Wet Your Pants Comedy Film Festival
by Sam WatermeierArticle Tools
Steven M. Pearce, who lost a three-year battle with chronic kidney disease in September, is about to be immortalized in film. His brother and local filmmaker, Brian Pearce is starting a film festival in his memory, a festival perfectly in tune with Steven’s well-loved personality: the Wet Your Pants Comedy Film Festival.
“Steven came up with the name. He loved comedy. He was a great goof and always had you laughing. So, this festival couldn’t be anything other than a comedy festival,” Pearce said.
The festival, which is being held Saturday, Nov. 21 (12-7:30 p.m.) at the Carmel Community Playhouse in Clay Terrace, includes 31 films, three of which are feature length: Zorg & Andy, an adventure comedy in the vein of Night at the Museum, Open Mic’rs, a documentary chronicling comedians’ battle to be House MC at a local comedy club, and 29 Reasons to Run, a road trip, buddy movie. Among those, Open Mic'rs may be the most well-known, as it was released in 2006 and directed by Gary Wood, whose Saving Star Wars has grown into something of a local favorite.
The films are broken up into four blocks: $20 for all blocks, two for $15, one for $8.
Amazingly, Pearce was able to get these films and organize this festival in roughly a month and a half, relying mostly on word of mouth and connections through his production company, Stick Figure Pictures, which he formed in 2005. “A company called Tekyn designed our website for not a dime. A student at Ivy Tech- Columbus designed our logo. Everything fell into place perfectly. Maybe my brother had something to do with that from where he is now,” Pearce said.
Pearce will have a chance to thank his brother and his filmmaking collaborators with the awards portion of the program. This includes the Best of the Festival, Audience Choice and, most importantly, Steven Pearce Memorial Award--awarding the film Steven’s family thinks he would appreciate the most. To celebrate further, there will be an after party at Bar Louie (in Clay Terrace), following this ceremony and the 7:30 block of short films (all from Indiana filmmakers).
The angel overlooking this entire event is not only Steven Pearce, but the National Kidney Foundation. Pearce strongly emphasizes that providing cathartic comedy is second to raising money for this foundation and helping people, like his brother.
To get involved with this great event and even greater cause, visit www.wetyourpantsfilmfest.org and www.kidney.org. Hopefully, Pearce says, you'll be able to get involved next year as well. He wants this festival to be an annual event, to be enjoyed for many years to come.
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