August 1, 2025 • 33 mins
Exploring Divorce and Fatherhood with the Team Behind 'Guys Night' Movie
In this episode of Real Men Feel, host Andy Grant delves into themes of fatherhood, vulnerability, and masculinity with the creative team behind the upcoming film 'Guys Night.' Writer, producer, and actor Niko Vitacco, director Dave Eichhorn, and producer Andrew Baird discuss how the film, inspired by Niko's childhood with a single dad, tackles emotional openness and resilience during difficult times.
They explore the impact of divorce, the importance of showing emotional vulnerability, and the support gaps for single fathers. The episode also touches on the challenges of indie filmmaking and the power of storytelling to foster empathy and healing.
00:00 Introduction: The Power of Movies
00:27 Welcome to Real Men Feel
00:30 Meet the Creative Team Behind 'Guys Night'
01:35 The Inspiration Behind 'Guys Night'
03:08 The Importance of Telling This Story Now
04:53 Emotional Vulnerability and Personal Discoveries
07:04 The Role of a Producer in Filmmaking
09:05 Directing 'Guys Night': A Personal Connection
12:36 Production Challenges and Community Support
16:13 Impact on Personal Relationships
27:28 Nostalgia and the 1980s Setting
29:47 How to Support 'Guys Night'
31:48 Final Thoughts and Hopes for the Film
Connect with Guys Night
Support the cause -- https://givebutter.com/guysnight
Website -- https://guysnightmovie.com
Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/guysnightmovie/
Connect with Andy and the Real Men Feel Podcast:
Join the Authentic AF Community | http://realmenfeel.org/groupInstagram | @realmenfeelshow & @theandygrant
Andy Grant Website | https://theandygrant.com for coaching, healing, and book info!
Real Men Feel Website | http://realmenfeel.org
YouTube | https://youtube.com/realmenfeel
#RealMenFeel ep 364
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
You know, that's what we all love about movies that, you
know, when you just sit there and you just and you used a
great word, absorb. You know, I just want people to
be able to absorb this movie. And but yeah, you want to make
something that's meaningful and,and, and that really changes
people and effects them and makes them cry, makes them
laugh, that at all. I would, I would second all of
that. Maybe just add that you have to
(00:20):
show people that even in the rough times, there's still
positivity to be found and within yourself, within your
family, within your community. So hello and.
Welcome to Real Men Feel, I'm your host Andy Grant.
Today we're diving into fatherhood, vulnerability, and
what it means to be a man. With the creative team behind
the upcoming film Guys Night. I'm joined by writer, producer
and actor Nico Vitaco, director,editor and sound designer Dave
(00:43):
Eicorn and producer Andrew Baird.
Together, they're bringing to life a story based on Nico's own
experience growing up with a single dad, exploring the
emotional journey of a man learning that true strength
comes from presence, honesty, and heart.
We talk about divorce, emotionalopenness, masculinity, and why
it's time for more stories that show men feeling and healing.
(01:05):
And if these conversations resonate with you and you want
to go deeper, I invite you to join my new private online
community, Authentic AF. This is a safe space to be raw,
real and supported. No masks, no macho BS Check it
out at realmenfeel.org/group. Let's do it.
Hello guys and welcome to Real Men Feel.
(01:26):
Hey, lady. Great to be here.
Thank you for having us. I'm going to throw this up to
all of you. And we'll, we'll.
Start at the start. Tell me what inspired guys
night. Oh, hey everybody.
My name is Nico Vitaco. I'm the writer, producer and the
actor of Guys Night. It was inspired by my childhood
(01:47):
growing up. It's a it's a heart filled
coming of age film inspired by my real life growing up with my
two brothers single dad in 1980sHometown, IL, which is the real
name of a town called Hometown. When our mom left, my dad, who
had no road map for raising three boys on his own, started a
(02:09):
weekly ritual called Guys Night,which was every Friday night.
We'd rent VHS tapes, we'd grab our favorite chips and pop and
just stay up late. Just be together and just be
together. It wasn't perfect, but it was
his way of saying I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.
At its core, I feel like this story is really about
(02:29):
fatherhood, divorce and resilience.
It's about the battles that we fight as parents, or sometimes
you have to lose a few to win the war, which is raising your
kids rights. It's a very funny, nostalgic and
full of 80s heart. But it's also honest and healing
to tribute to every father who'stried their best, to every son
(02:50):
who's needed more than when his dad knew how to give into the
power of just simply showing up,even when it's hard.
Why is it important that this story be told now?
I think, I think it's important it's told now because in
general, universally, I feel like men haven't been given the
(03:13):
full support through single fatherhood that women have been
given, which they're very deserved to have been given.
Women are very deserving of the full support that they've been
given. But I feel like men haven't been
given that full support. And a lot of men universally,
even me growing up were taught to bury your feelings, not
taught to bury your feelings, but we were taught to not
(03:36):
express and wear our emotions onour sleeve.
My father was a very stoic man, did just that.
He loved deeply with his with his heart, but he didn't know
how to express that, especially to his sons, especially to the
one son who needed it express the most.
So I think it's important to tell now because just for me
(03:57):
personally, writing this script has just been therapeutic to get
out because I never knew how to deal with my own family's
divorce and who I became as a man.
It, it shaped me, but I wanted to learn how and why it shaped
me. And I wanted to be able to
express that and see if me telling my personal story would
resonate at all with any other men, women, father, son, just
(04:22):
anyone who's been through a similar situation.
I think it's just, I think it's important to show men that we
can be different than what we'vebeen perceived to be.
Yeah, I I can't agree more. I wonder, since this is so
autobiographical, has there beena really surprising moment of
emotional vulnerability that that's that's that's kind of
(04:44):
shocked you during this process anywhere along the way?
Yes, yes and no. I think I learned a lot.
Well, I learned a lot about my dad that I didn't know prior to
all this stuff. I mean, I, I had to separate
myself as the sun and bring in myself as the writer, producer
of this. But still, it's, I'm, I'm
(05:05):
attached to it all emotionally. So there are some things where
seeing my dad be so vulnerable and really open up about his
life and his marriage with my mom and what he thought he was
doing. The what he thought he was doing
was the best he, he could do at the time.
Was, was really, I wouldn't say shocking to me, but it was eye
opening to me. It, it let my guard down.
(05:28):
It's showing how vulnerable he was.
It showed me a different side ofhim on how he had wished he had
been different than growing up or, or raising us.
So I think throughout the whole process there have been like
moments, roller coasters of vulnerable moments where I've
just really, I've given myself fully to the project and to the
discoveries that I've made throughout the the, the journey
(05:51):
of it. I was gonna add to it just on
the emotional connection side, outside of Nico's family story,
it's just the emotional connection of the town itself,
of hometown. I'm sure we'll probably get in
this a little bit, but it's justcool to see this community that
Niko grew up in still exists in all of its glory.
And it's just, it's once we've been bringing this, you know,
(06:11):
going to Hometown here and therewith the story, with the script,
what we're trying to do. It's just cool to see the town
come together like how can we help you?
