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Native New Yorkers, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber met in 1994 while Gruber was graduating USC Film School. Bress had recently moved to Los Angeles after graduating Syracuse University and collaborated with Gruber on his USC senior thesis. By then, Gruber already had a professional background in cinematography which nicely complimented Bress' previous work as a sound engineer. Both had numerous awards from their respective film schools and an equally twisted sense of humor. A partnership was formed.

Their first feature film, Blunt, was completed three years later, written by Bress and directed by Gruber. The controversial indie film went on to tour the festival scene and won accolades including Best Comedy from the 1998 New York International Independent Film Festival and later the prestigious Lumieres in the 1998 New Orleans Film Festival, an award distinguishing it as one of the Top Ten Films.

The next year, the pair explored the prime time network television front and sold their first one-hour pilot to Disney/ABC. From there, they sold their first major spec script, Frozen, to Phoenix Pictures.

In 2001, they penned the hit thriller Final Destination 2 for New Line Cinema. The Butterfly Effect is the only screenplay they have refused to let out of their hands despite numerous purchase offers and is the second collaboration of what they hope to be a long lasting relationship with New Line Cinema.

Since completing The Butterfly Effect, they've completed rewrites for the feature film Cellular, their second teaming with director David R. Ellis, who had earlier helmed Final Destination 2, and have recently sold a one-hour drama television pilot to Fox Television.