#318 Vision to Reality: The Evolution of ‘Beyond the Rush’

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:27

right, John, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. Yeah, get this show going each and every weekend. This week was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 318 of classic conversations as always, I am your host Jeff Dwoskin. We're going beyond beyond in this episode beyond the rush That's right. I have two special guests today to to further you're tuned in you're like to we only expect well, you got to we got Rob Sayer and Bill Barrett, Rob Sayer as the writer director of beyond the rush Bill Barrett brings the life his main character in that movie they just wrapped they're hanging around like Jeff, can we chat? Of course let's talk about this amazing movie that stars also Eric Roberts Cathy Moriarty, Frankie phase on John Savage Venus Avari oh my god, it's like it's this movie is incredible. And they're sharing all the stories. This is amazing story of a short story became a short film and now a feature film. So if you're into hearing all about the path of creativity and bringing something to life, you've come to the right place and that's coming up in just a few seconds. And in these few seconds, Episode 317 was magical with Justin Flom. Check that out viral sensation. But you know who else is this sensation? My guest today, Rob Sayer. Bill Barrett, we're going deep into beyond the rush. Enjoy. Alright everyone. I am excited coming at you with the writer, the director, the star of beyond the rush, Rob Sayer. Bill Barrett, guys, welcome to the show. I'm excited to chat with you.

Rob Sayegh 2:12

Thanks. Thanks for having us.

Bill Barrett 2:13

Thank you.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:14

So beyond the rush started as a short really started in

Rob Sayegh 2:19

1992 is a short story. So I wrote it when I was a senior in high school. My dad two characters, Samuel grievous and Edward Claiborne's over the three decades developed into a short film. So I wrote the short script in 2001 and then was able to make the short in 2016. And then I wrote the first version of the feature March of 2017. And literally shot the feature film in March of March 13, April 5 of 2024. So that's the short story of the long road that it took to get this story out there.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:58

What are the primary differences in the short version? I'm sure you saw the short version and that was part of what brought Shawn in addition to the amazing scripts what are the difference between the SAM character in the original or the or the story to expand it from 21 minutes will feature length film I'll build

Rob Sayegh 3:17

Did you ever watch the short I don't think I gave you the short okay so I didn't get build the short for

Jeff Dwoskin 3:21

exclusive Bill has never seen

Rob Sayegh 3:25

it because the Samuel character and the short is a lot different I don't want to go you know when you watch something and then you think about Oh should I act like that? Or should I just wanted him going in totally clean on what the feature was because the short version character you know, he wasn't as today he's just a lot more of an addict and he was allowed was a lot stranger character and he was a lot more violent and from the development into the feature a character who's more of an everyday addict you know, he's it's a functioning addict and more like any one we all run into, you know, there's a lot of people we work with but everybody you know, a high percentage of people are functioning alcoholics or drug addicts, you know, unfortunately and just the way it is in life so between the two it's such a jump I didn't want him to be kind of solid by it or like affected so you never even got to see the short story characters can just read the feature length which was supposed to be more intimate this more commercially saleable for the masses to come see. And he was perfect. He's a regular guy who has his his demons and his his problems. It was a very different guy. Now that it's over. I will send it to him and he's probably gonna be pretty shocked. The guy who played him is just it's just weird, or he's these strange characters. So

Jeff Dwoskin 4:43

well. Yeah. Now you should definitely watch it. Yeah,

Rob Sayegh 4:45

you're watching now. It's gonna be like, Wow, yeah. Where'd that come from? But it definitely evolved. From all the way from from that from leaving the short story. It's just 32 years ago. So

Jeff Dwoskin 4:57

Bill, so what drew you to this character, how did you get Tyler Perry to be time off from the oval?

Bill Barrett 5:06

Well, I was drawn to the character just from the story and the struggles that he was going through life experiences that I've had, I've been able to relate to with a lot of the stuff that Samuel went through not exact, but be able to relate to that. And in different ways, I get drawn to characters and roles that are heavier and kind of go into a lot of the things that we deal with on a daily basis. And they're not all like sunshine and rainbows. Like I really enjoy those types of roles and projects, and then getting to know Rob. So I did the audition process and everything but then getting to know Rob and understanding how much of a passion project this was to him and how this has been in his life since he said 92. And you know how the sheer course of time but just the energy that he's gone through to make this and how much his story means to him on a personal level. That's that's probably what meant the most to me. And I remember telling him in the beginning that my main goal with this whole thing is just to make him proud. So if he is proud of what we did by the end of this month, that makes me happy. It's not like, I don't care, like how I look or how I come across from me. I want him to be like really proud with the end result of this because this is his bait.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:23

