התמלול המלא של Ep. 59 - The Multitasking Screenwriter Conversation with Derrick Shaw

stories in my head, and she wanted me to express them. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:32.639 Oh, that's awesome. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:35.519 Do you remember anything that you wrote back then? 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:38.000 Uh no. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:39.680 Not from fifth grade. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:43.199 Yeah, I was gonna say I couldn't remember anything from fifth grade. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:50.079 But anything like, you know, through your teen years or high school years that you wrote growing up that maybe has stuck with you. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:06:01.759 Because I know with a lot of writers, there's always the germ of a story, and they may take years to work it, rework it, or get it where they want to. 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:09.439 I remember in high school, I we had just read Man, Child in a Promised Land by uh by uh with Bald. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:20.000 And I wrote the Derrick Shaw story, and I I more I framed it out like Man Child in the Promised Land. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:31.040 So, you know, I wrote, I was only in high school, but I wrote my life story, and my mother actually took it to work and she was showing people, look, this is my son's life story. 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:36.000 And they're like, all right, he's 16, he has the life story, but it was it was entertaining. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.560 So back then, she was like, ah, you're good. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.959 And I'm like, you know, you're my mom. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.000 You're supposed to say that. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:44.319 Yeah. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:49.839 Because you know, she passed it around the office, and they were all, they were, they had a ball. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:51.680 Oh, that's awesome. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:52.480 That's awesome. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:07:01.600 So from a young age, you you had the stories, you had the creativity, and you were framing stories in a way that resonated and entertained people. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:03.920 Yeah, I've always wanted to entertain. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:09.759 I just I wanted to be an actor, but I don't think I was any good at it. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:10.240 Uh-huh. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:16.079 So I was better telling stories than recreating someone else's work. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:16.800 Right. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:17.279 Right. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:17.680 You know. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:19.839 Well, and that's a gift in itself. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:20.399 Yeah. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:21.920 That's a gift in itself. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.480 I tried stand-up comedy for a little while. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:25.839 Did you? 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:26.800 I did too. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:27.279 Yeah. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.040 I had stage fright like crazy. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:29.600 I couldn't take it. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:31.120 Yeah. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:35.040 So the first time I was heckled was the last time I did it. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:35.439 Oh. 00:07:35.920

--> 00:07:40.639 If I I, you know, I didn't know the comedians had off nights. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:45.920 You know, back then, you know, the Eddie Murphy and the Martin Larzers and the Seinfelds. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:48.319 I always thought every night was a banger. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:49.279 I didn't know they had. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.519 Had I known that, I would have probably kept doing it. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:55.439 My first bad night, I was like, oh, I'm horrible at this. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:56.560 You know, and I quit. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:57.759 I never did it again. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:59.519 Yeah, it it's funny. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:14.240 I did about 30 open mic nights, and I never got heckled, but I definitely had those nights of polite golf claps and you know, little chuckles to make you feel better because people feel bad for you. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:21.360 And I I every time the the the 30th open mic was as terrifying as the first. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:25.439 So I'm like, why am I torturing myself? 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:30.560 And I, you know, looked at other avenues, improv comedy and and comedy writing. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:37.679 And I had a couple local comedians, you know, give me some feedback saying if you want to do stand-up, here's what you have to improve on. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:43.120 But don't feel like you have to improve on anything to be funny because your writing is funny. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:44.960 It's just not stand-up writing. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.360 So yeah. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.279 Yeah, I feel you. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:54.720 So after high school, where did you take your gift for storytelling? 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:57.360 I sat it in the closet. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:58.000 Uh huh. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:07.120 So at 19, you know, I was I was in college, so I had to join the workforce, workforce. 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:12.879 So, you know, I had to put all my dreams and aspirations in the closet. 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:14.879 You know, I got married at 22. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:22.879 I was 19 when I when I was employed by Verizon, well, it was Bell of Pennsylvania back then in 1986. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:28.480 So for 35 years, I pretty much did nothing. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:32.639 I just, you know, I I would think about it, but I had to go to work. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.559 You know, I had bills to pay, you know, I ended up married with three kids. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.320 There was no time for dreams. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:40.960 I had to get them up and ready to go. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:41.679 Right. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:48.320 The craziest thing is the day I decided to start writing again, I remember it like it was yesterday. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.399 I stopped by my mother's house. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.200 I was like, I think I want to write again. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.000 She's like, Oh, I was wondering why you didn't do it, such and such and such. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.200 She's like, Can you go to the store and pick up my medicine? 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:01.679 So it was a prescription. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:07.519 So I sat in the parking lot for an hour and I started writing a book. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:11.039 I came home, my mom had passed away. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:20.240 The crazy that she passed away dead while I was at the store picking up her prescription, writing for the first time in 30 years, she passed away. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:21.919 Oh my gosh. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:23.279 Is that crazy? 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:26.159 Yeah, I I came back and found her. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.279 She was gone. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:28.480 Oh my God. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.600 Oh, God bless her. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:31.039 God bless you, Jesus. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:33.360 The day I started writing again. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:35.759 Craziest thing ever. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:37.919 But, you know, I took it okay. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.840 She told me to start back up again. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.879 So from then on, I started writing again. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:45.360 You know, that's that's when I picked it back up. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:48.159 Like in 2004, I started writing again. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.720 So from 85 to 2004, I hadn't written anything. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:53.519 Right. