Taking My Parents to Burning Man
{{Infobox film
| name = Taking My Parents to Burning Man
| image = Taking My Parents to Burning Man poster.jpg
| director = Joel Ashton McCarthy and Bryant H. Boesen
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Joel Ashton McCarthy
- Bryant H. Boesen|}}
| starring = Bryant H. Boesen
| music = Brett Statham
| cinematography = Joel Ashton McCarthy
| editing = Joel Ashton McCarthy and Bryant H. Boesen
| released = {{Film date|2014|04|05|Sonoma International Film Festival}}
| runtime = 82 minutes
| country = Canada
| language = English
| budget = $10,000
}}
Taking My Parents to Burning Man is a 2014 Canadian documentary film directed by Joel Ashton McCarthy and Bryant H. Boesen that follows the latter's adventures with his 60-year-old parents at Burning Man.{{cite web|last1=Paolozzi|first1=John|title= Q&A with Taking My Parents to Burning Man producer Spry Bry|url=http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/10/QA-with-Taking-My-Parents-to-Burning-Man-producer-Spry-Bry|website=music.cbc.ca|publisher=CBC.ca|accessdate=23 June 2014}}{{cite web|title=The Disneyland of debauchery|url=http://news.sonomaportal.com/2014/04/09/the-disneyland-of-debauchery/|publisher=The Sonoma Valley Sun|accessdate=11 April 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20140702052044/http://news.sonomaportal.com/2014/04/09/the-disneyland-of-debauchery/|archivedate=2 July 2014}} It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation, journey and adventures at the "least-likely family vacation imaginable."{{cite web|title='Taking parents to Burning Man' film to be screened at Sebastiani Theatre|url=http://www.sonomanews.com/taking-parents-burning-man-film-screened-sebastiani-theatre/#.U0hTKig_c0y|publisher=Sonoma Index-Tribune|accessdate=11 April 2014}}
Production
Boesen wanted to make a documentary about Burning Man to help define it for people who have never been.{{cite web|last1=Stewart|first1=Pamela|title=Artist Interview: Spry Bry Takes His Parents to Burning Man and Films the Adventure|url=https://ignitechannel.com/articles/artist-interviews/artist-interview-spry-bry-takes-parents-burning-man-films-adventure/|website=IgniteChannel.com|publisher=Ignite Channel|accessdate=23 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20140702052109/https://ignitechannel.com/articles/artist-interviews/artist-interview-spry-bry-takes-parents-burning-man-films-adventure/|archivedate=2 July 2014}} According to Boesen, it was his parents' decision to attend Burning Man; as he was planning to shoot a documentary anyway and they were already attending, he asked if he could follow them on their first visit.
Boesen approached McCarthy while the two were finishing film school to make the documentary.{{cite web|last1=Gest|first1=Kyle|title=Taking My Parents to Burning Man |url=http://thelapse.org/taking-parents-burning-man-episode-7/|website=TheLapse.org|date=5 May 2014 |publisher=The Lapse Storytelling Podcast|accessdate=23 June 2014}} In April 2012, after McCarthy maxed out two credit cards, the pair launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.{{cite web|title=Taking My Parents to Burning Man - ...a Black Rock-umentary!|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sprybry/taking-my-parents-to-burning-man-a-black-rock-umen|accessdate=11 April 2014}} After successfully raising over $10,000, Kickstarter refused to deliver payment due to an "administrative glitch" and despite Boesen having proof of being a dual US/Canadian citizen. The incident is incorporated into the feature.{{cite web|last1=Fenwick|first1=Chris|title=DCC050 – Taking My Parents to Burning Man (feat. Bryant "Spry Bry" Boesen)|url=http://digitalcinemacafe.com/2014/05/21/dcc050-burning-man-feat-bryant-spry-bry-boesen/|website=DigitalCinemaCafe.com|publisher=Digital Cinema Cafe|accessdate=23 June 2014}} In December 2012 they relaunched their campaign, this time using indiegogo and again reached their $10,000 goal.{{cite web|title=TAKING MY PARENTS TO BURNING MAN, VANCOUVER FILMMAKER|url=http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/10/taking-my-parents-to-burning-man-vancouver-filmmaker/|website=vancitybuzz.ca|publisher=Vancity Buzz|accessdate=23 June 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Stephens|first1=Mark|title=Taking My Parents to Burning Man|url=http://www.adventureparents.com/adventure-family-interviews/681-taking-my-parents-to-burning-man|website=adventureparents.com|publisher=Adventure Parents|accessdate=23 June 2014}}{{cite web|title=Taking My Parents to Burning Man: a Black Rock-umentary!|url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/taking-my-parents-to-burning-man-a-black-rock-umentary/x/23393|accessdate=11 April 2014}}
