"How it Works" - The Movie
Donation protected
We need your support to produce a new Film to show the world that Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are still the best treatment options for Alcoholics and Drug Addicts. (This project is not associated with Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Participation by employees, cast, staff and volunteers in this project should in no way reflect any association, membership or endorsement of AA or NA).
My name is James Bock and I'm a Registered Nurse and as a health care provider, and worked as an Emergency Department Nurse in some busy hospitals, I witnessed countless lives saved by 12 Step Programs but many more lost because of an ignorance of AA and NA. As such I felt compelled to talk about AA and NA and try and make a difference, so I wrote a screen play about recovery.
James Bock, RN Screenwriter & Executive Producer
AA has been able to accomplish what religion, science, medicine, and all the willpower in history has been unable to, by allowing millions of alcoholics to live free from the devastating effects of alcoholism, and NA has been able to allow addicts to break free from even the most addictive drugs ever invented.
Unfortunately, in the past ten or fifteen years, these fellowships have come under attack.
The Atlantic Magazine (one of several anti AA articles)
HOW IT WORKS (www.HowItWorks.film ) is an exciting new screenplay for a film to help fuel a grassroots revitalization of 12 step programs to get them back to their origins when rates of recovery were far higher than they are now. The film’s screenplay illustrates a fictional depiction of a hopeless Drunk's journey through the 12 Steps in a fashion that the founders would be proud of.
The film's mood will counter the PC culture and identity politics that are poisoning our society and Alcoholics Anonymous and highlights the issues and controversies active AA members face in trying to sponsor people.
In recent years, Big Pharma and the therapeutic community have meddled in the affairs of AA to enrich themselves.
Political influence has been exerted to prescribe thousands of incarcerated and institutionalized alcoholics with medications and forced them to participate in ineffective and expensive treatment modalities. These therapeutic treatments, although similar to AA, lack AA’s spiritual approach. These organizations later claim that AA’s 12 Steps are not effective, stating that their medications and therapies yield better results. This is not true. Nothing in the history of man has been more effective in treating alcoholism than Alcoholics Anonymous. In the meantime, millions of alcoholics and addicts are dying in the crossfire.
Psychology Today (anti AA article)
As the worldwide population has grown from approximately 6.1 to 7.8 billion people over the past 20 years, Alcoholics Anonymous total membership has stagnated at a mere two million members over the same time frame. The effect of outside interference on NA is believed to be more devastating, as the opioid epidemic has never been so severe.
Big Pharma created an extremely potent class of opioids that are making instant addicts of those who unwittingly try these medications even for just a few days. Big Pharma then created a class of treatment remedy medications which many find are more addictive and more difficult to stop. Despite their addictive and mood altering attributes, the therapeutic community has followed Big Pharma’s lead and encouraged patients to take these medications and ensured them that they are “clean” and “sober.”
How it Works, takes an old school approach to guide viewers through AA’s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions in an effort to promote a grass roots movement to restore the AA and NA programs to their original glory.
The genres would be considered a Drama / Dark Comedy, with similarities in writing styles to the inappropriateness of Michael Scott in The Office series, coupled with a dedication to drinking of Frank in the Shameless Showtime series.
We anticipate that film will have the average audience member uncontrollably laughing one minute while watching the crazy antics of an out of control alcoholic, and in the next moment, crying watching someone recount harrowing episodes of child abuse that was kept secret for decades.
The protagonist "Jack" is much like the Ray Donovan character, having a propensity for violence while displaying wit, charm, and moxie. As the story unfolds and Jack begrudgingly recovers, the audience will be brought to tears riding the emotional roller coaster and gut wrenching experience of making amends for unforgivable transgressions and the riveting uncertainty of how these amends will be received.
Often left out of the recovery process is the family of the alcoholic. Not only does Jack recover in the film but his dedicated, emotionally distraught, codependent wife, Karen, recovers in Alanon.
The film will show how Alcoholics Anonymous members achieve a deep and effective spiritual awakening when a member follows directions and engages in simple actions even though he doesn't believe that it will work for him.
