Written, directed by, and starring female and LGBTQ members of the NYC comedy community, this dramedy provides a refreshing perspective on the innate selfishness of going after what you truly want as the characters struggle with jealousy, heartbreak, and worst of all: improv.
Written, directed by, and starring female and LGBTQ members of the NYC comedy community, this dramedy provides a refreshing perspective on the innate selfishness of going after what you truly want as the characters struggle with jealousy, heartbreak, and worst of all: improv.
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Story
Mission Statement
This short was created, written, and will be directed by two women, with a crew of over 95% women. The cast features women, people of color, and LGBTQ people, played by women, people of color, and LGBTQ people. We are intent on sharing intersectional stories.About The Project
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!
Incentives
$10
Improv 101
Social Media Shoutout!
Give us your Insta handle and baby, we will shout your praises to high heaven and low hell in our instagram story. Is Twitter more your bag? You love TikTok? We got you covered. Just let us know your preferences.
$20
Improv 201
Personalized Thank You on a Dummies postcard and a Dummies sticker!
$30
Indie Improv Team
A digital smorgasbord!
Personalized thank you on a digital "Dummies" postcard + downloadable Dummies poster and sticker art by Erin Hampton + a personalized INDIE IMPROV poster! Send us a picture of you and/or your friends and we will create your show poster, complete with a name and ViBe that fits your squad.
$40
Musical Improv Elective
A personalized and improvised musical tribute from New York's darling, Dylan Adler.
$50
Improv 401
A video thank you from actress, Libe Barer!
I'M SORRY, HOW CUTE IS SHE?!?!?!
$100
Advanced Study
Exclusive B-Roll/Blooper footage of the cast + Virtual Live Tour of Set (2.29.20)
$250
House Team
"Dummies" T-Shirt + VIP invite to screening in NYC
$500
Featured Player
- All of the above!
- A first look at the film during the editing process!
- Special Thanks Credit
$1,000
Headliner
All of the Above! + Producer Credit
*Please note this will only be a credit and does not entitle you to rights to the film. But a fancy credit to put on your resume SHOULD you want it! Or to boast to friends about!*
Claimed: 2 of 10
$5,000
Friggin' Lorne Michaels or Some Shit
- All of the above!
- Executive Producer Credit
*Please note this will only be a credit, and does not entitle you to rights to the film. But a fancy credit to put on your resume SHOULD you want it! Or to boast to friends about!*
Claimed: 0 of 2
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Improv 101
Social Media Shoutout!
Give us your Insta handle and baby, we will shout your praises to high heaven and low hell in our instagram story. Is Twitter more your bag? You love TikTok? We got you covered. Just let us know your preferences.
$20
Improv 201
Personalized Thank You on a Dummies postcard and a Dummies sticker!
$30
Indie Improv Team
A digital smorgasbord!
Personalized thank you on a digital "Dummies" postcard + downloadable Dummies poster and sticker art by Erin Hampton + a personalized INDIE IMPROV poster! Send us a picture of you and/or your friends and we will create your show poster, complete with a name and ViBe that fits your squad.
$40
Musical Improv Elective
A personalized and improvised musical tribute from New York's darling, Dylan Adler.
$50
Improv 401
A video thank you from actress, Libe Barer!
I'M SORRY, HOW CUTE IS SHE?!?!?!
$100
Advanced Study
Exclusive B-Roll/Blooper footage of the cast + Virtual Live Tour of Set (2.29.20)
$250
House Team
"Dummies" T-Shirt + VIP invite to screening in NYC
$500
Featured Player
- All of the above!
- A first look at the film during the editing process!
- Special Thanks Credit
$1,000
Headliner
All of the Above! + Producer Credit
*Please note this will only be a credit and does not entitle you to rights to the film. But a fancy credit to put on your resume SHOULD you want it! Or to boast to friends about!*
Claimed: 2 of 10
$5,000
Friggin' Lorne Michaels or Some Shit
- All of the above!
- Executive Producer Credit
*Please note this will only be a credit, and does not entitle you to rights to the film. But a fancy credit to put on your resume SHOULD you want it! Or to boast to friends about!*
Claimed: 0 of 2
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Our team? We have the most kick-ass team of teams:
Writers and Directors: Halle Charlton and Anna Basse
Executive Producer: Michelle Bennet and Libe Barer
Director of Photography: Linda Wu
Assistant Camera: Jasmine Chang
Gaffer: Owen Smith Clark
Grip: Stephen Griswold
Sound Engineer: Ed Zisk, part of TBD Creative.
Post-Production: Louis Dorman
Our cast? Get out of here. You're gonna die...........................
Here are all of their insanely wonderful faces
(From Left to Right): Libe Barer (Sneaky Pete, Those Who Can't, I See You) is EMILY; Dylan Adler (UCB Maude Night, Co-Host of UCB Woke AF, Good Morning New York-- Off Broadway, New York Comedy Festival) is ARLO; Marisa Brau (Billions, Law & Order SVU, New Amsterdam) is BLAKE; Michelle Chan Bennett (UCB Maude Night: Yes, Chef; Group Kid, Improv Team: Basil) is JAZ; Anna Basse (Eko's What Do You Wanna Know, Caulipower, Supporting, literally every commercial out right now) is IZZY; Halle Charlton (Harry's Law, Ouija: Origin of Evil, White River Tales) is SAM
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