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Backpackdraft Will Burn Brain Cells But Make You Happier

Featured Funny Video: Backpackdraft

Dumb comedy rules.

Not that smart comedy doesn’t. It does. They both rule. But dumb comedy — the kind of stuff that makes you laugh while you think, I can’t believe the creators had the gall to spend time and money on this idea? That’s the medicinal stuff, the nectar of rehabilitation from life’s relentless stresses. Call it comedy decompression. But, make no mistake: Dumb comedy is far from easy.

Backpackdraft writer, director, and producer Justin Michael recognizes that silliness isn’t rewarded unless it’s treated with the utmost seriousness, both in front of and behind the camera. From its core cast of deadpan backpack firefighters (Ryan Stanger, Veronica Osorio, Zac Oyama) to its cinematic aesthetic (engineered by Andrew Knapp) and original song, “Bag It Up, Don’t Burn It Down” (written and composed by Casey Trela), Backpackdraft works so well because some very talented people decided to spend their valuable time and energy on an idea that could’ve been written off as nonsensical. Look, Backpackdraft is a short parodying an early ’90s Ron Howard movie, and it revolves around people who put out fires in backpacks. Questions like “What?” and “Why?” might’ve deterred lesser teams. These folks persisted, and then they delivered.

If you remember nothing else in life, remember this: There are no shortcuts to funny, no matter how foolish that funny may be.

Luke is executive producer and head of development at Big Breakfast and a watcher of many web videos. Send him yours @LKellyClyne.

Backpackdraft Will Burn Brain Cells But Make You Happier