THE WORST MOVIE EVER

We invite backers to actively sabotage – er, enhance – this film via limited "creative control" rewards. Of course (we're not completely stupid), we retain creative discretion for coherence & safety. See Terms.

THE WORST MOVIE EVER is an experimental film production with a dadaist, "exquisite corpse" approach. Each and every donor gets to contribute something that the filmmakers have to include in the film. Will you help us? Will you hurt us? You decide!

This project is centered around the ideas of collaboration, community, and chaos – particularly with regard to the vibrant tapestry of Burque culture. It is a filmmaking exercise, an inversion of artistic authority, and a fundraiser for FUSION, all at once.

The Concept

Jack McLaughlin has just arrived in Albuquerque! New to the city and its culture, he begins to explore. Does it welcome him? Does it reject him? Does it do something weird to him?

You decide.

We are The Worst Filmmakers – and we're staying anonymous.

Why? Because this isn't about us. It's about you. The mysterious, possibly antagonistic relationship between the filmmakers and the public is the point. We're here to be tripped up, challenged, and forced to make your terrible ideas work.

The director(s) will remain publicly anonymous. We're not hiding because we're ashamed (we will be later). We're hiding because the chaos is the star.

We are gleefully partnered with Dust Wave and FUSION. Since 2022, Dust Wave has been empowering creatives outside of the film industry to pursue their artistic endeavors, creating over 30 short films and building a network of more than 250 artists spanning the southwest. FUSION is a community-inspired creative space in Albuquerque, New Mexico, supporting local artists for 25 years.

Dust Wave is helping with the fundraising campaign, and FUSION will be the recipient of all the profits raised from this campaign.

Most crowdfunded films ask you to fund their vision. We're asking you to destroy ours.

The Tiers Are the Story. Every pledge level gives you actual control over the film:

• $1 — 1 frame of your choice uploaded into the film
• $5 — Writer credit (no writing required)
• $20 — Upload a sound effect to be used in the film + writer credit
• $50 — Write a line of dialogue to be said in the film + writer credit
• $100 — Add a handheld prop to the story + writer credit
• $150 — Add a costume to the story + writer credit
• $250 — Add a character + executive producer credit + a special STONED director's commentary cut of the film
• $500 — Jack does whatever you write + writer credit + a copy of the script + executive producer credit + a special STONED director's commentary cut of the film
• $1000 — One scene in another language of your choice + writer credit + executive producer credit + STONED director's commentary
• $5000 — Act in the movie + writer credit + executive producer credit + STONED director's commentary

This is an inversion of artistic authority. The donors become the directors. The filmmakers become the executors of your collective madness.

Stretch Goals

Every $500 after our $2,500 goal unlocks a new stretch goal—and you get to vote on who suffers: the directors, individually or together!

• $3,000 — Directors must give all notes in a silly accent of your choice for an entire scene
• $3,500 — Directors wear oven mitts for a day
• $4,000 — Directors wear drunk goggles for a day
• $4,500 — Directors wear shock collars for a day
• $5,000 — Directors get a Worst Movie Ever tattoo

Other Ways to Support

Don't want a reward? You can still help:

• Support without a reward — Your contribution goes directly to FUSION, the nonprofit benefiting from this project.
• Feed the Crew — Help us keep the cast and crew fed during production.
• Buy an Outdoor Heater + Propane — April nights in Albuquerque get cold. Help us stay warm on set.

Food and heater contributions go toward production costs. Everything else goes straight to FUSION.

Traditional financing wanted us to make it … good? We refused.

This film needs to be terrible, and that means finding an audience who gets it before we shoot a single frame. Your pledge isn't just funding – it's a vote for the kind of cinema that embraces its own awfulness.

More importantly: crowdfunding IS the concept. The film cannot exist without donor contributions. You're not just funding a movie – you're making the movie. Every tier is a creative decision. Every backer is a collaborator.

The Timeline

• Jan 15 – Feb 15, 2026: This campaign!
• Feb 16 - Mar 1, 2026: Backers submit their earned contributions!
• Mar 2026: Writing and Pre-production (with regular updates to backers)
• Apr 3 – 5, 2026: Principal Photography; Donation made to FUSION
• May – Aug 2026: Post-Production (with regular updates to backers)
• Sep 2026: Pre-Release Marketing
• Oct 2026: Official Premiere

How Submissions Work

If the campaign is successful, you'll receive a form to submit your earned contributions. You'll have two weeks after the campaign ends to complete your submissions. After that, we start production – and your terrible ideas become our problem.

The Supporter Community

Any pledge – yes, even $1 – gets you into the Supporter Community.

What's that? It's where the real chaos happens. Once you've backed the project, you'll receive a magic link in your confirmation email that unlocks access to our private community page. There, you'll find:

• Polls on creative decisions — Should the villain be named "Dr. Badguy McEvilface" or just "Susan"? You decide.
• Other exclusive votes — Help steer this disaster toward maximum absurdity.

Think of it as a front-row seat to a trainwreck – except you're also throwing things at the train.

Let's be honest about what could go wrong:

The Obvious Risk: You might submit something genuinely terrible. That's … kind of the point? But we do have limits.

The Rules

• No hateful content of any kind will be tolerated in submissions
• No pornographic images or prompts will be tolerated
• We reserve the right to reject any submissions considered inappropriate
• If your submission violates the rules, you'll have the opportunity to revise it. If you don't respond or elect not to revise, the submission will be cut and the donation will NOT be refunded

The Logistical Challenge: We're committed to making this film for a near-zero budget. That means creative problem-solving when someone requests "a scene on the moon" or "Jack fights a bear."

The Artistic Challenge: Making a film that's intentionally bad but still watchable is harder than making a good film. We're walking a tightrope between chaos and coherence.

The Promise: All profits go to FUSION – the filmmakers get nothing but the satisfaction of surviving your ideas.

Design by Stella Cole, Jason Cole, Katherine Zoey Scott and other local Albuquerque artists.