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LA HORROR PRESENTS THE FUNNY MAN

5.03.2012

Originally, "The Funny Man" began as a feature length screenplay of the same title. "I had this idea for this story about a serial killer, kind of a comedian who is also a killer. And that eventually became 'The Funny Man,'" Barsha told LAHorror.com. And though the title suggests it's humorous, don't be fooled. This is a super gory horror show that isn't afraid to pull any punches. You'd be surprised how many people you can kill in just ten short episodes.

This was not Barsha's first plunge into the macabre. After directing his first feature film,"Eugene," he went on to create a web-series entitled "Leidy's New Boyfriend," another creepy show about a psychopathic woman who meets the boy of her dreams. Naturally, she locks him up in her basement and keeps him as her captive.

It was then that the door opened for Barsha to make "The Funny Man." "Around 2010, I made a video content, like a web series, called "Leidy's New Boyfriend," and it was about a guy who gets kidnapped by a woman and held in the basement, and she basically captures him as her new boyfriend. And this company called Daily Motion found "Leidy's Boyfriend" on Youtube and asked if I would upload it on to Daily Motion…I did, and somehow, I think I put out a newsletter or something describing "The Funny Man" or what I was up to and somehow they got wind of it, and they contacted me and asked me if I wanted to make it into a web series…they were basically offering to finance it."

After some creative re-writes and adaptation, Barsha took his feature film script and made it into an episodic format. And with the help of Daily Motion, production for "The Funny Man" began. In just three short weeks, Barsha and his crew shot and edited the entire series. It premiered on line last fall during Halloween, and since then has garnished over 250,000 hits. The series has also recently won five awards at the Los Angeles Web Festival, including Best Director and Best Horror Series.

"I'm super excited that it was received well, that people seem to like it a lot, and that's really motivating because I really want to do some more stuff…I think that there's a lot of horror material out there and there's a lot of people making horror and doing stuff, but it's such a dynamic genre to think creatively, you know, to really think about different ways to do something or different ways to make something scary…It's a really exciting platform to lend your energy to," Barsha said.

The energy that "The Funny Man" delivers is intense; it's raw and its, well, not very funny.

Hunter Johnson, LA HORROR (www.lahorror.com)

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LA HORROR REVIEW

5.03.2012

You see, Lee has a deep dark secret. His twin brother is a murderous psychopath hell bent on hearing a good joke, and he isn't afraid to kill to find it. And that naturally causes a lot of problems for Lee, especially after he meets the beautiful and kind Rachel (Abby Wathen), who actually takes a liking to him. Lee now must struggle to prevent her untimely demise at the hands of this masked killer, The Funny Man.

"The Funny Man" is a 10 episode horror web series written and directed by Jake Barsha and produced by Daily Motion, and it delivers. Each episode ratchets up the body count and drives the story closer to its shocking conclusion. It's slick, gory and ultra creepy. "The Funny Man" is no joke.

The series is led by actor Ryan Reyes who gives a subtle yet haunting performance as our disturbed comedian, Lee. You're not really sure what to make of him. You like him, but you don't want to. You hate him, but you sympathize. You want him to succeed, but fear what he's going to do next. It's dynamite that will divide horror audiences into two factions: those who root for the victim and those who root for the killer. And should it really be any other way?

Lee's performance is complimented by a stellar ensemble cast of both up-and-coming actors as well as veterans of the genre alike. Leslie Easterbrook ("The Devil's Rejects," "Halloween") and David Fine add a wild card element to the series as the nosy neighbors, and, in near the end of the series, you can see exactly why these two have had such terrific careers so far in Hollywood. They really light it up when the time comes. And while many of the other characters only survive for one or two episodes, you really get a feel for who each one is as a person. "The Funny Man" looks like a web series, but plays like a feature film, creating characters you sincerely care about that all help drive the full story forward. The body count in this show is high, but it never feels gratuitous.

Other notable successes of "The Funny Man" go to the stellar cinematography by Yuki Noguchi and the editing and directing by Jake Barsha. It is masterfully lit and each frame carries a certain weight to it. The editing is crisp and often adds to the scares, from quick flashes of horrific moments to long, dreadful sequences. The overall pace of this show is quick, but thorough, enabling the viewer to see all of the bloody details.