Rob, follow up question. Are you proud,

Rob Sayegh 6:26

oh, I can't be prouder. I can't believe what Bill and the rest of the cast was able to bring to this. It's It's so surreal to have beings, you know, standing on set and directing talent like Bill like Mena Suvari. And Patty Moriarty, John Savage, and Eric Roberts and Frankie phase on all these people who came to this project that attach and gave me everything like that I could to watch them perform the scenes and things that I wrote better than I could have ever imagined is unbelievable. It's really It's surreal. I don't know what other word to use. It's like I had a dream that I made a movie. It's and it's still like, we me, Bill, were talking earlier about it. I'm like, You know what, I really would prefer to go back into that world. That dream I was just having because, you know, stepping out of that, that world that I that I created these guys helped create, stepping back into reality kind of is a little bit of a rough step back. So proud and so impressed, like Bill what he did? No, because basically telling him earlier to we had a wrap party, and he walked in and I was immediately like, Oh, snap, that's Bill, you know, so like, as much as he was himself. He was also serios for like a month that I was with him like all the time with him. And I was like, Oh, it was it was really interesting to watch. I would agree. I knew he's a great actor from the moment you audition but to just then see him as bills like oh, okay, cool, you know talk baseball and not that we didn't during the filming it was just different god I'm so grateful for these guys and for what Bill did with this character is it's unbelievable and I can't wait for everyone to see see his performance and see the the whole team's performance

Jeff Dwoskin 8:13

Bill describe so Samson attic is he an addict or a recovering addict? Or lifelong addicts are addicts? Yeah. How did you put yourself into that role? Like did you do research with other addicts? Perhaps you're an addict yourself. We're about to break some news here folks. Know this, Justin? Yeah.

Bill Barrett 8:36

And here it is. Now. I did a lot of research. I've talked to people friends. And I've spoken to a lot of people, I've watched documentaries, I did a lot of research, you know, people that are close to me. And I was really able to get into the mind of being like this type of addict that Samuel is specifically I would say I understand and addictive personality to a degree as well. So that helps. But really just talking to people I think has been the the best way for me to get into that place. Because you really get to understand why people do the things that they do. Like, what's the foundation that that's coming from? Like, where is their trauma? Where is their pain? Or is it simply just that they're they're constantly like needing something for comfort? I mean, there's so many different things to tap into to understand that but I mean, now that was probably the most powerful thing is talking to people

Jeff Dwoskin 9:32

do you have anyone on set that kind of like is an addict expert, like just gut check, like certain things along the way, you know, I mean, like, Oh, this is what this is actually how it was someone might have done that or it would have emotionally cut themselves off in this way or something like that.

Rob Sayegh 9:46

I think everyone on there's at some sort of issue with something. I mean, I know I got sober by drinking almost, you know, got it got a big hold of me. So may 8 2018 Is my sobriety date, so I kind of had my bouts with addictions and problems, and I think most people in the creative field battle addictions, whether it's drugs or alcohol or other things that happen obsessive compulsive disorder. So I think we're all kind of as human beings in this arena, I think we kind of all knew what it feels like, at some point, or someone very close to us has been involved. So I think those things just from from life, we kind of all were kind of experts, in my opinion, and Bill might have a different degree,

Bill Barrett 10:28

having like, I think everyone like to your point has had those life experiences, and then also knowing so many people, so it was never really like a question of Is this right? Or are we coming from the right place? Because for one, it was a constant conversation about the scenes and about the character and about the situations. But in terms of that, because so many people in general, but especially, you know, in the crew and unset, like we understand from people we know and our own experiences, like it was just a thing that it was we knew from the conversations, it was never really a question of what it really do this or would it be like that it was the conversation would continue. And we would be like, Yeah, that's exactly like how it would be and our experiences and experiences from people that we knew

Jeff Dwoskin 11:13

how much of the short and the old in the original story went into, like was Bill the only one kept from this or did like was that sort of also used as a calling card to get the feature may, it's always

