A (dark) comedy short film created by:

A (dark) comedy short film created by:

Tyler Young

Tyler Young

LOGLINE

A standup comedian charged with tax fraud

moves home and picks up a job at her family's

small-town funeral home to pay off her debt.

LOGLINE

A standup comedian charged with tax fraud

moves home and picks up a job at her family's

small-town funeral home to pay off her debt.

SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS

"Dying Laughing" follows a 30-something returning ​home to face the ghosts of her past after she spent ​many years using comedy to cope.

Drucilla "Dru" Stanton will stop at nothing to be a ​world-renowned comedian...until she is arrested in the ​middle of a show for tax fraud (clearly following in the ​footsteps of comedy legends Richard Pryor and Redd ​Foxx).

A judge orders Dru to pay back $60,000 or go back to ​jail. Dru returns home to South Carolina, hoping to ​borrow the funds from her dad's mortuary. Dru and her ​estranged sister Stevie will now have to run the family ​business as Dru works to rebuild her life and make ​amends with her upbringing.

"Dying Laughing" follows a 30-something returning ​home to face the ghosts of her past after she spent ​many years using comedy to cope.

Drucilla "Dru" Stanton will stop at nothing to be a ​world-renowned comedian...until she is arrested in the ​middle of a show for tax fraud (clearly following in the ​footsteps of comedy legends Richard Pryor and Redd ​Foxx).

A judge orders Dru to pay back $60,000 or go back to ​jail. Dru returns home to South Carolina, hoping to ​borrow the funds from her dad's mortuary. Dru and her ​estranged sister Stevie will now have to run the family ​business as Dru works to rebuild her life and make ​amends with her upbringing.

TYLER YOUNG

AS

DRUCILLA AKA DRU

TYLER YOUNG

AS

DRUCILLA AKA DRU

Early 30's. A wild child comedian on the rise with an ​avoidant personality disorder. Growing up in a ​religious household, Dru rebelled with racy jokes. Her ​parents disapproved of her ambitions as they didn't ​jive with their pristine public image as owners of the ​town's premier mortuary.

After being arrested for defrauding the government ​and ordered to repay every cent, Dru returns to her ​rural hometown in South Carolina and begins a journey ​of forgiveness.

Early 30's. A wild child comedian on the rise with an ​avoidant personality disorder. Growing up in a ​religious household, Dru rebelled with racy jokes. Her ​parents disapproved of her ambitions as they didn't ​jive with their pristine public image as owners of the ​town's premier mortuary.

After being arrested for defrauding the government ​and ordered to repay every cent, Dru returns to her ​rural hometown in South Carolina and begins a journey ​of forgiveness.

JIZZY WALLACE

AS

STEVIE

JIZZY WALLACE

AS

STEVIE

Mid-30's. Dru's older sister lives for the approval of ​others. Stevie is all about maintaining the family's good ​name. She still lives at home and secretly envies Dru for ​being courageous enough to start her own life. Stevie is ​"always the bridesmaid, never the bride."

She has a grounded spirit and is saving herself for ​marriage. Stevie settled with handling clerical affairs ​at the mortuary. Dru calls her "daddy's secretary."

Mid-30's. Dru's older sister lives for the approval of ​others. Stevie is all about maintaining the family's good ​name. She still lives at home and secretly envies Dru for ​being courageous enough to start her own life. Stevie is ​"always the bridesmaid, never the bride."

She has a grounded spirit and is saving herself for ​marriage. Stevie settled with handling clerical affairs ​at the mortuary. Dru calls her "daddy's secretary."

BRIAN DUCKSON

AS

MAURICE

BRIAN DUCKSON

AS

MAURICE

Late 40's. At first, he's sweet, then he's sour and as ​shady as they come. A creep who preys on young ​comedians who will do anything for their big break. ​Dru is his latest victim.

Late 40's. At first, he's sweet, then he's sour and as ​shady as they come. A creep who preys on young ​comedians who will do anything for their big break. ​Dru is his latest victim.

MAE WOODS

AS

MELISSA

MAE WOODS

AS

MELISSA

Late 50's. An unfulfilled wife and mother who has ​carried the burden of a secret affair. Her relationship ​with her youngest daughter is strained and she tries her ​best to close the communication gap, not realizing that ​her past choices have jaded her daughters.

Late 50's. An unfulfilled wife and mother who has ​carried the burden of a secret affair. Her relationship ​with her youngest daughter is strained and she tries her ​best to close the communication gap, not realizing that ​her past choices have jaded her daughters.