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:58.639 And in 2004, I I picked up the pen and started once again. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.039 Did it did it come back to you? 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:06.080 Had there been things, you know, floating around in your brain that you wanted to get done on paper? 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:09.039 Or did did you start fresh? 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.440 Well, no, it I've always had ideas. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:13.679 I just never put pen to pad. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:17.440 You know, over the years I've always, oh, I want to do this and I want to do that. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.559 I just never did it. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:23.759 But I had an idea floating in my mind, and I said, okay, let me write this. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.759 And I finally started writing it. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:26.480 Yeah. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.000 And and that that opened the door, that opened the floodgates. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.240 So after that, I've been writing ever since. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:33.200 Oh wow. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.440 What was the first piece you wrote when you came back? 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:36.399 Was it a story? 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:37.120 Was it a book? 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:38.240 Was it screenplay? 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:38.960 It was a book. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:39.759 It was a book. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.559 It was a book about a an NFL kicker. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:48.240 You know, in the NFL, the kicker is the one who gets the least amount of accolades. 00:11:48.559 -->

00:11:48.799 Right. 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:49.440 You know? 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:57.279 So I it was a it was a comedy about a kicker who had to navigate his way through the NFL. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:58.879 Oh wow. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.639 Oh, that must have been funny. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:01.200 Yeah. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.639 I don't know what I did with it. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:05.360 But you know, I was gonna say, did it get published? 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:06.080 No. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:09.919 You know, I you wrote everything in notebooks back then. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:10.480 Right. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:10.960 Right. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.159 Didn't have a computer, so the notebook is floating around somewhere. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.360 I wish I could find it. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:20.000 You know, I I want to write it again and turn it into a movie. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:21.759 And it's it's on my list. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:25.200 But it my list is so long of stuff that I want to do. 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:30.399 Well, now in 2004 you wrote that. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.320 So you wrote it as a book. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:41.039 When did you when did you leave Verizon and and start your your other businesses? 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:47.679 Because you are so you're so ensconced in a couple different things. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.000 Well, during Verizon, I I did real estate. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:13:01.120 I stopped buying houses, I built a portfolio, and I was always uh uh I have ADD, so to speak. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:02.240 I need something to do. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:03.600 I always keep busy. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.679 So it's a superpower. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:10.480 Yeah, well Especially when you're an entrepreneur, it can be a superpower. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:21.039 Yeah, so you know, I used to, when I worked for Verizon, I would get up five o'clock in the morning, go to Home Depot, get all my supplies, take them over to the house, go to work at eight o'clock. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:26.080 At five o'clock, I would go straight over to the house and start working on the house until like midnight. 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.399 And then the next day I would do it all over again. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:30.639 It was it w I had a system. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:33.279 But like I said, I had a family. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:34.960 That did not help the marriage. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:40.159 You know, we had plenty of money, but there was no togetherness. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.399 So we kind of we grew apart. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:43.440 I'm sorry. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:48.480 Yeah, well, you know, it's a superpower, but at the same time, it it's your kryptonite. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:49.840 Yeah, yeah. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.639 Good point. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.600 Good point. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.559 Yeah, but I I I've always had to keep it moving. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.399 You know, I used to build computers in my spare time and sell them. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:08.559 You know, I just it was a hobby that I picked up and I enjoyed it and back in the early 2000s, you know, I could build one real cheap and sell it and make a nice profit from it. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.440 Right. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:10.000 Yeah, right. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:18.480 So you've Yeah, you've always had I don't want to say a side hustle, but you've always had a side hustle. 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.799 You've always had uh balls up in the air. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:23.840 Yeah, yeah. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.159 Well, I worked for Verizon for 38 years. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.240 I retired three years ago. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:28.879 Uh-huh. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:36.559 So, you know, well, I started the video production company in 2010. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:44.240 You know, I started well, you know, I was writing and writing and writing, and stuff was just sitting on the shelf. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:47.039 Because I transitioned from books. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:48.480 A book is hard to write. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.159 A book takes so long. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:50.720 Yeah. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:52.320 A movie's a whole lot easier. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:57.200 A script is way easier than writing a novel. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:06.399 So I started writing scripts, and I had five or six scripts just sitting, you know, living in Philadelphia, no connections. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.399 There was no way for me to get it to somebody to produce it. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:11.039 Right. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:13.120 I could only get my friends to read it. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.799 And I don't know any friends who know it. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:20.399 I'm not Tarantino, you know, quitting Tarantino gave it to a friend who gave it to a friend who gave it to somebody. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:20.879 Right. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.360 I don't have those friends, you know. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:24.399 Yeah. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.080 So I went to a seminar with Robert Townsend. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:31.519 And he he said, it was in New York. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:39.840 I wrote up, took a day, and he said, for writers such as myself who don't know anybody, you need to learn to shoot your own content. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:41.919 Never even considered it before. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.360 All I wanted to do was write. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:47.120 And he encouraged us, look, start shooting. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.240 So I went out and bought a camera for$150. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:52.960 And then he said, start small. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.320 You know, I wrote a little three-minute film. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:02.240 Matter of fact, my first film was I made it in black and white, and it had no sound because I didn't know how to do sound. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:05.360 So it was like a