At the end of the day, this is simply a terrific piece overall. If you're a fan of gory horror, watch this show. If you're a fan of psychological horror, watch this show. If you're a fan of horror in general, watch this show. Who knows, you may even relate to "The Funny Man." After all, don't we all like telling jokes?

Hunter Johnson, LA HORROR (www.lahorror.com)

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THE FUNNY MAN Nominated for Indie Intertube awards

2.15.2012

2nd Indie Intertube Awards Nominates Jake Barsha's THE FUNNY MAN for "Best Horror Web-Series" Jake Barsha's 10-episode classic horror web-series The Funny Man received nominations for "Best Horror Series" and "Best Make-Up Practical Effects at the 2nd Annual Indie Intertube Awards on Sunday, March 12, announced by Right Hook Films, the production company which produced the shocker web-series exclusively for Dailymotion. The Funny Man received over 637,000 page views in its first 21 days of viewing in the US, following its October 25, 2011 premiere and is currently being subtitled for Dailymotion's French web platform.

UPDATE:

Named "Outstanding Horror Web-Series - 2012" by the LA Web-Series Festival, critically-acclaimed indy filmmaker Jake Barsha's classic 10-episode horror web-series THE FUNNY MAN, produced in association with Frank Tobin Films and Matthew John Prater, made its web-series debut in October, 2011 on Dailymotion.com.

The 2012 LA Web-Series Festival also honored Jake Barsha's writing/directing talents for THE FUNNY MAN with awards for "Outstanding Director" and "Outstanding Writer." The 2012 LA Web-Series Festival's "Outstanding Editing Award" was shared by THE FUNNY MAN's Xue "Fox" Yin and Robin August. Yuki Noguchi received the 2012 LA Web-Series Festival's "Outstanding Cinematography Award" and Matt Gonos received the "Best Visual FX Award."

10 episodes of THE FUNNY MAN, budgeted at $40,000 were filmed and edited over a 7-day period and streamed on www.dailymotion.com within 21 days of funding, garnering 50,000 views on Halloween, 2011 and over 250,000 views in the first 21 days of streaming. Almost 1M views later, screenings followed at two film festivals: the United Kingdom's 2011 Cutting Edge Film Festival and the 2012 Los Angeles LA Web-Series Festival.

THE FUNNY MAN received nominations for "Best Horror Web-Series" and "Best Make-Up Practical Effects" at the 2012 Indie Intertube Awards and is currently being sub-titled for the French market by Dailymotion.

Frank Tobin (www.franktobinpr.com)

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horror bid: Dailymotion's Web Series "The Funny Man" is a Wicked Good Time!

1.31.2012

The Funny Man is a psychological horror thriller in the vein of PSYCHO, about an attractive young woman named RACHEL who offers a struggling bipolar comedian a ride home. Unfortunately, Rachel simple act of kindness is rewarded with more than just a few harmless jokes. Before the evening ends, RACHEL finds out that the comedian may have a psychotic and extremely dangerous "twin brother" who derives pleasure from wearing a creepy sponge-like mask and video-taping his victims.

Boo Man, HORROR BID (www.horrorbid.com)

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DREAD CENTRAL: Tell A Scary Joke To The Funny Man

10.27.2011

DM was gracious enough to bring this web series to us just in time for Halloween, releasing one segment of the project each day from October 25 to November 3. The story (at least what I've seen so far) revolves around a deranged comedian with a real Norman Bates vibe. He wears a mask that makes him look like a walking Hot Pocket, but the bad intentions this guy exudes cannot be overstated.

I definitely suggest you scroll down, check out the first episode of The Funny Man, and then head over to The Funny Man Daily Motion page to dig the rest of the episodes. They are shot brilliantly, and the performances thus far are top notch. And how can you go wrong with Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook) in action? Hint: You can't!

Do yourself a favor and head over now before you get too far behind in the series. The episodes are just over five minutes in length each so it won't take you long to watch the whole lot of it. You're in for a treat!

