Bob Ray
Encyclopedia
Bob Ray is an independent American filmmaker based out of Austin
, Texas
.
In 1994 Ray founded the production company CrashCam Films. CrashCam Films' first productions were narrative Super 8 mm film
s and music videos. Bob Ray's in-camera-edited
Super 8 short “Sweet Sweetroll’s BaadAsssss Spin” found its way onto indie producer John Pierson’s
show Split/Screen on the Independent Film Channel
and Bravo (television network).
Ray made his feature film
debut with the rock ‘n’ roll stoner cult film Rock Opera. Ray wrote and directed Rock Opera with very limited resources. The film has accumulated several rave reviews and a 2003 High Times Magazine nomination for a Stony Film Award.
Ray has produced and directed several music videos, including a video for the Grammy nominated song “Fried Chicken and Coffee” by Nashville Pussy
, and videos for songs by The Riverboat Gamblers
, U.S.S. Friendship, Dambaby (featuring Sam McCandless of Cold), The Phantom Creeps and more.
Continuing his close affiliation with the music community, Ray has worked with The Polyphonic Spree
, The Black Eyed Peas
, Eels
, Jerry Cantrell
, Blur
, Supergrass
, The Rapture
, Junior Brown
, Jurassic Five, Puffy
, Modest Mouse
, Pete Yorn
, Clinic
, Starsailor
, Don Walser
, The Shins
, Ozo Matli, Stephen Malkmus
, Hank Williams III
, X-Ecutioners, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and many others.
in 2007, Ray completed work on a critically acclaimed feature length documentary film
about the resurgence of all-girl roller derby. Hell on Wheels tells the story of a group of Texas
women who band together to resurrect the sport of roller derby
.
Also in 2007, Ray launched CrashToons, the animation arm to CrashCam Films, and has been consistently creating short animated films. Current CrashToons titles include "APESH!T," "Platypus Rex," "CrashToons Presents," Rooster Lollipop," and "Limp Dictionary." Ray's animated shorts have been seen at a bevy of film festivals, on SuperDeluxe.com and currently, Playboy.com is airing two animated series created by Ray.
Bob Ray premiered his new film, Total Badass
, a documentary about Austin raconteur Chad Holt
on May 19, 2010. Forgoing the usual route of signing a deal with a movie distributor, the movie will instead be showcased at different venues around the United States, along with some of the filmmaker's other independent films, such as the 2007's documentary Hell on Wheels
and Ray's animated shorts, CrashToons.
^ Hale, Mike (November 18, 2010). "Sport and Grim Reality". New York Times. New York Times Co.. http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/movies/19haleroundup.html. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
In 1994 Ray founded the production company CrashCam Films. CrashCam Films' first productions were narrative Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
s and music videos. Bob Ray's in-camera-edited
In-camera-edited
In-camera editing is the technique in filmmaking and video production of shooting shots in the exact sequence that they will be seen on the movie theater screen or television program...
Super 8 short “Sweet Sweetroll’s BaadAsssss Spin” found its way onto indie producer John Pierson’s
John Pierson (filmmaker)
John Pierson is an American independent filmmaker. He is best known for helping to produce the first works by filmmakers Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Michael Moore, and Kevin Smith...
show Split/Screen on the Independent Film Channel
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
and Bravo (television network).
Ray made his feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
debut with the rock ‘n’ roll stoner cult film Rock Opera. Ray wrote and directed Rock Opera with very limited resources. The film has accumulated several rave reviews and a 2003 High Times Magazine nomination for a Stony Film Award.
Ray has produced and directed several music videos, including a video for the Grammy nominated song “Fried Chicken and Coffee” by Nashville Pussy
Nashville Pussy
Nashville Pussy is an American hard rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. Their musical style mixes boogie rock, Southern metal and psychobilly. Much of the band's lyrical themes mostly revolve around sex, drugs, drinking, fighting, and rock 'n' roll...
, and videos for songs by The Riverboat Gamblers
The Riverboat Gamblers
The Riverboat Gamblers are a punk rock band originally from Denton, Texas but now residing in Austin, Texas. They are currently signed to Volcom Entertainment.Their song "Don't Bury Me...I'm Still Not Dead" is featured in the video game Rock Band 3....
, U.S.S. Friendship, Dambaby (featuring Sam McCandless of Cold), The Phantom Creeps and more.
Continuing his close affiliation with the music community, Ray has worked with The Polyphonic Spree
The Polyphonic Spree
The Polyphonic Spree is a choral symphonic pop rock band from Dallas, Texas that was formed in 2000 by Tim DeLaughter. The band's sound relies on a variety of vocal and instrumental color by featuring a choir, flute, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, percussion, piano, guitars, bass, drums,...
