Ezra
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 03:34 AM |
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Return Manifesto
"I want to understand Voldigar"
- Ezra speaks out on Return 2
A look at the calendar tells me it's March 2007. Yes, yes indeed. We are now a year and a half out from the release of the original Return: A
Warcraft Motion Picture, and we've decided to finally sit down and share the particulars as to why there is still no Return 2.
We've kept the details of our journey under wraps until now, but today we'd like to give you the whole story ...
- Return at BlizzCon
When Return went from fan film to cult phenomenon after receiving a finalist honor at Blizzcon in 2005, it drastically changed our old hobby
filmmaking group over night.
- Ezra and Terran, 1993
Rufus Cubed, a close circle of friends from a small town in eastern Washington that was used to a humble audience, was suddenly in the spotlight of
millions. We found ourselves in disbelief, as one unexpected triumph led to another...
- Ezra and Terran, 2005
Plans were laid for continuing the Return series right away, but first we engaged the promotion of the original Return aggressively and
then pursued recognition in the Machinima community as a whole.
"We must make our way ... "
- Outside the 2005 Machinima Film Festival
In November 2005, our initial efforts ultimately landed us in New York, being spotlighted at the 2005 Machinima Film Festival, receiving nominations
for Directing, Writing, Editing, and best "Off the Shelf", a category designated for pieces that take place completely within the host
game's world and visual assets.
- Terran speaks on a panel at the festival.
Return came through in one of the nominated categories, and received a "Mackie" award for best "Off the Shelf"
Machinima, regardless of the fact that if you'd asked us two months prior what Machinima was, we'd have responded with blank expressions.
It was here that things really started to heat up....
- Ezra and Terran unpack the Mackie
Managing to attend the New York event through our last-minute prayers being answered, Terran and I were interviewed at the festival by an HD
Television Network about our award nominations, and subsequently a copy of Return made it to an executive in that company.
- Ezra Interviewed at the 2005 Machinima Film Festival
Virtually overnight we were in negotiations to produce a nine part series of 10 minute Return episodes for television. However we were not
going to jump into our first professional syndication opportunity lightly, and our first order of business was to become a certified and legal
production company, "Rufus Cubed Productions, LLC". Thereafter we wasted no time in involving the folks at Blizzard in the epic
discussions about to commence...
- Rufus Cubed Productions: Business as usual
"Mark my words ... this is madness"
Early signals from Blizzard were positive and enthusiastic. We dove headlong into an intense period of organizing our business, discussing
Intellectual Property concerns with Blizzard, writing the nine episode story arc, refining our visual technique, and otherwise preparing the series
and hammering out the finer points of a behemoth contract with the network; all the while working to keep our day jobs and families intact.
- Ezra's son Isaac oversees the production of Return 2
By mid-January 2006 we found ourselves geared up and ready to tackle the challenge ahead: to bring the next chapter of the Return series to
life, and beyond. Our pens were out and we were ready to sign on the dotted line. While the deal was not so astronomical as to free us from our daily
grind of our prior employment, our hearts were in the game 100%, and we had every intention of rolling out 10 minute segments at the soul-rending and
neigh improbable rate of one episode every three weeks. But it was not in our fate to be tested at this juncture ...
- Rufus Cubed Productions LLC is born
"To what end, we had long since forgotten ..."
On January 23rd 2006, it was rescribed to us by a sympathetic Blizzard that after long deliberation, it had become clear that the time needed to
oversee this monumental project could not be drawn from their resources, and that as much as they would like to see the series brought to life, the
plug would have to be pulled on the television deal. We saluted our hosts, understanding that the decision was delicate. But being this close to
seeing the series fly only to crash land was devastating.
The blow the project suffered had lasting ramifications, and for the next few months our motivation was severely impared. To add injury to injury,
Terran and his entire department were laid off from the day job he had held for 5 years, precisely one month after the deal was canceled.
- Terran working at Atari Tech Support just before it's closure in February 2006
"...it cannot be understood by those who did not suffer it ..."
In our state of unemployment and dismay, we were glad when a little good news came around. First, we gathered that continuing Return on the web
was not out of reach and secondly, the offers for other professional video opportunities started to roll in from the resounding acclaim that
Return had created so many months ago. Again, not fat sacks of cash, but certainly enough to keep the candle of our fledgling business burning.
"...to mend, and find reunion ..."
Reworking our infrastructure from television series back to web distribution felt a little like making a pincushion of our pride, but we did what we
had to to carry our torch forward. The only problem now is that we'd accepted and begun work on a number of side projects that were too good to
pass up for the sake of advancing Rufus Cubed and our burgeoning multimedia careers. Return, as a creative narrative with little short term
paying-the-bills potential, took to the backburner, but remained our fondest project, the one we would finish when the time was right. So passed March
of 2006.
