With just 3 DAYS remaining in our Indiegogo campaign (http:///1buMfQl), we’re a few thousand shy of our stretch goal of 25k. Help send us to AZ this weekend to film The Painted Warrior in his natural habitat. Help keep this dream alive. AROO!
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Obstacle racing is the fastest growing sport, and there’s a wellspring of exciting narrative threads to share. From scandalous business stories to epic human interest ones, it’s a storyteller’s dream beat. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s the UNSUNG HERO… the eccentric mastermind behind the obstacle race industry… “The Original Tough Guy”… MR. MOUSE!
MR. MOUSE pioneered the concept in the mid-80s, and while he has not yet spread Tough Guy worldwide, he’s a big reason why millions of us look like action heroes on FB. He might just be the most interesting, mercurial man I’ve ever met. He’s not just a once in a generation kind of character, he’s once in a wormhole… a Folk Hero waiting to happen. He’s the kind of figure that usually only surfaces in fantastic works of fiction. Or Daniel Day Lewis movies.
(For more on Mr. Mouse: http:///17QJhjo)
As you can see, there’s a wellspring of interesting angles for any eager journalist. But the one that I find most compelling is the question of WHY?
WHY has this industry exploded so suddenly? WHY do so many everyday people like myself pay for punishment? And most importantly, what does it say about us and the times we’re living in?
• Are we lonelier than ever in this ever-connected world?
• Is this a backlash against the so-called ‘Death of Masculinity?’
• Is it a reaction to the obesity epidemic?
• Are we all a bunch of humble-bragging narcissists?
These are the questions that gnaw at me. And these are the questions that I’m endeavoring to explore in a feature length documentary.
Thanks to a little bit of seed money from three strategic investors — and with lots of help from my creative partner/co-director Jerry Dugan — we’ve started shooting something we’re tentatively calling “RISE OF THE SUFFERFESTS: Mud, Masochism and Mr. Mouse.”
“Rise of the Sufferfests” explores the history of obstacle racing, the psychology behind it, the socioeconomic factors that led to its overnight success, and what it all means. In addition to following some of sport’s key personalities, we’re interviewing a slew of noted experts and bright minds – behavioral scientists, social psychologists, evolutionary biologists, etc – and best-selling authors like A.J. Jacobs, Christopher McDougall and David Epstein.
Ultimately, our goal is to create a film that’s as smart and insightful as it is visually riveting. Something that champions this phenomenon, celebrates the players, and stays true to the subculture. We want all those who run these sorts of events to watch this film and say: That’s me! And for those who haven’t to think: That will be me!
But in order to actualize this dream, we’ll need a hell of a lot of support from the obstacle race community. So if this is a film you’d like to see, we hope you’ll consider contributing to our forthcoming Kickstarter campaign. (Coming soon!)
Stay gold, people!
And stay tuned for answers to the question of WHY?
Back this film now!