JOHN MENCHION

AS

FRED

JOHN MENCHION

AS

FRED

Early 60s. Fred is the best kind of dad any girl could ​ask for: kind, super reliable, and a people-pleaser. He ​is respected in the community and has a cheerful ​demeanor, although he is broken inside. Fred built a ​modest funeral home, but Dru’s return disrupts the ​peace he’s worked so hard to maintain.

Early 60s. Fred is the best kind of dad any girl could ​ask for: kind, super reliable, and a people-pleaser. He ​is respected in the community and has a cheerful ​demeanor, although he is broken inside. Fred built a ​modest funeral home, but Dru’s return disrupts the ​peace he’s worked so hard to maintain.

KARAN KENDRICK

AS

BRITTANY

KARAN KENDRICK

AS

BRITTANY

Dru's attorney and biggest advocate. The no-nonsense ​voice of reason in Dru's life. Brittany turns into a P.I. to ​track down Maurice.

Dru's attorney and biggest advocate. The no-nonsense ​voice of reason in Dru's life. Brittany turns into a P.I. to ​track down Maurice.

PRODUCTION CREW

PRODUCTION CREW

Produced By

Monique Hazeur

Nakia Danielle

Cinematography by

Aaron Smith

Costume Designer

Bronze Boulding

Production Design By

Summer Knight

Produced By

Monique Hazeur

Nakia Danielle

Cinematography by

Aaron Smith

Costume Designer

Bronze Boulding

Production Design By

Summer Knight

Casting Department

Chastity Thomas

Elsa Lathan

Associate Producer

Nathalie Dortonne

First Assistant Director

Kadar "Remy" Pierre

A Cam 1st Assistant Camera

Michael Finn

Casting Department

Chastity Thomas

Elsa Lathan

Associate Producer

Nathalie Dortonne

First Assistant Director

Kadar "Remy" Pierre

A Cam 1st Assistant Camera

Michael Finn

Gaffer

Kelly McAdams

Michael McDonald

Key Hair

Javis Henderson

Key Make-up Artist

Tatiana Fritzgerald

Sound Mixer

Brock Jones

Gaffer

Kelly McAdams

Michael McDonald

Key Hair

Javis Henderson

Key Make-up Artist

Tatiana Fritzgerald

Sound Mixer

Brock Jones

Key Grip

Riley Krill

Script Supervisor

Honesty Brennan

Production Assistants

Kortni Yarborough

Taylor Page

Tierra Smith

COVID Compliance Officer

Blake Lowe

Key Grip

Riley Krill

Script Supervisor

Honesty Brennan

Production Assistants

Kortni Yarborough

Taylor Page

Tierra Smith

COVID Compliance Officer

Blake Lowe

TYLER YOUNG

WRITER-DIRECTOR

TYLER YOUNG

WRITER-DIRECTOR

Tyler Young is a journalist turned filmmaker from Greenville, SC. She ​earned her B.A. in Mass Communication from Winthrop University. Tyler ​produces documentary and scripted content including “Gaps,” a ​coming-of-age 2024 NAACP Image Award-nominated short film ​presented by Queen Latifah’s Queen Collective program in partnership ​with Tribeca Studios and Procter & Gamble.

Tyler began her career at Hearst Television and became a morning ​news producer in Charlotte, N.C. Tyler has produced historical and ​social justice documentaries for VICE, Prime Video, and PBS. Her credits ​include the 2021 Emmy and Peabody-nominated documentary film ​“Downing of a Flag.”

Tyler is a 2023 Project Involve alum at Film Independent, where she ​wrote the short film “Saving All My Love.” She is also a former TV Series ​fellow at The Gotham. Tyler’s “Body Count” screenplay is an Academy ​Nicholl screenwriting quarterfinalist. The heart of Tyler’s work is rooted ​in nostalgia as her very relatable tweets are regularly shared by ​millions.

Tyler Young is a journalist turned filmmaker from Greenville, SC. She ​earned her B.A. in Mass Communication from Winthrop University. Tyler ​produces documentary and scripted content including “Gaps,” a ​coming-of-age 2024 NAACP Image Award-nominated short film ​presented by Queen Latifah’s Queen Collective program in partnership ​with Tribeca Studios and Procter & Gamble.

Tyler began her career at Hearst Television and became a morning ​news producer in Charlotte, N.C. Tyler has produced historical and ​social justice documentaries for VICE, Prime Video, and PBS. Her credits ​include the 2021 Emmy and Peabody-nominated documentary film ​“Downing of a Flag.”

