Kick Start This Film: Motke Dapp’s The Many Monsters of Sadness

Over the past several months, we’ve attempted to showcase several older films that deserve the attention of the Criterion Collection with our series, For Criterion Consideration. We’ve noticed how other sites are changing the film business as we know it, by showcasing un-produced films. One of these sites right now has been Kickstarter, started in 2009, and has been on a tear these last 2 years in the world of online fundraising for projects of all kinds. They believe that a good idea can spread fast and that a large group of people can be a great source of funding and encouragement. It’s also ‘˜all or nothing’ funding, which means if you don’t hit your goal, no money exchanges hands. Which then in turn makes it that much more vital for both the website themselves and the project starters to get paid.

What we want these series of exclusive articles to be is a place for certain film projects that strike our fancy to get an extra bit of exposure out there. Be it a documentary, a horror short, a web series or anything else you can think of, if it seems like a cool idea, we will feature it here on the site. Let us know of any projects that have caught your eye and send them our way. We’d like to feature them in future installments and what better way to get the word out to the masses.

It’s that time again when we scour the Kickstarter website and find a project we deem as being a film worthy of your hard earned dollars. We featured the wonderful Michele Josue’s film Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine and since then it has surpassed its goal, so thank you to everyone out there who donated via our page. Remember, you need to go to the actual Kickstarter page to donate.

This week I found what appears to be a fun and exciting film called The Many Monsters of Sadness by Motke Dapp. A film in three parts, they’ve already filmed the first two parts and are looking for the remaining funds for the third and final chapter of the film. It has a nice Richard Matheson sounding story, where a group of high school students have found a box which can grant wishes and while they wish for these amazing things, something horrible happens in return. The first thing I think of is The Box, which is an amazing story that has been adapted many times for the stage, TV and the big screen. Dapp is promising a story with ‘intrigue, comedy, and drama’ which I think sounds just about right for a film with that premise.

Fighting With Forks is their film making collective, which is a great idea and also a snazzy name. One of the co-founders of the collective is Ryan Hartsock, who is also in the Kickstarter video, is part of this group of creative individuals and makes a past filmmaker like myself look back and wish he had the same group mentality that they have. You should also check out their teaser for the short film The Once Mighty (also directed by Dapp), which looks to be funny and touching as well. You’ll see what I mean.

They’ve also partnered up with a non-profit organization called The Underground, which offers what sounds like a fun and dynamic film making program for high school students (I wish I had that in high school!) The filming is taking place in Cincinnati and they just need about 10 thousand dollars in the next month or so. It’s definitely doable, so we here at the Criterion Cast would love to get the word spread out about this intriguing project. Like their project, re-tweet it and let’s do it the viral way and get the masses to speak about it.

This is a film I can’t wait to see, with a teaser trailer that makes me wonder what the whole is from the snippets they show. That’s exciting and there’s nothing better when it comes to that feeling with cinema. The Many Monsters of Sadness (which you can also find on their own website here) is one to look out for, so hopefully they get that extra bit to get it finished. There’s nothing sadder than an unfinished film. The potential is here and that is why we want you to Kick Start This Film. Please check out their pitch below and click on their page to find out more to help their film. We’ll keep you posted as to how the project is shaping up in the weeks to come.