Rob Sayegh 11:25

good to show what you have been able to do in the past. And as a proof of concept that I could call direct something and write and cast it and put something together on on a level that was a little bit more than just a student film. You know, having the short was a step forward in getting to the feature. But to be honest with you, when I made the short, I was just getting it off a bucket list really, for myself, I wasn't in I wasn't planning on making this into a movie ever the writing that I was trying to get done into a feature level project. And this kind of just got, you know, the universe sort of handed it to me, well didn't hand it to me, it made me struggle and beg him to get it done and fight. But the short was definitely a stepping stone. And I don't think if I didn't do the short, there is no way I was going to be putting the feature together. So in that regard, it really helped. There were a few people on the cast who I think got to see it like a Cathy Moriarty. I think she asked me for she had watched it. You know, there were like a few people who watched it whose characters weren't in the short it was important that bill didn't see it just so he had his own fresh take on the character. And the good work like there was no grandma Judy in the short and there was no there was no wife there was no Tristan in the short so there were a bunch of characters who weren't even in the short that I felt okay if they asked me to see it, because it didn't affect them in any way because they didn't exist. That's I think the with the short was able to do for me was was able to give me just some resume of some sort and just the background within comfortability to move forward to building this thing, which is the short was 19 pages. This was 104 105. So yeah, I think that's what the short was able to do for me for feature.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:12

So when the universe presented this opportunity, like how do you go from 19 to 104 pages is a big job, right? Just to all of a sudden kind of expand the world and create the characters like you just said that weren't even in the short and that means you got to create new things. And maybe Sam those character, Sam is doing certain things and going down different paths. And we even maybe ticket to the same finale. But how hard was how long did it take to go from 90 pages to 104 pages?

Rob Sayegh 13:40

Yeah, when is, you know what always is going into the backstory of Samuel and thinking about okay, this guy, what was his backstory? Who, where? Where did he come from? You know, where did his mom what was their household? Like? Right? So kind of started there. And you know, we started you should have a brother because I had brothers. And then my grandma kind of came out because the mother was mentally ill. And I was always like, Okay, so who take care of these kids, because if they took the mother away, doesn't sure got to take her away. And just Samuel was looking at it go through a door. I was always like, oh wait, who took care of the kids after she got taken away? So that's where that builds from? And then all these other kind of additional characters? I don't I don't, you know, his eight years did put all those characters into the first draft. I don't think there were any new characters added. They changed a little bit. But I think from the moment I started thinking about what the backstory was and start writing you kind of just kind of the story writes itself and goes into the different areas where it leads you there as a writer, which is weird to say unless you you don't really understand it. I didn't really understand until I started writing more and more that when you do start writing a story kind of takes you where it wants to. So the answer and that was really when I wrote the first draft. It was long. So the first draft was like 140 pages you know And it's because I come from writing books. So it was hard, it was difficult to, with my thoughts write a lot of description. And when you write scripts, you have to cut all that down. So went from, you know, all that down to what we wound up shooting at, which is like 104103 I think actually, sorry

Jeff Dwoskin 15:18

to interrupt to have to take a quick break. I do want to thank everyone for their support of the sponsors. When you support the sponsors. You're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. And now back to my conversation with Rob Sayer. And Bill Barrett got a lot of different

Rob Sayegh 15:33

things that came about in developing the character but mainly all around Samuel and I was really happy with making Samuel more believable, more realistic, and more hopeful Bill helped to take that character and and make it that way so we can appeal to a lot of people as opposed to just you know, this one niche I think the way he acted in the character and bring brought the character alive, I think it's gonna be relatable to a lot of people. And then this was helped from him and, and Amanda Clayton, and then like, Landon was that his friend in it and all those characters that surrounds Samuel, Bill, he's the epicenter. So all those characters came about because of him because of Samuel. And then when Bill came in as Samuel it was like, wow, like it really was this lightning rod in the middle just exceeded my expectations.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:29

To talk a lot. No, it's, it's very cool. Bill in terms of this role for you. And leading this movie. As I look at your acting background, you've got a pretty powerful and full IMDb starting from 2000. And we get some killer credits for being newer to the game. Right? And is that fair to say? Can I say that? Thank

Bill Barrett 16:49

you, I appreciate it. I think so. I'm proud of them.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:52