Tyler is a 2023 Project Involve alum at Film Independent, where she ​wrote the short film “Saving All My Love.” She is also a former TV Series ​fellow at The Gotham. Tyler’s “Body Count” screenplay is an Academy ​Nicholl screenwriting quarterfinalist. The heart of Tyler’s work is rooted ​in nostalgia as her very relatable tweets are regularly shared by ​millions.

RANDI ATKINS

EDITOR

RANDI ATKINS

EDITOR

As a First Assistant Editor she has worked on several documentaries, ​episodic shows, and feature films, such as The Keepers (Netflix)​ Brockmire (IFC), The Starling (Netflix), and Brittany Runs a Marathon​ (Amazon), and EXPATS (Amazon) in which she was both the First Assistant ​Editor and VFX Editor.

As an editor, her work has shown at festivals such as Newport Beach, ​Saint Louis International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Fest, Holly ​Shorts, and more. She was awarded Best Editing at the St. Louis ​Filmmakers Showcase for her work on the short film, Waiting To Die In ​Bayside Queens.

Randi recently completed an editing fellowship with Film Independent’s ​Project Involve. where she was a part of creating the short film, Saving ​All My Love, from the script writing stage all the way to delivery. She ​looks forward to it’s debut in the 2024 festival circuit.

Outside of the cutting room, Randi is a faculty member at the American ​Film Institute where she created a masterclass on Assistant Editing and ​how to succeed in post production.

As a First Assistant Editor she has worked on several documentaries, ​episodic shows, and feature films, such as The Keepers (Netflix)​ Brockmire (IFC), The Starling (Netflix), and Brittany Runs a Marathon​ (Amazon), and EXPATS (Amazon) in which she was both the First Assistant ​Editor and VFX Editor.

As an editor, her work has shown at festivals such as Newport Beach, ​Saint Louis International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Fest, Holly ​Shorts, and more. She was awarded Best Editing at the St. Louis ​Filmmakers Showcase for her work on the short film, Waiting To Die In ​Bayside Queens.

Randi recently completed an editing fellowship with Film Independent’s ​Project Involve. where she was a part of creating the short film, Saving ​All My Love, from the script writing stage all the way to delivery. She ​looks forward to it’s debut in the 2024 festival circuit.

Outside of the cutting room, Randi is a faculty member at the American ​Film Institute where she created a masterclass on Assistant Editing and ​how to succeed in post production.

KYLE THOMAS

COLORIST

KYLE THOMAS

COLORIST

Born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri, Kyle’s always had a passion for ​combining storytelling with creative uses of technology. Kyle’s work has ​taken him around the world shooting narrative, documentary, and ​commercial projects. His first narrative feature film Parallel Chords ​(2018) won him best cinematography awards at numerous film festivals, ​including his hometown Saint Louis Whitaker Film Festival.

Another recent highlight includes a feature documentary on suicide ​prevention called Wake Up: Stories from the Frontline (2020), which ​premiered at the We Are One Film Festival presented by Tribeca and ​Google and earned glowing reviews from Variety, IndieWire, and The ​Hollywood Reporter. On the commercial side, Kyle’s campaign work has ​also garnered many awards, including Emmys, Gold ADDYs, and glowing ​press in some of the largest trade publications. In addition to a once-in-​a-lifetime collaboration with Leica, Kyle's particularly proud of the spot ​“Wood and Wire,” which promotes the philanthropic organization ​Pianos For People.

As for when Kyle’s not on set or behind a viewfinder, he can most often ​be found cooking meals for friends and family in his backyard in Los ​Angeles, making furniture in the local community woodshop, or hiking ​with his two huskies and beautiful wife in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri, Kyle’s always had a passion for ​combining storytelling with creative uses of technology. Kyle’s work has ​taken him around the world shooting narrative, documentary, and ​commercial projects. His first narrative feature film Parallel Chords ​(2018) won him best cinematography awards at numerous film festivals, ​including his hometown Saint Louis Whitaker Film Festival.

Another recent highlight includes a feature documentary on suicide ​prevention called Wake Up: Stories from the Frontline (2020), which ​premiered at the We Are One Film Festival presented by Tribeca and ​Google and earned glowing reviews from Variety, IndieWire, and The ​Hollywood Reporter. On the commercial side, Kyle’s campaign work has ​also garnered many awards, including Emmys, Gold ADDYs, and glowing ​press in some of the largest trade publications. In addition to a once-in-​a-lifetime collaboration with Leica, Kyle's particularly proud of the spot ​“Wood and Wire,” which promotes the philanthropic organization ​Pianos For People.