Charlie Chapman type thing. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:13.039 So I wrote that and uh I put it around the internet and people started enjoying it. 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:14.639 Oh good. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:16.240 Did you uh was it YouTube? 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:18.480 Uh yeah. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:19.440 Okay. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:20.879 Funny story. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.559 I took a class at Academy of the Arts in San Francisco. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:26.639 It was a film class that I took online. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.399 And matter of fact, that was a project for the class. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.320 The teacher gave me a C in it. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.039 You know, I'm like, all right, this is such and such and such. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:43.120 A couple months later, you know, on the internet, and I see an advertisement for Academy of the Art San Francisco. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:51.840 And they were saying things you could learn at this school, and they were using my film to promote things that you can use at this film. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.279 Are you kidding me? 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.320 I got a C. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.240 I got a C on a film. 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:01.759 But now they're using it to promote things you can learn at Academy of the Art San Francisco. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:03.200 I was like, Wow. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:03.840 Okay. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.799 Yeah, so you know, you never know what's going on. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:09.200 There's some royalties due there, I think. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:14.000 Holy cow. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:32.400 So really you just rolled up your sleeves and went to it while you're still providing for your family, learning, learning in the direction you wanted to go in, and still doing real estate flips and building computers. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.680 Holy cow. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:35.519 Holy cow. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.200 So, you know. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.920 Yeah, it was it was my weekend hobby, I'll say. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:43.839 You know, every now and then I call a couple of my friends. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.240 Yo, I I want to shoot this film. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.640 You know, come hold the camera for me. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:50.000 Or come hold the mic. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:57.200 You know, first film I just had my my family in, and then I got a couple friends, and then my network started growing. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:02.240 People I know a guy I grew up with, me and him know each other forever. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:06.480 As I was learning to shoot films, I found out he's in acting class. 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:08.640 So now he's my star. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:11.920 You know, he's been my star from early on. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.079 So anything I do, he's in it. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.960 He may not star in it, but he's in everything I do. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.519 Because he and I started together. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.400 Kind of like Adam Sandler. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:26.160 Yeah. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.119 He uses he uses all his buds. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:30.960 All his buds. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.759 And they may not get starring roles, but they are there. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:36.480 That's ver that is very cool. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:45.279 So what was the first film you you actually produced, uh wrote and produced? 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:47.599 Full feature? 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.000 Yeah. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:49.200 Or or short. 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:49.920 Full feature. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.279 Oh, Blissy and Mary. 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:51.920 Okay. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:59.680 Since I was a you know, I was working full-time, I used to take classes here and there, you know, just to see if I can pick up stuff. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:00.240 Yep. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:08.880 And I took a class at Wilmington University, and I had access to all this equipment that I've never even seen before. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:18.559 You know, they're teaching you how to use the camera, the mic, and I'm in class and I'm asking during class, I said, okay, we have access to all of this. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:20.000 We have a network. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:22.319 Do y'all actually make films here? 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.880 And he was like, Well, it's film school. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.599 I'm like, yeah, but have y'all made a film? 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.000 They were like, no. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.960 I'm like, okay, well, y'all are lucky that I'm here. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:36.240 You know, we're getting ready to make it. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:38.480 I decided that day we were making a film. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:43.119 And I grabbed a couple students and I wrote, well, yeah, I finished right. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.799 I had something that I had started. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:46.960 I was like, okay, this is low budget. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:51.119 It doesn't need many locations, it doesn't need many people. 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:53.920 And that's how I shot my first film. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:58.880 You know, I had no idea how to produce or anything, but I knew how to make shorts. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:19:59.599 I made shorts. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.559 So I I handled it like putting a bunch of little shorts together. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.559 And we made a full-featured film. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.559 Oh, that's fantastic. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.279 And is that blissfully unmarried? 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:12.559 Yeah, yeah. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:18.720 And then he threw that a couple film festivals, and distributor and a film festival had saw him, saw it. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:22.720 He was in all he was like, yo, do you have your film distributed? 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:25.839 I'm like, no, I'm pretty much just putting it in festivals. 00:20:26.160 -->

00:20:31.839 He he grabbed it and he threw me on Amazon early on. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.880 So it's it's really hard to get on Amazon now. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:39.359 But 10 years ago, yeah, and I was making money. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:43.599 I would like this hobby actually turned into something I can make money from. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:45.119 Oh, that's funny. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:49.839 And now you know, Ruby Street Productions, it's a full production house. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:54.480 It's not just your films, it's training videos, wedding videos. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.880 What what else does Ruby Street do? 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:02.799 Well, pretty commercials, like you said, trading videos. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:06.480 We're trying to get this television show on the air. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:10.720 Hopefully by September we should be able to. 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:13.599 It's a sports television network that we're trying to get on. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.680 So we're trying to produce a show for that. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:18.160 But anything film related. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.599 You know, we do documentaries. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.359 We've done a couple of documentaries. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:27.759 You know, we'll shoot your film for you, we'll partner up with you to shoot your film, we'll shoot our stuff. