R3tual

R3TUAL is a 2006 American independent art film writen and directed by Ben Staley and produced by Eleventhreehundred Productions. Filmed entirely on location at Hollywood's once landmark hotel The Gershwin, the film creates a portrait that epitomizes the term "moving picture". inspiration stems from his years of training as both artist and musician, and his returning to the very roots of art itself to incorporate movement with narrative in a portrait surreal study of time and place.

Plot
Just as a multi-act play might use the same onstage set as background for a number of intertwined stories, camera remains static and uses just one room and one single point of view as the players move in and out of frame in a kaleidoscope of activity designed to intrigue. This presents the viewer with fantasy themes and ghostly visions. A viewer's eyes might leave the screen for a few moments and return to find only some small thing subtly altered, or the viewer might blink and find the entire scene changed. This unique method of sharing an idea visually encourages that one does not let down one's guard for a second.

History
First premiering in June, 2006 at , in Los Angeles, it then moved to , an avant-garde gallery in Hollywood, and then to of Los Angeles. R3TUAL has been traveling throughout the United States ever since and has been seen by viewers from around the world.

As an experimental artist, Staley accepted a personal challange to push the envelope and create where nothing existed. He works to bring as many aspects of different genres together to make something unique. When queried, "What does Eleventhreehundred stand for?", he replied, "The meaning is threefold. It refers to a specific geographical location. In fact it can be identified on maps by the digits "11300". The ones and zeros also represent the digital nature of the art. Its most basic binary form. And the third part of the meaning, well, all that will be said is that three is the key." The film R3TUAL is as enigmatic as its creator.

Cast
as The Cowboy

as The Watcher

as The Demon

Rhonda Jackson as The Initiate

Beth Ashby Ferrara as Drone #One

Carol Saenz as Drone #Two

Miss Pixie as The Enlightened

Brian Christopher as The Ghost

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See Also

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