When Bill and Turner Ross were brainstorming their latest film, they decided to have a lunch meeting to discuss their ideas in person. They met at a restaurant in New Orleans, where they both live, and ordered lobsters, oysters, and beer. Little did they know that this lunch meeting would lead to the creation of their entire movie.
The date was November 19, 2020, a date that Turner remembers vividly as he reads through his journal entry from that day. In his journal, he wrote, “There is no time, only fluidity of thought, things done and yet to be, epiphanies of what the future already knows. Our easy rider rips off our won river, beginning with destruction and setting out to seek, to find, to be there.”
Just one week after their lunch meeting, the Ross brothers were already giving their first production presentation for what would later become “Gasoline Rainbow.” The film, which is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival, is a road trip story that follows a group of teenagers from a rural Oregon town as they embark on a journey to see the Pacific Coast for the first time. According to Bill, during the pandemic, they were thinking about what it would be like to be a teenager in a town you already hated. Turner describes the idea for the film as imagining shooting out of a cannon into the world.
Known for their genre-defying work, such as their Sundance 2020 film “Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets,” the Ross brothers continue their trend with “Gasoline Rainbow.” The film employs a highly improvisational style and features a cast of newcomers who all play themselves. Tony Abuerto, Micah Bunch, Nichole Dukes, Nathaly Garcia, and Makai Garza, who are all from rural eastern Washington state, bring authenticity to their roles as recent high school graduates on a 500-mile trek. While the young actors were inexperienced, the directors relied on their lived experiences to guide them through the loosely scripted shoot.
To capture the adventurous spirit of the story, the film’s production followed a similarly adventurous protocol. The crew used an RV as their mobile office, staying in a different roadside motel each night as they filmed the teenagers’ journey. The directors embarked on multiple scouting trips to ensure they could film on a strict schedule and budget. Despite the challenges, the process was extremely stressful but rewarding.
“It was a stupid way to make a movie,” Turner says, laughing. However, when they finally wrapped up filming in the coastal fog of Oregon, they celebrated by cracking open a beer at the ocean’s edge. They played Rihanna’s “Stay” on full blast in the car, and tears flowed as a wave of relief washed over them. They had accomplished their goal and formed a strong bond with everyone involved in the project.
In conclusion, the Ross brothers’ lunch meeting turned out to be the catalyst for their film “Gasoline Rainbow.” Through a highly improvisational style and a cast of newcomers, the film tells the story of a group of teenagers on a journey to the Pacific Coast. The production followed a similar adventurous protocol, with the crew using an RV as their office and staying in different motels along the route. Despite the challenges, the Ross brothers were able to successfully complete the film and celebrate their achievement together.
