a part of LSD20. It's funny and has a very relatable, honest look at our generation. I have watched the film probably 100+ times and honestly, I never get tired of it. When it comes out on DVD I know I will watch it many more times.

To all that were a part of the film, "Thank you". I am glad you were able to share in the process, an experience that will never be forgotten.

"The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something." is Available Oct. 4. On Amazon, Itunes, Netflix, and in stores. For more info, trailers, and updates, become a fan at Facebook.com/DeathofaTwenty

I've got a golden ticket!

2011-06-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Gentleman! Our video won The Saxxy Award under most dramatic!

This is going on my resume!

Thanks to all who voted!

J~R

I'm funny how? Funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?

2011-06-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

We are starting a new film project entitled "Patchy Middleton vs Death". I describe it as kind of "Big Fish" meets "The Seventh Seal". We hope to raise money through Kickstarter.com. If you are interested in helping out a couple of talented bum filmmakers, or if your thinking about becoming a future producer, Check out the link below. Pledge a minimum of just $10 to help this film become a reality.

CLICK HERE TO HELP KICKSTART OUR PROJECT

Thanks for Helping, if you didn't help, thanks for thinking about it, if you didn't think about it... "Get outta here".

THE FILTHY MAGGOTS: NEW TRAILER

2011-05-21T07:50:00.001-07:00

New trailer for our 5-part web-series "THE FILTHY MAGGOTS". First episode coming Tuesday May, 24. CHECK IT.

Trailer has some strong language.

Go to: youtube.com/user/maggotsrise
and subscribe.

The Spying

2011-05-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

Me and Oneofthosedays (Wahzineskey) just finished our submission for the Saxxy Awards. Check it out.

HASTE

2011-04-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

The Anthology Adventures in Other Worlds arrived in the mail the other day. It contains my first published short story Haste. Which I would describe as a very pulpy space sci-fi story. You can read the story below. I have two other shorts coming out in another anthology, a short story I just finished and have submitted, and am currently working on a new one. Okay more to come.

HASTE

Jacob A. Ruby
First Published by Static Movement in
Adventures in Other Worlds

The mind of Jason Conway cranked like an unstoppable clock winding violently into the future. An incessant ticking echoed through the darkness before a blaze of florescent light came to life above, burning into his eyes. The blackness contracted in an ellipse, exposing a ring of murky blue membrane. His vision bloomed, blurry, causing his eyelids to timidly shutter and then blink rapidly. Tears streaked down his temples to his ears.

The room was familiar to Jason, but only in the way déjà vu is familiar. His hands and feet were bound to an observation table in the middle of the bright white room with no windows. Life support monitors surrounded him while tubes penetrated veins all over his body. He couldn’t move or speak; he seemed to lay there lifeless, but his mind cranked. He narrowed his eyes and rolled them to the right, towards the incessant ticking. It was all he could do to find some sort of discernment, to find some sort of sanity from a maddening sound. An electronic metronome blinked back and forth near two recognizable figures. The scientist and the businessman, both of whose names escaped the churning edges of Jason’s awakening conscious. They ignored their test subject as if he was a simple manifestation, a television left on from the night before. Instead they argued ceaselessly over a clipboard document, which the businessman waved violently at the scientist.

The businessman grew only more irritated and relentless as the conversation continued.

“I understand the implications of the process, doctor; I have been here, not only for ever Haste test, but for ever Modus Machina test as well.”

The doctor shook his head in disagreement.

“Every experiment prior has been of an isolated incident. We have tested the substance without the nanotechnology; and the nanotechnology without the substance. We are not ready at this stage to move forward. Enhancing the mechanism could cause uncontrollable, unforeseeable problems.

The businessman interjected ruthlessly unbending, “You can not pretend this wasn’t apart of the plan doctor. It always has been from the very beginning. In any case I have been ordered by the Alliance to merge Project Modus Machina and Project Haste. They are expecting to have results by the end of today; would you like to ask them to explain it themselves?”

The scientist put his head down vilified, wavering to speak again. But his head stayed down. The businessman held a faux gold fountain pen towards the scientist and smiled. He grudgingly took the damn thing and signed the document. The businessman looked up still smiling and then let out a quick gust of gratification from his nostrils.

“Truly, it is mightier.” With that the businessman passed quickly outside the peripheral of Jason’s vision.

The scientist squabbled to himself, washing his hands, finger by finger and then fixing a medical mask to his face and nitrile gloves to his hands. He finally made his way to the observation table bringing along a cart of medical supplies. There where four syringes. Two big syringes labeled MACHINA held a substance inside that looked like liquid metal. Two small syringes labeled HASTE, contained a substance inside that resembled blood.

Jason peered up at the doctor, his vision still full of what looked to be translucent worms that squirmed and wiggled on his retina, magnifying the light above.

“Hello again Jason, we have met before, but that was a different time and a different place. Let me introduce myself again, my name is Doctor Richard Quay.”

Doctor Quay spoke with sympathy but excluded his empathy.

“I’m not going to lie to you Jason, what is about to take place within the next few hours is going to be very painful. I don’t think either of us want to be here. I will try my best too make this procedure as painless as possible. The procedure is simple; it includes a series of injections. The first is the Machina injection, in which billions of tiny bio-nano-machines will enter your blood stream and inhabit every part of your body, fixing what needs to be fixed and improving everything else. After two hours I will then inject Haste.”

Doctor Quay took a breath, unsure how to explain something he did not fully grasp himself.

“Haste acts as a kind of adrenaline boost in support of the nanotechnology. So if you can imagine an adrenaline shot to the power of a billion. This is essentially the concept.”

Turning a nozzle underneath the observation table allowed Xenon gas to flow through the tube and into Jason’s mouth and nose. He then reached up to fix the intravenous drip, synchronizing it to the metronomes incessant ticking.

“Although you will be put under anesthesia, all past Machina subjects reported feeling significant pain.”

Doctor Quay began to fade from Jason’s vision. His world became a haze that evaporated to blackness, followed by a sharp white pain throughout his entire body. A flood of memories converged inside of him. He was transported to the brink of his life and to the moment when he had first met the scientist and the businessman.

****

Drop pods screamed across the night sky like a thousand bottle rockets being shot off by mischievous angels from heaven. They streamed down by the dozens. The entire 12^th space infantry division, nicknamed the grey division, had made their arrival to a new civilization, a new future, a new war.

They arrived on Theogon in the recently terraformed safe zone outside harm from the enemy. What the soldiers had come to know as titans. These gigantic slow moving creatures stood over two hundred meters tall and dressed in massive clunky armor. Completely shielded by their protective covering, the titans looked like spiky biped crustaceans that had crawled out of the deep sea abyss. They were almost completely defensive except when surrounded. If overwhelmed the titans would emit a bright coruscation from their fists, raise them high above their head, and then slam them to the ground letting off an intense flash of devastation. For years it took the One Faction Alliance and the lives of many soldiers to form a strategy that would take just one titan down.

“Jason Conway.”, the major general yelled across the field of grey suited soldiers.

Jason was busy readjusting the water output valve on his grey suit. All new recruits were subject to certain pranks since they wouldn’t see battle for the next couple of weeks. One of these pranks involved cranking up the water output to max causing the entire inside of Jason’s suit to get wet whenever he was thirsty for a sip of water.

“What now?” Jason mumbled under his breath.

Deek, another new recruit, tapped Jason on the shoulder.

“Hey, Jay, you better get your ass movin’, that’s major general Hammer calling you.

“Shit.”

Jason gathered himself and sloshed his way over to the major general, presenting a straight salute as best he could in the flooded suit.

“Yes sir? Major General Sir.” Jason yelled loudly, being careful not to look him in the eyes.

“At ease solider.”

The major general moved quickly, walking towards a large canopy set up away from the rest of the troops. Jason followed.

“That shit they taught you in camp ends once you hit alien territory, never do it again, you understand me solider?”

“Yes sir.”

“Private Conway, you have been called to convene with two very important men who have made this war against the titans possible. They have reviewed all of your physical and mental abilities and have chosen you, along with eight other soldiers, to participate in their next big project. This is so that people like us, can take those titan sons-a-bitches down. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

The Major General stopped just before the entrance to the large covered canopy.

“After this meet you will move up to rank private first class. Let me ask you something private; were you an eagle scout by chance?”

Jason smiled knowing the major general most likely knew the answer to the question.

“Yes sir, I was.”

Major general Hammer smirked back.

“Then welcome to E-4 Corporal, you can pick out your squad when you get back.”

Inside the canopy eight soldiers stood in firm attention towards the scientist and the businessman. Jason followed suite.

