"Spaghetti" is the first official Grymm Productions project completed, and it began merely as an experiment in technique. Upon starting this production, I couldn't possibly have guessed where it would go, and what it would accomplish.

With the death of Sergio Leone in the early nineties, I was inspired to truly discover his films. Particularly the "Fistful of Dollars" trilogy amongst others. From an early age on I was deeply affected by these epic tales of wary, macho characters cast against hellish landscapes - relying on their intelligence and brutality to overcome adverse odds. All of this combined with doses of great wit and tragedy made for some fantastic cinematic moments. Moments which literally changed the face of the entire genre. 

Regarding technique, I was in awe of the beautiful cinematography and particularly fond of the dependence these films had on their musical scores. The stripped-down combination of just moving image and accompanying music matched has a purity to it that has always appealed to me, and these films are chock full of great examples of this strong combination. Between my years at college I decided to try my hand at a similar kind of combination, and being inspired by these various elements initiated a few ideas. When the time was right, I decided to go ahead and experiment.

In creating a classic 'Spaghetti Western' gunfight scenario of my own, I wanted to test my skills at technique and soundtrack composition. I began working with various ideas and early on realized that this test project had the potential to expand into something much more interesting. Due to obvious and varying circumstances however, an actual period piece western wasn't possible. I decided to write elements of the fantastic around the gunfight idea. This came to me in the form of a ghost story, which would allow me to incorporate western story elements into a contemporary time setting. This would make the storyline manageable. From there I began developing all of the elements into a short story video project, using consumer/prosumer video formats and resources to achieve an end result.

I bartered, borrowed and bashed away at the project for some time, completing an initial version in 1993. A somewhat bare version, this one clocked in at about 45 minutes in length, and lacked dimension in comparison to what I had originally intended. Regardless, upon completion it was shown to a number of small audiences and then entered in a number of  festivals without receiving much notice.

I moved on, trying to generate financial interest in other projects - mainly through the grant process. During this time, it was realized that I needed a well defined example of previous works in order to prove that my abilities were competent, and my intentions sincere. I decided to return to "Spaghetti" and rework it into something more presentable for these purposes (again through bartering, borrowing and this time- debt!). 

With the reworking, emphasis would be placed on pacing, musical score and sound design. Where these areas are concerned, the initial version was sorely lacking. Once underway, this polished version continued to pick up momentum until I finally decided to actually package "Spaghetti" and turn it into a definitive, independent release. A year was spent at this, with the project being finished in 1997. From there it moved on to win the recognition it did at 'Philafilm' that same year. 

Looking back at this project, even after the changes made and the recognition given, it appears somewhat crude to me (outside of the remaining technical limitations). This realization is inevitable. It is bound to happen as you progress and evolve I suppose. Yet I am very proud and fond of this project for what it accomplished and how it became a wonderful example of what can be achieved with very little if you are willing to work hard enough at it and just plain believe.

It might be difficult for one to find defining issues or morals within "Spaghetti" but they do exist. Ironically, I discovered this years after fitting the pieces to this creative puzzle together. Returning to this project for a second time allowed me return to it somewhat refreshed, and see it from a different perspective. With that, and in the years following I've realized (as have others) what it was that I was trying to say with "Spaghetti" and how it extended far beyond just a mere experiment in technique.

"Spaghetti" is not so much a story about ghosts and ghouls as it is a melancholy tale about isolation (a familiar 'Grymm' theme). It is also a story about how adolescence must inevitably become adulthood - becoming resigned to the responsibilities that come with it. This project also looks at beliefs, and how they can affect one's place depending on how realistic those beliefs are. In a general sense, the original impetus for the project - the
combination of  mere moving image and music is one of its greater strengths. 

Here within these points lies the art of "Spaghetti" and I now enjoy this project and its accomplishments all the more because of these realizations. I hope you will also.

-R.J. Brown

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