As for when Kyle’s not on set or behind a viewfinder, he can most often ​be found cooking meals for friends and family in his backyard in Los ​Angeles, making furniture in the local community woodshop, or hiking ​with his two huskies and beautiful wife in the San Gabriel Mountains.

DAVID RAINES

SOUND EDITOR

DAVID RAINES

SOUND EDITOR

David Raines is a supervising sound editor and re-​recording mixer at Warner Bros. David has two Primetime ​Emmy Award ominations for Burn Notice and a third for ​Fargo, in addition, Mr. Raines has been honored with CAS ​Sound Mixing Award nominations for Calvin Marshall and ​Fargo and two MPSE nominations for Stonehearst Asylum ​and Unbroken.

David Raines is a supervising sound editor and re-​recording mixer at Warner Bros. David has two Primetime ​Emmy Award ominations for Burn Notice and a third for ​Fargo, in addition, Mr. Raines has been honored with CAS ​Sound Mixing Award nominations for Calvin Marshall and ​Fargo and two MPSE nominations for Stonehearst Asylum ​and Unbroken.

Amani K. Smith

Amani K. Smith

Amani "Burt Blackarach" Smith, DJ, music producer, composer and also ​music supervisor for ABC's 2021/2022 re-imagining of "The Wonder ​Years" is a bona fide music expert, in all of its facets. Burt is currently ​working on Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's award-winning "Genius: ​MLK/X", the Disney+ anthology series from National Geographic, ​Netflix's "Stamped From the Beginning" while also wrapping up ​"Playground L.A." with Megan Thee Stallion and The Pussycat Dolls' ​Robin Antin.

Burt has worked with iconic artists like Aerosmith, Method Man and ​Andre 3000. As an authentic turntablist, Burt has spun all over the world, ​opening for acts like Jay Z, Nas, and Jurassic 5.

Burt has had a 20+ year writing partnership with Rock and Roll Hall of ​Fame inductee Public Enemy and front man Chuck D. Burt and Chuck D ​have written music for Public Enemy albums as well as theme songs and ​original music for television and film projects for ESPN, MTV, FOX, and ​most recently for LeBron James' "Shut Up and Dribble" on Showtime.

Burt owns and manages publishing catalog, Salamani Music. Founded ​by his songwriting parents in 1971, Salamani Music was one of the first ​Black-owned publishing companies of its time. Original music from the ​catalog has been sampled and/or covered by hundreds of artists ​including DJ Premier, J Dilla, D'Angelo, A$AP Rocky, Dionne Warwick, ​Maurice White, Chaka Khan, and Etta James.

Amani "Burt Blackarach" Smith, DJ, music producer, composer and also ​music supervisor for ABC's 2021/2022 re-imagining of "The Wonder ​Years" is a bona fide music expert, in all of its facets. Burt is currently ​working on Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's award-winning "Genius: ​MLK/X", the Disney+ anthology series from National Geographic, ​Netflix's "Stamped From the Beginning" while also wrapping up ​"Playground L.A." with Megan Thee Stallion and The Pussycat Dolls' ​Robin Antin.

Burt has worked with iconic artists like Aerosmith, Method Man and ​Andre 3000. As an authentic turntablist, Burt has spun all over the world, ​opening for acts like Jay Z, Nas, and Jurassic 5.

Burt has had a 20+ year writing partnership with Rock and Roll Hall of ​Fame inductee Public Enemy and front man Chuck D. Burt and Chuck D ​have written music for Public Enemy albums as well as theme songs and ​original music for television and film projects for ESPN, MTV, FOX, and ​most recently for LeBron James' "Shut Up and Dribble" on Showtime.

Burt owns and manages publishing catalog, Salamani Music. Founded ​by his songwriting parents in 1971, Salamani Music was one of the first ​Black-owned publishing companies of its time. Original music from the ​catalog has been sampled and/or covered by hundreds of artists ​including DJ Premier, J Dilla, D'Angelo, A$AP Rocky, Dionne Warwick, ​Maurice White, Chaka Khan, and Etta James.

CONTACT

CONTACT

dyinglaughingfilm@gmail.com

IG: @dyinglaughingshort

dyinglaughingfilm@gmail.com

IG: @dyinglaughingshort