The Girl from the Naked Eye (2012)

Director:

David Ren

Writers:

Jason Yee (screenplay)
Larry Madill (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

15 June 2012 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

How far would you go if the only girl you ever loved was murdered?

Plot:

When Sandy, a call girl at "The Naked Eye", ends up dead, her friend and only ally in the world, Jake, goes on a manhunt to find out who killed her.

Plot Keywords:

Strip Club | Murder | Narration | Prostitute | Stripper

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Jason Yee	...	Jake
Samantha Streets	...	Sandy
Ron Yuan	...	Simon
Dominique Swain	...	Alissa
Gary Stretch	...	Frank
Jerry Ying	...	Johnny (as Jerry C. Ying)
Sasha Grey	...	Lena
Wilson Jermaine Heredia	...	Bobby
Chris Ufland	...	Edward Bates
Assaf Cohen	...	Miles
Brandy Grace	...	Angela (as Brandy M. Grace)
James Lew	...	Eddie
Pete Antico	...	Detective #1 (as Peter Scott Antico)
Kovar McClure	...	Detective #2 (as Kovar D. McClure)
Lateef Crowder	...	Maximillion
Woon Young Park	...	Frankie
Art Hsu	...	Sammy
Gina Jackson	...	Honey
Angelina Valentine	...	Cimone
Alan M. Tow	...	Yao
Jen Sung	...	Marlon (as Jen Sung Outerbridge)
Somaya Reece	...	Wendy (as Somaya S. Reece)
Mike Wilson	...	Nathan (as Michael Patrick Wilson)
Lee Whittaker	...	Andy
Sidney S. Liufau	...	Moses
Elizabeth McDonald	...	Fiona
Buddy Sosthand	...	Bouncer
Jennifer Hughes	...	Linda
Sno E. Blac	...	Bunny
Michelle Lee	...	Cop (as Michelle C. Lee)
Henry Mu	...	Club Promoter
Christopher Tranchina	...	Detective
Masaaki Endo	...	Guard #2
Panuvat Anthony Nanakornpanom	...	Guard #3
Thomas Braxton Jr.	...	Card Player
Dan Marshall	...	John
Sonny Sison	...	Security Guard #1
Chad Guerrero	...	Security Guard #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Abernathy	...	Club Attendee (uncredited)
Eurydice Davis	...	Bambi (uncredited)
Dennis Depew	...	EMT #1 (uncredited)
Cassie Fliegel	...	Bobby's Girl (uncredited)
Efka Kvaraciejus	...	Thug #2 (uncredited)
Beekeo Levan	...	Thug (uncredited)
Tara Macken	...	Club Patron (uncredited)
Ashley Rose	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Terence J. Rotolo	...	Body Guard (uncredited)
Carol Shook	...	Club Patron (uncredited)
Sheila Thiele	...	Simon's Girl (uncredited)
Brent Trotter	...	Club Patron (uncredited)
Brianna Womick	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
David Ren

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry Madill		screenplay
David Ren		screenplay
Jason Yee		screenplay

Produced by
Henry Mu	....	executive producer
Henry Mu	....	producer
Dennis Sugasawara	....	line producer
Jason Yee	....	producer
Max Yoffe	....	co-producer
Ron Yuan	....	producer

Original Music by
Danny Manor

Cinematography by
Max Da-Yung Wang

Film Editing by
Greg Babor
Richard Halsey

Casting by
Rosemary Welden

Production Design by
Suzanne Rattigan

Set Decoration by
Suzanne Rattigan

Costume Design by
Hazel Alonzo

Makeup Department
Misa Aikawa	....	key makeup artist
Carla Antonino	....	makeup department head
Yayoi Hayashishita	....	hair stylist
Jennie-kay Murphy	....	makeup day player

