Award-winning ‘Showdown in Yesteryear’ features original song by Tim Ruffo; Upcoming show features Ruffo and Hustle Souls

Two years ago, Waverly, N.Y. resident and actor / producer Tim O’Hearn had a good feeling that his short film, “The Door,” which had scored two awards at the Wild Bunch Film Festival, was destined for something bigger.

O’Hearn remarked, “Everybody said I should make a feature, or something else bigger.”

He did just that. 

O’Hearn, taking on the role of producer, casting director and actor, teamed up with director, editor and director of photography, Aaron Bratcher, along with award-winning actor and producer, Jeff Grennell, to create a nearly two-hour epic western adventure-fantasy film entitled “Showdown in Yesteryear.”

The film brought home several awards at the Wild Bunch Film Festival held last weekend in Tucson, Arizona. Awards received included Best Fantasy Film, Best Actor in both Western and Modern Western Feature (Grennell), Best Actress in Western Feature (Debra Lamb), and a Directors Choice award.  

Other notable nods include the Audience Choice Award at the Twin Tiers Film Festival, and the film was recently shown in Puerto Rico at the Lusca Film Festival. 

Filmed at Dogwood Pass, a classic old-west mining town located in southern Ohio, and open for tourists and special events, the locale features about 30 buildings such as a saloon, a jail, and an old-time mercantile.

O’Hearn explained that the cast and crew were able to bunk at accommodations right on the set. In turn, this helped them stay in the mindset of their character and surroundings, 24/7, including his own role as the character Toby Bristol.  Typical workdays were upwards of 15 hours and, amazingly, filming was completed in about 18 days.

While pursuing cast members, O’Hearn took a chance and sent a direct message via social media to actor Vernon Wells, and for whom he envisioned in a leading role as a villain. Wells is a recognized name and face in the industry, and an attribute O’Hearn was looking for.

Wells agreed, and via his agent, an agreement was made. Wells has acted alongside the likes of Mel Gibson in “The Road Warrior” and Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Commando,” among countless other movie and television roles.

The next steps for “Showdown in Yesteryear,” O’Hearn noted, will be working with a distributor about release options.   

Tim grew up in upstate New York near Watertown, and at an early age became fascinated with how movies were made, and especially with an interest geared toward horror flicks. According to his bio on IMDb.com, a three-minute film called “The Creep” that he made at the age of 13 got his reels turning.  

A U.S. Air Force veteran and former electronic technician working in Owego, as well as a professional photographer and seasoned drummer for three decades, Tim now devotes a majority of his time acting and producing films. A locally filmed supernatural flick, “Demon Behind the Glass,” in which O’Hearn acts, should be out soon. You can view O’Hearn’s Filmography at imdb.me/timohearn.  

Movies are often remembered for the music that accompanies them. O’Hearn reached out to southern tier favorite Tim Ruffo to craft a memorable movie theme song. 

Ruffo has been creating original music and entertaining audiences for many years, and explained, “It was kind of cool, and a fun process,” adding, “Tim O’Hearn sent me a few minutes of the movie and a short paragraph about the film, and just enough of a template to work from.”

Ruffo’s song, “Showdown,” was nominated twice at the Wild Bunch Film Festival.

The song, Ruffo shared, will eventually be released as a full version, as well as an acoustic version; however, he prefers the movie get the spotlight first.

Ruffo commented that the opportunity to write a song for a movie is something he had always wanted to do. He also starred in the music video, which was filmed at Dogwood Pass, and chuckled as he described a classic western scene where he got to break a bottle over the head of another actor.    

The experience fulfilled a career goal, and, Ruffo remarked, “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Ruffo is scheduled to play at Apalachin’s Ransom Steele Tavern on Friday, Nov. 18, and where he will open for North Carolina-based band Hustle Souls.

Ruffo noted, “Hustle Souls’ style is diverse and very upbeat, and not one genre.”

Music starts at 7 p.m. 

An Asheville, N.C. soul-rock band, Hustle Souls was named one of the Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists and Bands of 2019 by long-time music-trade magazine, “Music Connection.”

Consisting of guitarist Chris Everett, bassist Sean McCann, drummer Tommy Moore, and singer / keyboardist Billy Litz, Hustle Souls will perform off their album, “Daydream Motel.” To learn more, visit www.hustlesouls.com.

To inquire about tickets, email Golden Productions at TEG61@yahoo.com.

To view the trailer for the film, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=202TrMo3csA&t=4s.

To view the official music video, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=202TrMo3csA&t=4s.