“Good morning soldiers. My name is Joseph Burr and this is Doctor Richard Quay. As explained by major general Hammer we are the core scientific and financial representation against the titans. In our efforts, we want to see Theogon become the new prosperous Earth for all mankind, and we believe that very future is standing here today. The nine of you have been chosen to participate in a top secret military project. And though none of you have yet come face to face with the enemy, by the end of this project you all will be the next driving force towards destroying the titans. At undisclosed times, four of you will be assigned to project Modus Machina, the other four will be assigned to project Haste, and one of you will be assigned to an amalgamation project that involves both. Information on these projects will be disclosed to you in progress of the project. All projects will take place at the Human Advancement Lab back on earth. Replacements have been chosen in the possible event of you being killed in action before participating in the project.”

Major general Hammer took a step forward towards the men. “Do you understand these terms?”

“Yes, sir.” The nine soldiers yelled in unison.

****

The land was forever flat and dusty. A few curious rain drops fell and then more and more followed into a downpour. Jason looked to the West, away from his scouting squad towards the setting sun and the distant silhouette of the many roaming titans. After a number of years in the trenches, the scientist and businessman had passed from Jason’s memory. How many years had it been, Jason thought to himself. He had seen the fall of two titans within the years gone by. Those battles he would never forget.

Deek climbed out of his trench belligerent.

“Fuck this shit hole, man. I hate this goddamn planet. Everything’s too big, like it’s important. Big desert, big aliens, even the raindrops are too big. It’s cats and dogs every time.”

The rest of the scouting squad was emerging from their trenches as well. The medic, Juan, yelled out to Deek’s complaint.

“It has to do with the different rates of coalescence.”

“Oh, hey, maybe you can explain what has to do with the different rates of me not giving a shit.”

“Fuck you.”

“Hey, hey, quiet.” Jason shouted, grasping the situation. However, his attention was somewhere else.

“There’s something close by.”

A slow stirring could be heard, like a low rumbling stomach.

“It’s thunder.”

“No, it’s not.”

“What is it then, is it a titan?” One of the new recruits questioned, clutching on to his assault rifle.

Deek laughed.

“Are you blind? Do you see a titan? If there was a titan close by it would be pretty freakin’ obvious.”

Just then, as if to spite Deek’s comment, the ground shook violently, knocking the entire squad down. A couple hundred meters from them dust and sand exploded into the air. A titan emerged, hidden beneath the surface, a rising monolith. Jason looked up into its eyes, burning like stars.

“Get back into your trenches now!” Jason roared.

The new recruit, filled with panic, locked back his rifle and dead griped the trigger. The other men followed in shock of the action, desperately trying to kill the unassailable creature.

“Cease fire! Cease fire! Jason’s voice was a suffocated breath underneath the cry of gunfire.

It was too late. The titan looked down, breathing out vehemence. Its fists glinted with light and rose towards the sky.

“Run! Jason yelled desperately trying to save his squad.

“Forget them, come on!” Deek yelled back to Jason.

Jason looked again towards doom.

“Come on!”

Jason gave up and ran with Deek. They didn’t look back again. They ran as far and as fast as they could until a bright light surrounded them. A thunderclap sounded before they were lifted off the ground and carried forward. White pain shot throughout Jason’s entire body. At the brink of his life he hoped they would bring his body back to Earth, back to his home.

****

Earth, Jason’s mind cranked violently, I’m back on Earth. His eyes shot open, his neck twisted into a dead stare. Doctor Quay stared back, eyes wide in a solid state of fixated horror. Jason’s body wrenched. His back arched towards the blinding lights above. Haste flowed through his body, tearing and repairing every muscle thousands of times a second. It was an incredible, indescribable pain. Every nut and bolt loosened from the observation table. Jason shook uncontrollably until he was free, free from war, free from Theogon, now able to once again roam the Earth. Doctor Quay tried to restrain Jason, but Jason push back causing Doctor Quay to lift from the floor and smash forcefully into life support machines across the room. Jason took a step away from the doctor’s lifeless body. He turned and stepped forward towards the exit. One painful step lead to another and another, a stream of air passed by him faster and faster, until Jason thought he would never be able to stop.

A deafening alarm blared. Jason crashed through the seventh floor window of the Human Advancement Lab. His feet yearned for the Earth below. As Jason hit the ground running, he looked in wonder at the modern electromagnetic skyscrapers with plasma windows and the city street superconductors. Earth had certainly changed from the time he had left so many years ago.

Jason senses the chase behind him. He ran faster with every step. He felt no resistance, he felt free, he felt unstoppable. He imagined this was how the titans must have felt.

As Jason neared the outskirts of the city, dark cloud formations converged overhead. Raindrops fell. But Jason knew something didn’t feel quite right about it. It was a different kind of rain, bigger drops. He fell to his knees at the city’s edge and looked out. There were no homes, no flowers, no white picket fences, no nothing, only the rising black dust clouds of war.

Jason looked back towards the replicate terraformation of a deceitful city. In the distance a tread of fuming tanks and armored grey foot soldiers closed in on him. He knew then where he was, he knew he had to get off Theogon, very, very, quickly.

The Rise and Fall of The Filthy Maggots: Trailer

2011-04-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

Trailer for the Mock-doc about a band that goes through everything a band goes through, except for playing music.

My Next Pay-Check is going to Cave Johnson

2011-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Portal 2 Coming Soon...Can't wait.

Published

2011-04-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

Three of my short stories are going to be publish in two different sci-fi anthologies, Adventures in Other Worlds, and Science gone Mad. Very cool and exciting. This has inspired me to write more.

And Now for Some Eastern Film Selections

2011-04-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I own a lot of Korean and Japanese films. And why not they have produced some really interesting stuff as of lately. Here are a couple flicks that look interesting.

From famed Horror director Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer and Audition)
13 ASSASSINS

From breakout director Jee-woon Kim (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) <- Also good
I SAW THE DEVIL

Super 8 trailer

2011-03-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Looks like the magic/mystery that I discovered as a kid from Spielberg movies has returned.

The Tree of Life Trailer

2011-03-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Looks amazing...the trailer alone makes me reflect at the awesome and aesthetic power of the cosmos and the fact that we may be the only thing in the infinite, that has or every will conscientiously observe and create within it.

Sucker Punch: The Tastiest Rotten Tomato

2011-03-28T16:32:00.001-07:00

I was going to write a long drawn out and probably disorganized rebuttal to all the critic bandwagon hate for the movie Sucker Punch...but I found a review that does that for me, so here you go.

The Rise and Fall of The Filthy Maggots

2011-03-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Work on a new production has begun in the same hit the ground running style we had with twenty-something. It's a comedy, a mock-doc about a band, "The Filthy Maggots", and how fame can get in the way of the "creative process".

KentPatch WriteUp

2011-01-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

I thought I saw a couple of reporters at the Wrap party. Here was one of those reporter write ups from that night.

http://kent.patch.com/articles/from-small-town-to-big-screen

Top 10 Greatest Film Composers

2011-01-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

10. Bill Conti
Created the most motivational music ever with Rocky.
Also did:
Masters of the Universe
The Thomas Crown Affair
The Right Stuff
and Karate Kid of my favorites

9. Danny Elfman

Tim Burton's go to guy.
Did:
Batman
and Big Fish
of my favorites.

8. Alan Silvestri

As Robert Zemeckis's go to composer,
He did:
Back to the Future
Forest Gump
also Predators
and The Abyss
of my favorites

7. Harry Gregson - Williams

Has done many of the Scott brothers films.
Including but not exclusive to:
Kingdom of Heaven
Man on Fire
The Chronicles of Narnia
Metal Gear Solid (I know not a movie but still Amazing)
of my favorites

6. Howard Shore

Mostly David Cronenberg's go to composer, (Scorsese also lately) but has worked with many of my favorite directors.
His Movie Compositions Include:
Lord of the Rings
A History of Violence
The Game
The Departed
and Seven
of my favorites.

5. John Murphy
Has created many of the themes we recognize today. He's Danny Boyle's go to dude and he's really good.

Has done:
28 days later
Sunshine
Lock Stock
and Snatch
Among my favorites

4. Clint Mansell

Darren Aronofsky's guy. His compositions are experimental and fantastic.

Has done:
Pi
Requiem for a Dream
The Fountain
Smokin' Aces
And Moon
Of my favorites

3. Hans Zimmer

When you hear a powerful score, your probably listening to Hans Zimmer.

Has done
Gladiator
Crimson Tide
The Lion King
The Last Samurai
The Dark Knight
and Inception
among my favorites

2. Ennio Moricone
If you love film, you most likely love westerns. Ennio composed for Sergio Leone the greatest of the spaghetti western directors.
His films include:
Fistfull of dollars
The Good the Bad the Ugly
Once Upon A Time in the West
Once Upon A Time in America
and Cinema Paradiso
among my favorites.