Dr. Gash, DREAD CENTRAL (www.dreadcentral.com)

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MORE HORROR: Horror Web Series 'THE FUNNY MAN' Premieres from Dailymotion

10.27.2011

"The Funny Man" is written and directed by Jake Barsha (creator of EUGENE) and produced by Danny Cahn A.C.E., president of The Motion Picture Editors Guild. The ten-episode series premiered today and new episodes will be uploaded, through Halloween, until Nov 4th.

In the first episode "Say Something Funny" (which you can watch for free below) you get to meet "Lee", a deranged psychopath, who happens to also be, you guessed it, THE FUNNY MAN. Lee proceeds captures and holds captive a young woman and uses his phone to record her final words. Sounds hilarious, right? Of course!

With all the funny people in the world, I highly doubt you've met anyone like "Lee"...and if you have, well I suggest that you set up some pretty strict friendship boundaries. Enjoy the first episode.

"The Funny Man," is a psychological horror thriller web-series in the vein of PSYCHO, featuring a compelling villain who videotapes his victims, demanding that they say something funny on camera prior to killing them. The murder scenes bring viewers into the deranged mindset of a psychopath, and the violence is realistically chaotic and painful.

The cast includes Leslie Easterbrook (The Devil's Rejects, Halloween), Nikki Tomlinson (Date Night), Shaun Gerardo (X-Men: First Class, Fast and Furious, The Kingdom), Ryan Reyes (Eugene), Abby Wathen, and Domiziano Arcangeli.

Seth Metoyer, MORE HORROR (www.morehorror.com)

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Strange Kids Club

2.12.2011

Welcome to Strange Kids Club, Jake. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thanks, I'm excited to be here. I started working in the film industry almost ten years ago. My first "production job" was at Raleigh Studios working on a FOX TV promo. The Producer on that job told these outlandish Hollywood production-horror stories, it was very surreal. The atmosphere was like a traveling carnival, but I felt a strange sense of belonging. I became an eager PA willing to drive a three ton production truck, pass out radios, wrangle extras, throw down lay-out board, pick up film, fetch coffee and diet cokes all on 3 hours of sleep a night. Somehow I was lucky enough to meet up with some very welcoming people who did tons of TV commercials and it turned out to be a big break because I learned a lot on those jobs and eventually joined the I.A.T.S.E. local 600 camera union as a film-loader/ 2nd AC. I started writing scripts and shooting my own projects about five years ago. I'm a product of the "hands-on film-school of hard-knocks", do-it-yourself, never give up, learn from your mistakes, and move on to the next project. I went to college at New Mexico State University and The University of Texas for English and Mass Communication. Before college I attended the Educational Center for the Arts for creative writing in New Haven, CT.

Do you remember when your interest in the film-making genre first began?

I can't say exactly. When I was a little kid I remember getting so excited about movies that I'd have to re-enact them scene for scene. My early favorites were Mad Max (the original), Omega Man, To Hell and Back and Wizards. I loved action movies and saw them repeatedly. I also remember hearing stories about my grandfather, Leon Barsha. He was an editor on many of the original episodes of Twilight Zone in the 50's. Later I found out that before Twilight Zone, Leon was part of the studio "factory" system in the 30's and 40's and worked for a weekly salary as a director or producer cranking out about 50 westerns for Columbia Pictures. He even helped get The Society of Motion Picture Film Editors started (The Editors Guild) with Philip Cahn and Ben Lewis. One of his biggest accomplishments was editing the movie Lonely Are the Brave with Kirk Douglas. I've always felt really proud to be related to the guy, but he died long before I was even born.

What's your process for scriptwriting?

The first thing I do is brew a pot of peppermint tea, then I throw on my favorite silk underwear, oh, and I put on a Clash record… just kidding! It all starts with an idea, some ideas come and go and others seem to stick around and take up residency in the back of my mind. When I commit to an idea, I tend to write an outline that maps out the story from beginning to end. Once in a while, if I'm really inspired, I just write from the gut and follow my intuition without an outline and then see where it goes. I wrote a script that way called Pantyman, about a guy obsessed with ladies underwear – it was fun – and turned out okay. I don't use formulas that outline what should happen on whatever page. The first part of the process for me is kind of like archeology, the story just has to be excavated. I keep my expectations low until after I get a first draft, and then I go over it with a fresh perspective. Then I revise it and try to make it better, that's just my process, I'm not like an authority or anything. When I start a new script I just pick the next idea that stands out the most. Funny Man stood out like a festering infected finger-nail about to fall off of a soar thumb.

