Recap of my guest lecture at the School of Visual Arts

On Monday night, I gave a guest lecture at the School of Visual Arts.  The students said it was "very entertaining" -- because when I lecture, I put on a show!

The class is titled "Careers in the Industry", so I spoke about my various writing jobs.  During the 90-minutes I covered a ton of topics including:

cliches in writing, the dangers of advice, my best jobs, my worst jobs, working at CNN, never say you "want to be a writer", what happens when you don't set goals, writing a polite email, writing for Leslie Nielsen, how topical humor is like a kidnapping, figuring out what the monster wants, the evil Genie, creating characters like you're paining self-portraits, Charles Willeford's tip about writing a page each day before you urinate, finding symbolism in everyday life, trying to fit 10 jokes into a :30 video, unpacking an assignment when someone says it should be "short" and "funny", coming up with a show that's cheaper than "Pants off Dance-Off", and so much more.

I was thrilled that when I mentioned Rod Serling, everyone knew who he was.

Cute Kids urge you to support my Kickstarter Campaign for ANDREW 12-SIDED DICE CLAY

We've reached the point in my fundraising campaign where I'm exploiting my children to raise money.  (But it's okay, it's for a good cause.)

In this new video, I explain HOW KICKSTARTER WORKS -- it's so easy even these adorable children understand it.  (More or less.)

Kickstarter fundraisers are ALL OR NOTHIN'.  If I don't reach my fundraising goal, I won't receive anything and these past few weeks will have been wasted.

Just writing that makes me feel ill.  So please PLEDGE TODAY.

If I do reach my goal, you'll be funding my dream project!  You're so cool, that way.

Donate Here

And watch the full-trailer below:



Donate here

Thanks in advance!

Love,

Kevin

Related posts:

Gossipy Fundraising Update - with details about the comedy community

Video of Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay at NY Comic Con

The Basics on Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay

Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay - fundraising update

Click HERE to donate to Kevin Maher's kickstarter campaign for ANDREW 12-SIDED DICE CLAY. 

The above clip was taped during THE IRON MULE NYC’s longest-running comedy film series.  The crowd loved the trailer for ANDREW 12-SIDED DICE CLAY, and I needed some positive re-enforcements.

True Story: an old friend did me a favor by sharing A12SDC with one of the biggest comedy websites. But the executive didn’t like it (had my video been on his site, he would have voted “Die”) This proves that the web-series won’t get made by a big corporate entity. It’s independent comedy and it will only get made by YOU.

Elsewhere in the comedy world, ANDREW 12-SIDED DICE CLAY is being backed by a producer from NBC’s COMMUNITY (the sitcom, not the actual NBC community).  A hilarious writer from CONAN has generously donated and spread the word.  And a two-time Emmy winning writer from THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART has kicked in and told others to do the same.

But I’m most excited to have YOU involved.  This is no longer my project, it’s OUR project.  And we’re gonna get this thing made. 

Thanks for your support. 

Love,

Kevin

Below is a clip of the trailer, playing before the Iron Mule audience. 

Click HERE to see the full-trailer and donate! 

Live from Comic Con: Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay

Last month I was invited to New York Comic Con, New York's biggest event for comic books, gaming, animation, science-fiction and fantasy.  For four days, the Javits Center is over-run with fans of every type.

I was asked to participate in a panel on "geek humor."

When I spoke with event organizer (GeekChicNYC's Mike Singer), I mentioned that there's a video I wish I could show.

What I meant was, "I have a funny video idea, Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay.  I wish I'd made it."

He thought I meant, "Please allow me to show my video, which exists."

Mike said, "Let's show it!" not realizing that the video did not exist.

So I quickly thew together a variety show, where I could videotape the 12-Sided Diceman before an audience.   (Click HERE to see Matthew Glasson's photos from that show, SEXY NERDS & DIRTY WORDS)

The live-show was just days before Comic Con.  My trusted editor Eric Hendricks took on the job and we cut together the winning 3-minute trailer.

