Loansharks & Lemonade

I wrote this book in an effort to help creative souls who feel directionless and lost like I had been, and to provide hope through the stories of my life. To help them in ways teachers and authorities may have failed them. And to see their value in the world, regardless of their circumstances. The stories in this book feel like the movies l used to watch, like "The Outsiders", "Raising Arizona", "Rounders", and "Goodfellas", because I lived more in fantasy than reality. I'd listen to music and hear soundtracks to my crazy life unfolding, romanticized it all as a coping mechanism. But instead of seeing my past with any kind of regret, I chose to see it as the source of future inspiration. Oftentimes it's the struggles we endure early in life and the blues that result which become our greatest strengths later in life, reflections of which become the very thing we contribute back to the world. Our experiences provide glimpses of a higher ground with a broader view.

Ari Rubenstein is a Creative Director and Visual Effects Supervisor with decades of experience serving the feature film industry. He has been fortunate to work for three industry pioneers; Xaos Inc, Tippett Studio, and Blue Sky Studios on a variety of Live-Action Features and Feature Animated films, from The Matrix to Ice Age. Outside of these commercial ventures, Ari spends his time developing independent films utilizing a worldwide crew of remote-based talent. These films explore and evolve the art and technology of filmmaking.