LGBTQ mockumentary ‘The Art of Blowing It’ now streaming on YouTube
Starring multi-award-winning comedic powerhouses’ Ashley Monique Menard as the eccentric Emmy Hart and Joshua R Pangborn as neurotic Felix Ziegfeld, The Art of Blowing It is Eff Your Fears Films’ first project and Menard’s writing and directorial debut.
The mockumentary is the brainchild of comedy queen, singer, actress and voice artist Ashley Monique Menard, who has trained at The Groundlings, Second City, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and The People’s Improv. She is also host of The Eff Your Fear Podcast, an inspirational industry podcast that deals with “effing” your fears to give birth to your dreams.
When asked about the inspiration behind The Art of Bowing It, Menard says: “I wanted to tell a story about the drive for fame, friendship, and family. Emmy and Felix are two birds of a feather… well, a peacock.”
In eleven comedic, short episodes, The Art of Blowing It sees idealistic Felix Ziegfeld set out to make a documentary about his favorite former child star, Emmy Hart. Emmy, recently out of rehab, falls off the wagon after learning that her fiancé has slept with her mother. Felix, a ginger bear virgin, is determined to capture the action to create a name for himself in Hollywood, but at what cost? Through sex-tapes, scandals, sexuality, drugs, fame, fear, and self-acceptance, The Art of Blowing It delivers on comedy and heart with elements of Schitt’s Creek and The Comeback.
Menard partnered with long-time collaborator Dr. Joshua R. Pangborn, who runs Sidekick Productions, promoting LGBTQ and size acceptance stories. Pangborn has received critical acclaim and international awards for his work on the dramedy Skeleton Crew and Demon Doctor. He has also written seven off-Broadway plays, three shorts, and a feature horror film slated for production in 2021.
When putting together a production team, Menard looked no further than the incredible cinematographer Ibai Vigil-Escalera and Producer Jose André Sibaja from Oblivion Films in Brooklyn’s Popsicle Studios. Oblivions Films has worked in film, TV, and commercial media, and with such commercial clients as Glamour, GQ, The Webby Awards Zara, and many others.
Their films include such irreverent work as LGBTQ horror shorts The Zanctuary, Legacy, Hyenas, and La Colombiana. While their films have been chiefly horror and drama, their TV work has been comedy all the way. They have also released the quirky international comedy Immigrants Eat It and family-friendly live-action-comedy Chaka and The Dogs.
“I met Jose and Ibai when I was recording the voice of Chaka for Chaka and the Dogs, and I told them I was writing the AOBI and they love it,” said Menard. “We were filming later that year. Ibai captured Emmy’s worlds and Jose made every episode stronger from the story to editing.”
Oblivion Films is currently in production for the short thriller Abrasion.
The Art of Blowing It also features Stuart Kiczek’s former child star turned professional cuddler, Mitchell Robins. Joining him as a fan favorite is the Blues Hall of Fame Winner and queer activist Rev. Yolanda and Marjorie Conn playing the role of Emmy’s biological grandparents turned grandmas. It also features lots of queer representation and body positivity from Paul Antzoulis, Hunter Thore, Mark Eugene Garcia, Lydia Granered, Nikuary Roman, Monica Hime, Suzie Masser, Jesse Regis, Nicholas Barnes, Katie Finan, Phil Korz, Christian Marte, Joshua Randal Price, and Barbara Thomas.
The Voice‘s Nakia is also on the creative team as sound designer and creator of the catchy 90s-styled theme song “Gotta Get What You Want.”
The Art of Blowing It is an official selection of the qFLIX Worcester 2020: New England’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival, FINDECOIN – Independent International Short Film Festival, The New York Lift-Off First-Time Filmmaker Sessions, and the New Jersey Web Fest.
The Art of Blowing It features 11 conveniently bingeable episodes in entertaining 15-minute segments. As this will undoubtedly leave viewers wanting more, Menard is currently writing season two with production slated to begin in Summer of 2021.
For more information and news about The Art of Blowing It and the Eff Your Fears Podcast, please visit www.theartofblowingittheseries.com and www.effyourfears.com.
For more information and news about Sidekick Productions, please visit www.sidekickproductionsny.com.
For more information and news about Oblivion Films, please visit www.oblivion-films.com.
See the trailer for season one of The Art of Blowing It below!