We love this. We want to get hometown out
there. So just to see just that
emotional connection to just thinking on the the other side
of just this town is really, really cool and and uplifting.
Andrew, for people not familiar with the world of movie making,
(06:33):
what's the role of a producer? Oh, it depends on the day you
ask me. Is my my real answer to that?
No, I mean the role of a producer, like I said, it's
tenfold. You'll see a bunch of different
credits on the screen as they roll, right?
Executive producers, producers, Co producers, associate
producers, and they all had do have specific roles to them.
EPS are generally more finance side things.
(06:54):
Co producers and APS are people that maybe have connections to
the production side but are maybe just getting started or,
you know, getting that credit tobe based on what they've
contributed to the script. But the producer himself or
herself is, I guess someone is kind of the outside of the
director Dave here, the glue that kind of helps to hold the
production together and to keep it moving in the direction it
(07:15):
needs to go so we can get a successful final product.
That can mean anything from negotiating with vendors to cast
and crew to I always joke that I'm the onset therapist when
we're shooting. So a lot of fires always happen.
So it's like, OK, cool, what fire are we going to deal with
today? In a good way, right.
You're not not in a bad. It's always a.
(07:36):
It's a problem solving role for sure.
I remember in the beginning whenwe were talking with Andrew, he
had said he, he mentioned, he said expect the worst thing to
happen because like it, it will,especially in indie filmmaking,
like the some things will be thrown at you.
They're so unexpected. And that that's just it.
So you know he is the role of like the problems.
Can I say expect the worst thingor just expect the unexpected?
(07:57):
Sorry, expect the unexpected. Yeah, I'm sorry.
The best not expect the worst thing.
Expect the unexpected to to happen.
Which always happens, yes, no matter how well your plan.
Yeah, things going to go. It's so true too, yeah, and it's
so different. And it's usually just fine, so.
See how Nico? It's interesting to see how your
brain works. Expected, unexpected, and you
(08:17):
went. Very negative, Like Oh no.
What's the worst thing I can ask?
So, so Dave, you're the directorof Guys Night and you've worked
on some major productions in your career.
What What drew you to this project?
Oh man, you know, when I read the script, I loved it.
It's just a great story, you know, actually fits right into
the real men feel paradigm because the main character is
(08:40):
who Nico's going to play is Anthony.
It's his father. He's playing his own father.
And this man is going through a divorce, but is very, as Nico
likes to say, stoic. He is he, he, he buries all of
his feelings as men do. And, and, and for two reasons,
(09:01):
because he wants to show his kids that everything's OK.
And because he's just not developed enough to, you know,
he has that mentality that he learned, don't show your
feelings, you know, don't be vulnerable.
Just he's really closed up. And I like that story.
And this man goes on an arc, an emotional arc where he learns
through throughout the course ofthe film to to feel, you know,
(09:25):
that's what, you know, the name of this podcast.
Real men feel right. And it's it's really right up.
That's that's what this movie isabout in large part.
Yeah. So I, I, I like, I just I I've
never worked on a movie about divorce.
You know, I'm a child of divorce.
I've had divorce around me. But since I was like, since I
was born basically like uncles and grandparents were divorced.
(09:48):
And so I grew up with that and then my parents got divorced
when I was 11. And so it really studies that
great way in a great way. And so I know Nico, in writing
this, it was kind of therapeuticfor you, Andrew, has has your
involvement proven to be healingin any way?
In a, in a, in a sense I've, I've definitely found again,
(10:09):
it's such a a powerful story andheart warming story where I
think that's kind of the beauty of it.
No matter who is reading it or watching it, they can find
something in it to really take away.
I mean, I've luckily not a knockon wood child of divorce, but
there has been divorce in my family.
So it's been kind of AII definitely connect with the
stoic part of it 'cause we're very stoic family on my dad's
(10:32):
side. My, the, yeah, pretty much my
dad's side. So it's been nice to kind of
connect to that part of it going, oh, wait, hold on a
second. It is nice to OK to be more
vulnerable and, you know, express our emotions more and
more. So definitely in that case been
involved in this project has hasreally hit home for me.
Yeah, it, it explores dysfunction, you know, and, and
(10:53):
that that always interests me too.
Just just dysfunctional family drama.
And those are the kind of moviesI like to watch.
You know, watching the healing process.
I think it's it's, and that's, that's another thing about this
movie is it's, it's, you know, families and kids and mothers
and fathers are going to get a lot out of this because it's,
it's, it's what's the word cathartic to watch others going
(11:17):
through what you're going through, you know, and seeing
how they deal with it. And it makes you feel like, oh,
wow. So OK.
It's normal. Yeah.
And this is, yeah, it's, it's healing.
Is production underway? Is production completed?
Where we're out? Where are we in that?
Cause so production is in, we'rein a late development stage
right now. We are just to give you a little
(11:40):
bit of a back story. We were set to go into
production early in 2023. We had a financier on board.
The actors and writers strike kind of put us on pause in the
meantime. And then after the strike was
ratified, our financier had somehiccups with other things going
on. Ultimately, we lost our
(12:02):
financing and that route. And so we kind of put our brains
together and found new momentum on how to still push forward
because obviously we want to tell the story what we want to
share and get it out there. So we've been working with in
putting different feelers out there, working on in different
avenues to get ourselves into production.
One of those being we've teamed up with a fiscal sponsor with
(12:24):
Independent Film Alliance Chicago to receive 100% tax
deductible donations to raise our initial 25% equity because
we also have a debt partner who's lined up to trigger the
rest of the financing if we do raise that that initial equity.
We have so many people so much support in this.
(12:46):
Like you said, I, I feel like just this story alone and the
story we want to tell resonates so much with so many different
groups, organizations and, and people.
We've linked up with a ton of men's mental health groups,
men's support organizations, divorce support, parenting
organizations, and that's just like that that that community
(13:08):
who are helping to spread the word and extend our reach within
their network as well. We have, like Andrew mentioned,
hometown, which is this small 4500 person town 20 minutes
outside of the great city of Chicago There in there's huge,
immense about amount of support there.
Everyone from the mayor and the police chief who was who's all
(13:31):
spreading the word, trying to bring in the biggest thing we
need, which is the, the financing, the money.
But I feel like this route that we're on now, I'm in a way
thankful that the film didn't gointo production in 2023 because
it would have been too easy for us.
I feel like this path we're on now has such more, has so much
(13:52):
more meaning to it. I didn't realize the depth and
the healing that this story could could tell and, and could
do for people. And I didn't realize the, how
the community that it could bring in and, and the, the, the
amount of groups and people it could, it could touch and, and
who would come on board to help support it and get the word out
there. And that's really powerful.
(14:14):
And like, that's like, that fills my heart so much.
So I love this longer path. As much as I want to go into
production soon, and we will, I know we will, I feel like this
is the right path to be on. And so it's up to, it's up to
God to decide when it's going tohappen.
It is going to happen. But it's, you know, I've, I've
(14:35):
released that control on trying to decide when it is.
