Kickstarter

Dearest Backers,

It should come as no surprise when we say that Chicago Rot will be an abrasive, unforgiving, caustic, assaultive, yet charming bit of cinematic blasphemy. It’s kind of like a sequel to Chicago, except Richard Gere is pissed and the movie isn’t atrocious. Our far more visceral blend of evocative music and Chicago-centric storytelling is guaranteed to scar you, deeply; even deeper than Catherine Zeta-Jones’ attempts at singing.

Benevolent fear-mongers that we are, we have kindly stitched together a brief glimpse at the nightmares you will be having in 2013. Like all premonitions, this one is best viewed at 1080p, full screen, paired with the finest speakers at your disposal. The combination is exquisite.

So turn off the lights, and consider yourself warned.

According to a recent blog post, 9 out of 10 doctors agree that fresh ears are the leading cause of poor taste in film, and would like to remind us that a decaying ear is a healthy ear. It stands to reason - look at any Hollywood movie premiere, and what do you see?

Clean people.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you may not be aware, but we're more than just filmmakers with a vested interest in promoting the refinement of the general public's taste in film. We're also some of the scummiest looking saints in this fair city, and as such, we've come up with a free solution for de-freshening and healthifying your ears with a strong dose of Rot.

Tune your noise receivers to Outside the Loop Radio, WLUW 88.7 FM at 10am on Thursday, 6/23 for an exclusive interview with the Rot crew. Their caustic insights will surely induce chemical reactions; feel the burn as your ears are slowly reduced to beautiful nubs, bursting with vigor, over the course of ten minutes.

Don't live in Chicago? Too bad. But you can still hear the interview after it airs by downloading Episode #248 of the Outside the Loop podcast from either their website or iTunes. Both are fine options, and are guaranteed to deliver a potent payload of Rot directly to your synapses.

It's a generous offering, but it's all in the name of health, and it still falls short of the altruism displayed by all of you, our backers. In an attempt to make our gesture commensurate with your own, we have decided to inform as many people as we can about the availability of this miraculous ear treatment. We hope you don't mind, but we think you will agree that it is the right thing to do.

See you at the premiere. No fresh ears allowed.

*WARNING - Hot ear flesh falling from your head may contaminate areas of the body that are not intended to be de-freshened. It is suggested that you only expose yourself to this treatment while holding a non-plastic bucket, or at the very least, leaning forward.

Our CTA/ROT stickers have been spotted all over Chicago; they're proving to be a popular option for anyone looking to make the naked city a little more presentable to their parents.

When they inevitably ask you what the hell that Rot thing is, you can say "It's gonna be f***in' awesome, mom", or, if you want to be classy about it, you can direct them to this delicious, skillfully crafted article on Gaper's Block.  They're the premier Chicago-centric blog with their fingers in just about everything.  They're also new friends of the Rot, so you know they've got great taste.

And if that's not enough to sate the broad palette that your folks - being persons of stately upbringing - surely possess, allow us to offer another sampling of our bold flavor profile; a completely inedible behind-the-scenes video, marinating beneath all of this savory text.  Comrade Bobby Navia cut this one together from footage he shot while Andy Daglas was conducting interviews with us at Rot central.  Your family will be so impressed by our 80/20 blend of gristle and bone that they may even think they’re at Dorsia.

Having proven our ability to provide sustenance, the final step in this ingratiation process is to assuage any concerns regarding our ability to provide a stable future.  We think your parents will be happy to hear that this past Wednesday, June 15th, saw the first of our Kickstarter fundraising events, held at Cerise Films.  Thanks to a tastefully abrasive music selection by Brant McCrea, a gory make-up demonstration by Kristin LeClair and Crystal Portillo of Cirque du Face FX, Gail Gilbert’s irrationally lenient attitude towards hosting our filth-fest at her office, and an unhealthy dose of free booze, we were able to rack up over $1,000 in new donations to our Kickstarter campaign in just a few hours.  Pictures of the massacre will be posted to our facebook page in the next few days, along with details on our next fundraising event.

By this point, any sensible adult will be utterly enamored with us.  Comparisons to James Joyce’s elegant courtship of Nora Barnacle are likely, but patriarchal approval to take our relationship to the next level is guaranteed.  Our gentlemanly ways compel us to thank you for making this commitment and taking this leap of faith with us, but you better start looking for a dress – we’re only $4,000 away from buying the ring.

_

In case the stench coming from the 19th floor of the Merchandise Mart wasn't enough, we made urban bandages to remind everyone that the Rot is coming for Chicago.  Just doing our part to mend the city's wounds... and spread the Rot.

Note - Do not take the CTA influence to be indicative of delays (although you would be correct to assume as much).

After a lively dinner and many drinks, I am happy to say that Chicago punk rock legends, Naked Raygun, have been added to the list of music to rock Chicago Rot.  For those of you who have the 411 on Naked Raygun, you know the weight they carry as a staple Chicago band on anyone's list of greats to come from this rusted city. For those of you who don't, I guess "you weren't there" and you need to go and do your homework.