Our Story
As a high school student, Sebastian Russell created Virtual Cocktail, a YouTube channel with video game reviews and play-throughs, short films, and sketches. Today, with the help of his closest friends, that channel has evolved into Third Rule Media, located within ten minutes of downtown Cincinnati. As filmmakers who understand the constraints a low budget can create, Third Rule Media strives to work with its clients to bring an eye-catching finished project for a competitive price.
Sebastian Russell
Director, Director of Photography, Writer, Editor
Sebastian uses his Narrative Filmmaking degree from Indiana University and his five plus years of production experience to make films, music videos, commercials, and more. He is the creator of the company, and he likes “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze” a whole lot.
Maggie Crady
Producer
A producer and writer, Maggie Crady has over five years of production experience with degrees from Indiana University in Media Production and Criminal Justice. With a background in broadcast television working with BTN and PBS, Maggie has been involved with Virtual Cocktail since 2018. Their favorites so far include “A Day in the Afterlife,” “The Armor,” and “Hello My Name is Friend-Man.”
Sean Paul Russell
Writer, Actor
By day, Sean Paul Russell is a math graduate student in a Ph.D. program at Indiana University, but by night, he is…usually still studying math. However, when he isn’t studying, he writes, acts, and makes graphics for short films. He has been a part of most Virtual Cocktail productions in various capacities, including co-writing and acting in both “Hello My Name is Friend-Man” and “The Armor.”
Bryce Carson
Actor, Writer, Editor, Set Construction
A media company could not exist without multitalented people like Bryce Carson. Besides his degree in Media Production that he received from Indiana University, he also has a robust background in scenic construction, acting, scriptwriting, and more. Bryce Carson has featured in several Virtual Cocktail films including “Fired” and “The Armor.” Most importantly though, he likes lanterns.
Kayla Cieslinski
Costuming, Art Department
Extending her creativity to Virtual Cocktail and Third Rule Media, Kayla loves creating costumes and other crafty things including her award-winning cosplays. Although she comes from a theatrical background, she is always excited to help with whatever is thrown at her regardless of the medium. Check out her work in “Hello, My Name is Friend-Man,” where she constructed the costume for the character Super.