A watered-down, people pleasing version of AA has shown to be ineffective. Sayings like "Meeting makers make it", taking medications instead of working the steps, and having a therapist sponsor you can all be lethal.
The film addresses the glaring issues affecting AA’s effectiveness causing a decline in membership, including:
Medications (sober or not sober); Sponsorship vs Therapy; ignorance of the 12 traditions; Rehabs interference and moderation of in house AA meetings and discouragement of patients participation in AA; non alcoholics participation in AA; Celebrities talking about their involvement in AA (it’s ok to tell people you don’t drink anymore but telling people you are a member of AA doesn’t do AA any favors when you kill yourself or are drunk in the news); the hiring of AA members by the rehab and therapeutic communities; online haters of AA; AA World Services dependance on Book Sales and discouragement of the much more effective distribution of books in electronic formats.
The NY Post Newspaper (one of several anti AA articles)
We understand that AA’s Traditions prevent AA from engaging in controversy and can't defend itself. However, it is unconscionable that AA’s friends don’t stand up and defend AA, and what better way to help AA than create a film that shares the truth.
The film illustrates the simplicity of the AA process of one drunk talking to another drunk and the lack of need for such a large bureaucratic organization.
This project is not violating the traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous as this film is not in any way associated with Alcoholics Anonymous nor are any participants admitting any association with AA.
Obviously, over many decades the experience of old timers in Alcoholics Anonymous and their teachings has been influential on our efforts.
With your help we can show how Alcoholics Anonymous works by pointing out the hypocrisies and encouraging a grassroots effort to maintain AA's principles.
We need your help to cover typical legal expenses, start up costs, equipment, accounting fees, consultants, rent, salaries and all the other expenses that need to be covered in producing our deeply meaningful film.
We anticipate saving a significant amount of money producing "How it Works", by utilizing people committed to our cause and as such; volunteers, staff, shareholders, officers of company and consultants helping us write, film, promote and edit the film may receive a portion of the proceeds from GoFundMe campaign in the form of reimbursement for travel, living expenses, gas, etc.
How it Works is at the final stages in the screen writing process and will go through re-writes and edits as we move forward toward production. We intend on distributing draft copies to donors for comments in the coming months. We hope to include some new scenes depicting your stories that fit into the storyline as best we can. Your input is important to us.
We're not looking for $100 million budget to produce this film! We don't need it when we have a story that is as compelling as this. We have a number of volunteers and anticipate recruiting many more to participate in the project.
The more money we raise obviously the more we can do to improve the quality of the film and music score. We anticipate that this is an easy to make film that's not dependent on location, famous names, or unions for completion. Obviously, if we enlist a celebrity to play our protagonist (Jack), our chances for success will be greater.
Please donate whatever you can- How it Works just might help save countless lives in future generations of alcoholics. If we raise just $350,000 we hope it to be enough to get things off the ground and cover most of the expenses of shooting the raw footage. If we raise $1 million, editing and music score will be budgeted for. If we raise $2 or $3 million that'll ensure solid distribution and a top-quality production. We hope to deliver a film that is watched in every rehab throughout the world as a great introduction to recovery. Of course in the event that we can't fund the film ourselves we will look to partner with some one who shares our goals. We believe that the final screen play will be salable and that many would be interested in our project.
Because of the Covid 19 situation, most people haven't been to many in person AA / NA meetings for the past six months and are in need of emotional support and many are struggling financially. We understand not everyone is in a position to contribute.
Please tend to your recovery. Get a sponsor, work the steps and help others. If you are in a position to help us financially, please consider giving what you can. As an AA/ NA member we ask that you first consider supporting your homegroup by making coffee, cleaning up, participating in the meeting, helping the newcomers, putting a few bucks in the basket and that as a responsible AA / NA member that you are paying back those on your amends list and attending to your family’s needs. God Bless You! We believe, whole heartedly, in you helping support AA / NA however you believe is best.
Thank you for your time.
Some other recovery movies supporting AA:
"My Name is Bill W"
"28 Days"
"Days of Wine and Roses"
"When a Man Loves a Woman"
"Clean and Sober"
"The Lost Weekend"
While there have been many films about recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, none of them have done what we are looking to do. Please consider supporting our efforts in producing an updated recovery film.
