Filmed 24/7 over 20 years, an aspiring comedian's home movies create a real-life tragicomedy which asks if following a childhood dream is the meaning of life or an unrealistic waste of time.
Filmed 24/7 over 20 years, an aspiring comedian's home movies create a real-life comedy which asks if following a childhood dream is the meaning of life or an unrealistic waste of time. This Grand Jury-nominated film explores why anyone would want to seek the illusion of fame given the personal costs and exposes the mask that the comedian wears for his public persona. Made from the 1000s home videos that comedian Ed Surname left behind, this is a real man's real life, edited into a satire on the world of show business, looking at the illusion of fame in our society, the role of money in happiness and the dilemmas of artistic ambition.
Shot with Eds home video camera, Ed opens the documentary explaining that he is an aspiring comedian who videotapes his life 24/7 to share if following a childhood dream was the meaning of life or an unrealistic waste of time.
Made from the 10000 tapes he left behind, this documentary explores the illusion of fame in society, the role of money in happiness and the dilemmas of artistic ambition.
Ed explains his intention was to create a reality sitcom where an exaggerated version of himself interacted with the public, shot with his home video camera. He played videoblogger The Madness Magnet who attracted madness- like sleeping in bedshops.
Called Peter Pan on Acid by the media, Eds blind spot is that he genuinely hasnt grown up. With the camera always on, the lines between Eds performances and real life become blurred. The project evolves into a demystification of showbusiness; the lows behind the highs of paydays and fan interactions.
Ed needs the show to succeed to support his family- a predicament he tries and fails to confront himself about in the mirror. When its rejected by hundreds of companies who refuse unsolicited material, publicity attempts become ridiculous- like filming intros on the roof of a furious neighbours house. Two scenes are so insane we wont describe them, but youll laugh like never before.
The second half is an emotional introspection on why the seemingly unrelated sketches from the first half happened. Psychoanalysis of why comedians feel compelled to perform was something he explored publicly with fellow comics on his radio show.
Eds family are so used to being recorded, they are unaffected in the way that other documentary subjects may be by the presence of the cameras. Eds intention when the project finished was to share cocktails on the beach with his wife. The documentary alternates between Eds journey from childhood to adulthood and footage of his last month chasing fame in London, narrated by a talk with his childhood influence Andre.
How can an ending so sad also be so happy?
This isnt a mockumentary, but creates a new genre: reality-satire. Real footage of a real life, edited satirically. A satire on reality TV, done in a genuine way.