I just I, I give it to God in the universe to to decide when
that's happening. You you did mention that this
project has helped you kind of understand or get to know your
father better. I wonder what what other ways
has this project influenced all of your relationships with your
(14:56):
families? For me, it's influenced it.
It's actually helped my, my own life.
Like I'm, I'm married for 19 years this August.
I don't have any kids of my own.But I think for me personally,
like my story growing up and seeing what my parents went
through, seeing the aftermath ofit all that my, my brothers and
(15:19):
I dealt with and how we dealt with or didn't deal with with
the, the, the divorce, it influenced my own relationship
and especially with, with my, mywife.
We dated for about 5 years before I proposed to her.
And it wasn't because I didn't love her or anything.
I loved her tremendously, but I was scared.
(15:41):
I was scared to make the same mistake as my parents did.
I saw how it tore them apart, how it tore our family apart.
I saw how each of my brothers dealt with it differently.
You know, truthfully, like we'veeach dealt with this, their this
divorce so much differently fromeach other.
And my older brother's still struggling a lot with it.
(16:02):
My younger brother is a very stoic guy.
I love them both so much, but heburies a lot of it and it it, it
hasn't hasn't really like tappedinto to deal with it.
I found that talking about it and writing this really helped
me personally see it from different perspectives than just
my own. And I think that was important.
(16:24):
I was able to see from my, my dad's perspective, obviously,
but also my mom's perspective too.
Talking to her about it, gettingher blessing and, and sharing
with her the story I wanted to tell, but also telling her story
truthfully and authentically along with that.
So it's just been, it's been helpful for me to approach my
(16:47):
current marriage too, and to keep that strong and, and and
tight and open to communication,but also like other
relationships with anybody I I interact with as well.
Dave, how about you? How has this impacted your
family relationships? There's not many of us left, you
know, my brother and sister are pretty much all the stuff to my
(17:08):
family. They live we're we're we're not,
you know, super close. So, I mean, I don't really have
a story about that. You know, after the film is
made, it'll be a great thing. And, you know, I mean, in this
business, I go from, I go from job to job and, and it's, it's
always good to just be involved on a film because that's,
(17:30):
that's, that's, that's the goal.You know, that your family work
in the industry. I mean, the, the film industry,
Yeah, I've been in this 3 1/2 decades.
It's what I do. It's my bread and butter.
So yes, I'm just, I'm just thrilled to to be a part of
this. Yeah.
I would say definitely the powerof kind of reflection is the
biggest thing for me kind of reading a script like this and
(17:52):
just the beauty and power that acharacter and the character arc
that we've been talking about can have.
Reading it in a script is one thing, and then seeing it on the
screen, it can come across entirely differently in, you
know, a great way, in such a positive way.
So I am pretty lucky to be closewith my family.
I'm actually a triplet. So it's fun to, yeah, have two
(18:12):
people the same age of me out there, you know, out there, a
brother and a sister. But yeah, just again, in terms
of reflection, it's just that you, you can always be so close,
but then sometimes just also nothave ideas of kind of what's
going on with some of your family members.
So it's just a reminder to ask and check in sometimes and just
really, you know, stay connected.
(18:34):
Once Guys Night is complete and audiences are seeing it, Nico,
what's your biggest desire for what people take away from it?
My biggest desire is for people to see this as a way to connect
with themselves, to reconnect with their own family in, in a
(18:55):
sense to, I want this to serve as, as somewhat of a way to, to
help heal and to show that, you know, I, I think I wanted to
relate somehow to, to people, tohave them feel like, you know
what, like it's, it's OK to watch, to experience somebody
else's trauma, family trauma andto know that it's very
(19:19):
universal. How, you know, everyone's trauma
is, is different and dysfunction, family is, is all
different. But my biggest take away is that
I hope that it, it provides a sense of, of healing to, to
people, whether it's within their families, within
themselves, within a, a community.
We want more than just this filmto be on screen and to do well
in festivals and to get picked up by network or streaming.
(19:41):
We wanted to, we want to extend it to organizations that are
already doing the work and have this serve as a tool to, to, to
help and just to implement in their work that that they're
already doing just to show a, a visual because I feel like there
aren't many visual tools out there like.
(20:02):
Feature films that people can really just absorb.
So I that's, that's the biggest hope.
I want this to extend just beyond the screen and serve as a
tool for for healing. Dave or Andrew, anything you
want to add on top of that for what you hope people take away
from this? I, I just want to second what he
said. That's a big one.
I mean, Academy Award, I mean, come on.
(20:22):
That's that's what we that's what we want.
But no the just to to affect. The academy's listening is is.
Affecting people, I mean, how powerful is that?
You know, and that's, that's what I that's what, you know,
that's what we all love about movies that, you know, when you
just sit there and you just and you used a great word, absorb.
(20:43):
You know, I just want people to be able to absorb this movie in.
But yeah, that's you want, you want to make something that's
meaningful and, and and that really changes people and
effects them and makes them cry,makes them laugh that at all.
I would I would second all of that.
Maybe just add that, yeah, to show people that even in the
rough times, there's still positivity to be found and
(21:06):
within yourself, within your family, within your community.
So don't, don't look away from all of that.
And I hope that people realize that once they do watch this
movie. And you've as a child of
divorce, was there anything in the script or anything that's
that's been shot thus far that really mirrored your life and
made you go like, wow, how did how did we both have the same?
Experience. Yeah, I mean, as a matter of
(21:26):
fact, it and I didn't realize this until I thought about it
after some time. I had guys night too.
I mean, you know that our my dadmoved out and I lived with my
mom and my brother and for the first time, you know, he was
busy trying to make a living andnot home a whole lot.
It was a it was a good dad. We had a nice tight family
(21:48):
structure, thank goodness. But like I said, at 11, parents
got divorced, dad moved out, gothis own apartment.
And suddenly on weekends, we were going over to dads having
slumber parties and he was taking us us out to play pool
and movies, you know, saw a bunch of it.
It's like it was a blast out to dinner, just my brother, my dad
(22:10):
and I. And I realized that that was and
that went on for years. It was very, very cool.
And it's just something that hadn't happened before, you
know? And so in in effect, that was
basically guys night. So, yeah, I could relate.
And it it, it was very, it was just healthy.
You know, I didn't get too disturbed by the divorce because
(22:33):
again, I thought it was, you know, this is fun.
My brother's a little older. He was 14 at the time, and he
seemed to go very deep. I think it really bothered him
and he's a quiet guy. So I, you know, I, I, I don't
know how badly, but I, I don't think it affected him as happily
as, as I, I thought it was great.
(22:53):
We were having fun. You resonate with any character.
The youngest son, probably. He's just like I get.
I think so of everything. 2 birthdays.
Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, so my parents divorced. That was 50.
Wow, the holidays, Earth Days made it kind of.
But yeah, I have. I have no memory of my parents
being together. Oh, like I just don't.
(23:15):
Remember that. Time.
Movies were a big deal, like I, my dad would pick me up every
Sunday and I don't say I want tosee this movie and love it was
to escape my life, but I wanted to live someone else's life.
And but yeah, the big screen always just a welcoming place
and I'd see everything possibly.That yeah, it's just a cool like
bonding time I. Think this?
