This bittersweet short film disguised as a self-help video was a humongous internet hit. It’s also a perfect short film.
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Based on a viral personal essay by Aaron Blayaert (web guy and more for Conan), this short has been seen by tens or possibly hundreds of millions of people. It has been ripped and reposted all over Youtube, TikTok, and everywhere else. Esquire posted it on Facebook for some reason.
It was directed by Ben Berman (Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary) and stars Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live) with a cameo by Conan O’Brien. I edited and also did VFX.
@meta_cog on youtube put it best: ”Honestly, to me this video feels like a perfect blend of self-help, comedy, deep storytelling, character building, and overall inspiration. There are few videos which manage to execute such a perfect blend of these elements, even fewer that hooked me so much in the first minute. Simply one of the finest examples of storytelling encapsulated in 7 minutes.”