My name is James Bock and I'm a Registered Nurse and as a health care provider, and worked as an Emergency Department Nurse in some busy hospitals, I witnessed countless lives saved by 12 Step Programs but many more lost because of an ignorance of AA and NA. As such I felt compelled to talk about AA and NA and try and make a difference, so I wrote a screen play about recovery.
James Bock, RN Screenwriter & Executive Producer
AA has been able to accomplish what religion, science, medicine, and all the willpower in history has been unable to, by allowing millions of alcoholics to live free from the devastating effects of alcoholism, and NA has been able to allow addicts to break free from even the most addictive drugs ever invented.
Unfortunately, in the past ten or fifteen years, these fellowships have come under attack.
The Atlantic Magazine (one of several anti AA articles)HOW IT WORKS (www.HowItWorks.film ) is an exciting new screenplay for a film to help fuel a grassroots revitalization of 12 step programs to get them back to their origins when rates of recovery were far higher than they are now. The film’s screenplay illustrates a fictional depiction of a hopeless Drunk's journey through the 12 Steps in a fashion that the founders would be proud of.
The film's mood will counter the PC culture and identity politics that are poisoning our society and Alcoholics Anonymous and highlights the issues and controversies active AA members face in trying to sponsor people.
In recent years, Big Pharma and the therapeutic community have meddled in the affairs of AA to enrich themselves.
Political influence has been exerted to prescribe thousands of incarcerated and institutionalized alcoholics with medications and forced them to participate in ineffective and expensive treatment modalities. These therapeutic treatments, although similar to AA, lack AA’s spiritual approach. These organizations later claim that AA’s 12 Steps are not effective, stating that their medications and therapies yield better results. This is not true. Nothing in the history of man has been more effective in treating alcoholism than Alcoholics Anonymous. In the meantime, millions of alcoholics and addicts are dying in the crossfire.
Psychology Today (anti AA article)As the worldwide population has grown from approximately 6.1 to 7.8 billion people over the past 20 years, Alcoholics Anonymous total membership has stagnated at a mere two million members over the same time frame. The effect of outside interference on NA is believed to be more devastating, as the opioid epidemic has never been so severe.
Big Pharma created an extremely potent class of opioids that are making instant addicts of those who unwittingly try these medications even for just a few days. Big Pharma then created a class of treatment remedy medications which many find are more addictive and more difficult to stop. Despite their addictive and mood altering attributes, the therapeutic community has followed Big Pharma’s lead and encouraged patients to take these medications and ensured them that they are “clean” and “sober.”
How it Works, takes an old school approach to guide viewers through AA’s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions in an effort to promote a grass roots movement to restore the AA and NA programs to their original glory.
The genres would be considered a Drama / Dark Comedy, with similarities in writing styles to the inappropriateness of Michael Scott in The Office series, coupled with a dedication to drinking of Frank in the Shameless Showtime series.
We anticipate that film will have the average audience member uncontrollably laughing one minute while watching the crazy antics of an out of control alcoholic, and in the next moment, crying watching someone recount harrowing episodes of child abuse that was kept secret for decades.
The protagonist "Jack" is much like the Ray Donovan character, having a propensity for violence while displaying wit, charm, and moxie. As the story unfolds and Jack begrudgingly recovers, the audience will be brought to tears riding the emotional roller coaster and gut wrenching experience of making amends for unforgivable transgressions and the riveting uncertainty of how these amends will be received.
Often left out of the recovery process is the family of the alcoholic. Not only does Jack recover in the film but his dedicated, emotionally distraught, codependent wife, Karen, recovers in Alanon.
The film will show how Alcoholics Anonymous members achieve a deep and effective spiritual awakening when a member follows directions and engages in simple actions even though he doesn't believe that it will work for him.
A watered-down, people pleasing version of AA has shown to be ineffective. Sayings like "Meeting makers make it", taking medications instead of working the steps, and having a therapist sponsor you can all be lethal.