(23:37):
Well, my, my dad was a smoker then, so he'd smoke and to go
walk, smoke and move and I come back and I had to give him an
update. So I'd like become a film critic
and be quietly, you know, getting up to speed every time
we saw a movie. And this movie fan, is there
anything coming out this summer or this year that you guys are
excited to to see yourselves? Today I'm excited to see
Superman. I don't have tickets today.
(23:58):
I'm one of those where I'm like,I'm not, I'm going to wait till
the rush is over with a little bit.
I know it's bad because they've liked that first weekend box
office. I'm excited to see that I just
as a kid, like I grew up like that was my favorite superhero
of all time. Christopher Reeves will always
be my Superman, But I just love the the story of it.
And I mean, there's plenty of pictures of me as a child in my
my favorite Superman shirt wearing all the time.
(24:20):
And I think that that actually like the idea of Superman of
like wanting to be the superhero.
This Superman always gave me thehope that I could like be super
or grow or as a kid thinking silly, thinking I could fix my
parents, fix their their divorce, or I just wanted to be
(24:41):
strong so I can mend our broken family back together.
So I think like the kid in me when I heard Superman was coming
out was just like, heck yeah. And then they dealt with me.
It was like, hell yeah. I don't think you'll see that
because it's Superman. It's just awesome.
So by far, like that's like the one that stands out to me
immediately. By the way, another cool thing,
(25:02):
a cool thing about this movie isit takes place in 1985, most of
it. And how fun is that?
I mean, we're going to be shooting, you know, I mean, it
adds a whole lot of complicationto the shoot, but we will pull
that off. So nostalgic.
I mean, yeah, it's nostalgic andit's it's so we're shooting it
in the same town right near the house where Nico grew up,
actually. Small neighborhood and at the
(25:25):
same time placing it it's it's very, very cool so it's.
Going to give the the old 80s just like feel good or just that
old 80s vibe like like those old80s films.
Just going to give it that that feeling again.
Yeah, and everyone's coming out of the woodworks with all of
their classic 80s decorations too.
It's great. Oh my God.
Bars I mean. Like, oh, that's perfect.
(25:46):
That takes us straight. Back to the yeah, we have so
many people who are willing to to donate a lot of of props and
vehicles. Even we have a group in hometown
that runs a car show and we already have a lot of their
vehicles that we're going to be able to use some late 70s, early
80s vehicles. We'll be able to use just a
place throughout certain areas and and hometown itself.
(26:08):
For people that don't know it's set, it's still dated and set in
the 80s. Most of it is, you know, it's
like Dave was saying, it's it's challenging because for any
period film, you have to be ableto shoot it, right?
But that's the beauty of filmmaking.
You know, you can frame it and cinematography set up with a
director and a cinematographer can capture an image and
everything else around it. You would see like it's like
(26:29):
2025, but just that image, that frame will show 1985.
And it's going to be like, it's really exciting just to kind of
like, go back. Can't get any smartphones in the
shot. We can't have anything in the
background that's like a a modern car.
Anything after it. I mean, think about it just
like. We really have.
You know, be precious about whatgoes in that frame.
(26:51):
So that's the fun of it. The whole 80s vibe.
Yeah, as far as it's still goingstrong, it's.
Amazing people, people love it and that's a big thing too.
I feel like if anything, the nostalgia of the the film will
will kind of tap people into to,to the actual true story, you
know, behind it all. So that will be enjoyable.
So if anything, they'll get somenostalgia out of it.
(27:12):
And and how can listeners support help out, contribute to
guys? Night, well they can.
You know, I would say that if the story resonates with you, we
love your support. As I mentioned earlier guys
Night is fiscally sponsored by IFA Chicago.
They are A5O1C3 organization. So that means all donations are
(27:33):
100% tax deductible and every dollar just brings us closer to
production. So you can donate at a website
calledgivebutter.com/guys Night.You can also, I'm going to hold
this up here too if that's cool.You can scan this QR code.
Can you guys see it? You can scan this QR code.
(27:54):
It'll take you to that site which has our pitch video on it.
It's a great video which explains our entire story from
where we started to where we arenow and where we want to go in
the future with this, with this film in this project.
And there's our donor portal on there as well.
So as I said, every dollar brings us closer to productions.
In addition to that, for those who may be looking to go a step
(28:15):
further, we also offer some investor opportunities with a
promising ROI potential thanks to our Illinois tax credit
approval and our already secureddistribution.
We're working with the distributor Freestyle Media
already who've who've come on board.
We can create tailored proposalsacross different equity tiers so
(28:36):
that if that is of interest to anyone who wants to potentially
invest, you can reach out to us directly at
info@guysnightmovie.com. So whether you donate or invest,
you're helping to bring a healing, heartfelt story to
life, one that reminds fathers and sons everywhere that it's
(28:56):
never too late to connect, to open up, and to love a little
louder. A a question I ask all guests
how real men feel, and I'm goingto ask each of you today, what
is one thing that you wish more men knew?
Oh, good question. Yeah.
So do you want to take it away? Yeah, who started this one?
(29:17):
Listen, I wish more men would just listen.
I've learned in my life and my relationships, I've had a
tendency to want to fix, to justautomatically want to come in
and help and fix and please. So it's taken a lot to take a
step back and to release that control that that desire and
(29:40):
just to absorb, like I said before and listen and then
redirect and figure out how to how I can be of, of help and not
provide a solution, but to be ofhelp to whatever the situation
or circumstance may be. So I think in one word, I wish
more men would just listen, whether it's to yourself, to
(30:02):
your, to your wife, to your parents, to your, to your kids.
I just think that's that's the biggest thing.
Excellent. And Andrew?
If you want to go, Dave, I can, I can, I say.
Get get control of their egos beand be honest.
Those kind of go together because you know guys, a lot of
(30:25):
guys just BSA lot and you just don't know and that's just ego,
you know, it's insecurity. And so, yeah, I just think that
the world be a much better placeif men could just get control of
their egos and just, you know, stop trying to one up, one up
and and be like, this isn't bothering me or I got this, I
(30:45):
got this. It's like, be honest, you know,
like I, I saw you had a T-shirt the other day.
Vulnerable AFI love that one too.
And I'll add to kind of piggybacking up Nico a little
bit, but just, you know, learn how to empathize with people,
right? I think that he's a big thing
that has gone for, you know, a lot.
(31:06):
A lot of people need to learn it.
But you know, going with listening and with egos,
especially, you know, our community to men, I think if we
can learn how to emphasize better and then communicate
those feelings as well, Not justinternalize them, but
communicate them in a effective manner that really helps people
understand what you're thinking.But then also helps you
(31:26):
understand how reasons for why other people might be acting the
way that they're acting. So who knows what's happening,
what's going on, but don't make those assumptions that oh,
they're acting this way because of XY or Z.