1. John Williams

John Williams ! Cause when you think about film and music you think of John Williams don't you?

Has given us
Superman
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Jurassic Park
and Jaws
among everyone's favorites

Another Twenty-Something Review

2011-01-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

Rogue Cinema Reviews "The Long Slow Death of a Twenty-Something"

"...both funny and poignant"

Merry Christmas Free Stock Video

2010-12-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

From Video Copilot. Thank Andrew Kramer and Enjoy.

Video Sample
Free Stock Pack (100MBs)

Twenty-Something Review

2010-12-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

Cinema Crazed reviews "The Long Slow Death of a Twenty-Something"

"Very much in the tradition of "Five Easy Pieces" about a society void of a true purpose and a man aimlessly looking for one..."

Twenty-Something Poster

2010-12-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

A very minimalistic poster for twenty-something.

J~R

The Wanderer King Breakdown

2010-12-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

Now that Four Tanks is done...we are now on to pre-production of The Wanderer King, more specifically the script break down, check out details at 4reelz.com

Cowboys Vs Aliens

2010-11-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Looks cool

Whoops wrong trailer...here we go.

More Books

2010-11-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

Here are the books I've been reading through-out the past couple of months. I would strongly recommend reading any one of them, particularly if you are a fan of Sci-fi. As for "The Road" I would strongly recommend you read it regardless of your particular tastes.

This was a re-read for me. My friend "Flatbed" (See Side Panel ->) let me borrow this book back in college. Really great read, in fact it is one of the few books I have taken the time to re-read. They have been talking about making this into a movie since like the mid-90s. I hope when it happens they pull it off. A visual rep of this book could be amazing.

This book has some amazing scale to it and is surprisingly an easy read. I have not finished it yet however because I started on the next book "The Road" due to the fact that I had been wanting to read it and it has been suggested to me by multiple people. Foundation so far has been very interesting in both plot and characters. However I feel as though the writing is a little mechanical and blunt, where as a writer like Ray Bradbury can be more eloquent .

I saw this as a film before I read it as a book. I am about 75% done with this book and let me tell you, I am really enjoying it. It makes me respect the movie so much more reading this book because the movie is very, very on point with the feel and themes that the book evokes. The writing is also interesting. It reminds me of Ernest Hemingway almost... a mix of experimental, narrative and at times short hand poetry. It meanders through following a father and son in the dead and dying landscape, almost as if without any meaning or direction. All this in a good, thought provoking way.

This is next on my list, I have it sitting amongst the pile and I skimmed through it a bit. The world (universe) building is incredible. Matching Lord of the Rings in scale and detail. It's funny that it was the first David Lynch film I ever saw many years ago...I thought it was very interesting even then.

Bunny Robot!

2010-11-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

I have to laugh at how much of a guilty pleasure this movie will be.

A Lesson in Cartography

2010-11-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished two maps for the intro to the Four Tanks and a Healer cartoon...Here's one of them with title. Now all that's left is to throw them in After Effects and animate them together. On a side note this is my 50th post...yeah woo, yeah!

The Walking Dead - So Good It Deserves Another Post

2010-11-01T11:52:00.001-07:00

Here's an amazing fan made intro that I think should be the intro to the show.

J~R

The Walking Dead

2010-10-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

Well I can't believe I waited this long to post about "The Walking Dead" coming to AMC on Halloween - I'm sure you all know by now. I have been reading the comic on and off for the past month and they are great.

I hope the show is as good.
J~R

Top 10 Films Of The Decade

2010-10-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

As 2010 comes to a close I thought I would put up a list of the movies, from 2000-2010, that I could watch over and over again. There were many movies that I had to leave off the list. Perhaps even some I would consider technically better, again this list is a list composed of movies I watched and then wanted to watch again and again and again.

Here's the list. What's your list? Post it at the bottom.

10. There Will Be Blood

I drink your milkshake!

Daniel Plainview is by far one of the most interesting characters in movie history. I found my disposition of his character to change from viewing to viewing. Sometimes thinking he was a relatively straight forward character with certain goals and motives. Other times I found myself strangely sympathizing with his character. It's an amazing performance that shows what greed can do to people.

9. Mulholland Drive

Silencio...

One of my first film research papers in college was titled "Inside the Mind of David Lynch". I had just watch Mulholland Drive and was thrilled by it. The pacing methodical, the acting (Naomi Watts) is excellent, and...uh, what was up with the guy behind Winkies anyway? Definitely a masterpiece of interesting, disturbing, satirical surreal meta-film quality that only David Lynch could pull off.

8. Watchmen (Ultimate Cut)

Who Watches the Watchmen?

On any other top ten list for best comic book movie you would probably be looking at "The Dark Knight". I can not disagree that it is one of the best comic movies and performances of the Joker seen as of today. However, I love the "Watchmen" graphic novel more than any Batman comic put together. It is packed with layers of meaning and symbolism that can not be matched. The movie delivers on all these levels and more. And despite what Alan Moore may think about the movie industry...They got this one right! And with a better ending too.

7. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

"All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun,"
Jean-Luc Godard

This is one of those movies, like the "Princess Bide" I could watch anywhere, anytime, in any mood. I am a big fan of Noir and I really like it when movies try to update the genre today. (See "Brick" also.) The movie is funny, many times it knowingly breaks the rules of cinema as kind of a wink and nod to the audience and I enjoy every second of it.

6. Oldboy

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.

If you are not floored in one way or the other by a first viewing of this film there could be something wrong with you. Throughout the decade I have been seeing more and more excellent films come out of South Korea. Chan-Wook Park is no exception. After seeing his Revenge trilogy along with his new film ("Thirst") He has proven himself an auteur who knows his craft. There is a film language you can see. A filmmaker with a diamond-cutters eye.

5. The Road

Are you carrying the fire?

A good movie not only entertains, it inspires. That being said, this might be the most important film of the decade. John Hillcoat directs a masterpiece that may seem like a simple story on the surface. But the questions that lay underneath are chilling. Who are we really under all the bullshit? Are we really good? We would like to think so. When faced with great adversity the best and the worst is brought out in people. While hope and love may be seen as weaknesses, this movie shows that, above all, they are the most important virtues.

4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

...And my Axe!

Who can argue with this cinematic achievement. The Lord of the Rings is undoubtedly one of the greatest collections of films to come out of this decade and will be remembered for may to come. I love the books and thank God for Peter Jackson's devotion to them. The scale of the three movies is immense, the landscapes are beautiful, the world feels real and the character feel like they belong to that world. Are there flaws, yes. Is it a movie you'd want to watch on a daily basis, probably not. Is the Lord of the Rings undeniable epic and fantastic, absolutely. I'm very glad they decided not to make it back in the 60's staring the Beatles.

3. Survive Style 5+

What's your function in life?

This is one of those movies where after the first viewing many people will say..."I don't understand it, but I like it." Survive Style 5+ is nothing short of amazing. The visuals are interesting, the characters are weird, and it's got heart beating among the funny, crazy, antics. This is a movie I could watch any day of the week. I didn't want it to end.

2. Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut)

What is Jerusalem worth? Nothing...Everything

Ridley Scott is one of my favorite directors and I must say of all his films this by far is my favorite. More than "Alien", More than "Gladiator", More than "Blade Runner", this is in my opinion is his masterpiece. Now I must stress, I speak of the Director's Cut. The theatrical cut is also amazing but no where in comparison to the DC. Every stitch of this film, from the vast landscape visuals, to the battles, to the characters, is near perfect. I will say while I think Orlando Bloom does a good job in the film...he is not on par with the level of it and excluding that, the film is perfect.

1. Inception

Dreams feel real while we're in them.

Whoa, surprise, my number one movie is also the most overrated movie at the moment. Go figure. But if you look through my blog history, you'll know that I have been anticipating this movie since it's...well, inception, onto IMDB. I have been interested in dreams and dream control (lucid dreaming) for the past couple of years and therefore am naturally drawn to this kind of source material. All things considered I have to say my expectations were not let down in the least, and as you might be able to tell, they were very high to begin with. The movie is beyond interesting and hits on all levels of cinematic criteria. I look forward to buying this and watching it many many times.

J~R

Offical Trailer: Four Tanks and a Healer

2010-10-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

What is Animated, Epic, Funny, Cool, and neatly wrapped in an awesome premise.

Four Tanks and A Healer.

Check it out.

True Grit

2010-10-04T19:34:00.001-07:00

When I told my Dad they were remaking True Grit, I was surprised that it was my Mom that chimed in..."How can they remake that, it's already perfect." Well if that is true I think the Coen Brother's just made something a bit better than perfect. This movie looks awesome.

