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Ring Ring

The simple mistake of tossing wedding rings into a trash compactor spirals into a fight for survival when the best man dives in after the rings and finds himself about to be crushed.

BEST MAN. WORST MISTAKE.

  • Lucas Xavier Simes
    Director
  • Lucas Xavier Simes
    Writer
  • Lincoln Rogers
    Producer
  • Andrew McComb
    Producer
  • Nathan Carlberg
    Producer
  • Keenan Odenkirk
    Key Cast
    "Sebastian"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Dark Comedy
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 3, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Lucas Xavier Simes

Lucas X. Simes is a senior art director at advertising agency VML, living in Chicago, IL. Lucas has directed the short film Ring Ring, and is directing the documentary The Crappening, following the events of the Dave Matthews Band Chicago River incident.

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Director Statement

A common response I got after pitching Ring Ring was, "Is this autobiographical?"

Man, I sure hope not.

This is my first film and first time directing. It was a huge group effort between friends, students, and indie filmmakers, all working on little sleep and a tight budget (we managed to convince a moving company warehouse to let us build our interior set there). I approached the direction like a silent film, with wide shots, full-body framing, and physical comedy. Our lead, Keenan Odenkirk, as a theater actor, was a natural at this style. The exterior scenes lean fully into this style, underscored by music and using text messages as dialogue cards. The exteriors, additionally, were shot with permission at a Mies van der Rohe-designed residence in Lakeview.

On the interior, the phone becomes Sebastian’s lifeline. To emphasize this, we lit the set entirely in monochrome red, with only the phone and trapdoor revealing full color. The aspect ratio narrows with the movable walls and the tension of the scene. The outdoor trash bin—designed to look intimidating—was inspired by the monolith from 2001 and Isengard’s tower.

Everyone on the crew is a lifelong Chicagoan, and we wanted Chicago to feel like a character in the film. Anyone who’s had their car towed to Lower Wacker Drive knows the pain of city bureaucracy—and it's the perfect foil to Sebastian’s spiraling stress.