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HDBF Kickstarter is LIVE!!

Huge thanks to all our supporters and fans that have gotten us this far!!

Feeling a bit antsy...

HDBF Giveaway WINNERS

Winners of the HDBF? Giveaway:

-- $50 goes to --

KEVIN SMITH

-- 4 Sasquatch Cowboy tix go to -- 

CHRIS SORENSEN

-- 4 Wiseguys Comedy tix go to --

TIM BURGESS




A big thanks to our supporters, keep 

watching our blog and Facebook

for updates on the Kickstarter!!

HDBF Giveaway!! 3 Mar - 9 Mar 2014

Hi there!  HDBF is putting on its first giveaway to drum up support and we want to give YOU the opportunity to win some great prizes.

Each entry is worth 1 raffle ticket in the drawing, so the idea is to get as many entries as you can during the week of the giveaway to maximize your chances of winning one of the following prizes:

Prize #1 - 1 $50 pre-paid Visa card

Prize #2 - 4 FREE tickets to the Sasquatch Cowboy Improv Show   

 (link: https://www.facebook.com/sasquatchcowboyimprov)

Prize #3 - 4 FREE tickets to a Wiseguys Standup Comedy Show

(link: http://wiseguyscomedy.com/)

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!!!

any questions?  leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/howdobefunny

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!

The dates have been set.  Be sure to 'Like' the team's Facebook page for the most up-to-date info on the project.  Don't forget to contribute to the Kickstarter come April 1st!

The Grover Perspective

I tell people I'm pursuing a career in comedy because it sounds infinitely better than "show business".  I spent more time at Sundance this year than any other because I don't know when I'll be in Utah during the festival again.  I was surrounded by show biz. Suffocated by pseudo-success.  It felt like people were trying to convince everyone around them that they were legitimate filmmakers.  Similar to football fans wearing their favorite player's jersey, people at Sundance wear Patagonia jackets and trendy glasses to masquerade as their favorite industry icons. The line between fan and filmmaker becomes indiscernible. The only thing more repelling than a person gloating in their success is pretending be successful. I remember thinking "I'm surrounded by people pretending to be filmmakers" followed by "oh no, is that what I'm doing?". 

 I tell people I'm a comedian. I'll tell them I'm a writer. Am I? A critical perspective on what I've done in comedy would suggest that it's been a successful hobby, but to call it a career would only be appropriate with a substantial dose of sarcasm. I've made some money in comedy at times, but balanced with the money I've put in I've easily netted a loss. What makes me any different? Why am I any more legitimate than some dude with a half-beard talking about how mumble core isn't what it used to be? I hope it's commitment to the dream.  The willingness to give everything I have to be successful. I hope it's because, more than anything, I want to create funny.  I want to do it well. I want do it in a way that contributes a unique perspective.  And, yes, I want to make money doing it. This is pretentious. That's fine. It'll be the common ground I can share with those in the biz. That, and my trendy ass glasses. 

My motivation: a birthday story

Birthdays make you think about a lot of things, like how fast your life is whipping by you, or which of your friends are still around, or what your favorite kind of cake is.  Today, turning 26, I have only thought about one question: where am I going?


My life so far has been great, like double-underlined and bolded great.  Had a great high school experience with fun extracurriculars and lots of time on the lacrosse field.  Had the opportunity to go to a Service Academy and experience all of that.  Got to live in Taiwan for two years and learn Chinese (freaking CHINESE).  Got to marry a smoking hot babe that loves my guts.  Have a great job that will pay the bills until I decide I don’t want it to pay the bills.  And on top of that, I have the world’s two funniest dogs.  But I feel bad that I’m still not satisfied.

When I hear about friends doing great things I am genuinely happy for them, excited even.  But then, in quiet moments, I’ll picture being there with them, doing great things.  That’s why when Jordan and Mike told me they were going for it and moving to Hollywood to chase their dreams, I had such mixed feelings.  I thought it was awesome that they were doing it, and I was confident that they could find their spot out there, but what I really wanted was to go with them.  And while I can’t drop everything and go chase dreams, I have found a way to participate: by making a documentary about it. 

‘How Do Be Funny?’ will be a first of its kind documentary, highlighting two of the funniest people I know as they transition from normal life to the life of a DO-er (i.e. someone who does).  But I’m not making it for them, and I’m not making it for all the film festival awards it will win (it’ll probably win all of them…).  I’m making this film because I really wanted to experience the ride, try and get high off of it, and DO something. And if you want, you can ride along with us.



