Behind the Scenes

The year 2019 was supposed to be defined by the next massive Dollars & Donuts event picture, Am I See You?. In preparation for the film’s Kickstarter campaign, the team began producing a series of lead-up videos designed to engage the audience. One of these was intended to be a mini-documentary on the history of Disneyland, hosted in segments by the film’s main cast—a spiritual successor to the Jackalope history video produced for After the Jack.

To film Sasha Boggs’ segment, Daryl Della traveled to Los Angeles to meet her at the Griffith Park Carousel, the legendary site where Walt Disney first conceived the idea of his theme park. It was a location steep in history and dreams, but the most significant development of the day wasn't the documentary footage. It was a trade.

After wrapping her narration, Sasha pitched Daryl a side quest. Her cohort of comedian friends had written a rap song for her—a lyrical exploration of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and shopping at Target—and she asked if Daryl wouldn't mind shooting a "quick" music video for it. Daryl, knowing that "quick music video" is often a contradiction in terms, was initially hesitant. However, the collaborative spirit that had been forged in the trenches of Welcome to the Strange prevailed. He agreed to the trade.

That night, they convened at Fourth Wall in Burbank, a comedy venue that served as the backdrop for the shoot. Without a storyboard, a shot list, or a budget, Daryl and Sasha’s stand-up crew improvised a high-energy performance. The result was pure, chaotic creativity—a testament to the fact that Daryl and Sasha didn't need months of emails to make something great; they just needed a camera and a room.