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.960 We do it all. 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:29.680 Yeah. 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.440 I I was on the website. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.640 I looked at uh a bunch of stuff that was up there. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.240 Phenomenal work. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.119 Like well shot, clean. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.920 When did Ruby Street Productions happen? 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:54.640 You know, as you started to get a little bit of of success and and you got your short films not just in film festivals, but on Amazon. 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:57.279 How did that kind of take off for you? 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:05.359 Well As I started doing the shorts, you know, back in the day, you made no money from shorts. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:08.720 Shorts was pretty much just practice and entertaining. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.960 I wish I would have kept it up because people are making a lot of money from shorts right now. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:15.519 So, you know, we should have stayed in the short business. 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.799 We were ahead of the game. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.960 We just didn't know we were ahead of the game. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:19.680 You know? 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:24.720 So once we did our shorts, we decided we wanted to try to make some money. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:28.000 So it's pretty much five of us with Ruby Tree Productions. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:29.920 So, you know, I founded it. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:35.519 And once again, one of my guys at Barraga, he was in film school. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.880 Somebody I see every day. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.960 We talked in the Lunchroom. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.799 I had no idea he was in film school. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.400 He found out I was making films. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:44.559 He's like, yo, you might come on. 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:46.960 And we collaborated, my buddy Mark. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:51.599 And then him and I, we started Ruby Street Productions. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.880 And then from there, you know, people just kept jumping on, jumping on board. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.400 Yo, that's funny. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:02.720 So you worked with him and never even knew he was in acting class. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:03.839 Yeah. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.640 Yeah. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.119 Yeah. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:06.559 That, you know, it's funny. 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:09.839 That is the premise for the podcast. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:24.000 Is I worked with people and I used to have a pod partner, and we were both talking one day about, you know, you think you know somebody because you know them like in a friend context or a work context. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:29.279 And you really don't because you find out they're doing these amazing things in their spare time. 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:37.200 And it happened to be a woman that I worked with in my day job in learning and development. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:42.720 She had a consultant, the learning and development consultant company, and we were one of her clients. 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:45.119 And I didn't see her for the longest time. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:50.240 And I jokingly said to one of her coworkers, I was like, is she cheating on us with uh with another client? 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:55.519 And she said, no, she took some time off to tour short film festivals through Europe. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:59.359 I'm like, I had no idea she was a short film buff. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:05.680 And the person said, Well, she isn't, but she wrote one and it got made and it got entered into all of these festivals. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:09.359 And I was like, I need to have a conversation with her about that. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:15.519 So it's amazing what people do, you know, outside of the context that you know them in. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:15.759 Yeah. 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.720 So that is really cool that you found a collaborator. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.640 Yeah, yeah. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:22.400 That's so cool. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:34.480 So from there, where did, you know, once you founded Ruby Street Productions, I mean, I can't imagine that it's easy to get distributorship. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:43.839 I can't imagine it's even easy to get funding to, you know, make a film, whether it's a short or it's a if it's a feature film. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:49.839 So how how did how did the financing piece come together for you? 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:51.359 Okay. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:56.319 Well, with the Blissful

You have Mary, we actually treated it like a bunch of little short films. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.240 It took us eight months to shoot. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:01.920 I think we only shot maybe 12 days, but that took eight months. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:07.680 You know, we get a couple dollars, we shoot this weekend, and then we may not shoot again for another six weeks. 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.640 And then we may have to do that. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:08.880 Right. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.319 So you guys were funding it. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:12.240 Yes. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:15.200 Yeah, we had to fund that all on our own. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:18.000 So, you know, it w it was real low budget. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:22.799 You know, it may have taken us$15,000,$16,000 to make that film. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:25.680 But distribution just fell on our lacks. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:27.680 You know, somebody at the film festival. 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:36.000 Yeah, he once he got us on Amazon, then he called me and was like, yo, I think I can sell this to Africa. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:37.519 Do you want this in Africa? 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.960 I was like, okay. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:43.759 I think in Africa it was called Shuka for Love, and then he sold it to Germany. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:50.880 So he ended up being like an international distributor and trying to go places that I've never been. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:57.440 So that the film, Blissfully Unmarried, that's a$15,000 film, has been all over the world. 00:25:57.839 --> 00:25:58.400 Wow. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:25:59.599 So, you know. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:02.079 Refutation is a thing. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:02.720 Yeah. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:11.039 You know, once you you get one made, and then people see that you you're not just wasting their time and money. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:13.920 That's how Bedridden was funded. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:20.319 We we had a couple of hours, and then it's the stranger thing. 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:28.799 People heard that we were looking for investors, and I was literally getting calls of people offering me money. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.279 Wow. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:32.319 Yeah. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:37.359 And was that based on the success of Blissfully Married? 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:39.519 Well, just us. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:42.000 They they've seen us hustle, they've seen us work. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.319 Yeah. 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:48.160 You know, we've been the shows we've been doing, you know, we've we've we've shot and everything. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:53.359 Just on reputation, people believed that they were not gonna waste their money. 00:26:53.519 --> 00:27:01.920 You know, you meet a lot of people over the years, and people they remember perceived you're about business. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:09.519 Yeah, they were more than willing to to open up their wallets and be like, here, you know you need some money.