You should be as just want to go with someone who's can into the MCU. So we should probably just address that person. How was it working with all these amazing co stars? Rob was mentioning him earlier, but it's just a who's who from a who's who of movies here is about working. But then also Rob, I want to talk to you about like just putting this cast together in general and having them come to life as the characters that you you created from what started as a short story. And as now this motion picture. I mean, that's got to be exciting. All these levels. We got so many levels. Bill like, Oh my God, you're in the deer hunter. You know, like I was like, you get like, starstruck, like I would be sad, you know, like, like, oh my god, your deer hunter over you and raging bull. It's, it's gotta be gotta surreal to like,

Bill Barrett 17:38

yeah, dude. I mean, it's, it's completely surreal. In the moment, before meeting them, there's definitely the feelings of just like holy shit. You know, I'm about to work with John Savage in this scene. And then Eric Roberts, and Kathy and Mina, and Frankie. And you know, each one of them there was kind of like, wow, you kind of just getting excited going into meeting them. But the nice thing was being able to kind of meet each of them before. And then when we got onto the set, I'm was trying to just see through Samuels eyes. So once we got onto set and and character, I don't have any of those feelings or any of those thoughts anymore. I'm purely just looking at them as a character they play in the relationship that I have to that character. So there's some heavy stuff that I have with all of them, but specifically Eric and Frankie and to sit there and think about like, not to give anything away in that movie. But whatever emotion is feeling with them, if I'm thinking of who I'm working with, that would take me out, it was purely just seeing their character. But I was super excited to be in those situations. Because I mean, these are great actors that have been doing this. And they're legends in the industry. And so I took it as a very aware of just the moment, which I'm happy about, as opposed to just not being aware of the moment, but being aware of how special that was. And also just trying to pick up anything that I can from them. Because again, they're great actors. They've been doing this a while and they were so kind and helpful on set. But anything that I can learn from them or pick up I think that's the name of the game is always trying to get better. And you know, being aware of when you're in greatness, like how can you get better from that? It was awesome. It's like it's just say all that and then just say,

Jeff Dwoskin 19:27

right, you're you're there as Sam and you can't be like, looking at a frank game and thinking yourself. Oh my god, I love the wire. Yeah.

Bill Barrett 19:36

Yeah. Well, like, but outside of that I would totally just be looking at his eyes and seeing his characters and just be like, I would just I wouldn't take away my focus from their eyes when they were talking just because it's just like, This is awesome. And I'm just I just want to be in this moment with you,

Jeff Dwoskin 19:53

Rob. How what was the whole casting process? You know, just in terms of like filling in the blanks of These characters mean so much to you, and then having them come to life. I

