We sit one-on-one with Victor, a millennial from New Orleans who is completely disillusioned with society and gets into doing crime for a group of hackers called Switchboard. The jobs start small, from roughing someone up to stealing information from corrupt companies. It eventually gets to the point of killing. Victor kills 4 people. Each one holding an intrinsic piece of information the hacker group is searching out—and each one draining Victor of whatever humanity he has left. There are other players on the board as well, some after the same as Victor, others want his head in a bag. The commonality between them all is that they’re stuck in this city—Beijing, the capital of China and home to over 22 million people living under a dome of pollution. It reads 465 AQI on my phone right now. Victor knows he’s a deadman, an echo of what he was before coming to this city. The only salvation Victor can salvage is piecing together the puzzle of information that Switchboard promises will change the world. “What a joke”, Victor says through exhaling smoke—staring down the hutong alleyway he begins to walk through the thick resting smog, past Hong Kong, past Tokyo, further down the throat of the dragon, and Into the Belly of Beijing. – Ricky Reid
My turn…
I’ve never been much of an actor unless one whats to call the everyday life of living “the stage” and the interaction with others “the performance“. If so, then I am one hell of an actor with “my name” whispered on millions of lips across the globe. It’s all acting babe. All an act! Remember that.
Check out the B.o.B intro trailer on Vimeo
During my time working behind the bar in Beijing, China. I have come across many an actor, many! Including the biggest one; myself. I will never get used to all the bullshit casting couch scenes that always seem to be the fad of the millennial movement. Individuals of all colors running ramped in the street, displaying intentionally and purposely in public or private for that selfie for all to witness no matter how beautiful or dreadful it can be. Life! Shish. So when the time came and presented itself with a script followed by limited acting skills. Literally walked through the doors of Trouble Bar, I jumped in on the chance of my lifetime. A chance to be on film. To be one of the stars. To have my name in the credits, on the promo material, to befriended on FB like a celebrity!
TO BE THE BAD GUY OF ALL BAD GUYS!
PURE EVIL! PURE BRUTAL!
Ha, I am going overboard and tickling myself fancy here. Maybe I’ll be a star right beside Trump on the walk of fame! I must be high right now!
Few customers turned friends in Beijing. The land of sharks for free shit, rather than supporting your fellow neighbors/ business owners whose pockets are always limited by playing OWNER!
Foreigners… hint, hint
Two great friends of mine, who are now lost in translation, which was almost lost during my divorce from Beijing, China. These two gave me an opportunity to escape all the madness of the time and display some of my NON-acting abilities which now seems so long ago. Some 2 years I believe. Ricky Reid and his hot Italian partner in crime Elisabetta Boffelli always seem to find time to stop by the bar, buy a bunch of beers, and continue to hold exotic conversation one after another. I tried my best to not get too involved, in my opinion never seemed to quite appease either side of any issue. Which lucky for us, made for the best 3P with beers one could ever ask for. Plus, during those times, I was dealing with my own personal bullshit that affected the scene enough that I am surprised I wasn’t completed deleted out of the movie in total.!
Check out the B.o.B trailer 2 on Vimeo
The engineers of this film were able to capture parts of Beijing life that dwelled only in a few areas which immigrants reside. Mostly the dividing line of dilapidated and developed walls of Beijing’s famous foreigner populated hutongs and fashioned homed hospitality areas. The camera angles, shots, and movements could only be visible, be captured by long-term stay folks. One would have to live and breath in Beijing city, hits the emphases of the mask, to personal find what one sees in this movie.
Interested in the film Information?
Ricky has it right here.
Check out the B.o.B Final Promo trailer on Vimeo
The foreigner acts, the local music talent, drama and the endless movement on two wheels. This movie captures the beauty of daily life in Beijing with easy, needless to say maybe this is way Rickey created a diabolical twisted plot of backstabbing. Giving the appearance of living in Beijing more interesting than it really is.
A great display of all talent and abilities that lie within China and I am happy to have been a part of this team. My staring roll on screen may seem tiny to some, but the lasting effect of a ‘bigger fish in the sea on repeat‘ will last forever. At least that is how I see it! HA! I am sad that the “peachy Bob Marley” outtake didn’t make the final cut, though all the better for when the outtake movie edition arrives.
The final cut is PRIMO!
So now it’s time to sit back and watch this film with exotic music, locations, lots of death, and me!
The bad guy!
Watch the entire movie now on Vimeo!
The Beijinger Magazine Interview
I am happy and blessed to have such friends with creativity and ability during my time in Beijing.
Ricky and his people went out of their way, like any other professional on an amateur budget. They made sure this film got the attention it needed. Crowdfunding on Indiegogo to having a long night of cheers at the DDC Beijing venue with the film’s first screening. America debut will be in said cities on said dates with venue information to come via Ricky on FB.
Los Angeles / July 4 – 11
San Francisco / July 11 – 14
Portland / July 14 – 17
San Francisco / July 17 -20
Cincinnati / July 20 – 24
Chicago / July 24 – 26
Los Angeles / July 26 – Aug 2
Thanks, bro! So fucken cool of you!
