Last week, Canadian actor and comedian Mark Farrell teamed up with Patrice O’Neal’s fiancée, Von Decarlo, to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to raise $125,000 for the former stand-up comedian, radio personality and actor’s upcoming documentary, Better Than You.
Patrice O’Neal was born in New York City and grew up in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. He began his career at an open mic night in 1992 and later became a regular at the Comedy Cellar. He hit the set of various comedy television series, including The Office and Arrested Development.
Unfortunately, in 2011, O’Neal suffered signs of a stroke and developed a blood clot. Upon the clot being removed, he was unable to speak and later lost his ability to move. After several months of recovery, O’Neal passed away due to complications from his stroke.
Better Than You is a feature-length documentary that’s dedicated to O’Neal’s inspirational life. The film will highlight his relentless pursuits of the truth that made him stand out. The production team stated:
“Three years ago, we lost a beacon of truth and honesty in a world that truly craves it. Better Than You is our way of re-igniting that beacon so, once again, we can experience the world according to Patrice O’Neal. We will highlight his relentless pursuit of the truth that made him stand out from the crowd as a unique comic, but also created some of his biggest roadblocks.
“Exploring the victories and pitfalls of his too short career and life, we will learn of the complex thoughts and the basic simple message that drove him. And, in the end we’ll know that Patrice and his ideals live on in the lives of the people he touched.”
During a recent interview, Decarlo stated:
“When Patrice passed away, I committed myself to completing projects for him that he had in the works. I also committed myself to doing any end everything that I could do to preserve his legacy.”
Farrell then added:
“Patrice had a unique voice and he wasn’t afraid to use it. His relentless pursuit of the bare truth through laughter was a strong beacon in the comedy world. I’m looking forward to telling his story.”
The funds will go towards the following:
- Production (58%)
- Funder Perks (19%)
- Pre-Production (14%)
- Cast (5%)
- Campaign (4%)
If the crew exceeds the $125,000 goal, they will put the funds towards various production costs including editing, color-correction, graphics, titling and credits.
Since its launch last Tuesday, Better Than You’s campaign has successfully raised nearly $37,000 thanks to over 330 backers. It is set to close on May 1st.
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