Laughing Through Life's Challenges: A Q&A with Filmmaker Robin U. Russin on His Inspiring Drama "The Anxiety of Laughing"

What attracted you to create the movie "The Anxiety of Laughing”?

Working with Andrew, basically. He is such a light, everyone is drawn to him. He had been my student when he began all this, first writing it as a play that I directed for our department’s New Play Festival (on Zoom during Covid). Attorney Jennifer Price, having seen some of his stand-up on Youtube, asked if we might provide a video of the play for her DIME disabilities-related website, and offered $5000 to get us started; that turned out to be about half the full budget! When I asked my friend Michael Bulbenko about shooting it, he suggested it would be much better to turn it into an actual feature film. As with me, Michael fell in love with the story, and with Andrew, and he donated his work as DP along with equipment. We couldn’t have made this film without Michael; his wife Christina also supported the film by providing the club location and connecting me with Michael Simmons, who did the score other than the theme song. That was written and performed by my daughter, who also did the poster and title design. Andrews in-laws provided the house location. So…the whole film was a "families affair."

What message do you hope audiences take away from "The Anxiety of Laughing”?

That every life has dignity, and you don’t know the struggles or triumphs of another person until you walk—or roll—in their shoes. Also, that love is stronger than despair or physical adversity.

How did you approach casting for your "The Anxiety of Laughing”?

I knew Andrew would be the lead, of course. And then I looked to other talent nearby. Neither Brandi or Erith had acted on film before, but I’d seen their work on stage and knew they’d be perfect. And Andrew brought on his brother from another mother, Chris Provost, who was wonderful—and who, I add, gave up a paying job to do this for Andrew pro bono.

What do you look for in a script when deciding whether or not to direct a film?

Do I believe in the characters, and do I care about the conflicts and dilemmas they face? Is the theme something I believe in? Is it a story that means something beyond simple winning or losing? And is it well-written and well-structured as a screenplay.

Can you describe a challenge you faced while making your film and how you overcame it?

The main challenges were: to make the play filmic; video recordings of plays look terrible; and time. We had five days to dress our locations, shoot the film, and break everything down. Luckily my DP Michael and his AC Ryan Seale and the rest of the crew were brilliant, as were my actors, and we were able to get it all done. One thing that really helped was that Michael was able to provide three cameras to shoot simultaneously from different angles, so we got our coverage more efficiently, and continuity was less of an issue in the edit.

What was your favorite scene to film and why?

The scene where Andrew (”Joey”) lifts Brandi (“Leah”) from the wheelchair to dance with her. I felt it contained the core emotion and theme of the film; that’s why it’s referenced as the central image of the poster.

What do you think sets "The Anxiety of Laughing" apart from other films in the same genre?

While less so now, most movies about disability, such as “My Left Foot” or “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” have been cast with able-bodied actors. There is a fundamental genuineness to performances by actors like Andrew, who bring the reality of their experience to the role. Also, this is as much a love story as it is a story of overcoming disability

What advice would you give to aspiring filmmaker looking to make it in the industry?

Build your team and stick with it. That means volunteering to help on your friends’ productions, so they will volunteer for you. Go to small theaters to find great actors that don’t cost as much as famous ones— you’re making an indie film, so make it as well as you can regardless of name talent. That said, use your network to see who knows whom to see if you can entice a name actor into your cast, that can’t hurt with trying to market the film later.

But mostly, write or find a script you love that can be done with the resources you have, even if you have to shoot the whole thing on an iPhone. Your first attempts may be rough, but it’s how you learn, and more importantly— it’s how you get your movie made.

What is next for you, any new projects in development?

I am working with a long-time writing partner, William Missouri Downs, on a romantic comedy, that has a producer attached and is being submitted; and there are a few holocaust related stories I may be involved with. I’m also writing a historical novel around the character of Herakles (“Hercules”).