The Strange Kids Club (www.strangekidsclub.com)

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IndieCreator – With Dark Indie Filmmaker Jake Barsha

2.12.11

Jake Barsha's aptly named "Right Hook Films" (http://www.righthookfilms.com) production shingle delivers micro-budget indie fare with a whallop. Barsha first unleashed EUGENE in 2009, the story of a lonely man teetering on a twisted path and garnered solid reviews for this dark art house drama. Barsha's forthcoming THE FUNNY MAN, a tortuous tale of a demented comedian/serial killer with a deadly punch line, promises to be a bit more mainstream but just as demented as its predecessor. But enough set up … "ACTION!"

1. Introduce us to Jake Barsha.

(JAKE:) I'm married and I live in Los Angeles. I started working in the motion picture production industry in 1998 as a Production Assistant and I've worked my way up. I'm a member of the International Cinematographer's Guild. I didn't go to film school. I have hands-on experience working on a variety of productions over the years, including commercials, television shows, promos, music videos and movies for companies such as Anonymous Content, Smuggler, FOX, Kandoo Films, Untitled, Moxie, Morton Jankle Zander, Sedna Films, Paramount Studios, Warner Brothers, Universal, Engine Room and Sony. My biggest cinematic inspiration comes from the joy, adventure, adversity and pain I've experienced in my life. I've always loved watching movies, and there are just so many great inspiring films it's hard to pinpoint. I love NIGHT OF THE HUNTER with Robert Mitchum, THE GUNFIGHTER with Gregory Peck, TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MARDRE, MAD MAX (the first one), THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY and tons of others. The weirdest thing about me is that I don't drink or do drugs despite the fact that I grew up listening to hardcore punk rock music and live inLos Angeles…. I haven't touched the stuff for almost ten years.

2. Your first feature film EUGENE, a tragic tale about a lonely, socially inept misfit, evoked memories of Lucky McKee's indie iconic film MAY and Robert D Niro's portrayal of Travis Bickle in TAXI. Both were dark psychological portraits of deeply isolated individuals with severe personality "quirks". What was your inspiration for this film?

(JAKE:) EUGENEwas inspired by the darker side of our society, and people who search outside of themselves to feel connected. Most people have a first-hand understanding of their own basic human needs and desires, yet our laws imply that we feel safer and more comfortable criminalizing certain activities rather than embracing them as part of the human experience. The fictional character,Eugene, is a byproduct of repression and denial pushed to the extreme. EUGENE is definitely a portrait of a very lonely man. In hindsight, perhaps it could have been titled "The Lonely Man" instead of EUGENE. I recently watched a Korean movie called TIDAL WAVE; it was really cool because there was no confusion about what that movie was about, it was about a tidal wave.

3. These types of films live or die by the casting of their central "protagonist" – in your case, the brilliant selection of Stuart G. Bennett to portray Eugene. How did you find him? (JAKE:) We met in Los Angeles through mutual friends. Stuart was looking to finance a feature length film project that would showcase his talent as an actor. I gave him the treatment for EUGENE, and it seemed like a good fit. He liked it a lot, so I wrote the script. Stuart's performance contributed to the story in an extremely unsettling way. I think EUGENE conveys a powerful emotion that people understand and recognize, and Stuart delivered that. (Complete article at InvestComics.com)

Bob Heske, INDIE CREATOR (www.investcomics.com)

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EUGENE REVIEW by Richard Propes

3.12.2010

As Barsha slowly and patiently peels away the layers of Eugene's persona, this sad and lonely man becomes increasingly disturbing and just plain creepier. Eugene visits a prostitute, an encounter that leaves him even more confused and leads him to pay a young hustler for a hug.