The film addresses the glaring issues affecting AA’s effectiveness causing a decline in membership, including:
Medications (sober or not sober); Sponsorship vs Therapy; ignorance of the 12 traditions; Rehabs interference and moderation of in house AA meetings and discouragement of patients participation in AA; non alcoholics participation in AA; Celebrities talking about their involvement in AA (it’s ok to tell people you don’t drink anymore but telling people you are a member of AA doesn’t do AA any favors when you kill yourself or are drunk in the news); the hiring of AA members by the rehab and therapeutic communities; online haters of AA; AA World Services dependance on Book Sales and discouragement of the much more effective distribution of books in electronic formats.
The NY Post Newspaper (one of several anti AA articles)We understand that AA’s Traditions prevent AA from engaging in controversy and can't defend itself. However, it is unconscionable that AA’s friends don’t stand up and defend AA, and what better way to help AA than create a film that shares the truth.
The film illustrates the simplicity of the AA process of one drunk talking to another drunk and the lack of need for such a large bureaucratic organization.
This project is not violating the traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous as this film is not in any way associated with Alcoholics Anonymous nor are any participants admitting any association with AA.
Obviously, over many decades the experience of old timers in Alcoholics Anonymous and their teachings has been influential on our efforts.
With your help we can show how Alcoholics Anonymous works by pointing out the hypocrisies and encouraging a grassroots effort to maintain AA's principles.
We need your help to cover typical legal expenses, start up costs, equipment, accounting fees, consultants, rent, salaries and all the other expenses that need to be covered in producing our deeply meaningful film.
We anticipate saving a significant amount of money producing "How it Works", by utilizing people committed to our cause and as such; volunteers, staff, shareholders, officers of company and consultants helping us write, film, promote and edit the film may receive a portion of the proceeds from GoFundMe campaign in the form of reimbursement for travel, living expenses, gas, etc.
How it Works is at the final stages in the screen writing process and will go through re-writes and edits as we move forward toward production. We intend on distributing draft copies to donors for comments in the coming months. We hope to include some new scenes depicting your stories that fit into the storyline as best we can. Your input is important to us.
We're not looking for $100 million budget to produce this film! We don't need it when we have a story that is as compelling as this. We have a number of volunteers and anticipate recruiting many more to participate in the project.
The more money we raise obviously the more we can do to improve the quality of the film and music score. We anticipate that this is an easy to make film that's not dependent on location, famous names, or unions for completion. Obviously, if we enlist a celebrity to play our protagonist (Jack), our chances for success will be greater.
Please donate whatever you can- How it Works just might help save countless lives in future generations of alcoholics. If we raise just $350,000 we hope it to be enough to get things off the ground and cover most of the expenses of shooting the raw footage. If we raise $1 million, editing and music score will be budgeted for. If we raise $2 or $3 million that'll ensure solid distribution and a top-quality production. We hope to deliver a film that is watched in every rehab throughout the world as a great introduction to recovery. Of course in the event that we can't fund the film ourselves we will look to partner with some one who shares our goals. We believe that the final screen play will be salable and that many would be interested in our project.
Because of the Covid 19 situation, most people haven't been to many in person AA / NA meetings for the past six months and are in need of emotional support and many are struggling financially. We understand not everyone is in a position to contribute.
Please tend to your recovery. Get a sponsor, work the steps and help others. If you are in a position to help us financially, please consider giving what you can. As an AA/ NA member we ask that you first consider supporting your homegroup by making coffee, cleaning up, participating in the meeting, helping the newcomers, putting a few bucks in the basket and that as a responsible AA / NA member that you are paying back those on your amends list and attending to your family’s needs. God Bless You! We believe, whole heartedly, in you helping support AA / NA however you believe is best.
Thank you for your time.
Some other recovery movies supporting AA:
"My Name is Bill W"
"28 Days"
"Days of Wine and Roses"
"When a Man Loves a Woman"
"Clean and Sober"
"The Lost Weekend"
While there have been many films about recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, none of them have done what we are looking to do. Please consider supporting our efforts in producing an updated recovery film.
Organizer
James Bock
Organizer
Cherry Hill, NJ