But really take the moment to emphasize and and understand
just people. When, when I was a kid, they
were really just two films that men of all ages were allowed to
(31:47):
have an emotional reaction to. 1was Brian's Song and the other
was Old Yeller. So my greatest hope for you is
that you create something that allows men to feel and that they
do so. But I want to thank you for
joining me today. I know independent film can be
years and years and years in themaking and, and you've having
that experience. So I, I really hope this is the
(32:09):
year that things come to fruition.
We'll have all the links to support and contribute to the
the production in the show notesand I look forward to seeing the
final. Result Thank you.
Thank you for having us. Thank you to the listeners and
viewers as well. And just for the overall welcome
and this and the support we we hope to be able to provide that
that film to everyone. Huge thanks to Nico, Dave, and
(32:32):
Andrew for sharing not just their film, but themselves.
Guys Night is more than a movie.It's a mirror held up to modern
fatherhood, emotional honesty, and the evolving definition of
masculinity. If you're a man who's tired of
pretending you have it all together and you're ready to
connect with other men that are keeping it real, join us in the
authentic AF community at realmenfeel.org/group.
(32:54):
And until next time, be good to yourself.
You know, that's what we all love about movies that, you
know, when you just sit there and you just and you used a
great word, absorb. You know, I just want people to
be able to absorb this movie. And but yeah, you want to make
something that's meaningful and,and, and that really changes
people and effects them and makes them cry, makes them
laugh, that at all. I would, I would second all of
that. Maybe just add that you have to
(00:20):
show people that even in the rough times, there's still
positivity to be found and within yourself, within your
family, within your community. So hello and.
Welcome to Real Men Feel, I'm your host Andy Grant.
Today we're diving into fatherhood, vulnerability, and
what it means to be a man. With the creative team behind
the upcoming film Guys Night. I'm joined by writer, producer
and actor Nico Vitaco, director,editor and sound designer Dave
(00:43):
Eicorn and producer Andrew Baird.
Together, they're bringing to life a story based on Nico's own
experience growing up with a single dad, exploring the
emotional journey of a man learning that true strength
comes from presence, honesty, and heart.
We talk about divorce, emotionalopenness, masculinity, and why
it's time for more stories that show men feeling and healing.
(01:05):
And if these conversations resonate with you and you want
to go deeper, I invite you to join my new private online
community, Authentic AF. This is a safe space to be raw,
real and supported. No masks, no macho BS Check it
out at realmenfeel.org/group. Let's do it.
Hello guys and welcome to Real Men Feel.
(01:26):
Hey, lady. Great to be here.
Thank you for having us. I'm going to throw this up to
all of you. And we'll, we'll.
Start at the start. Tell me what inspired guys
night. Oh, hey everybody.
My name is Nico Vitaco. I'm the writer, producer and the
actor of Guys Night. It was inspired by my childhood
(01:47):
growing up. It's a it's a heart filled
coming of age film inspired by my real life growing up with my
two brothers single dad in 1980sHometown, IL, which is the real
name of a town called Hometown. When our mom left, my dad, who
had no road map for raising three boys on his own, started a
(02:09):
weekly ritual called Guys Night,which was every Friday night.
We'd rent VHS tapes, we'd grab our favorite chips and pop and
just stay up late. Just be together and just be
together. It wasn't perfect, but it was
his way of saying I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.
At its core, I feel like this story is really about
(02:29):
fatherhood, divorce and resilience.
It's about the battles that we fight as parents, or sometimes
you have to lose a few to win the war, which is raising your
kids rights. It's a very funny, nostalgic and
full of 80s heart. But it's also honest and healing
to tribute to every father who'stried their best, to every son
(02:50):
who's needed more than when his dad knew how to give into the
power of just simply showing up,even when it's hard.
Why is it important that this story be told now?
I think, I think it's important it's told now because in
general, universally, I feel like men haven't been given the
(03:13):
full support through single fatherhood that women have been
given, which they're very deserved to have been given.
Women are very deserving of the full support that they've been
given. But I feel like men haven't been
given that full support. And a lot of men universally,
even me growing up were taught to bury your feelings, not
taught to bury your feelings, but we were taught to not
(03:36):
express and wear our emotions onour sleeve.
My father was a very stoic man, did just that.
He loved deeply with his with his heart, but he didn't know
how to express that, especially to his sons, especially to the
one son who needed it express the most.
So I think it's important to tell now because just for me
(03:57):
personally, writing this script has just been therapeutic to get
out because I never knew how to deal with my own family's
divorce and who I became as a man.
It, it shaped me, but I wanted to learn how and why it shaped
me. And I wanted to be able to
express that and see if me telling my personal story would
resonate at all with any other men, women, father, son, just
(04:22):
anyone who's been through a similar situation.
I think it's just, I think it's important to show men that we
can be different than what we'vebeen perceived to be.
Yeah, I I can't agree more. I wonder, since this is so
autobiographical, has there beena really surprising moment of
emotional vulnerability that that's that's that's kind of
(04:44):
shocked you during this process anywhere along the way?
Yes, yes and no. I think I learned a lot.
Well, I learned a lot about my dad that I didn't know prior to
all this stuff. I mean, I, I had to separate
myself as the sun and bring in myself as the writer, producer
of this. But still, it's, I'm, I'm
(05:05):
attached to it all emotionally. So there are some things where
seeing my dad be so vulnerable and really open up about his
life and his marriage with my mom and what he thought he was
doing. The what he thought he was doing
was the best he, he could do at the time.
Was, was really, I wouldn't say shocking to me, but it was eye
opening to me. It, it let my guard down.
(05:28):
It's showing how vulnerable he was.
It showed me a different side ofhim on how he had wished he had
been different than growing up or, or raising us.
So I think throughout the whole process there have been like
moments, roller coasters of vulnerable moments where I've
just really, I've given myself fully to the project and to the
discoveries that I've made throughout the the, the journey
(05:51):
of it. I was gonna add to it just on
the emotional connection side, outside of Nico's family story,
it's just the emotional connection of the town itself,
of hometown. I'm sure we'll probably get in
this a little bit, but it's justcool to see this community that
Niko grew up in still exists in all of its glory.
And it's just, it's once we've been bringing this, you know,
(06:11):
going to Hometown here and therewith the story, with the script,
what we're trying to do. It's just cool to see the town
come together like how can we help you?
We love this. We want to get hometown out
there. So just to see just that
emotional connection to just thinking on the the other side
of just this town is really, really cool and and uplifting.
Andrew, for people not familiar with the world of movie making,
(06:33):
what's the role of a producer? Oh, it depends on the day you
ask me. Is my my real answer to that?
No, I mean the role of a producer, like I said, it's
tenfold. You'll see a bunch of different
credits on the screen as they roll, right?
Executive producers, producers, Co producers, associate
producers, and they all had do have specific roles to them.
EPS are generally more finance side things.
(06:54):
Co producers and APS are people that maybe have connections to
the production side but are maybe just getting started or,
you know, getting that credit tobe based on what they've
contributed to the script. But the producer himself or
herself is, I guess someone is kind of the outside of the
director Dave here, the glue that kind of helps to hold the
production together and to keep it moving in the direction it
(07:15):
needs to go so we can get a successful final product.