-Curtis

Coming Out As A Comedian

I imagine the most difficult thing you could do as a Mormon in your early twenties living in Utah is come out as gay to your family. That would be so tough. Like, super tough, I don’t even want to joke about it. However, y’know what’s a close second? Probably telling your parents you want to be a comedian. Again, I don’t want to minimalize how difficult it would be to come out of the closet. Heck, I’m probably at least 10% gay. (How can any guy be completely straight when the Hemsworth brothers exist?! Amiright?!) Only 10% gay isn’t worth announcing though, and I’m relieved. Coming out as gay AND a comedian?! My parents’ would die from grief! I don’t want my parents to die. (They pay for my UCB classes.) They can handle one of those things.

Before I came out as a comedian, much like some homosexuals do, I tried not being a comedian. I was going to school and I declared myself a marketing major with the idea that I’d go into advertising (LIKE DON DRAPER!!!). That idea didn’t last too long though. Giving it the “old college try” to most means an “all-out effort”, to me the old college try means “wake up before a chemistry final, decide you don’t want to do it, then go to Borders and read some comic books instead.” I had a couple weeks left in my first semester when I came to terms with myself that school just isn’t for me. I wanted to drop out.

My dad was always gracious enough to pay for his kids’ schooling. There are four of us & we’re fifty-fifty when it comes to being college grads. I’m the only boy out of the kids though. Social norms say it would have been okay if my sisters just married college-goers & skipped the academic experience, but the boy of the family is expected to get a degree, then go to more school to get more degrees, then more school to get more degrees until you catch all the degrees! With all those degrees you can make money and pay your wife & kids to stay with you and love you. I was jealous that my sisters had the unspoken “skip school” option. Once I brought up to my sister the ‘absurd’ notion that maybe I could marry someone who had a career and be a stay-at-home. Her response was, “Oh no, Jordan! Don’t make your wife be the bread winner.” First of all I don’t intend to marry a bread athlete. Secondly, that’s what she’s making her husband do! What’s the bd (big deal)?!

Anyway, I’ve always felt the pressure to finish college and take the safe approach, but what’s safe anyway?! Safe is synonymous with boring. I don’t want to sound lofty, but chasing your dreams takes courage. I know I have a better chance to afford the cost of living if I jump through the hoops that look good on a résumé, but I’m not up to that. I’m a millennial, dammit! I’m so brave, and smart, and pretty, and talented. Where’s my trophy?

So the day after I skipped my chemistry final was the day I talked to my parents about dropping out. I told my mom I needed to talk to her and Dad. She called my dad down to the kitchen and I just told ‘em. “I don’t want to go to school anymore,” I said.  A pause followed then my dad broke the silence, “Like ever?” “Like ever,” I answered.

Here’s the thing about parents, good ones anyway, they know what your strengths are and they have a pretty good idea of the direction those strengths can take you. Of course they wanted me to graduate from college and take a 9 to 5 gig some place, but they’re supportive of what I choose to pursue. I went on to tell them I wanted to learn how to make comedy work as a career and here’s what my dad said, which surprised me, “Well, anyone who’s seen you perform knows you have what it takes.” It surprised me because I’d been running in my mind the worst-case scenarios where my parents kicked me out on the curb shouting, “You’re no son of ours!” But they haven’t disowned me. In fact they kinda have faith in me. Remember how I said it takes courage to follow your dreams? It takes just as much courage to root those dream chasers on. As you’re figuring your craft out and showing it off and you suck and it’s awkward they have to nudge the person they’re sitting next to in this shitty, lifelong recital that is your career and say, “That’s my son! Isn’t he brave, and smart, and pretty, and talented? Where’s his trophy?!”

So it turned out okay. My parents support me. I guess to kinda make a point to all this I can say opening up about yourself and what you want to be is scary when it’s breaking the mold. But it’s probably worth it… right? …Oh, God, what have I done?

-Jordan

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Consider this your notice, we will be filming a documentary titled "How to Be Funny?" which will follow 2 small-town comedians, Jordan Todd Brown and Mike Grover, as they move to Hollywood to pursue their dreams.

A Kickstarter campaign will launch in April of this year to raise money for production. Follow the journey yourselves HERE: https://www.facebook.com/howdobefunny