Superman: Man of Steel

2010-10-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

It seems that Zack Snyder has signed on to direct the new Superman movie Man of Steel. After seeing Snyder's faithful direction on Watchmen along with Christopher Nolan signed on as producer; I for one am excited to see how this will turn out. I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably better than the Avengers movie.

On IMDb

2010-10-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty Something is now up on IMDb and is currently being submitted to Festivals.

Check it out.

THE LONG, SLOW DEATH OF A TWENTY-SOMETHING/

Exit Through The Gift Shop - A Banksy Film

2010-09-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

If you don't know who Banksy is, you should. He is the greatest graffiti/street artist that has ever lived. The theme of his art goes beyond sub-culture. His art motif and mystique is counter culture, political parody, and 100% satirical; in the same way you think of Fight Club's Project Mayhem spray painting a BIG SMILEY FACE on the side of a major corporate building. It's amazing and now it seems as though there is a documentary being made around the hi-jinks.

Below is a trailer and some of his art work.

STREET ART BY BANKSY

J~R

Four Tanks and a Healer New Pics

2010-09-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

These are some new pics from Four Tanks and a Healer. An awesomely animated sequence from Jacob Drake, can't wait to start editing and getting the sound effects going.

J~R

The Long, Slow Death of a Filmmaker

2010-09-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on my mind as we wrap up post-production on "The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something" and prepare to bring our baby into the world.

- Editing has been long and grueling. First, it's neat to see the footage coming together. Then, it's fun to piece it together how you want it. Then, a few weeks in, it starts to suck having to create perfectly timed transitions between scenes while keeping an eye on the pacing of the entire film. There's also the color grade, which means every single shot must be colored individually, and the audio clean up, where some lines must be dubbed, fitted, and tweeked to fit the scenes. There are continuity issues where a different take has to be used... and you don't HAVE a different take! There are audio lapses where two actors talk at the same time and you only need one actor's line. There's all that and way, way more to worry about. If it wasn't such a creative outlet, it would suck. Hell, it sucks anyway...and I love it.

- Showing the trailer was a huge relief for the three of us (Justin, Jake, and myself) as we finally got to show the world we weren't crazy and that there really was a movie that didn't suck. Also, Jake and I had been editing nonstop for weeks and it was nice to have a brief moment of achievement.

-I was reported for spamming on Facebook when I posted our trailer everywhere but I don't give a shit. Bumping into people from Stow, where I grew up, lets me know that we really spread the word. Almost everybody I see, no matter how long it's been since we've spoken, tells me they've heard great things or that our film looks awesome. Big fish/small pond, maybe, but it's still a sign of good things. Our trailer was shared on Facebook a total of 655 times. Some were friends. Probably 100 were me alone. Others were by friends of friends or total strangers. There's a good buzz. Just have to get the right people to notice and good things will come.

-Feels good to have finally made "the big one". It's not a production-quality spectacle, but it's the first film I've made where I'd be confident enough to show it to Spielberg himself and I know he'd have good things to say. Some criticisms, too, obviously... but it's got heart and it's entertaining. I always knew I was going to dedicate a film to my late father, but I wanted to wait until the film was actually worth a shit. It's finally time.

-Travis, who plays Joey (a good-hearted but directionless slacker) in the film was telling me about his lack of contentment at his landscaping job and how he identified with the film's message about growing up and moving on before it's too late. I told him he was young (he's 22 I think) and that he had plenty of time to fuck up still. Walking away, I hear Vince (28) mutter that "Larry thinks he's older than he really is." I immediately put my foot in my mouth upon realizing that Vince works the same job as Travis and that I basically just insulted him. I felt like a dick. Sorry, Vince. Didn't mean it that way. Still, that situation tells me that there will definitely be some people put off by our film or offended by it's "get up and do something" message. Clint openly made this clear to me, saying that "It can kind of make you feel like shit if you're not doing anything." I don't like that it will hurt people, but I do like that people can relate and will (hopefully) find some sort of motivation in it. It's not too cornball-preachy tho and is pretty down to Earth. Sometimes the truth hurts. Still better than feel-good BS. The over-all message of the film is to shut the fuck up, stop talking about doing something, and actually DO IT.

-I also know that there are plenty of friends (and, particularly, a few ex-girlfriends) who will assume the characters are direct representations of them. Sorry to say, but it's just not true. The girlfriend in the film is an amalgam of about 4 different ex-girlfriends, none of whom were anywhere as evil as Donna, played by Marisa Zakaria. Some of the events in the film are based in truth, but no woman I've ever met was as clueless and cruel as the girl in our film. That being said, it was still an awesome chance to get shit off of my chest and make piece with the way things are. In my opinion, people are pretty horrible to each other and I never felt I had a way to express how I felt about that until now. The movie, while crude, less-than-tactful, and somewhat offensive at times, has a really good heart at it's core. The protagonists are NOT immune to being full of shit and are not just preachers on high horses. They are, in fact, a huge part of the problems they hate.

On the flip side, the male characters (Ben, Joey, Tom) are all based on all of my closest male friends, but they're all merged together. Off the top of my head, I'd say that:

Ben = Me, Derby, Aaron, Clint, Travis
Tom = Me, Vince, Aaron, Pitts
Joey = Vince, Travis, Pitts, Clint

Of course, if I were to write that list up again right now (only a few seconds later) it'd be pretty different. Those are rough layouts but mostly true I think. I didn't have a chart going in. You just write what you know and you draw from who you know and what you've experienced. Every time Ben and Tom argue in the film, it's basically two sides of Larry having an argument. The selfish voice vs. the attempting-to-be selfless voice. The guy who wants to live and let live vs. the guy who can't stand the world around him.

- Astounded by the amount of people praising what we've shown who I figured would hate it. Douchebags and stoners alike seem to dig the trailer, even tho it's clearly knocking douchebags and stoners. That's a good sign. Still, no matter what, somebody watching our film will take something the wrong way. Somebody will be offended. Such is life.

- As for quality, we're really onto something here. I spend most days editing with Ruby and Justin (mostly Ruby tho) and there are times when we're ready to shoot each other. It's natural, obviously, to have two people clashing nonstop over editing. Some studios are infamous for siding with an editor and having a director removed from the editing room, doomed to give up the baby he'd created and trust somebody else to raise the kid right. Other times, the editor is fired for not complying and a newer, more obedient one is put in his place. There are some pretty crazy director vs. editor wars that have raged in the history of filmmaking, often dividing the crew into two teams. All that being said, Ruby and I are doing just fine. We're both emotionally attached to it, so we both have strong opinions. When he's editing, I do my best to leave the room or watch a movie. No backseat driving. Besides, in the end, I get my way if I really push it. After all, if it sucks, it'll be my name they rip apart. On the other hand, if it's awesome, I'll get all the credit.

-During this trying and stressing time, Ruby's becoming a member of the family. 3 year old Rylee's first words coming in the door every day are "Hi, Ruby".

-Speaking of that, just took a break from editing to pick Nathan up at school. 1st grade. Jesus. Gotta pay more attention to things around here or I'll miss them. I do a pretty good job making time away from working on films to play with the kids, but I could do better. Could definitely spend more time with Shannon. The problem is that there simply isn't enough time in the day. Still, I need to try. They're troopers. She knows it'll all make sense in the end.

-Just shipped off a copy of the film to LA for Mark Ordesky and Marisa Zakaria to review. I know the middle needs some work to be less boring, but all-in-all, we've got it. Sometimes, you ask an expert for advice and you get the exact thing you were looking for. Other times, you use part of the advice and tweek the rest with your own judgement. You simply cannot listen to everybody, tho. As a parent, I can't listen to every parent, grandparent, aunt, and uncle's advice when it comes to parenting. Often times, all those opinions contradict one and other and become a big mess. You just take the parts you agree with and abandon the rest. Such is filmmaking. Even the bad ideas are part of the process. So, when they give me a list of things to do or change, I use my own judgement when considering them. It's a team effort, through and through.

-Years ago, I'd have written about all the people who no-showed on me or flaked out. I have to say that my current (and smaller) crew is pretty on-the-ball. Justin's energy and patience levels are probably somewhere in the negatives, but for the most part, he and Ruby know their shit and get it done. Marisa handles the business and paperwork as our company's president, and everybody else did their job and then got out of the way. Gone are the days of fifteen close friends giving me zero respect and all attempting to direct and produce over top of each other. We've really got a system down here. Ordesky once said "It looks to me like you've got a lot of people sitting on the bus who think they belong on the bus just because they've always BEEN on the bus. That's not how it works. Everybody has to earn their spot." I can gladly say that that problem is long gone and that weight has been lifted. Everybody did great on this film. We're growing up.

