My Give-A-Damn Is Broken

I could be accused of not taking too much seriously. But some things I do take very seriously. Oftentimes people will come up to me and say, "Hey Tyler, how can I help with the movie?" That is a broad question. There are many different ways to help out with a movie. You could act in it, you could help us with a location, you could have a prop we need. But there is one thing that more than any other will immensely help us out. You can give us money.

Just kidding! Kinda... The best thing anyone can do who wants to help out a Doughboy Production is to give a damn. That's right, all you have to do is give a damn. Frankly, I don't know if anyone gives a damn anymore and that makes me wonder why I do.

A few times now we've had bulletins go out where we are seeking donations. We always ask that people repost them in the hopes that some random stranger would read it and have an extra 10 bucks to throw us. 1 person has reposted them. I did one about a week ago and nobody reposted it; not even people involved in the movie. What does this say to me? People don't give a damn.

I've got news folks; making a movie sucks. Sure, there are times when you may have a lot of fun on set, or at a kickoff or wrap party, or at the premiere; but for a few of us it sucks quite a bit. After that fun day on set some of us have to double check locations and schedules for the next day. After that party is over we have to lose sleep in the editing room. After the premiere we have to work on a DVD so we can try and make back as much money as possible.

You want to know what making a movie is like. You spend 6 months working on a script, auditioning actors, securing equipment, fund raising, getting locations, and then you get to actually start shooting. This involves a myriad of other problems all compounded by the fact that you're losing massive amounts of sleep throughout the entire shoot. People don't show up on time or at all, you don't have a prop you need, how are you going to feed everyone on set, we've run out of tape stock who's going to get some more. Then after all the shooting is done we get to go edit the damn thing which is a huge problem in itself and then promote the son of a bitch which is almost like pulling teeth.

Why do I do it? People ask me that a lot too. I ask myself that almost every day while we're working on one. Why do I do it? I don't make any money. In fact, I lose quite a bit. So why do I spend all this money and lose all this sleep and put so much of my heart into something so that somebody can just not do something they said they were going to do and fuck up the rest of us who went through with our commitments all so I can spend another 3 months begging and pleading people to come see it?

Just to put a smile on your face. That's the answer. I have to actually work my ass off not just to make a movie but I also have to bust my ass just to get people to come see something that is intended solely to make them forget about life and smile for awhile. It's all for you.

I spend all this time, money, effort, blood, sweat, and tears just to put a smile on somebody else's face and I can't even get anybody to give a damn enough about it to repost a fucking bulletin. It hurts. I think about the people who have impacted me. Guys like Chris Farley, John Belushi, Eddie Guerrero, and Owen Hart. Guys that died trying to make people like them, trying to entertain, trying to make people laugh, trying to make people smile, trying to make people feel better about themselves. They're all dead.
They ended up dead doing what I do and I can't get people to repost a bulletin....
Or donate a couple of dollars...
Or show up on time...
Or follow through on their commitments...
Or give a damn at all...

And it makes me not want to give a damn either.

Until next time, True Believers...
The bottle is empty
And the well is dry
July 2008

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