Production Management
Josh Garrell	....	unit production manager
Eric McElveen	....	production manager
Scot Rubin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Dowding	....	assistant director: second unit
Jeff Morse	....	second assistant director
Michael Roud	....	second second assistant director
Dan Sleboda	....	second second assistant director
Jim Whitworth	....	first assistant director
Jason Yee	....	second unit director
Ron Yuan	....	action director: Los Angeles

Art Department
Jessica Feeny	....	swing
Flip Filippelli	....	carpenter
Jose Garcia Jr.	....	swing
Tim Gideon	....	leadman
Carrie Hargett	....	set dresser
Cija Johnson	....	carpenter
Eric Mitchell	....	property master
Meaghan E. Stone	....	property master

Sound Department
Lee Ascher	....	sound mixer
Susan Bryant	....	boom operator
Romain Drouillon	....	french dubbing mixer
Sean Heissinger	....	sound editor
Chris Julian Irwin	....	foley mixer
Chris Julian	....	additional sound editor: re-recording mixer
Giles Khan	....	sound mixer
David C. Manahan	....	boom operator
Harrison Meyle	....	dialogue editor
Burnie Neal	....	boom operator
Billy Walker	....	sound designer
Billy Walker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Billy Walker	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Adam Fanton	....	visual effects supervisor
Darren Fanton	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Tsuyoshi Abe	....	stunts
David Bentubo	....	stunts
Darryl Chan	....	stunts
Fernando Chien	....	stunts
Lateef Crowder	....	stunts
Lauren Mary Kim	....	stunts (as Lauren Kim)
Efka Kvaraciejus	....	stunt perfomer
Tara Macken	....	stunts
Dan Marshall	....	stunt actor
Panuvat Anthony Nanakornpanom	....	stunts
Xavier Quimbo	....	stunt double
Xavier Quimbo	....	stunts
Jade Quon	....	stunts
Terence J. Rotolo	....	stunts
Surawit Sae Kang	....	stunt performer
Sonny Sison	....	stunts
Jen Sung	....	stunts (as Jen Sung Outerbridge)
Lee Whittaker	....	stunt performer
Mike Wilson	....	stunts
Ron Yuan	....	action director
Ron Yuan	....	fight choreographer
Ron Yuan	....	stunt coordinator
Chad Guerrero	....	stunt performer: additional scenes (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Efrain Aguilar	....	dolly grip
James 'Keeper' Auld	....	key grip
Aasulv Austad	....	camera operator
John R. Bonner Jr.	....	camera operator: second unit
Anastasia Cerankosky	....	second assistant camera: second uint
Daniel Cotroneo	....	electrician
Wyatt Denny	....	grip
Bruce Dickson	....	additional photography
Michael Druez	....	best boy grip
Ben Dynice	....	best boy electric
David Hallas	....	dolly grip
Joe Hill	....	grip
Nick Huizing	....	additional electrician
John Karyus	....	grip
Sarah Keally	....	second assistant camera
Jean-Baptiste LeConte	....	electrician
Damon Lemay	....	second assistant camera: second unit
David Lezynski	....	video engineer
Symon Mink	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Andrew Mueller	....	gaffer
Allen Nalasco	....	still photographer
Kevin Perry	....	electrician
Brittany Petros	....	additional grip
Don Presley	....	first assistant camera
Jaime Rauch	....	loader
Patrick Russo	....	additional electrician
Shane Sato	....	still photographer
Craig Wadlin	....	grip

Casting Department
Pete Sutton	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hazel Alonzo	....	wardrobe supervisor
Cynthia Obsenares	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Christopher Donlon	....	additional editor
Donovan Kosters	....	dcp mastering

Music Department
Daniel Gotz	....	composer: additional music
Daniel Gotz	....	musician: piano
Daniel Gotz	....	orchestrator
Mark Andre Kneer	....	music recording engineer
Mark Andre Kneer	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Michael Burnette	....	transportation coordinator
Colleen Rea	....	transportation coordinator
William Smallwood	....	transportation captain
Wyatt Taft	....	driver