-When I gave Ordesky and Marisa a list of fanboy icons who I thought could narrate our film and elevate it (artistically as well as marketability-wise), Mark immediately set to contacting Trey Parker (South Park) through his agent. It's a long shot and probably a "no", but the list is long. Business-wise, I think we should get a Kevin Smith, a Louis CK, or even a Brandon Routh or Adam West, but personally I'm a big fan of guys who are less famous but equally talented. I'm a huge fan of Sam Maccarone and Dian Bachar (TheTVFantastic.com) for instance, and while they don't have the same name power, I'd love to get somebody like that to narrate. Ricky Gervais would be awesome. We'll see where it goes and everything is just talk til something actually happens.

-The guys want it to go to Sundance. So do I, but I won't be discouraged either way. I'm thinking about the market and whether or not certain people "approve" or "accept" our film doesn't matter to me. It's good, it has an audience, and it WILL sell. There are a number of paths to that destination. I'm just happy knowing we're on our way. The "how's" don't mean a thing.

-The worst part of filmmaking is that you can work nonstop and work your ass off and still keep gaining weight.

~Larry Longstreth

The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty Something (Trailer)

2010-08-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

The trailer is finally here in all it's glory. Just finished the second rough cut today. It's going to be awesome.

Typography

2010-08-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of typography. Here I have posted a couple of my favorites and a couple I did for class projects. The Robbing Main Street type was for an intro to a short film about college kids robbing campus stores to pay their tuition. My other one is taken from the famous pencil trick scene from the Dark Knight, that was for a Final Cut/Motion class.

Abbott and Costello "Who's on First"

Fight Club

The Big Lebowski

Robbing Mainstreet Intro

The Dark Knight "The Pencil Trick"

New 4Reelz Website

2010-08-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

Made by Me! Check it out.
www.4reelz.com

J~R

Sucker Punch

2010-07-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

So if you were to combined every nerd fantasy into one movie, including but not exclusive to: Giant Robots, Samurai, Giant Robot Samurai, Dragons, War, Sci-Fi, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, Cabaret?, and Girls in School Uniforms wielding Guns and Swords, all wrapped up into an Alice in Wonderland Format...You get something like Zack Snyder's new movie Sucker Punch.

Nick Brandt Photography

2010-07-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

My friend was telling me about this guy's stuff the other day and it is simply amazing. If you are at all interested in Photography you should check it out.

More Behind The Scenes

2010-07-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hot Off The Press

2010-07-09T00:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Ma we made the papers!

Me, Larry, and Justin filmed at the Medina County Jail this week and there happened to be a reporter there. Check it out.

J~R

Four Tanks and a Healer

2010-07-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

Had fun editing this trailer with Justin and Larry. Waiting for the full episode now.

J~R

Behind the Scenes

2010-06-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a raw (unedited) behind the scenes preview of the film I have been currently working on with the 4Reelz crew.

The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something - BTS from Blurry Dude on Vimeo.

Kriadiaz

2010-06-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

New Metal Band in Cleveland Ohio. The Names Kriadiaz. The Guitar player is from Mushroomhead. I was asked to film a concert and edit this promo with my friend Vince - Check it Out.

J~R

Ruby Auto Group

2010-05-25T11:49:00.001-07:00

Made some graphics for Ruby Auto Group...None of them will be used however.

J~R

Dream Machine Part 2

2010-05-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

New information has come to light on the Dream Machine.

It's called 'Inception' and it looks like best movie of the year.

J~R

4 Reelz

2010-04-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a couple of logo's for 4 Reelz.com...Check em' out.

Dream Machine

2010-04-05T19:15:00.001-07:00

So the other day I get an e-mail in my inbox from my blogspot dashboard. The e-mail was from a Mr. Cobb. The subject was titled 'Dream Machine', so I thought it was someone who had visited the site. However after opening the email I quickly realized this was mistakenly sent to me. I say this because through-out the e-mail Mr. Cobb is addressing someone named Arthur and secondly there is a PDF attachment with detailed instructions of a real life 'Dream Machine', which is apparently called a Pasiv Device. Anyway I'm starting to freak out at this point...because I don't know what I have just stumbled upon...I hope I don't get in trouble posting this...then again no one really visits this site anyway so I think I'll be okay :p

Deftones - Diamond Eyes

2010-03-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Get...Set...

BlueCat Script Analysis - 47 Guns

2010-03-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

47 Guns - Jacob Ruby
Archive # 878

What did you like about this script?

47 Guns is an entertaining and intriguing western with a genuine theme running throughout it. The characters are all distinct and believable. The dialogue is appropriate for the time period and setting of the script. The description is well-written and paints the perfect picture of the script’s backdrop. Nathan is a great character that many will be able to empathize with. He is a good-hearted, loving man who is ultimately forced into protecting his brothers and the memory of his father. Nathan’s storyline is interesting and the audience will be curious to see what he will do throughout the film. That’s well done.

The script begins with a bang and then we go back to the beginning of the story. That works very well for this script and helps you hook the audience right from the get-go. Once the audience sees Nathan in the beginning, we’re on the edge of our seats wondering what his fate will be and what could have brought him to that place. Your introduction of Young Nathan on pages 3-7 portrays him as an innocent and loving young boy, which works very well for the shape and storyline of his character. When the audience realizes that Young Nathan isn’t a rebel, we are interested in what led him to that opening scene and that adds to the overall anticipation of the story to unfold.

You do a nice job conveying Ethan and Sarah’s everyday lives at the Orphanage with all their boys. That makes it all the more unsettling when Jonas Busirus suddenly joins the picture and speaks of his plans to turn their tiny little farm into a bustling town. However Ethan, being the man that he is, welcomes Jonas with open arms and remains optimistic about this change in their lives. Ethan’s confidence and hope in Jonas makes the audience almost believe in him too. For a moment, we think that maybe Jonas will make life better for the Burley’s. But of course, we realize that just like most men, Jonas hunger for power gets the better of him and his dying wish is for Jason to attain the Burley’s land. From that moment on, we know that there will be bloodshed. That plotline is played out very well. Nice job.

What do you think needs work?

The storyline of this script starts out good, but starts to move far too fast and jumps around way too much. For example, Jonas seems to be perfectly fine with the settlement he’s created and then suddenly he gets sick. On pages 21-22 he reveals that he’s not at all happy about his town because he hasn’t done everything he’s wanted to do. This seems to come out of nowhere. You need to make this known earlier on in the script. Sure, you have the scene where Jonas speaks to Ethan about how he never knew the Orphanage was there, but that’s not enough. You need to have Jonas tell Ethan that he’s happy about the Orphanage, but then have the next scene be with Jonas talking to his partner about how he will take Ethan’s land because that land is not supposed to be Ethan’s. A simple scene like this could be so short and forgettable, but still remain in the back of the audience’s mind so that when Jonas reveals his final wish, we realize we knew that was coming all along.

Also, it doesn’t feel natural when Jonas tells his son everything he wants done to the town on pages 29-31. This scene doesn’t have any dramatic relevance because it feels like Jonas is simply telling us what will happen in the rest of the movie. There should be some document or some papers that Jonas has been working on where he reveals his plan to “get back” his land from Ethan. Then, right before Jonas dies, he should be able to speak only a few words and perhaps those words are “get back the land” or something of that nature. Then, Jason will be determined to get to the bottom of what that means and that’s when he finds his father’s papers and documents pointing to the Burley’s land. Now, Jason will make it his mission to get back that land one way or another. Having the scene unfold that way adds much more dramatic value and tension to the script since Jason needs to find out what his dad meant rather than having his father simply telling him every last detail. It would also mean more to Jason to get that land because he knows his father’s dying words were for him to fulfill that mission.

All in all, with a few minor tweaks in the storyline and a few scene alterations, you will be on the road to writing a great western.

THANK YOU BLUECAT

J~R

In Honor Of The 2010 Oscar's

2010-03-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

Pseudo-Clever blog post comment introducing an Awesome video.

Deftones New Album

2010-03-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

Huge Deftones Fan. New Album 'Diamond Eyes' Out March 18.

Reviews Are Out

2010-02-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here are the reviews of Dolly Oxem and The Legend of Rune Wraith from Cinema Crazed and Rogue Cinema.

Dolly Review - Cinema Crazed
(Dolly Oxem) has potential to be a hit series if approached with the right creative direction.

Dolly Review - Rogue Cinema
(Dolly Oxem) is a high-quality production, written and directed with a sharp, ironic wit that deserves to be seen.

Rune Wraith Review - Cinema Crazed
"The Legend of Rune Wraith" is classic Longstreth with unusual bizarre humor, sharp improv, and a climax that guarantees to stick in our minds long after we've seen it.

J~R

The Legend of Rune Wraith

2010-02-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

Had fun filming this Thursday.

