Poker Curious Interview

Ryan — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:12:00 +0000

I recently did an interview for Poker Curious about FROM BUSTO TO ROBUSTO. If you’re interested in learning more about the project, check it out here: http://www.pokercurious.com/articles/view/spotlight-on-from-busto-to-robusto-directors/

FBTR Official Site Launched

Ryan — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:05:13 +0000

Yesterday we launched the official site for FROM BUSTO TO ROBUSTO. We’re very pleased to hear so much positive feedback from the poker community and want to continue to bring you new and exciting episodes in the future, but we need your help! Our episodes don’t costs any money to watch, but they do cost money to create. If you’re a fan, help the project continue by purchasing the official FBTR DVD which is loaded with exclusive bonus features such as:

Full versions of Episode 1: Captain Zeebo & Episode 2: good2cu
Misclicks: Deleted Scenes from Episodes 1 & 2
Filmmaker Commentary with producer/director Ryan Firpo and executive producers Jay Rosenkrantz, Dan Morris and Dean Strachan
Home video updates from Zeebo and good2cu
15 Minutes with Phil: An exclusive conversation with Phil Galfond

Each purchase will directly contribute to the production of Episode Three and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to make the definitive feature length documentary about online poker and you, the online poker community, can help us get there. In addition to owning a fantastic, one-of-a-kind DVD, you’ll also be automatically entered into the Golden Chip Giveway, our limited time promotional opportunity that offers you the chance to win the FROM BUSTO TO ROBUSTO prize package — every thing you need to go from busto to robusto, including:

1-Year Subscription to DeucesCracked.com
4 Hours of Private Coaching with Dan or Jay
A Signed Copy of Elements of Poker
$300 in an Online Poker Account!

We placed three Golden Poker Chips inside three random DVD cases. If you’re lucky enough to find one, you win!

In addition to buying the DVD, or as an alternative, there’s the option to donate. You can donate as much or as little as you want. Every dollar helps. Remember, this is a grassroots film project born directly out of the online poker community. We’re not NBC or Paramount Studios — we need your support! Aside from financial contributions, you can help by spreading the word. Post our official site link in your blogs, on the forums, anywhere you like. The more views our little project receives, the better our chances of continuing. Thanks everyone for all your support!

www.robustothemovie.com

FBTR E2 Sneak Preview

Ryan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:27:16 +0000

With 16.1K views in 24 hours, the FBTR Episode Two Sneak Preview has far exceeded our expectations. The reviews are mixed, but for the most part fair and balanced. The most important thing we take away from this is people are starting to see the potential for a bigger project. All the feedback, good and bad, only encourages us to continue towards our original goal of a feature-length online poker documentary. Thanks to everyone in the poker community for all the guidance and support. Speaking of the community, I was recently invited as a guest on the ever popular Two Plus Two Pokercast. The interview went well. We talked about the buildup to Episode Two, it’s subsequent reception and much more. Mike and Adam, thanks for the opportunity. Give it a listen below:

Go get Adobe Flash Player!

FBTR good2cu: Sneak Preview 3/14/10

Ryan — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:29:56 +0000

From Robusto LLC: We’re surprised and thrilled at how well Episode One was received by the poker community and, as a result, our little project has grown tremendously over this past year. We want to build a website that reflects that, but we’re a small company with limited resources and many obstacles. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen technical complications we weren’t able to launch the new website on 3/14/10 as originally planned. Stay tuned for the official full release date for Episode Two and the new FBTR project website. We apologize about this. To make it up to you, our loyal fans, we’re showing Episode Two here on this temporary page for exactly one day — from midnight 3/14/10 to midnight 3/15/10 Pacific Time. It will then be removed until we launch. So watch it while you can, and help spread the good word. If you like what you see then stay tuned for a brand new home for Zeebo and good2cu: packed with more information, more content and exciting promotional opportunities for our FBTR fans.

Watch it here: www.robustothemovie.com

FBTR Episode Two: Coming 3/14/10

Ryan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:20:16 +0000

Will Andrew find Happiness in Sin City? What does the Golden Ticket mean? What’s next for From Busto to Robusto?

Find out the answers and more on 3/14/10.

Episode Two…another update.

Ryan — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:38:04 +0000

A month and a half ago, I wrote, “I’m relieved to say that editing on Episode Two is finally complete”. It wasn’t a lie, because that’s what I thought at the time. I was wrong. As we were wrapping up the editing, Andrew was signed as a featured pro for Victory Poker, a brand new online poker site. It’s exciting news and we at 918 FILMS/Robusto LLC wish him the best. After hearing what an significant impact this has made on his life, we figured it was an important enough part of his story to include in the film. As a result, we decided to delay the release and return to the editing room to incorporate this new storyline. See, not only can you play online poker at Victory Poker, but they also have a media department that will offer videos of Team Victory doing what they do best — which is namely gambling, playing poker and partying like rockstars. You can currently view samples at Victorypoker.net.

In order to incorporate some of this new footage into Episode Two, we had to wait until Victory Poker launched. I just got back from Vegas today where I spent yesterday visiting the Victory Poker Headquarters — which is contained in a Penthouse Suite in Panorama Towers…not too shabby, guys. They were supportive of the From Busto to Robsto project and did more than expected to accommodate our needs. In the end, I returned home with nearly 15 hours of Victory Poker material, much of it featuring Andrew and his shenanigans. I’m eager to get to work and expect this footage to add a new, more compelling dimension to Andrew’s story. Don’t worry though, it won’t push back our release date too far. On that note, it’s back to the grind. Who has time for blogging? We’ve got a documentary to finish!