Their journey took them on a road-trip from Vancouver, British Columbia to northern Nevada in a 35-foot school bus. About 40 hours of footage was shot, including on-location from August 27 to September 3, 2012, with the approval of Black Rock City, LLC.{{cite web|last=Love|first=Rick|title=Joel Ashton McCarthy and Bryant Boesen Taking My Parents to Burning Man Rick Love Interviews|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2nQv6AdOGw|publisher=SonomaTV|accessdate=11 April 2014}}
Reaction
Selling out seven consecutive screenings, it won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary at both the 2014 Sonoma International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere, and the 2014 Newport Beach Film Festival.{{cite web|last1=Robinson|first1=Bruce|title='Taking My Parents to Burning Man'|url=http://radio.krcb.org/post/taking-my-parents-burning-man|website=radio.krcb.org|publisher=KRCB-FM|accessdate=23 June 2014}}{{cite web|last=Fudge|first=Jakob|title=Siddharth wins world feature at Sonoma|url=http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/other-festivals/siddharth-wins-world-feature-at-sonoma/5070496.article?referrer=RSS|website=screendaily.com|publisher=Screen International|accessdate=10 April 2014}}{{cite web|title=2014 Newport Beach Film Festival Jury Awards|url=http://www.newportbeachfilmfest.com/2014/2014-awards/|publisher=Newport Beach Film Festival|accessdate=23 May 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511001546/http://www.newportbeachfilmfest.com/2014/2014-awards/|archivedate=11 May 2014}} It also won the Micro-Budget Feature Award at the 2014 Maui Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Maui Film Festival Awards|url=http://www.mauifilmfestival.com/mffw_awards.php|publisher=Maui Film Festival|accessdate=22 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629031457/http://www.mauifilmfestival.com/mffw_awards.php|archivedate=29 June 2015}} It held its Canadian premiere at the Rio Theatre in May 2014.{{cite web|last1=Wawryk|first1=Amanda|title="Taking My Parents to Burning Man" premieres in Vancouver tonight|url=http://www.news1130.com/2014/05/30/taking-my-parents-to-burning-man-premieres-in-vancouver-tonight/|website=news1130.com|publisher=CKWX|accessdate=22 June 2014}}
Peter Mehlman described it as, "Funny, oddly heart-warming and beautifully produced... portrays Burning Man honestly."{{cite web|title=Mehlman pull quote|last=Mehlman|first=Peter|website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=505819306201321|accessdate=10 April 2014}} Fellow Vancouver filmmakers the Soska sisters called it, "the real spirit of Burning Man."{{cite web|title=Soska pull quote|last=Soska|first=Jen and Sylvia|website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=503883109728274|accessdate=10 April 2014}} Chelsea Rush praised its depiction of the family bonding.{{cite web|last1=Rush|first1=Chelsea|title=Artscapes: "Taking my Parents to Burning Man" at NB Film Fest|url=http://www.newportbeachindy.com/taking-parents-burning-man/|website=newportbeachindy.com|date=25 April 2014 |publisher=Newport Beach Indy|accessdate=23 June 2014}} Tommy Cook, although liking it, mentions it becomes, "an exercise in creativity-shunned, where the only answer to rampant corporate greed and the monotony of the '9 to 5' is to regress back to a constant state of adolescence."{{cite web|last1=Cook|first1=Tommy|title=Sonoma International Film Festival 2014 Recap and Reviews for BESIDE STILL WATERS, JADOO|url=http://collider.com/sonoma-international-film-festival-recap-reviews/|website=Collider.com|date=9 April 2014 |publisher=Collider}}