
You Crack Me Up
Donation protected
You Crack Me Up
Logline
After Emily Russell, a stand-up comedian, kicks out her husband for smoking crack & fucking hookers, she searches for peace through weed, men, and her profession where she finds the strength she least expects.
Statement from the Director
Around October of last year, I was catching up with my former Groundlings classmate Emily Russell and she revealed to me that she separated from her husband after she discovered he was smoking crack & fucking prostitutes. Upon mentioning that, I told her that’s horrible. She responded: “It’s alright – I thought he was my rock but I guess I wasn’t his.”
I don’t remember if I laughed or not but that stayed in my mind. A few weeks later I recorded Emily’s stand-up set at Westside Comedy where she not only delivers this joke but also dives into a hilarious, self-deprecating and scathing set about the unique collapse of her marriage. Some found her set off-putting. I found it rad as fuck.
As I continued to work on other projects last year, her “rock” line, along with her set and the particularly mixed response, percolated in my mind. Not only was I fascinated by the way she processed and connected with her grief on stage, but also a world that doesn’t always seem to be as open to one’s grieving as it thinks. It way too often views self-deprecation and genuine empowerment as a boy’s club.
I reached out to Emily to work on this film – not sure if she would be open to exploring the most emotionally tumultuous period of her life. She said yes immediately and am not only immensely grateful for the trust she’s put in me, but also appreciative of her insistence, right out of the gate, that I put down my foot when need be – in order to make sure this great story isn’t just told through film but is the very best version that it can be.
You can help us bring her story to life by donating her. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Music in Vimeo Promotion: https://www.bensound.com
Incentives
$25 - social media shout-out
$50 - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film
$100 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credits
$250 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credits; signed limited edition poster of the film
$500 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credit; signed limited edition poster of the film; drinks on Emily & Justin
$1000 or more - all previous awards; associate producer credit
$1500 or more - all previous awards; co-producer credit; invitation to inaugural festival premiere
$2500 or more - all previous awards; executive producer credit; invitation to inaugural festival premiere
$5000 or more - all previous awards; producer credit.
Emily Russell – Lead (Emily)/Co-writer
In her own words:
You would think that writing a biography would be easy for someone who makes fun of herself all day. Nope, I hate it. Born in Boston Massachusetts and raised in the small town of Onset, I am a Masshole through and through. I have a useless degree in Visual Poetry and Film Studies from UMass Amherst. Poetry and standup are the same thing; rhythm, timing, and word play. I will fight you if you disagree... or if you just want a good slapping around. First one is free.
I moved to NYC to pursue art (I will pause here for a laugh break) and ended up studying improv comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade. Now I live in Venice, CA and spend my days as a degenerate beach bum comedian. I'm on two improv teams at Westside Comedy in Santa Monica, Roadies and *NTRNZ. I do stand-up regularly and I occasionally film sketches for various groups. Oh yeah, and I wrote a few screenplays that won awards. No big deal.
Additionally I have starred in the series Inside Amy Schumer, Pageant Pom Mom and PITtv, and directed several short films including Overly Sex Positive Mom, The Sampler and Dick Picks Through Time.
Justin Horowitz – Director/Co-writer/Producer
An up-and-coming filmmaker in Los Angeles, You Crack Me Up is his fourth short film he has made since moving to the city of Angels. His first film – Macaroni & Satan - which details Satan deciding to take on Santa’s responsibility for once – is being submitted to various festivals throughout the Los Angeles area.
He is on the final stages of post-production on Shells - a short dramedy that depicts two casualty notification officers (portrayed by Kathleen Scott Paul & Wells Rhodes) who contend with the mundane of the world as they journey to inform a young girl of her mother’s death in action. He is also in post-production on Jesus + Judas – a short dramedy showcasing the ill-expected reunion of two of humanity’s most disparate icons (as portrayed by João Cândido & John Bradford) – who struggles to make amends over a turkey provolone sandwich.
Justin has a BA in Film & Media Arts from American University where wrote/directed short films including Why Am I Always The Asshole? and The Orange Tip. While in Prague he was the Director of Photography (and co-writer) forThe Mortician – a dark dramedy about an unexpected romance between a mortician and an old deceased friend. Not weird at all.
Justin currently works as an assistant at Montage Films, LLC for two producers and helps out with scheduling, development notes, last-minute shenanigans and emptying the tray of the espresso machine once every 2 days. Justin also studied improv at both The Groundlings School and Upright Citizens Brigade, along with acting at Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop.