Runners Poster Part 2

2010-02-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

J~R

Runners Poster

2010-02-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed making my last script poster so much I decided to make another for my script Runners. More to come.

J~R

47 Guns Poster

2010-02-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

The First Screenplay Poster Ever. For my script 47 Guns.

J~R

Dolly Oxem Premieres

2010-01-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

He's finally here... He came from nowhere and now he's going back...

DOLLY OXEM'S TRAVELING VIDEO CIRCUS!
Uploaded by Bullcrank. - See more comedy videos.

Script Fix

2010-01-28T09:04:00.001-08:00

I've been currently revamping my screenplays to get ready for submission once again. I'm only submitting in two different contests this time. The first is Bluecat , which I have not previously submitted to. But this contest seems better than most because regardless of whether you win, they give you a one page analysis on your screenplay. This is good, not only due to the fact that you get notes on your work, but this also lets you know they are actually reading your script. Which I've got to imagine worries most script submitters about any contest. If I ever found out that I paid $50 for someone to read my title or the first 10 pages and throw it in the trash I'd be upset.

The other contest I'm entering into is ScriptPimp , which I have previously submitted to. I like this one cause everyone who enters gets the chance at many different prizes and also cause I get a discount since last year I won a 5 year membership.

My script 47 Guns has just been broken down from 130 pages to 112 pages. I've made huge scene changes in this newest draft. Action script is more exciting, the opening and closing scenes more epic, and dialog...may still need some work, but is acceptable. I've realized visualization is more important than any piece of dialog or exposition, especially for an action western.

Here are my Loglines and Synopses:

47 Guns

Logline:

Shortly after the civil war, a Colorado orphanage is burned down by a ravenous capitalist for the expansion of a developing western town, many years later 47 orphans return seeking revenge.

Synopsis:

47 Guns is a Western retelling on the legend of the 47 Ronin. In 1865 at the birth of a small town in Colorado, Ethan Burley, a former lawman and his wife Sarah take care of abandoned children in the aftermath of the Civil War. They soon find themselves in danger when a wealthy prospector Jonas Busirus demands that the family sell their land to him for the expansion of the town. On his death bed Jonas painfully passes this burden onto his son Jason telling him to secure the land by any means necessary. This promise leads to the orphanage burning and the murders of Ethan and Sarah Burley, leaving the boys abandoned once again.

After many years the only surviving blood son of the Burley family, Nathan, again finds himself in the small town along with his gang of orphaned brothers known as the 47 Guns. There to avenge the death of their family and to reclaim their lost home, they will take the town by any means necessary. However with wealth on his side and privately funding his own army, Jason proves a force to be reckoned with.

Runners

Logline:

A banker, a drug trafficker, and a mysterious group dubbed the knights, bid for a lost package known as the Holy Gift. Three 'Runners' are hired to recover it, but find themselves with histories most sought after possession.

Synopsis:

Chester, Jude, and Benson are runners hired to recover lost or stolen items for the criminally organized. After a briefcase goes missing at LAX airport, they are employed for the recovery by a powerful banker. However things get complicated when word gets around town concerning the run.

Now, Chester, Jude, and Benson find themselves caught up with a myriad of problems including a banker, a drug trafficker, a free-runner from North Africa, a Japanese waitress with a baseball bat, and mysterious group hailed the Knights. All of them wanting one thing, the discovery of histories most sought after possession known as the Holy Gift.

J~R

B-Boys

2010-01-28T08:12:00.000-08:00

Messin' around, having some fun filming and editing Garrett and Will doing some break moves.

J~R

I believe in Dolly Oxem

2010-01-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard of Dolly Oxem you soon will. I had a lot of fun going to production shoots every Sunday over the summer. Now after editing over six weeks of raw footage, things have finally wrapped up. Editing with Larry and Justin was a fun but at times manic process. In fact I kept a gun (Airsoft) handily next to my computer in case an audio clip decided it didn't want to cooperate or another dreaded crash. The pantomime of blowing your brains out seemingly has a similar affect to squeezing a stress ball. The two, eleven hour and two six hour encoding processes was perhaps enough for me to really want to shoot myself. But in the end the payoff is always a rewarding one.

Here is the new trailer I put together for it.

Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus will premier LIVE January 30th at 8 P.M. EST on Blurrydude.com spread the word.

Final Preview: DOLLY OXEM'S TRAVELING VIDEO CIRCUS
Uploaded by Bullcrank. - Sitcom, sketch, and standup comedy videos.

J~R

Motivation

2010-01-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

The most motivating piece of music ever written.

Motivated. Good. Now go out and get it!

Rejection Blues

2010-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

STORY SUBMISSION HISTORY

*Accepted - 1

*Rejected - 11

*In Queue - 1

*In Progress - 2

*Shelf - 5

*Sold - 0

Screenplays

47 Guns: (In Queue)

Scriptapalooza Contest (Rejected)

Zoetrope Contest (In Queue-Feb. 2nd)

Runners: (SHELF)

Silver Screenwriting Competition (Rejected)

*Script Pimp Contest (Accepted - Prize Winner)

Another Shade of Black (Pilot): (SHELF)

Short Script Awards (Rejected)

Strange Creatures (In Progress)

Short Stories

Mysterium: (SHELF)

All Story Zoetrope Contest (Rejected)

Dark Horizons (Rejected)

Stratagem: (In Queue)

Murky Depths (Rejected)

Silver Thought (In Queue) Dec. 8

Haste: (SHELF)

Apex (Rejected)

Black Matrix Publishing (Rejected)

War of the Worlds (Rejected)

Twitch: (SHELF)

Apex (Rejected)

52 Stitches (Rejected)

Infinity Is A Sidewards 8: (In Progress)

Edit, rewrite, drink, smoke, write some more, submit more, get these stories off the SELF, just don't give up!

J~R

The Mystery Box

2010-01-01T01:48:00.000-08:00

Inspiring stuff from JJ Abrams.

Melvin R. Claus

2009-12-26T23:49:00.000-08:00

Cinematography and Editing Practice:

J~R

Another Shade of Black

2009-12-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

Wrote this about 3 years ago...Thinking of reworking it and filming it.

Another Shade of Black

By

Jacob Ruby

CHAPTER ONE - FADING MEMORIES

BLACK

The sound of RAIN falling on glass is heard before the gruff
VOICE of a MAN over takes it.

MAN (V.O.)
People are always telling me I have
a bad memory, maybe it’s because I
don’t want to remember my past,
maybe it’s because I haven’t yet
found a memory worth
saving...Perhaps tonight I’ll find
it.

FADE IN:

INT. JOHN’S CAR - NIGHT

Looking out the front windshield, wipers periodically emerge
from the bottom and clean the drops of rain.

The man is sitting in the drivers seat SMOKING and observing
the POLICE outside of the house.

They work frantically putting danger tape around the house.

MAN (V.O.)
My names John Riley, this was the
start of it all, the end of my
career, the end of my life. I was
the sap assigned to this case, this
murder that took place tonight. A
call was placed only a few hours
ago by the victim’s wife. I pray
for a suicide.

John pulls out a NOTEPAD and begins to write in it.

JOHN (V.O.)
Carrying around a notepad is
important to any detective, but
especially to one that is always
forgetting even the simplest of
details.

EXT. JOHN’S CAR - CONTINUOUS

John steps out of the car and drops his cigarette.
He walks slowly toward the house but suddenly stops, bends
down to the ground and picks up a shard of GLASS.

JOHN (V.O.)
Glass?

John pulls out a plastic baggy and puts the tiny shard in
it. He then continues towards the house.

OFFICER
Can I help you sir?
John flashes his badge.

JOHN
Detective John Riley, I understand
there’s been a murder.

OFFICER
Yes, Right this way sir.

The OFFICER guides him through the front door.

INT. JONES HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

They shake out the wetness, John pulls out his notepad.

OFFICER
Sir?

John doesn’t acknowledge and continues to write.

JOHN (V.O.)
Locks intact...No windows
broke...No signs of forced entry.
Windows...Windows...What am I
forgetting...something...about
windows?

OFFICER
Sir?

JOHN
Yes, Sorry...Just something I need
to do...

OFFICER
Yes well as you may know a 911
emergency call was placed around
midnight by the victims wife, she
was panicked only saying “he’s
trying to kill me” repeatedly.

JOHN
Self defense?

OFFICER
It’s a possibility but not likely.

JOHN
Why not?

OFFICER
No evidence of a struggle, besides
one knocked over lamp, the house is
in perfect condition. And also how
the victim was killed...

JOHN
What?

OFFICER
Well, you better take a look for
yourself.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Inside of the room there is a knocked over LAMP that is
still on, creating an ominous lighting effect within the
room.

THE BODY lays face down on the ground.

There are TWO other officers studying the body.