Other crew
Michael Cano	....	production assistant
Josh Garrell	....	production coordinator
Tobin Hale	....	set medic
Scott Iasillo	....	assistant production office coordinator
Norman Jones	....	set medic
Stanley Longstreet	....	location manager
Michael Lurie	....	worldwide sales
Michael Potter	....	craft service
Breana Pozzi	....	key set production assistant
Stephan Rothman	....	production accountant
Aprill Winney	....	script supervisor
Jason Woodruff	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Mu-Yee Productions
• MiniFlix Films

Distributors

• Naedomi Media (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• G2 Pictures (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Naedomi Media (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Third Millenium Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (all media)

Special Effects

• Bentlight Digital

Other Companies

• Hollywood Rental Company  grip and lighting equipment
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Deluxe  post-production facilities (film processing)
• LaserPacific  post-production facilities (DI)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Imagine Post  post-production and 5.1 mix
• Imagine Post  post-production
• Kaye Lites  grip and lighting equipment
• Project 8 Films  theatrical services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content and pervasive language

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White (some scenes)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Germany:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Lacy Street Production Center - 2630 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mu-Yee Productions

Trivia:

The bar that Samantha Streets and Jason Yee's characters go to have a drink and dance in a flashback is the same bar that Rosario Dawson and Josh Hartnett's characters have a drink and dance in Girl Walks Into a Bar.

Dark and Moody Gem of an Indie

When it comes to independent film screeners, no film impressed us more in recent memory than David Ren's The Girl From the Naked Eye. The film stars newcomer Jason Yee as Jake, a driver for an escort service who takes on the role as heavy when his gambling debts spiral out of control.

In the sordid world of prostitution, Jake find a diamond in the rough – a young 16-year old runaway named Sandy (Samantha Streets) who is working as a prostitute for Simon (Ron Yuan), a high ranking thug in a world of unlawful activities. But as we learn in the opening chapter, Sandy is murdered and Jake will make it his ambition to find out who was responsible and make them pay with his own form of justice.

Jake's investigation will work outside of the police inquiry and each promising lead will take him through the underbelly of a criminal enterprise where countless ruffians are just chompin' at the bit at a chance to take their best shot against the inquisitive Jake.

The Girl From the Naked Eye is told with both flashbacks and a narrative style that is quite impressive from relatively novice writers Jason Yee and Larry Madill. The narrative in particular doesn't add fluff nor does it try and infuse humor into a character that is serious to the core in his pursuit. The flashbacks were also expertly placed and allow for us to understand better Jakes attachment to Sandy while allowing the present day story to unfold in detail.

Most impressive in the production are the fight sequences which are truly top rate. Jake primarily uses his fists to parade through countless brutes in his search for the truth. And the sequences are handled with the precision of a craftsman. A particular scene of Jake fighting a handful of guards in the hallway of a building complex reminded us of OldBoy and was clearly the highlight of the film.

The film was purposefully shot in the darkened crevasses of the city and the film will hardly be one that the anti-smoking lobbyists will endorse. There weren't many bright colors, if any, in the film and I respected the look and atmosphere that was orchestrated by director David Ren.

The story was good, but not perfect. There were a few dead ends and a few troubled spots where I might have had pieces of a scene left on the cutting room floor but for the majority of the very brisk 85-minute running time, the plot moves forward and the audience is largely entertained. And although the biggest baddest villain in the film (played by Gary Stretch) is admirable, he is not as mean and relentless as you might expect out of such a genre film.

The cast in The Girl From the Naked Eye (oh, we should add here that the Naked Eye was the name of a seedy strip club to where most of the characters have connections) all do outstanding work in large and bit roles and Dominique Swain and Sasha Grey both have blink-and-you'll-miss-em scenes that do nothing more than add their name to various search engines pointing to the film.

The sum of its parts results in a film that was directed with a clear vision, choreographed with surgical precision and scripted in a down-to-earth format allowing for a high return on the entertainment dollar.