- Ezra and Terran record the "Woots" for "Billy Maclure"
"...or he can resolve to take action ..."
A little while after settling in to this new outlook, with the desire to drop everything and pursue Return everpresent, we pulled out every
trick in the book to be the recipient of a video contract that would pave the path to E3 attendance. We had known from the onset that not only was
this an awesome opportunity in its own right, but this would be another (and perhaps our last) chance to pitch Return face to face with
Blizzard. All our pondering had led us to the conclusion that the only way to fully achieve everything we wanted to with Return would be to get
Blizzard completely on board with the project, not just another idea in the wind. We needed something, something big, a proverbial bomb we could drop
that would really show what we're all about and where we want this crazy journey to ultimately take us.
- Ezra, Johnny, and Terran at E3 2006
It took 3 weeks to construct, several gallons of mountain dew and sleepless nights, and our device, our Blizzard bunker-buster was born: The Return
2 Trailer.
"Mind your head!"
We must confess, the trailer was not crafted from a great body of completed audio-visual work on the project, but instead was specifically tailored,
shot for shot, to create maximum buzz before E3, and exhibit all we'd learned since Return initially launched 7 months prior. At the
time, we had fully expected to complete Return 2 within a couple months, but we had no idea what was in store for us. The trailer was a
stunning success and had all the effect we'd hoped for and more: a deafening buzz, and Blizzard heard us. Come June, we got "The
Call". Blizzard wanted us to come down to talk.
"...take me to them"
- Terran in his hotel before his "consultation".
This was it, our moment of truth. We'd blown the doors wide open. Armed to the teeth with dreams of Return: The Series, we set off for
Blizzard HQ. Oddly enough we were to be "consulted" separately, but at the time it didn't seem terribly odd to us. We understood
that this was the way of things. What we didn't anticipate, and were resultingly broadsided by, was that we were actually being brought in to
talk about a specific job opening, hence the separation. They were looking for canidate Associate Video Editors. Return was not the primary
topic as we had hoped.
This was a great and outstanding opportunity, but the trouble in all of this is that Terran is a cinematographer and video editor and I (Ezra) am not.
Among many other things, I am a writer, sound-designer, production-designer, and co--director/producer of Return. A Blizzard job existed for
Terran, for me one did not. Once again, devastation and heart-breaking disappointment on the verge of great success.
Terran, now carrying the burden of several months of unemployment rising high into a threatening tsunami, was offered a position in June. As
we've both loved and adored Blizzard for over a decade, he could not very well turn down the job offer. We've been dear friends and
comrades in creativity for nearly 15 years, a dynamic duo, inseparable; but a chance like this comes once, if ever, in a lifetime. It was at least a
potential partial success for the series. Return would have to return to a simmer though as Terran set sail for California in July 2006.
- Rufus Cubed members at Terran's going away party, July 2006
"Separation was more painful than the many wounds of battle ..."
Despite all that has transpired, let us assure you of this: We have never once, during any trial, for a single moment, considered giving up on the
series. We have continued to work in whatever capacities we have been able to from the series' inception until this very day.
- Recording lines for Return 2
The expectations for Return have grown so large that we approach production with all the care and detail of a feature film. We are stretched
thin though, and we can't honestly say we're working on it with the same 50+ hour work weeks we did in the early days. It just simply
isn't sustainable on top of the responsibilities of full-time employment, especially while we're a thousand miles apart and dedicating
ourselves with all the focus that our day-time employers deserve. All we can do is steadily move the project forward with every precious bit of time
and energy we can muster.
- Ezra and Terran at the Stanford Machinima Event, Aug 2006
"There is more to be written..."
Know this though: we love Return and as we said, it is our most beloved project, and as silly as it sounds, to us it is a true story: something
we refuse to abandon. We hope beyond hope that somehow we will still find an avenue of full support that will allow us to engage the project with all
the righteous fire it deserves, but until then, all we can do is take one committed step at a time toward the ongoing development of the Return
series.
- My daughter Anika sharing Return Love at Blizzcon
Thank you for reading our tale, and here's to bringing forth that for which we share in longing: the next chapter of the story.
Ezra "Voldigar" Ferguson
Rufus Cubed Productions
Ezra Ferguson
Producer
Rufus Cubed Productions, LLC
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Darjk
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 05:46 AM |
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A great and very insightful read, Ezra. Thank you for sharing that with us - and what a darling little daughter you have.