Rob Sayegh 20:04

cannot believe when I looked at the end of this in the science DB list, I was like, wow, I couldn't not believe the people who attach themselves to this, to be honest. It's like, there were a couple at the beginning, who just came through connections and brands who I knew. And then I worked with a woman, Donna McKenna, who was my casting director and her and I, I mean, God, she went through 1000s of like, sort of, we got to put down break, put out breakdowns and never did that before. But we, for the most part, anyone I got was through someone I knew in the business, and we'd make a phone call, I'd make a phone call, text, email, whatever, send them the script, or do whatever and it would just be that way. But I got to the point where I didn't work anymore. So we needed massive amount of characters, like quick so she put out some breakdowns and the way that they came in, I mean, data just sifted through them. 1000s of people and then just put out put to like audition tapes, right butcher like Frankie, believe it or not ranky faisons people came through the breakdown, but I mean, he's, he's not he's not you can't audition. I mean, he's an offer only guy and that's understandable. But I didn't expect to get Frankie Faison for the year would like in a million years should and Donna had called. Like, what you think about Frank? I'm like Frank, yes. And yeah, I mean, yeah, to send them the script, like, Okay. And then she was like, He's interested. And I'm like, wait, what? You don't expect that. So John Savage came through connection of a co producer from the last full measure, I reached out to John myself, sent the script and he left me this amazing message that I saved to this day. And that's how he came on board in October 2022, jays, Bartok was a friend of mine, and he looked at the script, he played Teddy. He came on first and August 2021. And also came on as executive producer of mine as well and helped me as a writer did a lot of big things. And he's like, you know, he's basically a working actor for 30 years or so. But as a human, his wife, they actually live off of this profession, which was amazing that it attached like that with me and was able to help me build this project over the last three years. And then Eric came through da Eric and Eliza because Eliza his wife is also plays a day role. And this plays a part. Um, they were just amazing. They came on board to they read the script here, everyone had to read the script, it doesn't matter. I think, like who you know, to go to get you that introduction, like, Oh, hey, I'm gonna show this to Donald because I'm gonna show it to Eric and Eliza, they said, Yes, you know, and I was like, Oh, my God, like, wow, like, these people just started putting taching. And that's kind of how that casting process happened. But it took from August 2021. That was like, those three years, you know, at some tragic event happened in my life that halted it for a little bit of time. But when we got when I got back on board to do this, and Donna came on, you know, it really did accelerate. You know, Cathy Moriarty came on in June of 2023. And then Dawn and join me in September, and we were making the film March 13. Right. So we were we got Luckily, this guy fell out of heaven, somewhere from somewhere to play Samuel, and when he came on board, you know, that was kind of like, believe it or not, he was one of the last people we cast it. And I was like, Yo, listen, we need to get Samuel in here. No one was gonna, you know, no one, no one hit me. Right. And when he showed up, we were like, wow, you know, that's really how that how the casting process happened. And we had, we had young versions of all these guys. Samuel, Teddy, Peter, Bill's brother, Sam, his brother, who was played by Christopher Egan, who actually brought himself in from Australia. That was another crazy story, to play the role. And then we had Tristan, who is Amanda Clayton, his wife. So we had all this, we had young versions of them that were like six or seven. And then Peter was 10. And then we had teen versions who were all like 1718 year olds, you know, to have Morgan Harville and Magnus, Neil Hunter Nance. So like, these kids were all great actors. So it's a it was an enormous casting project. And I remember what Donna me and her I get like 10 phone calls a day from her like, and we go back and forth and breakdowns filtering, she filtered through an enormous amount of people and then gave me an enormous amount of people. What she broke it down from was amazing, because she handed me like the top 30 or 40 people to look at, and that came from hundreds, if not 1000s of auditions, and you know, resumes or whatever that she would get in the breakdown. It was it was enormous. And Mina, Amina actually was also gonna have worked with Nina's management and Oren is her manager agent. When media and data bro mean his name. I was like, Oh my God. I mean, it would be great. Like Nina is perfect. I just feel like again, that was like mean, it's not going to take this. You know, you don't think about being a sorority taking a role that you wrote. Like, that's a really awesome role, but you know, whatever. It's like Same thing, so send a tour then she's interested in your like, watch, then you have to, you know, go through that process of doing the deal and signing and getting everybody together and then putting all of their schedules together because you know, Bill is lead we use the other lead believe Amina is only here for nine days Bill was like, you know, he's like 20 days and a month by keys a month, a month on everyone else. We're, we're lead supporting roles for the most part, Amina in there, Leah, she's gonna be the lead, she is the lead the lead woman, but there are all these other people who are coming from all other different places and trying to put all their schedules together. And that was like, that was another huge jigsaw puzzle that we somehow put together. But it was it was getting, like getting their names and be like, Okay, great. Okay, that guy's gonna do Eric's gonna do it, you'll mean is doing, they're coming from all over these places. So let's build around their schedules, pick a few people who will just build on this, they'll rest of the schedules around, that's kind of how we did it. And Bill being the lead is like, Okay, I know, he's gonna be here for a month. And you know, when he lived here sometimes travels to other different states, but one of his home states this year, so was great. We had him too. So that was kind of you know, that's how that casting process happened. And as crazy as it sounds, by me explaining it, it was crazier.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:20

This is why they're gonna start giving Academy Awards for casting. Oh,

Rob Sayegh 26:24

yeah, I lived in Donna, talk to me all the time about it, when I hope I can meet these guys making my dreams come true. And there's a lot of things I want to make sure I get this done the correct way to make errors, you know, to represent everybody, and especially bill, including Donna, she was I think it's called the Spirit Award. I think that precasting or something. So hopefully, we put this movie out the right way. Like if I've seen some cuts, and the performances are amazing. So I think we're going to have a good shot with it being put out the correct way at the right time with the right exposure on that these guys will get the attention they deserve for all of them.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:00

What does that mean? Like? Why would be the best case now the next step for the film, once it's complete, and getting it out to the world?