That can mean anything from negotiating with vendors to cast
and crew to I always joke that I'm the onset therapist when
we're shooting. So a lot of fires always happen.
So it's like, OK, cool, what fire are we going to deal with
today? In a good way, right.
You're not not in a bad. It's always a.
(07:36):
It's a problem solving role for sure.
I remember in the beginning whenwe were talking with Andrew, he
had said he, he mentioned, he said expect the worst thing to
happen because like it, it will,especially in indie filmmaking,
like the some things will be thrown at you.
They're so unexpected. And that that's just it.
So you know he is the role of like the problems.
Can I say expect the worst thingor just expect the unexpected?
(07:57):
Sorry, expect the unexpected. Yeah, I'm sorry.
The best not expect the worst thing.
Expect the unexpected to to happen.
Which always happens, yes, no matter how well your plan.
Yeah, things going to go. It's so true too, yeah, and it's
so different. And it's usually just fine, so.
See how Nico? It's interesting to see how your
brain works. Expected, unexpected, and you
(08:17):
went. Very negative, Like Oh no.
What's the worst thing I can ask?
So, so Dave, you're the directorof Guys Night and you've worked
on some major productions in your career.
What What drew you to this project?
Oh man, you know, when I read the script, I loved it.
It's just a great story, you know, actually fits right into
the real men feel paradigm because the main character is
(08:40):
who Nico's going to play is Anthony.
It's his father. He's playing his own father.
And this man is going through a divorce, but is very, as Nico
likes to say, stoic. He is he, he, he buries all of
his feelings as men do. And, and, and for two reasons,
(09:01):
because he wants to show his kids that everything's OK.
And because he's just not developed enough to, you know,
he has that mentality that he learned, don't show your
feelings, you know, don't be vulnerable.
Just he's really closed up. And I like that story.
And this man goes on an arc, an emotional arc where he learns
through throughout the course ofthe film to to feel, you know,
(09:25):
that's what, you know, the name of this podcast.
Real men feel right. And it's it's really right up.
That's that's what this movie isabout in large part.
Yeah. So I, I, I like, I just I I've
never worked on a movie about divorce.
You know, I'm a child of divorce.
I've had divorce around me. But since I was like, since I
was born basically like uncles and grandparents were divorced.
(09:48):
And so I grew up with that and then my parents got divorced
when I was 11. And so it really studies that
great way in a great way. And so I know Nico, in writing
this, it was kind of therapeuticfor you, Andrew, has has your
involvement proven to be healingin any way?
In a, in a, in a sense I've, I've definitely found again,
(10:09):
it's such a a powerful story andheart warming story where I
think that's kind of the beauty of it.
No matter who is reading it or watching it, they can find
something in it to really take away.
I mean, I've luckily not a knockon wood child of divorce, but
there has been divorce in my family.
So it's been kind of AII definitely connect with the
stoic part of it 'cause we're very stoic family on my dad's
(10:32):
side. My, the, yeah, pretty much my
dad's side. So it's been nice to kind of
connect to that part of it going, oh, wait, hold on a
second. It is nice to OK to be more
vulnerable and, you know, express our emotions more and
more. So definitely in that case been
involved in this project has hasreally hit home for me.
Yeah, it, it explores dysfunction, you know, and, and
(10:53):
that that always interests me too.
Just just dysfunctional family drama.
And those are the kind of moviesI like to watch.
You know, watching the healing process.
I think it's it's, and that's, that's another thing about this
movie is it's, it's, you know, families and kids and mothers
and fathers are going to get a lot out of this because it's,
it's, it's what's the word cathartic to watch others going
(11:17):
through what you're going through, you know, and seeing
how they deal with it. And it makes you feel like, oh,
wow. So OK.
It's normal. Yeah.
And this is, yeah, it's, it's healing.
Is production underway? Is production completed?
Where we're out? Where are we in that?
Cause so production is in, we'rein a late development stage
right now. We are just to give you a little
(11:40):
bit of a back story. We were set to go into
production early in 2023. We had a financier on board.
The actors and writers strike kind of put us on pause in the
meantime. And then after the strike was
ratified, our financier had somehiccups with other things going
on. Ultimately, we lost our
(12:02):
financing and that route. And so we kind of put our brains
together and found new momentum on how to still push forward
because obviously we want to tell the story what we want to
share and get it out there. So we've been working with in
putting different feelers out there, working on in different
avenues to get ourselves into production.
One of those being we've teamed up with a fiscal sponsor with
(12:24):
Independent Film Alliance Chicago to receive 100% tax
deductible donations to raise our initial 25% equity because
we also have a debt partner who's lined up to trigger the
rest of the financing if we do raise that that initial equity.
We have so many people so much support in this.
(12:46):
Like you said, I, I feel like just this story alone and the
story we want to tell resonates so much with so many different
groups, organizations and, and people.
We've linked up with a ton of men's mental health groups,
men's support organizations, divorce support, parenting
organizations, and that's just like that that that community
(13:08):
who are helping to spread the word and extend our reach within
their network as well. We have, like Andrew mentioned,
hometown, which is this small 4500 person town 20 minutes
outside of the great city of Chicago There in there's huge,
immense about amount of support there.
Everyone from the mayor and the police chief who was who's all
(13:31):
spreading the word, trying to bring in the biggest thing we
need, which is the, the financing, the money.
But I feel like this route that we're on now, I'm in a way
thankful that the film didn't gointo production in 2023 because
it would have been too easy for us.
I feel like this path we're on now has such more, has so much
(13:52):
more meaning to it. I didn't realize the depth and
the healing that this story could could tell and, and could
do for people. And I didn't realize the, how
the community that it could bring in and, and the, the, the
amount of groups and people it could, it could touch and, and
who would come on board to help support it and get the word out
there. And that's really powerful.
(14:14):
And like, that's like, that fills my heart so much.
So I love this longer path. As much as I want to go into
production soon, and we will, I know we will, I feel like this
is the right path to be on. And so it's up to, it's up to
God to decide when it's going tohappen.
It is going to happen. But it's, you know, I've, I've
(14:35):
released that control on trying to decide when it is.
I just I, I give it to God in the universe to to decide when
that's happening. You you did mention that this
project has helped you kind of understand or get to know your
father better. I wonder what what other ways
has this project influenced all of your relationships with your
(14:56):
families? For me, it's influenced it.
It's actually helped my, my own life.
Like I'm, I'm married for 19 years this August.
I don't have any kids of my own.But I think for me personally,
like my story growing up and seeing what my parents went
through, seeing the aftermath ofit all that my, my brothers and
(15:19):
I dealt with and how we dealt with or didn't deal with with
the, the, the divorce, it influenced my own relationship
and especially with, with my, mywife.
We dated for about 5 years before I proposed to her.
And it wasn't because I didn't love her or anything.
I loved her tremendously, but I was scared.
(15:41):
I was scared to make the same mistake as my parents did.
I saw how it tore them apart, how it tore our family apart.
I saw how each of my brothers dealt with it differently.
You know, truthfully, like we'veeach dealt with this, their this
divorce so much differently fromeach other.
And my older brother's still struggling a lot with it.