I don't care how long it takes, I will forever be looking forward to the release of Return 2!
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Eriyanna
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 06:33 AM |
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Very nice  I'll be looking forward to harassing you about this piece in your interview hehe.
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Cranius
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 06:41 AM |
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Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Cranius
www.cranius.com
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JohnnyTrio
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 01:18 PM |
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Ter was sick as a DOG at E3...
That was crazy fun times...
-Johnny
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Alyrra
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 02:25 PM |
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I've been checking the site every week or so since the trailer came out. I'm so glad to hear what's going on. I'm with
Darjk, I don't care how long it takes, I'll be looking forward to it too.
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Wayren
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 06:23 PM |
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What the hell? Rufus Cubed are real people with real lives and obligations? Poppycock! Where's my Return 2?!
Oderint dum metuant.
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Bragerminor
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 06:39 PM |
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anyone else check out Ezra's l337 Hogan stache? I want one! anyway glad to finally see an update. will still be waiting for Return 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. lol later
========="The Bragerminor"
I r awesome. 
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stonefalconproductions
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 08:55 PM |
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Nice writeup. And pictures make it come alive! 
Hope you guys are doing well.
- Jun
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Pas
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| posted on 3/28/2007 at 09:53 PM |
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Very nice story and lovely pics indeed <3.
And oh I can't wait for your interview tomorrow =)
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richinsba123
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| posted on 3/29/2007 at 04:34 AM |
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DONATE
I think you guys should have a PayPal DONATE BOX on your web page so we can help you out. I know I would Donate.
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Menuet
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| posted on 3/29/2007 at 08:39 PM |
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A very good story and the pictures add a lot to it. It's hard to work on a passion when real life obligations get in the way. I'll still
be patiently waiting for Return 2.
"The Truth Will Still Abandon None"
http://www.wcradio.com
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ddunkin
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| posted on 3/29/2007 at 09:10 PM |
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Great idea! You donate, and I dip into the funds to buy drugs!
quote:
Originally posted by richinsba123
I think you guys should have a PayPal DONATE BOX on your web page so we can help you out. I know I would Donate.
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Darkalus
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| posted on 3/31/2007 at 10:56 AM |
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I'm so glad that you guys are still alive and working! Good luck on Return 2!
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carvingwaves
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| posted on 4/2/2007 at 08:06 AM |
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awesl e
very cool story, and i am glad that more return is coming regardless if its on tv or not 
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nefarious56
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| posted on 4/5/2007 at 06:07 AM |
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Can't Hardly Wait!
Keep up the good work guys. Looking forward to Return 2.
http://www.mysigspace.com/wrsig/52291080.jpg
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flagman
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| posted on 4/10/2007 at 07:25 PM |
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Touching.
"What butter and whiskey will not cure there's no cure for."
Ty Ovendale
Production Manager
R³ Producer
Rufus3.com
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ddunkin
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| posted on 4/10/2007 at 10:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by flagman
Touching.
Yourself.
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flagman
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| posted on 4/10/2007 at 10:57 PM |
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i knew you'd have a comment the moment i posted. that's why we love you, darryl.
"What butter and whiskey will not cure there's no cure for."
Ty Ovendale
Production Manager
R³ Producer
Rufus3.com
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ddunkin
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| posted on 4/11/2007 at 12:12 AM |
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Keep your homoerotic feelings to yourself, I'm taken.
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flagman
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| posted on 4/11/2007 at 02:39 AM |
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erin sold you for two cartons of lucky strikes.
"What butter and whiskey will not cure there's no cure for."
Ty Ovendale
Production Manager
R³ Producer
Rufus3.com
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Kazz
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| posted on 4/23/2007 at 08:19 PM |
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It's been about a month since the manifesto. Back in February Ezra thought the work was abotu 50% done. Any chance of mebbe a monthly update
on this stuff?
Not being pushy or anything. The manifesto was a great read. I'm just looking for some fresh news if it is available.
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Jawnee
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| posted on 5/8/2007 at 07:39 PM |
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Thank you so much for sharing all of that with us! I, like so many others, will eagerly await the second installment of the Return Series for as long
as it takes.
-J
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Darune
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| posted on 7/4/2007 at 03:58 PM |
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I'll help in the movie
need me help?
Cause I'm on Frostwolf as well.
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Fubar
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| posted on 7/7/2007 at 09:15 PM |
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Best WoW movie ever ! Well done and ty and look forward to a sequel whenever /agree Jawnee.
In fact its so good make it into a motion picture that would rock I'd even migrate a char over if you are holding auditions lol.
GL chaps and chapesses and take it easy.
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