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:17.359 Which is I had somebody who I didn't even tell that I was looking for money, and they called me and like, yo, I heard you're doing a film, like such and such and such. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:19.039 You got all the money you need? 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.000 I'm like, no. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:21.680 He's like, all right, well, how much you need? 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:23.680 Like, well, how much you gonna give me? 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:28.559 I wanna like, well, I can give you 10 grand. 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:33.920 Man, he's like, All right, I'll give you 10 grand, but I want to be an executive producer. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:36.240 Man, you ain't saying nothing but a thing. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:39.359 You are now an executive producer on bedridden. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:40.000 Wow. 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:46.720 But even then when the film first opens up, his name is in there because hey, he wanted to be there for 10 grand. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:48.000 By all means. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:48.799 Yeah. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:51.039 That's fantastic. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:51.920 Wow. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:57.279 So, and I I actually got to see Bedrid and I and we talked a little bit off mic. 00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:58.559 I laughed. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:01.599 Tell me where that story came from. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:03.119 Did you write it? 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:09.599 Yes, me and one of my, once again, guy I grew up with, my buddy Magic. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:13.759 He and I grew up maybe three blocks away from each other. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:16.880 His brother and I played on the same baseball team. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:19.759 So I've known him since I was 12, 13 years old. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:23.920 But you know how you know friends and you see them every now and then, you lose touch. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.319 Yeah. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:29.680 I entered one of my shorts into a film festival, and he was at the film festival. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.440 He entered one of his shorts. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:33.359 So I'm like, yo, what you doing here? 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.799 Like, oh man, I'm doing films. 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:36.079 I'm like, ah, you lying. 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:38.319 All right, dude, we're working together. 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:40.640 So, you know, we already had a relationship. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:48.960 We start working together, and I was like, I started this film bedridden, and I was stuck after like page 20. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:50.640 He's like, let me look at it. 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:54.160 I gave it to him, but he gave it back with like another 20 pages. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:57.039 And then I did 20 pages, and I gave it back to him. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:59.440 And we just went back and forth with it. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:04.559 And, you know, that's the first time I actually writ wrote something with a partner. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:08.960 So, you know, his writing style is completely different than mine. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:14.160 So it just meshed together, you know, his style and my style. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:17.839 Did did you guys ever have any creative conflicts? 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:25.519 Because I know when when two creatives get together, if there are two different ways of doing things, sometimes there's a clash. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:27.359 Did you experience that? 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:29.519 Oh, yeah, yeah, we clashed. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.279 But he did understand. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:37.119 I started this without him. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:39.359 So he let me be the captain. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:43.279 So, you know, he my word was the last word. 00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:47.759 So, you know, that's that's how we got over that hurdle. 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:50.160 So I was directing it. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:56.480 He was like, look, man, you know, he he came to ease with it, but we had some arguments. 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:58.319 You're like, man, I need this in the film. 00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:00.240 I'm like, I don't think it's gonna work. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.759 So you know, but we've been friends for 30 years. 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:09.759 So it was nothing, yeah, nothing major, but you know, we did have some discussions. 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:15.680 Well, I know when I had my pod partner on this, we approached things differently. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:17.039 And it was the same thing. 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:22.559 It was never, you know, a a a hurtful disagreement. 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:27.599 It was always in service of the podcast and and and the listeners and the guests. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:34.799 But yeah, we had we had a couple heated exchanges when we didn't think or when we didn't agree. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:36.960 And that's that's just I think part of the game. 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:40.319 Sometimes you're just better afterwards. 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:41.200 Yeah. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:43.920 Well, you know, I I respected him as a writer. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:46.079 I was like, look, I respect your idea, man. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:50.480 I love some of your ideas, but you know, I don't know everything. 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:52.960 It's just like you're not gonna love all of mine. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.400 So, yeah. 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:57.839 It's it's gotta be a mutual respect. 00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:58.240 Yeah. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:00.640 But we work good. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:04.240 So the story of Bedridden. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:09.200 Walk walk listeners through it. 00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:13.200 I mean, I know what the story is because I've watched it and I've laughed. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:16.160 But uh but give us a synopsis. 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:21.200 Okay, a well-to-do family is completely dysfunctional. 00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:30.880 So the head of the family, who's

