Just Laugh

A small-town community theater attempts a fiendishly difficult and dangerous production. The mayhem bares the heart of a community and speaks to the importance of laughter and escape.

  • Kemp Brinson
    Director
  • TJ Moore II
    Still Photography
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 17, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Ely Film Festival
    Ely, Minnesota
    United States
    February 8, 2024
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Kemp Brinson

Kemp Brinson is an employment lawyer, bassist, tower bell ringer, and theater nerd. He has made a telescope from scratch, built a sailboat in his garage, and engineered a 15-foot talking plant puppet. This is his first attempt at something that might be called a "film" as opposed to a "video."

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Director Statement

I was taking Spanish lessons online with a tutor in South America who became one of my best friends. He knew nothing about theater before meeting me. At the same time, I was volunteering as a stagehand in a community theater production in a small town in central Florida. My intention was to set up a couple of cheap cameras backstage to make a little video I could translate into Spanish. I wanted to use it as a lesson in class and to show my South American friend what theater is all about. I went a little overboard. This film is about a community that is very special to me. I hope it resonates with how you feel about the special communities and arts institutions in your life.