Amsterdam Trip Report

Ryan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:30:32 +0000

I just flew in from Amsterdam and boy are my arms tired… No? Nothing? After eight days in what might be my favorite city in the world, I feel refreshed, rejuvenated and relaxed. I’ve been there a few times before, but this trip definitely tops the list. We got an apartment this time, which proved to be an enormous improvement over a hotel/hostel in terms of comfort level. It was right across from Centraal Station in a prime location and cheaper too. I don’t know why we didn’t consider it before; it takes a little more work to book, but it’s clearly worth it.

This trip was a chance to unwind from the six weeks of editing FBTR: Episode Two. For me, that mostly means relaxing and playing cards over a good drink in a nice bar. Amsterdam seems to be a city invented for just that — I mean it also has like, historical value and stuff. Every day we’d trek out into the city to find a new place to rest our feet and fill our stomachs while admiring the scenery along the way. Some of my favorites were The Cow, Gollem, DeZotte and Barney’s Uptown. We also made the occasional stop at these establishments labeled “coffeeshop”, only what they were selling didn’t smell like coffee. I don’t drink coffee anyway, so I didn’t really mind. For what it’s worth, after a pretty decent sample size, my favorite is still Amnesia. We visited your standard, but impressive nonetheless, tourist destinations like the Rembrandt exhibit at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, the Anne Frank House and the Amsterdam Historic Museum. We also visited a few not so standard ones like the Church in the Attic and Marken, an old fishing village about forty minutes outside of the city.




	
	
		
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 	12►

New Years Eve was wild. Around 10:30pm or so we hit the streets which were absolutely packed with people, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Everyone seemed relaxed and happy, and the whole atmosphere felt very laid back. We mostly hung out around the Nieuwmarkt, where they performed one of the most intense fireworks displays I’ve ever seen. It was so intense because they were launching them right there in the square. I don’t even know if it was an organization or what, as there were many “amateur fireworks artists” performing amazing feats of explosive brilliance all throughout the city that night. None were impressive as this though. It was like a 45 minute climax.

And that’s it. All and all, a great vacation. I’m ready to return to Episode Two with a fresh set of eyes.

A strange yet awesome encounter

Ryan — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:22:43 +0000

While on vacation here in Amsterdam, I visited The Cow, a small bar/cafe outside Leidseplein, to have a dinner and a few drinks with my family. The place was crawling with young people, as is most of Amsterdam. While waiting for a table in the restaurant down below, one of these young people passed by and asked me if I was a foreigner. I admitted I was and asked him how he could tell. “People reading skills” he told me. We shared a laugh and our table was finally called. After dinner, a delicious Ostrich steak cooked medium rare and covered in a delicious white sauce, I waited outside for my family to finish up. Just then, the guy who commented on my foreign appearance stepped outside for a cigarette. We started up a casual conversation and within minutes I discovered he was a professional poker player. It didn’t take long for us to start talking about Two Plus Two which lead to From Busto to Robusto. He said he was aware of the project, was a big fan and was pleased to meet me, once I told him who I was. We had a nice chat, but I had to cut it short, as we were already late for a Avatar (which ended up being sold out anyway).

It was pretty exciting and completely unexpected to meet a FBTR fan at some random bar in Amsterdam. I felt like a mini-celebrity. Ego-stroking aside, it makes me realize just how many people our tiny, little project has reached…God Bless the Internet.

Episode Two, Munich, Amsterdam

Ryan — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:57:56 +0000

I’m relieved to say editing on FBTR Episode Two is finally complete. It was a long, hard battle but I think, in the end, 918 FILMS/Robusto LLC emerged the victors. Most people greatly underestimate how time consuming documentary editing is and although twelve weeks may sound like a long time, with 80+ hours of footage I assure you it’s not. We’re all very happy with the edit. Andrew Robl is essentially the polar opposite of Captain Zeebo and the resulting film is something entirely different from Episode One. I think those who know nothing about Andrew will be fascinated by the seemingly fast and frivolous nature of his high-stakes lifestyle while those already aware of his reputation may learn there’s more to Good2cu than meets the eye. Enough talking about it. I’m sure you’re wondering when it’s going to be released (especially if you found your way here from NVG). While the editing is complete, there’s still loads to do before we unleash E2 to the public. Our little project has grown so much since we released Episode One through Deucescracked and adjusting to that has taken longer than expected. Sorry if this sounds so cryptic. I promise you real information very shortly and if you’re a fan of the project you won’t be disappointed.

With the majority of my work momentarily complete on FBTR, I skipped town for a much needed vacation. I’m currently in Munich, Germany visiting family and preparing for my first White Christmas in six years. This really is a beautiful, old city and the weather, while bone-chilling and relentless, has been a special experience for a California boy like me. You forget how peaceful a snowfall can make everything seem. After Christmas, it’s off to Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve and beyond. I’ll post updates, possibly with pics and vids, when I can. For now, I’m getting off the computer to explore more of this:

FBTR: Episode Two Update

Ryan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:00:27 +0000

918 FILMS and Robusto LLC have been hard at work on FBTR: Episode Two. We’ve got a lot of exciting things planned for our FBTR fans in the coming weeks, including the release of the full episode, and we thought it was time we gave them a little taste of what to expect. Here’s a teaser trailer that finally reveals the identity of our latest subject. If you’re not a part of the online poker community, you probably won’t understand most of the references or exactly why this individual is so controversial. But if you are then I’m sure you’ll have an opinion. Let the chatter commence!