Back and forth we go with Eugene, a man who manages to be both sympathetic and psychotic in the hands of lead Stuart G. Bennett, who offers Eugene a strikingly human and humane performance. While it would be difficult to pinpoint a "message" in this multi-layered psychological thriller, there's little denying that loneliness is, indeed, a killer and Eugene is lonely in every cell of his being.

Along the way, we learn more about Eugene's childhood, his passions, his circumstances and his seemingly unsatisfied cravings. These revelations, rather surprisingly, don't seem designed to excuse the increasingly dangerous man's behavior but rather they simply reveal how Eugene became Eugene and, in bits and pieces, exactly who Eugene has become. It's intelligent character development without a hint of manipulation.

"Eugene" is the kind of film that Hollywood would have likely ruined, turning Eugene into a Jigsaw-type character or by turning up the volume on the homicidal mayhem. Instead, Jake Barsha has created one of 2009's low-budget indie highlights by turning down the volume and allowing Eugene's character to develop slowly over the course of the film and for his seemingly slow-building creepiness to weave itself throughout those whom he encounters, most notably a young hustler (Ryan Reyes) and his beautiful girlfriend, Heather (Megan Lee Ethridge) until tragedy is heartbreakingly inevitable.

Along with Bennett's revelatory performance, Ryan Reyes and Megan Lee Ethridge both shine in key supporting roles as the young couple Eugene befriends and, in his own twisted way, tries to help. Be sure to watch, as well, for a brief appearance by Zander Schloss, bass player for the iconic Circle Jerks.

Despite the obvious challenges that go with a limited budget, Marc Levy's camera work is stellar in the way it sets both the mood and the tone for the film, while the original music of John Clement Wood further complements the many layers of "Eugene." Kudos as well to Barsha and stunt coordinator Zack Duhame for managing to create action sequences that convince and compel without the benefit extensive editing that helps to add force and intensity. Instead, the action and fight sequences in "Eugene" feel more achingly natural and reliant on the true physicality of the performers. This adds a richness and complements the film's humanity. With moments of tenderness wrapped like a bow around its disturbingly real psychological thrills, "Eugene" is one of 2009's best indie offerings. Fore more information on "Eugene," visit the film's website.

Richard Propes (www.theindependentcritic.com)

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EUGENE; Palm Springs Film Festival Review

2.28.2009

His attempts to date are painful to watch and leave him angry. Eugene has trouble keeping a job and making friends. He spooks a prostitute which seems to cause some sexual confusion. But he is no more comfortable with the young hustler he picks up. He is so hungry for the human touch he pays the young drug addict for a hug.

Along the way we learn Eugene's parents died in a house fire, he was raised by foster parents, likes horses and has money. But, though money can't buy the compassion or the companionship Eugene seeks it can be used as bait. This is a good example of fine story telling on a small budget. The cast was terrific. Stuart Bennett, as Eugene, was chilling. I am anxious to see Barsha's next effort.

Kim Jandra, INDIE EXPRESS (www.indieexpress.com)

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EUGENE; Palm Springs Film Festival Review

2.13.2009

Eugene is a dark portrait of a man so lonely and miserable that it's almost hard to believe it's as watchable as it is. Captivating in a way that reminds you of a natural disaster, Eugene is powered by morbid curiosity, just like its titular main character. Plagued by a sad life, Eugene tries to kill himself more than once in the movie, only to back out at the very last second. Why? He doesn't have anything to live for—but he's scared. He can't rest with the idea of a terrible world that would keep going and not remember he was ever there, even if staying means more pain. Not too far removed from those of us who are too invested in Eugene's story to turn away before a point of satisfaction, even if we know exactly how his story would eventually crash.

Mesmerizingly played by Stuart Bennett—never pushing believability as he nosedives from pathetic to creepy—Eugene is a repressed bachelor whose only wish is to experience love. He lives alone in a modest apartment, his past-time is watching freaky videos online and he works at a stable, hoping to become a horse-jumping jockey. He has no friends, no coworkers. When he asks a woman out for a date, his sexuality is questioned, leading to an encounter with a heroin-addicted street hustler named Josh (Ryan Reyes) and his porn model girlfriend Heather (Megan Lee Ethridge), both not in great shapes themselves. They give Eugene their time of day, but their love for each other only sparks jealousy in him.

