Check Out Michael Easterling and Jaala Ruffman’s Story

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Michael Easterling and Jaala Ruffman.

Hi Michael and Jaala, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We were both doing our own thing in the film world when we met back in ’09. Started dating that summer, and it just clicked. We realized pretty quickly that teaming up was a game-changer.

Our styles and strengths just meshed. It gave our work a unique edge that really stood out. We kicked things off with music videos, then graduated to shorts and features. Having both a male and a female perspective in the mix really helped when it came to writing and creating authentic characters.

Long story short, all that teamwork paid off big time with our movie Deltopia. Lionsgate picked it up, which was huge for us. Now, we’re in development on multiple feature films and series and gearing up to release our book Guerrilla Style, a self-help guide for Indie Filmmakers. We’re also launching a site for filmmakers packed with editing assets, tools, and courses.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
I don’t think anyone in filmmaking would say it has been a smooth road. There are ups and downs, highs and lows, but the highs are the highest you can imagine. There are challenges, but you just have to adapt, and in the face of obstacles, some of the greatest magic happens.

As indie filmmakers, you deal with budget restraints and must be creative to get the job done. We had a tight 16-day shooting schedule with Deltopia and had to cram all these wild riot scenes into one night of filming. Directing 20 pages of script in one night, I mean it’s unheard of. We had stunts left and right, hundreds of extras running around, pyrotechnics, and a police squad, complete with a SWAT truck. And nothing keeps people awake like a good old dumpster fire!

It was crazy with all the stunt choreography and fight scenes going on, while trying to get all the scenes in the can, somehow we pulled it off, warrior filmmaking you can call it. As the sun started coming up, we had to split into two crews. We rushed to get this key romantic scene with Jack and Hannah. They shared their first kiss in the movie, with flames and cop lights swirling around them.

It was our last shot, a beautiful moment that will stick with us forever. Looking back, it’s wild how we pulled it off, but that’s filmmaking for you – you have to think on your feet and make it work, no matter what.

Thanks. What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re a writing/directing duo that just released our first feature film, Deltopia, distributed by Lionsgate.

We run our own production company, Talkboy TV, as well. We are currently working on several series and feature film projects while also continuing to make music videos and commercials. We each bring our own secret sauce to the table.

When we mix it together, that’s when the magic happens. I think that’s what sets us apart. It’s not just one person’s vision – it’s this perfect storm of different ideas, genres, and styles.

We’re always looking for lessons that can be learned from any situation, including tragic ones like the COVID-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
These past few years have been a wild ride. When the pandemic hit, we ditched LA and headed up to Santa Ynez. Ended up on this ranch, surrounded by nothing but nature. It was like hitting the pause button on life. Gave us a chance to really look at what we had accomplished and figure out where we wanted to go next.

We got to spend time with our family – Amazon John and Olivia Newton-John. Yeah, that Olivia Newton-John! We even directed a music video for her and her daughter, Chloe, during the pandemic. It was for the song “Window in the Wall.” With all the craziness going on in the world, we wanted to make something that might help people see things from other’s perspectives. Try to understand each other and bring people together. After we released the music video, it hit number one for a week on iTunes! It’s not a bad way to kick off 2021 as things started opening up again.

Our film project, Deltopia, got put on ice in 2020, but we managed to get it rolling again in June 2021. We were one of the first productions that was approved by SAG to start to filming after the pandemic. After living away from all the city madness, it really made us think about our future. In February 2021, we welcomed our first child, Gia, who brought us immense joy.

Nothing puts things in perspective like having children. Suddenly, we’re all about making the world better for her. Taking time to appreciate the little things and grow as people. It’s been an incredible journey, and we wouldn’t change a thing!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.talkboytv.com; https://guerrillastylefilmmaker.com/
• Instagram: instagram.com/talkboytv instagram.com/talkgirltv
• Facebook: facebook.com/TalkboyTV
• Twitter: x.com/TalkboyTV
• Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/talkboytv

Image Credits
Zarah Ruffman, Clarity Ruffmanm, and Michael Taing