Inside Gunch & Ruben's Galactic Reunion: A Conversation with Director and Producer, Zack Burkett

Director and Producer, Zack Burkett with Puppets Gunch & Ruben

Recently, Director and Producer Zack Burkett, shared with us about his latest project Gunch & Ruben's Galactic Reunion. During our conversation, Zack shares his thoughts on puppetry making a comeback, how he plans to portray authenticity in the relationship between Gary and Chuck Benowitz, and what he hopes audiences take away from the film.

Atlanta Film and TV: Do you foresee puppetry making a comeback into the mainstream sometime in the future? 

Zack Burkett: I think it already is! Before taking on this project, I thought that puppetry was a dying art, but now I see that it is very much alive and thriving. I don’t claim to be an expert in puppetry (at least, not yet) but in researching and preparing for this film, I’ve met so many puppeteers and I can see that the puppetry community is so vibrant and full of life and passion.

Between The Muppet Show returning to Disney Plus, puppet shows like Primrose Friends at local theaters like Dad’s Garage, and all of the amazing work the Center for Puppetry Arts does to educate people about this art form and keep the legacy of puppetry alive, I don’t think puppetry will be leaving the mainstream anytime soon. I think this is a great time for a film like this and, though I’m admittedly still learning about puppetry myself, I was impressed and surprised with how enduring and timeless this art form is.

Atlanta Film and TV: Can you share with us how you plan to portray authenticity in  the relationship between Gary and Chuck Benowitz?

Zack Burkett: We are exploring all kinds of possibilities when it comes to the portrayal of our two lead characters - from casting actual puppeteers to even casting real-life brothers. In a perfect world, we would cast talented actors who are also experienced in puppeteering and can portray Gunch and Ruben themselves. But there’s no guarantee that the best candidate for the role will have that highly specialized skillset.

No matter who we cast, I intend to represent the art of puppetry with authenticity and respect. By that same token, I aim to bring emotional authenticity to the relationship between brothers Gary and Chuck. It can be tough to work with a creative partner, especially when they are family or like family to you. People have differences and personalities can clash. I’ve drawn on some of my own experiences with creative collaboration and infused them into these characters, which I hope will ring true for other artists out there.

Atlanta Film and TV:  What do you hope audiences (both adults and children) take away from this story?

Zack Burkett: I have a few hopes for what audiences will take away from this story. For one, I hope that it’ll shine a spotlight on the art of puppetry (not that it needs it - it seems to be doing just fine without our film!) and encourage people to check out some more of the great puppet content out there, whether it’s attending a puppet show or visiting the Center for Puppetry Arts. But beyond that, I hope to deliver a larger message about the power of art in general.

Whether it’s filmmaking, music, painting, or puppetry, art is what gives us a voice to share what’s in our hearts. For Gary and Chuck, that art happens to be puppetry.

For others, it might be poetry or songwriting. But the fact remains that art is therapeutic - it gives us an outlet to process our feelings and confront our emotions, which is so important and valuable. And it can also be used as a bridge to connect us, as with Chuck and Gary. Ultimately, Gunch & Ruben is a love-letter to art and its ability to heal us.

Atlanta Film and TV: We see that you’re using the Seed & Spark platform, can you explain to our audience how Seed & Spark works, and how we can use it to support Gunch and Ruben? 

Zack Burkett: Seed & Spark is a crowdfunding resource that is completely free for filmmakers to use, and 100 percent of funds raised will go towards their budget to produce their project. Anyone who would like to support the project can pledge any amount they’d like, but we only get to keep the funds if we make it to 80% of our goal. That means the project is greenlit. Otherwise, our supporters’ cards will never even get charged.

What’s cool about Seed & Spark is it allows you to offer fun incentives for supporters who pledge at different levels. For example, some of our lower tiers offer social media shout-outs, stickers, and Gunch & Ruben T-shirts. Supporters who pledge $150 or more will receive a personalized video message from Gunch and Ruben themselves thanking them for their support - this is my personal favorite reward. 

We also offer special thanks in the film’s credits, opportunities to appear in the film as an audience member, and our highest tier rewards Executive Producer credit and the chance to keep one of our hero puppets from the film. We want our supporters to feel like a part of this journey, so no matter how much or how little you pledge, we want to show our appreciation through these fun incentives. You can support Gunch & Ruben on our Seed&Spark page here.

Atlanta Film and TV: Do you have anything else you would like to share that I may have missed? 

Zack Burkett: I’d like to shout out our team - producers Zach Cost and Kara Nothem, who have been working hard to help bring this vision to life. I appreciate their time and professionalism so much! I’m excited to be working with cinematographer Joshua Gary, owner of Funguh Productions and whose work I admire. This will be my first time working with Josh specifically as our Director of Photography. And of course, Kelley Biehl Hill and Tony Hill, who have been leading the charge with our promotion and marketing campaign, helping to push our project out there and rally support behind it. 

We’ve also enlisted puppeteer extraordinaire Spencer Murrill as our puppetry coordinator, whose expertise will bring authenticity to the film as he oversees all things puppetry-related on set. Spencer is awesome - I’ve already learned so much about puppetry from watching him work and couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with him on this. I’m grateful for the small team we’ve put together (and are still continuing to assemble!) and I can’t wait to see what art we can create together. I hope that you all enjoy it! 

To stay up-to-date on Gunch and Ruben's Galactic Reunion, be sure to follow @zebracatproductions on Instagram.