Earthquake, he's the head of the comedian Earthquake, he is the head of the family and he gets into a car accident. 00:31:31.119 --> 00:31:33.119 Now, now he's in a coma. 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:37.440 So while he's in a coma, he can hear everything that's going on around him. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.400 He has this consciousness, he just can't talk or move. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:49.440 So he finds out why the family's so dysfunctional, and he learns he's pretty much the reason the whole family is so dysfunctional. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.720 It's all his fault. 00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:56.400 So he learns why he's in the coma, how and why everybody's why they are. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:02.720 Yeah, I there are some really funny parts in it. 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:08.720 I laughed like hell, but it it it's a gr I thought it was a great story, and I love the ending. 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:14.880 It wasn't a cheesy ending, it was a really realistic ending to that whole story. 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:21.519 Did that come from something personal in your life, or did that come from your imagination? 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:32.799 Well, the ending was actually my writing partner, and I think it was personal for him because it was actually longer, and I had to cut part of it out. 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:36.559 He was not happy that it was cut out because it was personal to him. 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:40.480 I'm like, look, you know, it we can't have a three-hour movie. 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:42.799 So, you know, some stuff has to go. 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:52.640 So the ending was it was personal to him, and you know, he felt it, and you can feel it in his writing, but you know, like uh it's only 90 minutes. 00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:57.359 You know, we can't have a 30-minute ending in a 90-minute movie. 00:32:57.599 --> 00:32:57.920 Right. 00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:01.279 So yeah, it was it was personal for us. 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:04.240 Sha, how how has Bedridden done for you? 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:06.480 I know I was able to watch it on Amazon. 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:09.599 Has it been distributed anywhere else? 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:14.319 Uh it's on Amazon and it's on Apple TV right now. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:18.799 So we actually just begun national marketing. 00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:21.920 Yeah, we have only done local marketing. 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:29.440 We last month we had our premiere in the DC area, Baltimore, you know, Potomac area. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:35.200 So we pretty much just marketed right there to see, give a feel of how we're doing it. 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:37.200 It did pretty well in that area. 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:42.000 So we are about to do the national marketing campaign. 00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:44.079 Oh, that's awesome. 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:47.920 Now, how what what's the national marketing campaign include? 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:51.279 Well, uh I don't know. 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.720 We pay somebody to do it. 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:59.759 So you know, marketing is not my thing. 00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:04.000 So, you know, they said don't be the smartest one in the room. 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:08.320 So, you know, I decide we just pay somebody. 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:08.880 Yeah. 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:09.280 Yeah. 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:11.760 We pay somebody who this is what they do. 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:15.360 You know, I I know how to make a movie, but I don't know how to market a movie. 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:17.760 You know, I do have investors that I need to pay back. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:22.639 So you know, we hire people to do what they do. 00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:28.960 When um will it be in movie? 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:31.199 Do you expect it to be in movie theaters? 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:35.920 No, no, it's just it's just pretty much gonna be online. 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:38.719 We just had to premiere in a theater. 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:43.199 But one of somebody wanted to buy it and put it in theaters. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:45.360 But we're doing self-distribution. 00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:48.800 They they didn't want to give us much money. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:56.960 They was like, man, I think this can make a lot of money, but we're gonna give you a couple dollars now, wink wink, and then we'll give you the rest later. 00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:57.840 Couple dollars. 00:34:59.039 --> 00:34:59.679 You know. 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:05.679 Yeah, so uh everybody has their own accounting system. 00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:12.719 So, you know, to make two million, and the paperwork only says it made 150,000. 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:14.719 So we were leery. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:18.000 So we decided to do self-distribution. 00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:20.960 So that's how we got on Amazon and Apple TV. 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:24.239 We just went to an aggregator and got it on there ourselves. 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:26.559 How hard is self-distribution? 00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:28.400 Are there challenges there? 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:32.239 Oh my goodness, yes, there is. 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:36.639 I thought making a movie was gonna be the hardest part of this. 00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:46.320 You know, getting financing for the movie, getting it done, I thought that distribution has been by far the hardest part of the process. 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:50.400 So pursuing the distribution and because we we tried to sell it first. 00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:55.360 We were like, okay, let's sell it, make our money back, and make another movie. 00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:58.079 But it's it just didn't work out that way. 00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:15.599 People wanted it, but it was always, okay, I'll give you a seven-year deal, but I'm only giving you this much up front, which doesn't cover nowhere near, you know, and then two years, it may take us four years to make our money back with some of the deals that they wanted to give us. 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:21.599 So

with self-distribution, you know, if it does well, you get the money now. 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:24.159 But you have to take a chance on yourself. 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:25.840 That's that's the hard part. 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:26.239 Right. 00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:32.480 I've had some sleepless nights, but so far, I I think we'll do okay. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:34.639 I think we will be fine. 00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:39.679 Yeah. 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:48.559 What what were some of the challenges that you faced that made distribution kind of the hardest part of getting bedridden out there? 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:52.079 Well, okay. 00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:56.800 You you don't wanna you you have trust issues. 00:36:56.960 --> 00:37:03.199 You know, you gotta give it to people that you don't know and hopefully they're gonna do the right thing. 00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:10.880 You know, you end up finding your thing on 52nd Street on a stand before anybody else sees it. 00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:15.760 So just getting it to the right person that you could trust. 00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:20.480 Now Netflix was interested. 00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:30.320 And the person we got it to, they held it for a long time before they even looked at it. 00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:38.159 And then once again, it was it wasn't a deal that we were comfortable with, but you know, it took a long time to find out. 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:48.480 So for six or seven months, we just sat and waited when our hands are in our pockets until just to get an answer that we didn't like. 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:54.719 And then, you know, we took that and we went somewhere else, and we had to wait three or four months. 