Eugene's not exactly firm with its plot or even its intention. A character piece in the vein of Taxi Driver, it merely follows its desperate anti-hero down an unpleasant path of heartbreak, disappointment and despair. It deals with absolutely screwed up lives with little hope in their future, thus offering the kind of unsettling mood where you know for sure that it's going to exit on some kind of bloodbath, even if it holds the urge back until the very end.

One hopes that film can provide something more than the grim chronicling of a man running into one bad luck after another. It's a character study, but all it studies is how desperate loners have self-destructive tendencies, and if you push them they might push back harder. It offers none of the moral challenges that made this approach a successful one for Travis Bickle. Eugene may be too inward-focused and unflinchingly cynical to stop itself from appearing as empty as its main character's life, but it still shows great promise in its players, particularly Bennett's sympathetic lunacy and director Jake Barsha's superb grasp of early Cronenberg-like fetish for the disturbed.

Arya Ponto, JUST PRESS PLAY (www.justpressplay.com)

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KPBS FilmOut Highlight: Eugene / Interview with Director Jake Barsha

5.28.2009

Film festivals that focus on under represented communities tend to highlight works that present positive role models. So what you tend to find at Gay, Lesbian, Asian, Latino and Black film festivals are films that tend to place issues of identity in the forefront and serve up positive images to contrast with what the mainstream media tends to show when it bothers to show them at all. But in some ways the most positive sign I see of an under represented group breaking through is when filmmakers from those communities step up and deliver dark complex works with flawed characters at the center. It's a sign that they are moving on from just wanting to be represented to wanting to be shown in a full range and depth of characters.

That's why Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow – in which Asian honor students fall into drugs and crime – caused such anger on the part of some in the Asian American community but won over influential critics like Roger Ebert. This year, FilmOut San Diego showcases an indie film called Eugene (playing Saturday at 10:00 pm at the Birch North Park Theater) that stirs a similar controversy. It's a dark tale about a seriously flawed protagonist named Eugene who struggles with loneliness in Los Angeles. His attempts to connect with the outside world fail and then he hooks up with a street hustler and his soft-core porn model girlfriend. Their odd triangle provides Eugene with a connection he's never had before but it also leads to disastrous consequences.

I applaud programmer Michael McQuiggan for picking Eugene and I applaud filmmaker Jake Barsha for making it from practically nothing. I had a chance to speak with first time feature director Barsha. The film represents a true indie project, made completely outside the studio system. While that provides considerable obstacles it also allows for considerable freedom in terms of content. Eugene would have been a different film if it had more backers and a studio. So here's to that independent spirit.

Did you face any problems when you were submitting it to festivals? Was it ever deemed too dark?

JAKE BARSHA: We've definitely had some resistance in terms of the subject matter. It's very dark, and it's not a type of movie that was made to kind of stroke an audience. I watch as many movies as I can and I think I've been very influenced by some foreign movies that are definitely not the cookie cutter Hollywood type movie and when I was making Eugene it was mainly just about the strange story and trying to do a good job telling this guy's story. I hadn't thought too much until after the movie was made that wow this might be difficult to a lot of people who do go to movies because they want to be thrilled in a very positive way and presented this kind of happy ending to any circumstances. A friend of mine who's a stuntman asked, "Why did you make as your first movie one that was not mainstream and with audience appeal?" I think Eugene does have audience appeal, it's just a different look so to speak. Some people really enjoy the thrills and the thrills of Eugene get really intensified by the pace of Eugene. So the pace of following the story brings the viewer to the end where there's a very exciting and kind of thrilling set of circumstances. I've had a lot of very positive reactions to that from people and it seems like the people who really like it really like it a lot. But I've had the opposite reaction. The interesting thing is that it's a movie that leaves an afterglow and people think about it afterwards like "Whoa! What was that about? What did I just see?" So Eugene definitely leaves an impression

BETH ACCOMANDO, Arts & Culture Reporter KPBS

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