OFFICER 2
Mr. David Jones, 46 year old white
male - His wife’s name May Jones 44
year old white female...both with
clean records...just everyday
average people.

JOHN
And just an everyday average
murder.

OFFICER
As you can see the hands are
stabbed with a knife, possibly for
some symbolic purpose, this of
course was most likely done after
death, the only gunshot is in the
back just below the right shoulder.

OFFICER 2
We believe this was a crime of
passion.

JOHN
(Chuckles)
Really?

OFFICER 2
Yeah, why?

JOHN
Well if it was a crime of passion
and not premeditated it’s the
cleanest I’ve seen. No signs of
struggle, no excess bullets, hardly
any blood...No I believe this
person knew exactly what they were
doing. Why do you say it was a
crime of passion?

OFFICER 2
The only suspect we have is a
colleague of his. She says they
were lovers. Also his wedding band
is missing we believe the murderer
took it.

JOHN
What about his wife, where is she?
The two officers look at each other.

OFFICER
She’s missing.

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

John’s car passes quickly.

INT. JOHN’S CAR - CONTINUOUS

JOHN (V.O.)
Things weren’t adding up, the
officers were right, everything
committed to evidence points to a
crime of passion, but why did the
victims wife call saying “he is
trying to kill me”, it obviously
could have been a cover up
considering she was missing. This
makes her the prime suspect, no
this was much to clean of a job in
my opinion, there was something
else going on here and I was going
to figure out what it was.

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

John’s car again passes quickly down the road.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

John steps slow but forceful into the cold interrogation
room, and takes a seat.

Across from him sits a very ATTRACTIVE LADY.
John takes his time, he pulls out his notepad opens it and
gets ready to write.

JOHN
There was a murder tonight.

ATTRACTIVE LADY
So I hear.

JOHN
You wouldn’t know anything about
that though, would you?

ATTRACTIVE LADY
You got a cigarette?

JOHN
...Yeah, sure.

John taps the bottom of his cigarette pack and holds the
pack to her so she can pull one out.

JOHN
Now, What do you know?

ATTRACTIVE LADY
(Smiles)
You got a light?

John lights the cigarette.

JOHN
Answer the question Miss...

John flips back a page in his notepad.

JOHN
Caprice Vickers.

MISS VICKERS
From what I’ve heard, it sounds
like a jealous wife killed her
cheating husband. Poetic justice if
you ask me.

JOHN
Cheating with you as I understand
it.

MISS VICKERS
Yes once or twice, nothing that
could be called love.

JOHN
Sometimes all it takes is once or
twice you know.

MISS VICKERS
So it isn’t true all you coppers
are hard nose realist with no
ideals.

JOHN
After being in this line of work
for so long ideals are the only
thing that keeps me going. Now
Miss. Vickers where were you
tonight around eleven?

MISS VICKERS
Taking a shower, I’m staying at the
California Hotel on sixth street,
my apartment building is being
fumigated for pests until tomorrow.

JOHN
I see, having car troubles as well?

MISS VICKERS
Yeah, but how did you know?

JOHN
It looks as though you got a bit of
motor oil on you coat.

MISS VICKERS
Oh, you’re very observant Mr...

JOHN
Riley, John Riley.

MISS VICKERS
Yes...Mr. Riley...you’re very
observant.

JOHN
Well I would hope so Miss it’s...

MISS. VICKERS
...your job.

JOHN
Yes, well I think I’ve heard
enough, you’re obviously just an
innocent bystander in this
investigation, I’d like to thank
you for your time Miss. Vickers.

MISS. VICKERS
It’s been a pleasure Mr. Riley.

JOHN
I have your phone number in case I
need to ask any more questions.

MISS. VICKERS
I’ll be looking forward to your
call.

A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS INCLUDING John walking down the
precinct hallway, getting into his car, driving.

INT. JOHN’S CAR - NIGHT

JOHN (V.O)
Of course I knew better, She played
off the interview way to cool, her
whole tone was cold, as cold as
that investigation scene, she was a
shade of black just a bit too dark.
It wouldn’t be long before I’d get
the tap on her- but first it was
time to get to the bar and review
what I had.

INT. BLUES BAR - NIGHT

John sits down at the bar, orders a drink, and observes the
others there, musing over that night. John notices a WOMAN
CRYING.

JOHN (V.O)
Because of my memory,
my...condition, I have found that
not many women want to be around a
person that is always forgetting
their name. But it doesn’t make me
feel bad because I will soon forget
and make a new friend.

John looks back at the woman crying.

JOHN (V.O)
She can feel my glare but is
resisting to look back. She doesn’t
want her heart broken again- well
not so soon. If she looks back
maybe I’ll go over, everybody needs
a shoulder to cry on, especially in
a town like this.

Moving through the bar and passing the crying woman, she
looks back at John, turning to a booth sits a MAN smoking
and waiting.

MAN (V.O)
My names Frank Mars, tonight must
be my hundredth time on the job, a
job as simple as waiting for a
package at the specified location,
Here, and delivering it to
another... And would you believe
I’m making two thousand or more
bones for a job so simple...Sure
I’ve run into my share of trouble
but in this line of work if you
don’t see any snags in the follow
through within your forth time
delivering get ready for the fifth
cause your well over due.

Frank looks over at John who is now sitting with the crying
woman.

John puts some money on the table and they leave together.

Frank then looks over towards the Jukebox. A JAPANESE GIRL
leans on the Jukebox looking in at the record playing.

FRANK (V.O)
I have listened to this song a
million times, it always comes on
when I’m here, I look over at the
jukebox, it’s always the same
dime playing it too, I tell myself
one day when I’m not on the job
I’ll have to complement her on her
taste in music and buy her a drink,
but sometimes she’s not always here
so I throw in a quarter for good
ol’ Frank and the Jukebox girl, I
listen and then I sit down a while
and wait for the drop off.

EXT. BLUES BAR - NIGHT

John and the woman leave in his car while another comes in
to view.

INT. BLUES BAR - NIGHT

A figure limps through the front door, he looks over at
Frank and approaches.

FRANK
Joey? Joey what’s the matter?

Joey thumps down across from him and lays the briefcase he
was carrying on the table.

FRANK
My God you’re bleeding.

JOEY
(Breaths heavily)
Oh...don’t worry about that I...I
was delivering...

FRANK
Joe lets get you to a hospital.

JOEY
No...There’s no time...Get the
package...

FRANK
The package will get there.
Frank continually looks toward to Jukebox girl as if she
will ease his pain somehow.

FRANK
But you need help.

JOEY
It’s Ok...Just go, I’ll stay here
awhile.

Joey breathes his last breathe

FRANK
Joey, Joey!

FRANK (V.O)
Joey was dead and I had no idea who
it was that shot him, what I could
be sure of was some one wanted this
package and was ready to kill for
it. Fear suddenly set in, what if
Joey was followed? The goons that
did this to him could be right
outside. I couldn’t take the chance
to move him to my car or they might
spot me. I’d have to take the back
way out. You did good Joey, you did
real good, but now it’s my
turn...I’m almost looking forward
to running into the guys that did
this to you, if I do I’ll make sure
they pay.

INT. JOHN’S CAR - NIGHT

JOHN
Where was it you said you lived?

BEAT

JOHN
I’m sorry you’ll have to forgive
me. My memory, it’s like a black
hole...sometimes. Don’t take it
personally but after tonight I most
likely won’t even remember you. God
that sounds bad, I’m sorry.

CRYING WOMAN
(Laughs)
No, it’s Okay.

JOHN
So where was it you said you lived?

CRYING WOMAN
I never told you.

JOHN
Oh, well then it’s not just me.

BEAT

CRYING WOMAN
I was feeling lonely tonight, it’s
not like me to just get in a car
with a stranger, I guess I did
because...well I guess I’ll trade
vulnerability just to be with
someone right now.

JOHN
There’s nothing to worry about
Miss, I’m a detective.

CRYING WOMAN
A detective?

JOHN
Is that Okay?

CRYING WOMAN
Oh yeah, no it makes me feel
better, I was just thinking, my
husband use to be a detective.

JOHN
We’ll I’m happy to take you home.

CRYING WOMAN
(Whispers)
Take me with you.

John looks over at her. He sees how fragile she is.

CRYING WOMAN
Take me with you please, I don’t
want to be alone tonight.

BEAT

John looks back to the road.

JOHN
Sure thing kid, sure thing.

EXT. JOHN’S CAR - NIGHT

The car speeds down the road and off into black of night.

EXT. BLUES BAR - NIGHT

Frank BURSTS through the back door of the bar.
He finds a near-by parked car, breaks in, and drives off.

INT. FRANK’S CAR - NIGHT

Frank looks in the rear view mirror and sees HEADLIGHTS, a
follow.