(16:02):
My younger brother is a very stoic guy.
I love them both so much, but heburies a lot of it and it it, it
hasn't hasn't really like tappedinto to deal with it.
I found that talking about it and writing this really helped
me personally see it from different perspectives than just
my own. And I think that was important.
(16:24):
I was able to see from my, my dad's perspective, obviously,
but also my mom's perspective too.
Talking to her about it, gettingher blessing and, and sharing
with her the story I wanted to tell, but also telling her story
truthfully and authentically along with that.
So it's just been, it's been helpful for me to approach my
(16:47):
current marriage too, and to keep that strong and, and and
tight and open to communication,but also like other
relationships with anybody I I interact with as well.
Dave, how about you? How has this impacted your
family relationships? There's not many of us left, you
know, my brother and sister are pretty much all the stuff to my
(17:08):
family. They live we're we're we're not,
you know, super close. So, I mean, I don't really have
a story about that. You know, after the film is
made, it'll be a great thing. And, you know, I mean, in this
business, I go from, I go from job to job and, and it's, it's
always good to just be involved on a film because that's,
(17:30):
that's, that's, that's the goal.You know, that your family work
in the industry. I mean, the, the film industry,
Yeah, I've been in this 3 1/2 decades.
It's what I do. It's my bread and butter.
So yes, I'm just, I'm just thrilled to to be a part of
this. Yeah.
I would say definitely the powerof kind of reflection is the
biggest thing for me kind of reading a script like this and
(17:52):
just the beauty and power that acharacter and the character arc
that we've been talking about can have.
Reading it in a script is one thing, and then seeing it on the
screen, it can come across entirely differently in, you
know, a great way, in such a positive way.
So I am pretty lucky to be closewith my family.
I'm actually a triplet. So it's fun to, yeah, have two
(18:12):
people the same age of me out there, you know, out there, a
brother and a sister. But yeah, just again, in terms
of reflection, it's just that you, you can always be so close,
but then sometimes just also nothave ideas of kind of what's
going on with some of your family members.
So it's just a reminder to ask and check in sometimes and just
really, you know, stay connected.
(18:34):
Once Guys Night is complete and audiences are seeing it, Nico,
what's your biggest desire for what people take away from it?
My biggest desire is for people to see this as a way to connect
with themselves, to reconnect with their own family in, in a
(18:55):
sense to, I want this to serve as, as somewhat of a way to, to
help heal and to show that, you know, I, I think I wanted to
relate somehow to, to people, tohave them feel like, you know
what, like it's, it's OK to watch, to experience somebody
else's trauma, family trauma andto know that it's very
(19:19):
universal. How, you know, everyone's trauma
is, is different and dysfunction, family is, is all
different. But my biggest take away is that
I hope that it, it provides a sense of, of healing to, to
people, whether it's within their families, within
themselves, within a, a community.
We want more than just this filmto be on screen and to do well
in festivals and to get picked up by network or streaming.
(19:41):
We wanted to, we want to extend it to organizations that are
already doing the work and have this serve as a tool to, to, to
help and just to implement in their work that that they're
already doing just to show a, a visual because I feel like there
aren't many visual tools out there like.
(20:02):
Feature films that people can really just absorb.
So I that's, that's the biggest hope.
I want this to extend just beyond the screen and serve as a
tool for for healing. Dave or Andrew, anything you
want to add on top of that for what you hope people take away
from this? I, I just want to second what he
said. That's a big one.
I mean, Academy Award, I mean, come on.
(20:22):
That's that's what we that's what we want.
But no the just to to affect. The academy's listening is is.
Affecting people, I mean, how powerful is that?
You know, and that's, that's what I that's what, you know,
that's what we all love about movies that, you know, when you
just sit there and you just and you used a great word, absorb.
(20:43):
You know, I just want people to be able to absorb this movie in.
But yeah, that's you want, you want to make something that's
meaningful and, and and that really changes people and
effects them and makes them cry,makes them laugh that at all.
I would I would second all of that.
Maybe just add that, yeah, to show people that even in the
rough times, there's still positivity to be found and
(21:06):
within yourself, within your family, within your community.
So don't, don't look away from all of that.
And I hope that people realize that once they do watch this
movie. And you've as a child of
divorce, was there anything in the script or anything that's
that's been shot thus far that really mirrored your life and
made you go like, wow, how did how did we both have the same?
Experience. Yeah, I mean, as a matter of
(21:26):
fact, it and I didn't realize this until I thought about it
after some time. I had guys night too.
I mean, you know that our my dadmoved out and I lived with my
mom and my brother and for the first time, you know, he was
busy trying to make a living andnot home a whole lot.
It was a it was a good dad. We had a nice tight family
(21:48):
structure, thank goodness. But like I said, at 11, parents
got divorced, dad moved out, gothis own apartment.
And suddenly on weekends, we were going over to dads having
slumber parties and he was taking us us out to play pool
and movies, you know, saw a bunch of it.
It's like it was a blast out to dinner, just my brother, my dad
(22:10):
and I. And I realized that that was and
that went on for years. It was very, very cool.
And it's just something that hadn't happened before, you
know? And so in in effect, that was
basically guys night. So, yeah, I could relate.
And it it, it was very, it was just healthy.
You know, I didn't get too disturbed by the divorce because
(22:33):
again, I thought it was, you know, this is fun.
My brother's a little older. He was 14 at the time, and he
seemed to go very deep. I think it really bothered him
and he's a quiet guy. So I, you know, I, I, I don't
know how badly, but I, I don't think it affected him as happily
as, as I, I thought it was great.
(22:53):
We were having fun. You resonate with any character.
The youngest son, probably. He's just like I get.
I think so of everything. 2 birthdays.
Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, so my parents divorced. That was 50.
Wow, the holidays, Earth Days made it kind of.
But yeah, I have. I have no memory of my parents
being together. Oh, like I just don't.
(23:15):
Remember that. Time.
Movies were a big deal, like I, my dad would pick me up every
Sunday and I don't say I want tosee this movie and love it was
to escape my life, but I wanted to live someone else's life.
And but yeah, the big screen always just a welcoming place
and I'd see everything possibly.That yeah, it's just a cool like
bonding time I. Think this?
(23:37):
Well, my, my dad was a smoker then, so he'd smoke and to go
walk, smoke and move and I come back and I had to give him an
update. So I'd like become a film critic
and be quietly, you know, getting up to speed every time
we saw a movie. And this movie fan, is there
anything coming out this summer or this year that you guys are
excited to to see yourselves? Today I'm excited to see
Superman. I don't have tickets today.
(23:58):
I'm one of those where I'm like,I'm not, I'm going to wait till
the rush is over with a little bit.
I know it's bad because they've liked that first weekend box
office. I'm excited to see that I just
as a kid, like I grew up like that was my favorite superhero
of all time. Christopher Reeves will always
be my Superman, But I just love the the story of it.
And I mean, there's plenty of pictures of me as a child in my
my favorite Superman shirt wearing all the time.
(24:20):
And I think that that actually like the idea of Superman of
like wanting to be the superhero.