Someday Justin would like to own a corgi like a basic bitch.
Everett Aponte – Producer/UPM
Everett Ray Aponte is a Puerto Rican filmmaker raised in Texas. In 2002 he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in film production and receiving awards for his senior thesis film S.O. Security Officer. In 2005 he wrote, directed, and starred in his short film masterpiece, Samuel DeMango, which played in 46 film festivals around the world and winning him numerous awards. For several years he worked with Lincoln Property Company in Austin, creating several internet videos and comedic industry videos for their entertainment events, including PenFu, his most popular short. In 2009, he helped create a short film in Korea called Elicit which won the local festival and was presented in the Las Vegas International Showcase. In 2010, he wrote and directed his first feature film, and arthouse entitled Manifesto.
In 2012 he was the Assistant Director and one of the stars in the German production of Atomic Eden. In 2013, he co-directed a family action film called Shilo, released by Shoreline Entertainment, and in the same year, Everett collaborated with the Germans again in The Hitman Agency as Assistant Director and lead. Finally, Everett brought his talents to Los Angeles, shooting a short film called “Nature,” performing as the MC in the stage production of Black Cat Cabaret and as Mugsy in For Her Eyes Only, and most recently he worked as Unit Production Manager on Michelle Danner’s recent feature film Bad Impulse.
Cindy Oseguada – Assistant Director
Cindy has worked as the First AD on such shorts as A Night At The Movies; Balance; Coincidental Romance; Fish; Bag Ladies; Yuma; Black Hole Pole and the upcoming shorts Straight to Hell and Um 7mar. She has additionally directed such shorts as Black Widow, The Cursed Necklace and Destroyed Innocence.
You can find out more about Cindy's work here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6849272/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Wells Rhodes – Oliver
He has played roles such as Michael Rowen in a production of The Kentucky Cycle written by world-renowned playwright Robert Schenkkan and directed by Stephanie Shroyer. Most recently he has been seen playing Platonov in the Michael Frayne adaption of Chekov's Wild Honey. He previously played Sgt. Randall "Randy" Norris in Shells from director Justin Horowitz.
Logline
After Emily Russell, a stand-up comedian, kicks out her husband for smoking crack & fucking hookers, she searches for peace through weed, men, and her profession where she finds the strength she least expects.
Statement from the Director
Around October of last year, I was catching up with my former Groundlings classmate Emily Russell and she revealed to me that she separated from her husband after she discovered he was smoking crack & fucking prostitutes. Upon mentioning that, I told her that’s horrible. She responded: “It’s alright – I thought he was my rock but I guess I wasn’t his.”
I don’t remember if I laughed or not but that stayed in my mind. A few weeks later I recorded Emily’s stand-up set at Westside Comedy where she not only delivers this joke but also dives into a hilarious, self-deprecating and scathing set about the unique collapse of her marriage. Some found her set off-putting. I found it rad as fuck.
As I continued to work on other projects last year, her “rock” line, along with her set and the particularly mixed response, percolated in my mind. Not only was I fascinated by the way she processed and connected with her grief on stage, but also a world that doesn’t always seem to be as open to one’s grieving as it thinks. It way too often views self-deprecation and genuine empowerment as a boy’s club.
I reached out to Emily to work on this film – not sure if she would be open to exploring the most emotionally tumultuous period of her life. She said yes immediately and am not only immensely grateful for the trust she’s put in me, but also appreciative of her insistence, right out of the gate, that I put down my foot when need be – in order to make sure this great story isn’t just told through film but is the very best version that it can be.
You can help us bring her story to life by donating her. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Music in Vimeo Promotion: https://www.bensound.com
Incentives
$25 - social media shout-out
$50 - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film
$100 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credits
$250 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credits; signed limited edition poster of the film
$500 or more - social media shout-out; digital delivery of the film; special thanks in the credit; signed limited edition poster of the film; drinks on Emily & Justin
$1000 or more - all previous awards; associate producer credit
$1500 or more - all previous awards; co-producer credit; invitation to inaugural festival premiere
$2500 or more - all previous awards; executive producer credit; invitation to inaugural festival premiere
$5000 or more - all previous awards; producer credit.