FRANK (V.O)
The Sons of Bitch’s found me, the
way I saw it was I could settle
this now or I could settle it when
I got to the drop off, either way
they were going to pay for what
they did to Joey.

EXT. FRANK’S CAR - NIGHT

Frank pulls over to the side of the road underneath a street
light.

INT. FRANK’S CAR - NIGHT

Frank sees the headlights pull up close behind him in the
rear view mirror.

He sees the driver and the passenger in the mirror now. The
driver puts a cell phone to his ear, a second later Franks
phone rings.

Frank looks over at the bloody handle of the briefcase and
picks up the phone.

VOICE (V.O.)
Just get out nice and slow and
we’ll make a deal for the package,
we are willing to pay a grand for
every minute it’s been in your
possession.

FRANK (V.O.)
That’s thirty grand, a real sweet
deal and probably one I would have
taken if the bastards hadn’t shot
Joey But no amount of money changes
that now. They were going to pay
alright.

FRANK
Sounds good, I’m coming out.

EXT. FRANK’S CAR - NIGHT

The two in the car get out and stand side by side waiting
for Frank.

Frank waits a moment, steps out of the car and immediately
pulls out TWO PISTOLS. He FIRES at both of the men.

He HITS both in the chest as they pull out there guns, one
of them gets a couple of SHOTS off and they DROP.

Frank hunched over in the view of the headlights.
He grabs for his chest as BLOOD runs down his hand onto his
gun.

Frank falls to the ground.

FRANK (V.O.)
No...Just one last song.

FADE TO:

INT. JOHN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John and the crying woman come in, she sits on the couch.

JOHN
Is there something I can get you,
some water, tea?

CRYING WOMAN
Maybe something stronger?

JOHN
Sure.

John goes into the kitchen and prepares the drinks.
CUT BETWEEN JOHN AND THE WOMAN, the woman PALMS something
unseen.

JOHN
(To himself)
What was her name, come on John.
(Half yell)
Ummm...Miss would you like ice.

CRYING WOMAN
(Loudly)
Oh, Yes, thank you.

JOHN
(Half yell)
I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive
me I forgot your name.

CRYING WOMAN
(Loudly)
Oh, I don’t think I ever gave it,
it’s May, May Jones.

JOHN
(To himself)
May...Jones...hmm...sounds
familiar.

ANGLE ON what May was palming in her hand, she opens her
hand to reveal a WEDDING RING.

ZOOM INTO the ring getting closer and closer.

DISSOLVE:

EXT. BLUES BAR - PARKING LOT - NIGHT

A figure stumbles towards the Blues Bar.

INT. BLUES BAR - CONTINUOUS

The figure is Frank, he staggers inside the bar and makes
his way over to the Jukebox where his girl is.

JUKEBOX GIRL
You Okay Mister?

FRANK
Play it, play that song one more
time.

A quarter drops into the slot. The old machine comes to life
with its moving mechanical arm and lights.

Frank puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights it.

Frank looks down at the briefcase and then back up at the
Jukebox girl.

FRANK
I want you to have this.

The Jukebox girls looks at him in shock with sympathy and
takes it.

DISSOLVE:

Frank sits at the booth across from a now very pale Joey.

Frank closes his eyes.

FRANK (V.O.)
I got em’ for you Joey, I got em’
real good, to bad about my
situation though, never getting a
chance to talk to that girl, she
seemed like a real sweet kid too,
well at least I made it to listen
to our song one last time, this one
goes out to you Joey, good ol’
Frank, and the Jukebox girl.

FADE OUT:

CHAPTER TWO - NONE OF THAT JAZZ

J~R

Longstreth Demo Reel

2009-12-03T21:43:00.000-08:00

Demo Reel I edited for Larry and Aaron...and which now is in the hands of the Executive Producer of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy!

J~R

The Battle of Los Angeles

2009-11-21T23:15:00.000-08:00

On Friday the 13^th I found myself sitting in airplane on my way to LA for the first time. Why, well, after spending four years in college and several thousands of dollars for a piece of paper telling me I was a certified filmmaker, I felt obligated. However, the difference between an enjoyable experience and one of discontent defiantly lies in the company you keep, or in this case the company that kept me.

I first heard about the Longstreth Brothers when I was still in high school. The local newspaper had a write up on their new short, which at the time was The Wimp Whose Woman was a Werewolf. I got online and checked out some of their Eyeball Papercut shorts as well as Harvey Daggit and the Devil’s Olives (Which I thought was hilarious). I shot them an email which most likely at the time was written like a desperate fan. I never got a response back. Several years later, I’d be sitting in the airport eating McDonalds and waiting for a flight home from LA, having this very conversation with Larry.

Los Angeles was a great and necessary experience. From goin out to Venice beach, gettin’ lost in the city. Getting advice from Seth of the 5 Moes, Hangin’ out with Jerry Constantine (Make up SFX pro), to having dinner with Mark Ordesky (Executive Producer of Lord of the Rings), I had a great time and look forward to whatever this means towards my future. No matter what happens, It was an experience I’ll never forget. Thanks and big ups to Larry and Aaron for inviting me out and letting me be apart of it.

J~R

Get In The Bag!

2009-11-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

My 30 second commercial entry for Doritos - Crash the Superbowl Contest.

Starring Lincoln.

J~R

Cinema Odeon

2009-11-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

Cinema Odeon was a theater I found one night roaming the streets of Florence. The Black & White pictures I took were used for my Photography class at the Student Arts Center International (SACI). This was back in the Spring of 2007. If you want to see more, check out my Flickr Photostream.

J~R

Welcome To the Machine

2009-11-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

In the famous words of David Gilmour, “Welcome to the Machine”. Lincoln Vs. The Big Screen Dream Machine is the beginning of a new and upcoming production company. It is also the foundation of something greater. Our group consists of many creative minds and personalities. We are composed of writers, filmmakers, graphic design artists, music composers, and a copper wire mascot named Lincoln. In the end we are a group that is obsessed with story-telling, mystery, and ultimately The Big Screen Dream Machine.

J~R

Meet the Team

2009-09-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

Meet the Team: Lincoln the Mascot. Jake Ruby the Creator. Garrett, Graphic Artist. Lynch, Graphic Artist. Flatbed, Photographer/Cinematographer. Ben Z , Photographer, Pepper Bel Actress. Wahzinskey, Editor

...More Coming Soon...

Welcome To The Machine

The Girl and the Ghost

The End of The World!

FOUR TANKS AND A HEALER - EPISODE 1 & 2

FOUR TANKS AND A HEALER IS NOW ONLINE!

BUY This movie with the really long title.

Captain Jet Wilcox

LSD20 Maverick Spotlight

LSD20 Official Box Art

The Long, Slow Death Of A Filmmaker

I've got a golden ticket!

I'm funny how? Funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?

THE FILTHY MAGGOTS: NEW TRAILER

The Spying

HASTE

The Rise and Fall of The Filthy Maggots: Trailer

My Next Pay-Check is going to Cave Johnson

Published

And Now for Some Eastern Film Selections

Super 8 trailer

The Tree of Life Trailer

Sucker Punch: The Tastiest Rotten Tomato

The Rise and Fall of The Filthy Maggots

KentPatch WriteUp

Top 10 Greatest Film Composers

Another Twenty-Something Review

Merry Christmas Free Stock Video

Twenty-Something Review

Twenty-Something Poster

The Wanderer King Breakdown

Cowboys Vs Aliens

More Books

Bunny Robot!

A Lesson in Cartography

The Walking Dead - So Good It Deserves Another Post

The Walking Dead

Top 10 Films Of The Decade

Offical Trailer: Four Tanks and a Healer

True Grit

Superman: Man of Steel

On IMDb

Exit Through The Gift Shop - A Banksy Film

Four Tanks and a Healer New Pics

The Long, Slow Death of a Filmmaker

The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty Something (Trailer)

Typography

New 4Reelz Website

Sucker Punch

Nick Brandt Photography

More Behind The Scenes

Hot Off The Press

Four Tanks and a Healer

Read More!

Behind the Scenes

Kriadiaz

Ruby Auto Group

Dream Machine Part 2

4 Reelz

Dream Machine

Deftones - Diamond Eyes

BlueCat Script Analysis - 47 Guns

In Honor Of The 2010 Oscar's

Deftones New Album

Reviews Are Out

The Legend of Rune Wraith

Runners Poster Part 2

Runners Poster

47 Guns Poster

Dolly Oxem Premieres

Script Fix

B-Boys

I believe in Dolly Oxem

Motivation

Rejection Blues

The Mystery Box

Melvin R. Claus

Another Shade of Black

Longstreth Demo Reel

The Battle of Los Angeles

Get In The Bag!