This Superman always gave me thehope that I could like be super
or grow or as a kid thinking silly, thinking I could fix my
parents, fix their their divorce, or I just wanted to be
(24:41):
strong so I can mend our broken family back together.
So I think like the kid in me when I heard Superman was coming
out was just like, heck yeah. And then they dealt with me.
It was like, hell yeah. I don't think you'll see that
because it's Superman. It's just awesome.
So by far, like that's like the one that stands out to me
immediately. By the way, another cool thing,
(25:02):
a cool thing about this movie isit takes place in 1985, most of
it. And how fun is that?
I mean, we're going to be shooting, you know, I mean, it
adds a whole lot of complicationto the shoot, but we will pull
that off. So nostalgic.
I mean, yeah, it's nostalgic andit's it's so we're shooting it
in the same town right near the house where Nico grew up,
actually. Small neighborhood and at the
(25:25):
same time placing it it's it's very, very cool so it's.
Going to give the the old 80s just like feel good or just that
old 80s vibe like like those old80s films.
Just going to give it that that feeling again.
Yeah, and everyone's coming out of the woodworks with all of
their classic 80s decorations too.
It's great. Oh my God.
Bars I mean. Like, oh, that's perfect.
(25:46):
That takes us straight. Back to the yeah, we have so
many people who are willing to to donate a lot of of props and
vehicles. Even we have a group in hometown
that runs a car show and we already have a lot of their
vehicles that we're going to be able to use some late 70s, early
80s vehicles. We'll be able to use just a
place throughout certain areas and and hometown itself.
(26:08):
For people that don't know it's set, it's still dated and set in
the 80s. Most of it is, you know, it's
like Dave was saying, it's it's challenging because for any
period film, you have to be ableto shoot it, right?
But that's the beauty of filmmaking.
You know, you can frame it and cinematography set up with a
director and a cinematographer can capture an image and
everything else around it. You would see like it's like
(26:29):
2025, but just that image, that frame will show 1985.
And it's going to be like, it's really exciting just to kind of
like, go back. Can't get any smartphones in the
shot. We can't have anything in the
background that's like a a modern car.
Anything after it. I mean, think about it just
like. We really have.
You know, be precious about whatgoes in that frame.
(26:51):
So that's the fun of it. The whole 80s vibe.
Yeah, as far as it's still goingstrong, it's.
Amazing people, people love it and that's a big thing too.
I feel like if anything, the nostalgia of the the film will
will kind of tap people into to,to the actual true story, you
know, behind it all. So that will be enjoyable.
So if anything, they'll get somenostalgia out of it.
(27:12):
And and how can listeners support help out, contribute to
guys? Night, well they can.
You know, I would say that if the story resonates with you, we
love your support. As I mentioned earlier guys
Night is fiscally sponsored by IFA Chicago.
They are A5O1C3 organization. So that means all donations are
(27:33):
100% tax deductible and every dollar just brings us closer to
production. So you can donate at a website
calledgivebutter.com/guys Night.You can also, I'm going to hold
this up here too if that's cool.You can scan this QR code.
Can you guys see it? You can scan this QR code.
(27:54):
It'll take you to that site which has our pitch video on it.
It's a great video which explains our entire story from
where we started to where we arenow and where we want to go in
the future with this, with this film in this project.
And there's our donor portal on there as well.
So as I said, every dollar brings us closer to productions.
In addition to that, for those who may be looking to go a step
(28:15):
further, we also offer some investor opportunities with a
promising ROI potential thanks to our Illinois tax credit
approval and our already secureddistribution.
We're working with the distributor Freestyle Media
already who've who've come on board.
We can create tailored proposalsacross different equity tiers so
(28:36):
that if that is of interest to anyone who wants to potentially
invest, you can reach out to us directly at
info@guysnightmovie.com. So whether you donate or invest,
you're helping to bring a healing, heartfelt story to
life, one that reminds fathers and sons everywhere that it's
(28:56):
never too late to connect, to open up, and to love a little
louder. A a question I ask all guests
how real men feel, and I'm goingto ask each of you today, what
is one thing that you wish more men knew?
Oh, good question. Yeah.
So do you want to take it away? Yeah, who started this one?
(29:17):
Listen, I wish more men would just listen.
I've learned in my life and my relationships, I've had a
tendency to want to fix, to justautomatically want to come in
and help and fix and please. So it's taken a lot to take a
step back and to release that control that that desire and
(29:40):
just to absorb, like I said before and listen and then
redirect and figure out how to how I can be of, of help and not
provide a solution, but to be ofhelp to whatever the situation
or circumstance may be. So I think in one word, I wish
more men would just listen, whether it's to yourself, to
(30:02):
your, to your wife, to your parents, to your, to your kids.
I just think that's that's the biggest thing.
Excellent. And Andrew?
If you want to go, Dave, I can, I can, I say.
Get get control of their egos beand be honest.
Those kind of go together because you know guys, a lot of
(30:25):
guys just BSA lot and you just don't know and that's just ego,
you know, it's insecurity. And so, yeah, I just think that
the world be a much better placeif men could just get control of
their egos and just, you know, stop trying to one up, one up
and and be like, this isn't bothering me or I got this, I
(30:45):
got this. It's like, be honest, you know,
like I, I saw you had a T-shirt the other day.
Vulnerable AFI love that one too.
And I'll add to kind of piggybacking up Nico a little
bit, but just, you know, learn how to empathize with people,
right? I think that he's a big thing
that has gone for, you know, a lot.
(31:06):
A lot of people need to learn it.
But you know, going with listening and with egos,
especially, you know, our community to men, I think if we
can learn how to emphasize better and then communicate
those feelings as well, Not justinternalize them, but
communicate them in a effective manner that really helps people
understand what you're thinking.But then also helps you
(31:26):
understand how reasons for why other people might be acting the
way that they're acting. So who knows what's happening,
what's going on, but don't make those assumptions that oh,
they're acting this way because of XY or Z.
But really take the moment to emphasize and and understand
just people. When, when I was a kid, they
were really just two films that men of all ages were allowed to
(31:47):
have an emotional reaction to. 1was Brian's Song and the other
was Old Yeller. So my greatest hope for you is
that you create something that allows men to feel and that they
do so. But I want to thank you for
joining me today. I know independent film can be
years and years and years in themaking and, and you've having
that experience. So I, I really hope this is the
(32:09):
year that things come to fruition.
We'll have all the links to support and contribute to the
the production in the show notesand I look forward to seeing the
final. Result Thank you.
Thank you for having us. Thank you to the listeners and
viewers as well. And just for the overall welcome
and this and the support we we hope to be able to provide that
that film to everyone. Huge thanks to Nico, Dave, and
(32:32):
Andrew for sharing not just their film, but themselves.
Guys Night is more than a movie.It's a mirror held up to modern
fatherhood, emotional honesty, and the evolving definition of
masculinity. If you're a man who's tired of
pretending you have it all together and you're ready to
connect with other men that are keeping it real, join us in the
authentic AF community at realmenfeel.org/group.
(32:54):
And until next time, be good to yourself.
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