Here's the finished trailer:


The video played beautifully -- some jokes weren't heard because the audience was laughing so hard.  Now I want to make this as a web-series, to follow the adventures of Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay.  (You can make that dream come true by pledging a contribution HERE)


Here are some photos from the NY Comic Con panel:
(L to R: Elliott Kalan, Kevin Maher, Susie Felber, Stephen Wacker, Jessi Klein)

photo by Chelsea Smith, doublewide media

Q&A, photo by Susie Felber

Here we are watching the trailer:

photo by Chelsea Smith, doublewide media

Here's my update from Comic Con:




And here's where you come in.

This web-series needs grassroots support or it won't get made.

Please go here and pledge what you can.

Repost the trailer, retweet this blog post.  Email it to your friends who'd like such nerdy/dirty comedy.  No corporate sponsor is going to get on board with this project.

Kickstarter is ALL OR NOTHING: If I don't meet my goal, you won't be charged and I won't get any money.  But if I do meet my goal, you'll be supporting a dream project.

I'm counting on YOU to help me make the dream come true.  Thanks for your love.

Love,

Kevin

Andrew 12-Sided Dice Clay: a new video project by Kevin Maher

I used to make short comedy videos all the time. 

Then I had two kids.  Now most of the projects I do are work-for-hire with corporate sponsorship.  They pay the bill and I make the videos they want.

But all that's about to change.  If you can help me.

*          *          *

I was invited to NY Comic Con to speak at a panel on Geek Humor.

Rather than just talk, I made a short-video about the ultimate geek comic: ANDREW 12-SIDED DICE CLAY.



The 3-minute trailer played beautifully, the audience loved it.

Now I want to make a web-series.

But I can't do it without YOUR help.  No corporate entity wants to align its product with a greaser telling filthy Star Wars jokes.  I need grassroots support.

I need people like you (specifically YOU) to get involved.

Pledge what you can to my kickstarter campaign

If I don't reach my fundraising goal, you won't be charged anything.  And if I do reach my goal, your contribution will be funding my dream project.  And you'll get a number of perks and kick-backs, depending on the amount you pledge. (Click here to see what you'll receive.)

So far over 300 people have re-posted the trailer on Facebook.  But a *like* is not the same as a contribution.  At the current fundraising rate, I will not reach my goal.

Please repost this page, re-tweet it, or just email it to a friend, and encourage your friends to support this campaign.  (It's easy, just click here, it takes 2 minutes)


Please take part in this one-of-a-kind comedy web-show.

thanks so much.

Love,

Kevin

Mark Douglas as the 12-Sided Diceman, photo by Matthew Glasson

More about the project:

The series would star comedian Mark Douglas (a YouTube Sensation from the KEY OF AWESOME series)  Mark is one of the funniest guys I know.  He's also no stranger to comedy videos, his song parodies are hugely successful, his Kei$ha video was the 6th most watched video on YouTube last year.  For years, Mark and I had worked together on Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions and Also There is a Game.

DP Jeremy Carr has been working with me for years on projects like Comedy Central's Old People News, Puppet Rodeo, and AMC's The Sci Fi Department.  He's just wrapping up production of his feature film, LUCID.  I'm lucky to have Jeremy involved.

Editor Eric Hendricks is another one of my go-to guys, having worked with me on Puppet Rodeo, Old People News and The Sci Fi Department.  He's edited TV shows and is cutting a documentary now, but he's got excellent comedic chops. Eric's one of my favorite people to work with.

The web-series will follow the adventures of Andrew 12-Sided Dice Man, as he butts heads with rival comedians, struggles to find success, alientes his fan-base, and attempts to find lucrative TV gigs.   And we'll even see a focus group watch his routine.

I hope you'll help me with this project.  I have a hard time asking for help, so this is good practice.

But seriously, pledge here.  Thanks!