WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?

Dummies explores the inherent selfishness of going after what you want; whether that be relationships, friendships, or career. It also explores the paradoxical nature of comedy: Improv is the silliest, most low-stakes art form but when it becomes your only source of joy and fulfillment, the stakes could not be higher. There have been so many occasions in which we have said to ourselves, “This is so dumb. Why I am I doing this dumb thing that does not matter?” Dummies explores why we keep coming back and what it takes in return.

OKAY... BUT WHY?

Look, we can all agree that the face of improv is, still, predominately white, cis, hetero dudedom. And that improv, like some movies and TV shows would suggest, can lead to insane success stories-- that doing an Obama impression during a set will get you an audition for a fake SNL (whomp, there it is). These testimonies we are repeatedly told by conventionally successful comedians give hope to improvisers that this insane thing they love doing can morph into something even more magical. They're glamorized, romanticized, and gosh they're beautiful. 

We can't sell you that story, because as current members of the community who aren't sell-out-carnegie-hall successful (yet), our perspective is unique. We cannot moralize or glamorize this story because we are too connected-- too wrapped up in the sheer hope that this dumb thing that we love (comedy) will lead to something "good" (success in monetary means, or you know... filling some kind of void?). We are here simply telling our insane, self-indulgent, and incredibly ambitious truths.

And that aforementioned face of improv:

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does not by any means reflect our comedy community! Our comedy community is queer as all get out. It celebrates shapes, sizes, genders, sexuality, and races like it's friggin Pride, my guys. And that's an everyday affirmation, no fan-fare. So while queerness plays a huge part in this story, it's not a plot point.

We are proud to provide representation, especially in film, but we feel no need to comment on it. Queer community is a major and inherent part of our lives. By expressing the universal themes of ambition, passion, and moral ambiguity through queer characters, we are recognizing that identity is far more complex beyond gender and sexual orientation.

GREAT, SOUNDS GOOD, BUT AGAIN WHY NOW?
We wanted to play with complex, funny, self-obsessed Dummies (see what we did there) who are just trying their fucking best to do the thing they love and try not to wreck it all in the process.

Our world is literally burning, and while we're not making a movie that is gonna solve that (though we'd love to try), we are making something that explores the universal struggle of trying to be a decent person.

Humans are, in the most loving of ways, dumpster fires, playing the game of life with minimal knowledge of the rules. And that is something that bonds us together, and in many ways, is something to celebrate.

GOT IT! THEN, WHAT? 

Well, young padawans, then we set this bird free into the big broad world. Where we are at with this right now: we're filming in March. We plan to have it edited, color corrected, sound mixed and made pretty by the fall. And then like every other person who has ever made a short film (but I swear we're special), we want to submit to festivals. And after what's sure to be a fruitful fesitval run, we will be releasing our film FOR FREE on various platforms because, at the end of the day, this is for the people.

TIGHT DUDE. I HAVE NO CASH THOUGH.

That's a-okay! There are so many other ways you can help with this campaign. 1. Hit that follow button babe. Make us look cute and famous. 2. Email this campaign to people who do have cash or who you think would want to follow along the journey. 3. Social media is your friend! Spread the good word. Post about it, tweet about it, tumblr about it, facebook about it. 

Here's some easy language you can copy and paste and paste and paste and pasta paste: 

So excited for this project and the dummies who wrote it. Click here: Dum dum comedy losers

Hey Dummy! Do you like improv and heartbreak? Me either! No one does! And that's why I'm excited about this project. Click here and follow this campaign: Dummies!

You can also use the hashtag #dummiesthefilm or follow us on social media at @dummiesshortfilm (insta) or @Dummiesfilm (twitter). YEEHAW!