Rob Sayegh 27:07

Well, I think right now we just put it together. And then we'll have a chance to go into a couple of festivals. And then you simultaneously like right now talk to streaming networks, and then sales agents and distribution companies and all those different things. There's a whole nother world of that, you know, out there that that I have to deal with right now. And then you talk to them, and you see who's willing to help you out the most for guests the least amount of money and how that even works with some of these guys and how they want to get behind you, you know, and it's basically going to come down to that, you know, we'll have a great product to show and then I'll start getting into a few of the festivals and they start getting attention that way. And then with Jesse who connected us with you, cricket media, him and Brian been really great. And just doing it the correct way getting these type this type of exposure, and just letting people start to know about it. And we have a soundtrack that's going to be you know, some great artists on it that will probably try to start releasing the summer as a build up. And if we can release in the theaters and streaming in the fall, then you know, we build we try to start building July, August, September, in some sort of media PR push. Jesse

Jeff Dwoskin 28:17

mentioned that he had a song in the movie and then he also mentioned just scans. Barry Gibb Dee Snider. Yeah, burn and read. So yeah, you got you got some powerhouse names on the soundtrack itself. When you're talking about the movie, how important is the soundtrack like getting that right as well, in addition to just casting everything right, the whole vibe of all those pieces together. I'm

Rob Sayegh 28:42

a big music person. You know, I grew up in New York and DJ and just come from a loved music so I always loved soundtracks you know, Lost Boys soundtrack. They were like when we were growing up stand by me like every one every movie had a soundtrack it's come back a little bit since baby driver and love does a few other movies now will Pulp Fiction obviously will What did I think brought it back but he fell off a little from them. But I've always been a big music guy. So I think it's important think that when you watch movies, and you're like, Wow, this is boring as shit and you're like oh, why is this boring? And then you're like, Oh wow, there's no music and I understand it you know, a lot of Indies Can't they can't afford music. The music is just as the whole process of trying to get a song is just as crazy as trying to get an actor and trying to put the movie together so I understand it but I think if you can get like we have some up and coming artists who just want to share their music and you go through and you filter through some of their music like Eric Roberts and Elijah Roberts. The son was a great musician. So let me listen to some of his music come on board too and and put up and coming artists like that on it with a few like bigger artists like I'm getting a try to get a jewel song that I love and then you know Barry Gibb and April Byron that's who sang the song together. Some of the 60s and Dee Dee came on in and sang the theme song that I wrote. And just a couple of other bigger names that you tie in with some of these younger artists whose music fits the movie. And then some of it for my parents, I, some of it doesn't have to really fit that much like, we need some upbeat music in this and we have some funny scenes and some good stuff. So it is important. It's make sure you don't know what you say. It's just an important thing to do. And we have the you know, Vernon Reid is one of the people scoring, the movie kind of all works together. And I'm excited about placing that music with what I've seen already, because it will give it that extra energy especially like there's been a couple of scenes with Bill and Frankie that are out of this world. Hopefully people don't have heart attacks, but the music and

Jeff Dwoskin 30:45

the soundtrack is so important like what like it can be a marketing thing on itself to help sell the movie. Like I remember like the Dirty Dancing soundtracks. Hey, yeah, right or like, and then you got me thinking it's like a pretty sure that the last movie soundtrack that I listened to that actually downloaded the album and would play on repeat was the original Guardians of the Galaxy. Oh,

Rob Sayegh 31:05

yeah. Yeah. Guardians, again, you know what guys and gals? He does have a great soundtrack and it's weird. It opens up a great song. Yeah, Chris Pratt. And

Jeff Dwoskin 31:13

it just it was a whole combination. We only don't think about it until we think about it. But it's like when you think of like some of the biggest movies like recent Saturday Night Fever, like the albums were their own behemoths in themselves. And the cool thing I bet about getting like Eric and Eliza Roberts kid on there is like, in 20 years when he's famous, no one will remember this will go Oh, yeah, he was on this album. i Oh, how did how did Rob get him? You know what I mean? It's like history will kind of just blend itself in and then you'll be like, I hope so. So these are our original songs like we're gonna Newberry Gibbs song and then you said you'll hear