00:37:54.800 --> 00:37:58.000 You know, you're in line for them to even watch your movie. 00:37:58.400 --> 00:37:59.599 So unless you know somebody. 00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:00.000 Right. 00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:07.840 And then, you know, you you wait three or four months, you get the answer, they give you a deal, or they don't give you a deal. 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:12.719 But either way, if they give you a deal you don't like, then you have to start that process all over again. 00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:13.920 Start all over again. 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:25.840 Yeah, just that process alone was a long going from distributor to distributor, trying to find something that we felt was in our best interest. 00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:30.159 And that's what we finally decided, let's just do it ourselves. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.000 Wow. 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:33.119 Wow. 00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:37.360 Well, that I mean, that's good that you're you're moving forward. 00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:43.519 You've got the you did the local and it did well locally, and now you're focused on the national. 00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:46.000 So I'm excited to see where it goes. 00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:49.599 How how has the distribution on Amazon been for you? 00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:52.960 Are you are are people seeing it and watching it? 00:38:53.360 --> 00:39:02.239 Yeah, but since we only did local marketing, we're we're getting good reviews, people who've seen it. 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:08.800 So people around Washington, D.C., uh they're the only ones who know this it's out, you know? 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:16.000 So that's why we have to get the national person to let everybody know that it's out. 00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:16.639 Yeah. 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:17.280 Yeah. 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:21.519 Well, and we'll get the word out through the little podcast right now. 00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:26.000 Yeah. 00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:31.199 How where where do you see yourself going from here? 00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:41.840 I mean, what, you know, once you get bedridden up and off the ground and you get through the national campaign and you get your investors paid back, what's the next project for you? 00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:46.000 We have two that we're looking into. 00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:52.960 We have another, we another comedy, but it's a bigger budget comedy. 00:39:53.199 --> 00:39:55.360 So this really has to do well. 00:39:55.519 --> 00:40:00.480 We have somebody, a couple people who are interested, but everybody wants to see what this does. 00:40:00.719 --> 00:40:10.639 So, you know, we we're trying to go bigger, like between blissfully and married and bedridden was miles apart. 00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:14.000 You know, blissfully unmarried, it was just me and my whole team. 00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:16.480 We made a film, we got lucky distribution. 00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:18.800 But with Bedridden, we went sag. 00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:22.239 We had to get sag actors, sag contracts. 00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:23.920 Have you ever dealt with sag? 00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:26.239 It's it's overwhelming. 00:40:26.400 --> 00:40:31.840 So we actually had to hire a producer who knew more than us. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:34.559 Once again, don't be the smartest one in the room. 00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:35.840 So we hired. 00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:39.760 Jossie Vance worked on a TV show while and out. 00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:43.440 So she helped get us to the next level. 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:44.639 She had connections. 00:40:44.719 --> 00:40:47.760 Well, she's the one who got us Earthquake and Donald Rollins. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:48.559 You know. 00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:50.000 Oh, wow. 00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:50.559 Yeah. 00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:54.400 Well, we hired a casting agent first, BMG Casting. 00:40:54.559 --> 00:40:59.920 And she actually told us, look, I had this producer who's looking for her next project. 00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:01.280 And we met with her. 00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:02.239 We liked her. 00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:03.360 She liked us. 00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:04.800 She liked the script. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:06.320 She said, let's do this. 00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:09.119 And she helped us navigate through SAG. 00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:12.639 Because, you know, we

still be lost in the ocean trying to deal with SAG. 00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:18.320 That is that is something that beginners do not do yourself. 00:41:18.639 --> 00:41:20.239 You need somebody experienced. 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:23.119 And she helped us navigate that mountain. 00:41:24.719 --> 00:41:25.199 Wow. 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:28.400 So I I and it's funny, I didn't realize that. 00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:32.079 I didn't realize they were sag actors. 00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:34.159 Oh, yeah. 00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:38.239 Yeah, well, Donnell Rollins has been wanted Dave Chapel Show. 00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:39.679 Have you seen Dave Chapel show? 00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:41.840 Yes. 00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:42.239 Yeah. 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:42.639 Yeah. 00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:44.480 No, I I knew he was. 00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:50.159 And I and I've seen Earthquake, but I didn't, I guess I just didn't put two and two together and think they were sag. 00:41:50.559 --> 00:42:01.519 I just thought it was, oh, maybe they knew each other, or you know, it was kind of a grassroots independent film as opposed to, you know, Hughes and Sad actors. 00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:02.159 That's amazing. 00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:04.000 We're together before. 00:42:04.159 --> 00:42:04.639 But yeah. 00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:07.840 Yeah, Earthquake throwing up the neighborhood. 00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:09.280 I think it's on TBS. 00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:09.920 Yeah. 00:42:10.079 --> 00:42:10.320 Yeah. 00:42:10.559 --> 00:42:11.280 So yeah. 00:42:11.599 --> 00:42:15.679 Once you're SAG, you can't just do anything. 00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:18.880 You know, a sag actor can't just do any film. 00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:22.079 It's all these, all this red tape that's got to be done. 00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:23.360 Yeah, gotcha. 00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:26.800 I had to make it a sag film to get sag actors. 00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:29.920 So most of the actors in there were sag actors. 00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:33.119 Yeah, the cast was fantastic. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:40.639 Well, yeah, well, the between the casting agent and my producer, they helped us get to the next level. 00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:46.559 Because, you know, Glissely and Mary, it was pretty much, you know, Uncle Bob and my buddy Ray Ray. 00:42:48.239 --> 00:42:49.920 That's what Gliesley and Mary was. 00:42:50.079 --> 00:42:52.079 So, but we we knew how to make a movie. 00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:55.280 We just didn't know how to make this type of movie. 00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:55.920 Right. 