, The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
, Eels
Eels (band)
Eels is an American indie rock band formed by singer/songwriter Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E...
, Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
, Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
, The Rapture
The Rapture (band)
The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
, Junior Brown
Junior Brown
Jamieson "Junior" Brown is an American country guitarist and singer. He has released nine studio albums in his career, and has charted twice on the Billboard country singles charts. Brown's signature instrument is the "guit-steel" double neck guitar, a hybrid of electric guitar and lap steel...
, Jurassic Five, Puffy
Puffy
Puffy can refer to one of the following:* Puffy or Puffy AmiYumi , a Japanese pop duo** Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, animation series about fictional adventures of Puffy AmiYumi** Puffy: P.S...
, Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
, Pete Yorn
Pete Yorn
Peter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
, Clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
, Starsailor
Starsailor (band)
Starsailor is an English post-britpop band, formed in Leigh, Warrington and Greater Manchester. By 2009, they had four charting albums and ten Top 40 singles in the UK since 2001.-Early history:...
, Don Walser
Don Walser
Donald Ray Walser was an American country music singer. He was known as a unique, award-winning yodeling "Texas country music legend."- Music career :...
, The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...
, Ozo Matli, Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:...
, Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
, X-Ecutioners, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and many others.
in 2007, Ray completed work on a critically acclaimed feature length documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the resurgence of all-girl roller derby. Hell on Wheels tells the story of a group of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
women who band together to resurrect the sport of roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
.
Also in 2007, Ray launched CrashToons, the animation arm to CrashCam Films, and has been consistently creating short animated films. Current CrashToons titles include "APESH!T," "Platypus Rex," "CrashToons Presents," Rooster Lollipop," and "Limp Dictionary." Ray's animated shorts have been seen at a bevy of film festivals, on SuperDeluxe.com and currently, Playboy.com is airing two animated series created by Ray.
Bob Ray premiered his new film, Total Badass
Total Badass
Total Badass is a 2010 documentary by American director / producer Bob Ray that first premiered on May 19, 2010. Forgoing the usual route of signing a deal with a film distributor, the film will instead be showcased at different venues around the United States, along with some of the filmmaker's...
, a documentary about Austin raconteur Chad Holt
Chad Holt
Chad Holt is an American writer, actor, and performer in Austin, Texas. He is the subject of an independent documentary film, Total Badass, by director Bob Ray about his struggles with drug use and the criminal justice system.-SXSW wristbands:...
on May 19, 2010. Forgoing the usual route of signing a deal with a movie distributor, the movie will instead be showcased at different venues around the United States, along with some of the filmmaker's other independent films, such as the 2007's documentary Hell on Wheels
Hell on Wheels
The phrase "Hell on Wheels" was originally used to describe the itinerant collection of flimsily assembled gambling houses, dance halls, saloons, and brothels that followed the army of Union Pacific railroad workers westward as they constructed the American transcontinental railroad in the...
and Ray's animated shorts, CrashToons.
Filmography
- The Down Side (in development)
- Total BadassTotal BadassTotal Badass is a 2010 documentary by American director / producer Bob Ray that first premiered on May 19, 2010. Forgoing the usual route of signing a deal with a film distributor, the film will instead be showcased at different venues around the United States, along with some of the filmmaker's...
(documentary; 2010) - Platypus Rex (animated series; ongoing)
- CrashToons Presents" (animated series; ongoing)
- APESH!T a.k.a. Ape Shit (animated series, ongoing)
- Hell on Wheels (2007)
- Hillbilly DoomsdayHillbilly DoomsdayHillbilly Doomsday is a 2004 movie by director Bob Ray.-Synopsis:Based on a true story, Hillbilly Doomsday is a tale of Texas' first murder of the new millennium. With Y2K paranoia at a fevered pitch, two drunken hillbilly brothers hole up in their wooded shack and await the year 2000...
(short) (2004) - Wrecked (short) (2002)
- Rock Opera (2001)
- Night of the Kung Fu Bastards from Hell! (short) (1997)
- Six Pack of Wup Ass (short) (1997)
- Sweet Sweetroll's BaadAsssss Spin (short) (1997)
- Cocaine Ninja (short) (1996)
- The Adventures of Donald Starkland (short) (1994)
External links
- CrashCam Films home page - filmmaker Bob Ray's Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
based production companyProduction companyA production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :... - CrashToons home page
- "Rock Opera" home page
- "Hell On Wheels" home page
- "APESH!T" home page
- Austin Chronicle; From Slacker to Rock Opera: Richard Linklater Interviews Bob Ray
^ Hale, Mike (November 18, 2010). "Sport and Grim Reality". New York Times. New York Times Co.. http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/movies/19haleroundup.html. Retrieved November 18, 2010.