Rob Sayegh 31:50

the song. Yeah, that song is called Long time ago and it was before Barry was a BG and a woman named April Byron was from Australia, who is a superstar coming up in the game over there with grew up with the BGS before they moved to England and became the BGS so she was singing with them. It's a song they recorded and what the producer my producer Kandi Potts, it's her mother she had passed away about three years ago and she always promised her to to help get her music heard because when she came from Australia, it was really hard and came into America you know, it's like get a beating here you superstar over there and she had a hard time getting really known here and you know struggled and just was was uh, you know, starving artists pretty much your whole life but really talented. So she passed away a few years ago and candy always wanted to help her mother. Let people hear of the masses hear her mom's music. And this is an opportunity right now that can help her get her mother's song out there. And, you know, we were able to get approval from Barry because they were friends. So we wrote to Barry's and Gibb and his manager and they're like, yes, you know, they knew APR for a long time. So it's a really nice thing to be able to help candy fulfill that dream for a mother who's no longer here on it. So that's how we got the Barry Gibson. He's like literally singing backup on it. So April's voice is the main song. And he's doing backup. And he helped her write the songs. So it's it's pretty special in terms of those and like that one story alone is another story behind this is whole story of beyond the rush

Jeff Dwoskin 33:15

story and stories and stories. What's the target release time for beyond the rush? We are looking to

Rob Sayegh 33:21

October because it's also mental health month. So it'd be really great month for to come out because we deal with mental health addiction and sexual abuse. And I know it's like a heavy, heavy subject matter. But I think we've been able to deal with it in a way that we can make it commercially saleable and bring more awareness to it. Like I said, everyone I'd be you know, pretty close to mentally ill myself, you know. So it's like the gig we border on it. Very

Jeff Dwoskin 33:46

exciting. I appreciate you kind of give me some of this inside scoop, though, Rob. Thank you guys. Both.

Rob Sayegh 33:52

Yes, thank you, man.

Jeff Dwoskin 33:54

Is there a website or anything where people kind of keep tabs what's the best way to keep up?

Rob Sayegh 33:58

I do have a beyond the rush.com site, I got to put it back up. I've been holding it for years. And it's funny you say that because just the other day. I'm like, Oh man, I forgot. I actually I have the domain. And I took it off because it was from the short. But now I got to put it back up to kind of like start teasing it out there. But the Instagram is beyond the rush film. So the handle is beyond the rush film. If people want to follow it just started putting some things up on there. And I'll keep putting like little things from behind behind the scenes and different shots and things like that. And not to give away to do any spoiler alerts. Because in the movie, there's a lot of things in there just because that could be spoiler alerts. But I'm so used to them, I get nervous. I'm like, Oh my God, wait, I can't put that out. Right. And Dell has been a part of it now too. So it's like we want to put up stuff to like, show people how awesome it was. But at the same time we're like, oh, we may ruin a upcoming scene, but the Instagram will be where you can find it and hopefully soon beyond the rush.com we'll be up to start giving some information and news stories. Some things like that. And

Jeff Dwoskin 35:00

Bill where can people keep up with you

Bill Barrett 35:03

Instagram as well handle is at bill a Barrett and then I guess IMDb as well as always another way to like follow I guess see what's going on? Yeah. You said you saw that and MCU on there, right. That's where you saw that dynamic Panther. What

Jeff Dwoskin 35:18

kind of forever? Yeah, that's,

Bill Barrett 35:20

you saw that? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. IMDB or Instagram.

Jeff Dwoskin 35:23

Yeah, there's all that. And that's how I knew you were in the Oval. Yes. With Tyler Perry the grandchild. And First Wives Club. Yeah, like Rob pulled together an amazing pass. So I can't wait to see this is exciting. I'm like now mom, now I'm excited. I can't wait till October. We

Rob Sayegh 35:40

have his back on when it gets low as we come closer to getting it released. And then afterwards, would love to come back and say hi, and keep Yeah, that would

Jeff Dwoskin 35:47

be super fun. That'd be great. I would love that we can put well premiere it. Well, we'll do a whole segment on Bill's reaction to watching the short finally. We'll get that all going. And then there could be a whole documentary right there. And thank you guys so much. It was fun hanging out with you. Thanks, Jeff.

Rob Sayegh 36:08

appreciate him.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:08

All right. How amazing was Rob Sayer and Bill Barrett such great insight, keep an eye out for beyond the rush. I'm sure we'll have him back when the movie is released. But it's just so interesting to hear from Rob And Bill's point of view, things that we don't really hear about, you know, we just see the end product. So it's great to see their passion and creativity just come to life on the screen with so many big stars. Oh my gosh, how impressive. Such a loaded cast of amazing people. All right. Well, the interview over economy one thing I know we're at the end of another episode. Can't believe it. Huge. Thanks again to rob and Bill for joining me and huge thanks all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

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