00:42:56.639 --> 00:43:00.320 Oh, so exciting for the next for the next step. 00:43:02.079 --> 00:43:09.440 So you said the the next project is another comedy and it's a bigger budget. 00:43:09.760 --> 00:43:10.400 Yeah. 00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:14.639 Yeah, it's a lot bigger budget, and we're going for bigger names. 00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:28.239 And it's the next one's actually two employee and an employer who don't like each other get stuck together on a deserted island. 00:43:28.880 --> 00:43:32.239 Matter of fact, it was one that was just out, it was a drama. 00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:34.639 I can't remember. 00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:38.000 And some, it was just out a couple months ago. 00:43:38.239 --> 00:43:41.519 But this is a comedy with the two of them stuck together on a deserted island. 00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:42.559 That's funny. 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:44.480 Oh, I'm excited. 00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:48.960 So, how long does it take for something like that to get put together? 00:43:51.199 --> 00:43:59.760 Well, if you have the right people, once we hired the producer, I think it may have taken us three or four months. 00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:02.719 months to get started shooting. 00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:11.599 So this may take a little bit longer, so you know, we probably have to find an island first of all that we can shoot at. 00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:17.360 But you know, just all the particulars, you know, probably a lot more involved. 00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:18.159 Yeah. 00:44:18.480 --> 00:44:23.199 But I'm hoping to get it started by the end of the year. 00:44:23.760 --> 00:44:24.719 Oh, that's awesome. 00:44:25.039 --> 00:44:26.960 Or if not, in the spring. 00:44:27.360 --> 00:44:28.079 That's awesome. 00:44:28.320 --> 00:44:31.519 So yeah, that's a it's a it's a lot of moving pieces on that. 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:32.000 Yeah. 00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:32.719 Oh, I bet. 00:44:32.880 --> 00:44:43.039 I can't even imagine from location to casting to budget and uh I it I it would be mind-boggling to me. 00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:47.360 And and I'm probably just scratching the surface of what's needed. 00:44:53.599 --> 00:44:54.719 They gave me that bill. 00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:56.079 I was like oh what? 00:44:58.960 --> 00:45:00.000 For bagels? 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:06.320 Yeah I know crazy stuff. 00:45:06.639 --> 00:45:14.719 So Derek moving forward where do you see Ruby Street Productions going? 00:45:16.159 --> 00:45:28.880 Well every project we try to do push the envelope just a little bit more, get a little bit better, try, you know take a little bit more Alcassus at night for the for the ulcer. 00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:36.400 So we push ourselves hard but at the end of the day we always sit back and we're like ooh we're glad we did it. 00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:38.320 But during oh my goodness. 00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:39.119 Oh my goodness. 00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:39.519 Yeah. 00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:39.920 Yeah. 00:45:40.159 --> 00:45:41.760 I'm surprised we're all still friends. 00:45:41.920 --> 00:46:00.960 But we are well I mean you don't grow when you're comfortable so it's good to get uncomfortable and if you can look back and see the first film was this the second film was that the third film is going to be this then you know sorry all the El Caselsa was worth it. 00:46:02.159 --> 00:46:20.719 Yeah yeah all that is so fantastic for you where can folks find you online you can find me anywhere

Derek dotshaw Instagram Facebook TikTok you can find me at bedriddenovie.com you can catch me there. 00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:23.440 I'm all over social media right now. 00:46:23.599 --> 00:46:50.000 So yeah just Derek.shaw you google it I'll pop up somewhere I'm all over the place I definitely will and I'll make sure all those links are in the show notes so folks can go watch some of your films or take a look at what Ruby Street Productions offers and you know get to know you and and sit patiently and wait for the next project to come out. 00:46:50.159 --> 00:46:54.960 I'm gonna have to go back and watch Blissfully married I I didn't get a chance to see that one. 00:46:55.199 --> 00:46:57.360 And then you had a web series. 00:46:57.840 --> 00:47:07.840 Yeah the man code yeah the man code yeah we won a couple of awards with that one we're trying well right now vertical drama is the big thing. 00:47:08.159 --> 00:48:03.599 Yeah so we're getting ready to bring back the man code and see if we can do that a vertical drama at the same time we're trying to get a uh a television show on the on on a network on a you know regular a regular network oh not the sports one well yeah the sports one we're trying to get it on the regular network oh oh oh yeah um so one question uh again come the rain oh again comes the rain yeah okay that was with Carl Payne from Martin Bill Cosby that fell apart we shot a promo for that and we were going to get it done his schedule got tied up our schedule got tied up you know he was actually supposed to be in bedrid. 00:48:04.159 --> 00:48:09.039 You know once we couldn't get funded for Then Comes the Rain because it's a period. 00:48:09.679 --> 00:48:12.719 And it goes back into the 70s and that costs a lot more money. 00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:17.519 Once you need the old cards and the old clothes that gets a little pricey. 00:48:18.000 --> 00:48:27.119 So yeah then we put that on a back burner and he was going to do bedridden but he started another project and then he couldn't get off of it. 00:48:27.360 --> 00:48:32.400 So you know we we had to move on we couldn't wait for him to finish his project. 00:48:32.639 --> 00:48:37.599 So that's it Yeah the sizzle reel was awesome I was like where can I watch this? 00:48:38.960 --> 00:48:43.119 That was that was my pride and joy. 00:48:43.280 --> 00:48:48.000 I love that script yeah that's one of my favorite scripts that I've written and I couldn't wait to shoot it. 00:48:48.239 --> 00:49:14.079 But yeah the the financing on that we couldn't get green lit not yet but it's not over with yeah oh I hope I hope you do because the sizzle rail was awesome yeah Carl's a fantastic actor you know he's actually Shakespeare trained people don't know that because he's usually in comedies and he does funny stuff but he's he's he does he can do Shakespeare. 00:49:14.239 --> 00:49:17.840 He's actually uh his range is incredible. 00:49:18.239 --> 00:49:19.280 Oh that's awesome. 00:49:19.440 --> 00:49:23.519 Oh I hope I hope the planets aligned so that you two can work together. 00:49:23.840 --> 00:49:26.639 Yeah so do I so do I and that one gets made. 00:49:26.960 --> 00:49:43.119 Well Derek thank you so much for all of your time I have loved hearing about your journey in filmmaking and really kind of the the nuts and bolts of rolling up your sleeves, doing what you have to do in order to be able to do what you want to do. 00:49:43.280 --> 00:49:45.679 And I wish you continued success. 00:49:46.079 --> 00:49:58.159 And you too I hope this podcast gets you everywhere you need to go well thanks from your your lips to God's ears thanks so much. 00:49:58.719 --> 00:50:11.920 All right thank you for having me I learned an awful lot about drive resourcefulness and building a reliable network from chatting with Derek. 00:50:12.320 --> 00:50:46.719 He could teach a masterclass on juggling and how to make your dreams a reality the things that stood out to me the most about my conversation with Derek is how he continually sought to learn from taking that class in San Francisco where they bootlegged his video project that only got him a C to all the time he took to learn from others in the business curiosity has always led him higher in his pursuits. 00:50:47.599 --> 00:51:00.480 If you'd like to see more of Derek's work and stay up to date on his future projects jump down to the show notes for his links and I really recommend checking out Bedridden. 00:51:00.639 --> 00:51:05.280 It's a very funny dark comedy and I really enjoyed it. 00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:09.280 While you're in the show notes don't forget to connect with me. 00:51:09.519 --> 00:51:12.159 All my socials are linked there as well. 00:51:12.719 --> 00:51:31.519 As always thank you for listening and supporting and don't forget tell a friend about the podcast word of mouth is the most popular way folks find new podcasts to listen to again thank you for your support and I'll see you in two weeks