Emily Russell – Lead (Emily)/Co-writer
In her own words:
You would think that writing a biography would be easy for someone who makes fun of herself all day. Nope, I hate it. Born in Boston Massachusetts and raised in the small town of Onset, I am a Masshole through and through. I have a useless degree in Visual Poetry and Film Studies from UMass Amherst. Poetry and standup are the same thing; rhythm, timing, and word play. I will fight you if you disagree... or if you just want a good slapping around. First one is free.
I moved to NYC to pursue art (I will pause here for a laugh break) and ended up studying improv comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade. Now I live in Venice, CA and spend my days as a degenerate beach bum comedian. I'm on two improv teams at Westside Comedy in Santa Monica, Roadies and *NTRNZ. I do stand-up regularly and I occasionally film sketches for various groups. Oh yeah, and I wrote a few screenplays that won awards. No big deal.
Additionally I have starred in the series Inside Amy Schumer, Pageant Pom Mom and PITtv, and directed several short films including Overly Sex Positive Mom, The Sampler and Dick Picks Through Time.
Justin Horowitz – Director/Co-writer/Producer
An up-and-coming filmmaker in Los Angeles, You Crack Me Up is his fourth short film he has made since moving to the city of Angels. His first film – Macaroni & Satan - which details Satan deciding to take on Santa’s responsibility for once – is being submitted to various festivals throughout the Los Angeles area.
He is on the final stages of post-production on Shells - a short dramedy that depicts two casualty notification officers (portrayed by Kathleen Scott Paul & Wells Rhodes) who contend with the mundane of the world as they journey to inform a young girl of her mother’s death in action. He is also in post-production on Jesus + Judas – a short dramedy showcasing the ill-expected reunion of two of humanity’s most disparate icons (as portrayed by João Cândido & John Bradford) – who struggles to make amends over a turkey provolone sandwich.
Justin has a BA in Film & Media Arts from American University where wrote/directed short films including Why Am I Always The Asshole? and The Orange Tip. While in Prague he was the Director of Photography (and co-writer) forThe Mortician – a dark dramedy about an unexpected romance between a mortician and an old deceased friend. Not weird at all.
Justin currently works as an assistant at Montage Films, LLC for two producers and helps out with scheduling, development notes, last-minute shenanigans and emptying the tray of the espresso machine once every 2 days. Justin also studied improv at both The Groundlings School and Upright Citizens Brigade, along with acting at Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop.
Someday Justin would like to own a corgi like a basic bitch.
Everett Aponte – Producer/UPM
Everett Ray Aponte is a Puerto Rican filmmaker raised in Texas. In 2002 he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in film production and receiving awards for his senior thesis film S.O. Security Officer. In 2005 he wrote, directed, and starred in his short film masterpiece, Samuel DeMango, which played in 46 film festivals around the world and winning him numerous awards. For several years he worked with Lincoln Property Company in Austin, creating several internet videos and comedic industry videos for their entertainment events, including PenFu, his most popular short. In 2009, he helped create a short film in Korea called Elicit which won the local festival and was presented in the Las Vegas International Showcase. In 2010, he wrote and directed his first feature film, and arthouse entitled Manifesto.
In 2012 he was the Assistant Director and one of the stars in the German production of Atomic Eden. In 2013, he co-directed a family action film called Shilo, released by Shoreline Entertainment, and in the same year, Everett collaborated with the Germans again in The Hitman Agency as Assistant Director and lead. Finally, Everett brought his talents to Los Angeles, shooting a short film called “Nature,” performing as the MC in the stage production of Black Cat Cabaret and as Mugsy in For Her Eyes Only, and most recently he worked as Unit Production Manager on Michelle Danner’s recent feature film Bad Impulse.
Cindy Oseguada – Assistant Director
Cindy has worked as the First AD on such shorts as A Night At The Movies; Balance; Coincidental Romance; Fish; Bag Ladies; Yuma; Black Hole Pole and the upcoming shorts Straight to Hell and Um 7mar. She has additionally directed such shorts as Black Widow, The Cursed Necklace and Destroyed Innocence.
You can find out more about Cindy's work here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6849272/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Wells Rhodes – Oliver
He has played roles such as Michael Rowen in a production of The Kentucky Cycle written by world-renowned playwright Robert Schenkkan and directed by Stephanie Shroyer. Most recently he has been seen playing Platonov in the Michael Frayne adaption of Chekov's Wild Honey. He previously played Sgt. Randall "Randy" Norris in Shells from director Justin Horowitz.
Organizer
Justin Horowitz
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA