The To Do List: A Microbudget Masterpiece
At the recent Los Angeles premiere of CBS Films’ The To Do List, director Maggie Carey graced the stage with a list of people so long it could have been an IKEA instruction manual. Clearly, it was a collaborative effort to create this passion project—perhaps a little too passionate, considering the budget was just $1.2 million.
In a world dominated by superheroes flaunting spandex and CGI explosions, The To Do List dares to swim against the Hollywood tide. This charming comedy follows a type-A high school grad—who, let’s face it, probably made a detailed PowerPoint presentation on how to gain more sexual experience during her summer break before heading off to college. Because that’s what high school grads do, right?
“Set in 1993, I sometimes felt like we were paying crew and actors wages from that era,” Carey chuckled to The Hollywood Reporter. But who wouldn’t want to relive the glory days of grunge hair and dial-up internet? Nostalgia is the real currency here, not the measly dollars they had to scrape together.
The Power of Personal Connections
The impressive cast boasts Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader—Carey’s husband, because obviously, she was going to keep things in the family—and the delightful Aubrey Plaza, whose friendship with Carey dates back to their days in UCB improv classes. “Everyone pretty much did the film as a favor,” producer Jennifer Todd confirmed, proving that ‘favor’ is the magic word when you’re operating on a shoestring budget.
Andy Samberg, sporting a laughably bad ’90s grunge rocker look (we’re talking hair that could double as an animal shelter), casually mentioned he was roped into this delightful project while hanging out on the SNL set. “Maggie approached me and said, ‘Hey, do you wanna be in my movie?’ and I enthusiastically said ‘Yes!’” Because who could resist the allure of a movie filled with awkward sexual escapades and nostalgia-laden one-liners?
From Raunch to Riches
More than just a movie, The To Do List is a testament to Carey’s undeniable charm and her ability to persuade talented friends to participate in a project that had nearly been tossed aside by larger studios. Those bigger players either wanted to scale it down or shave the raunchy edges. Luckily, the script became the toast of the town—a coveted spot on the Black List (not to be confused with the list of people you’re no longer on speaking terms with).
“I had been waiting for ages to find a film role where I could give a hand job,” laughed Plaza, who is slowly becoming the unofficial spokesperson for awkward sexuality in indie films. “It was honestly one of the funniest scripts I’ve ever read.” And if laughter is the best medicine, then The To Do List is practically penicillin.
The Art of Low-Budget Financing
With Plaza and Hader aboard, The To Do List ventured into the wild waters of the Austin Film Festival in 2011 for a table read, where they workshopped their way to CBS Films. A mere day after financing was secured, CBS Films decided to greenlight the project. It’s almost as if the cosmos aligned—for once. “I lucked out that Brian Robbins had a deal with CBS Films to produce low-budget comedies,” Carey said, presumably while clutching a lucky rabbit’s foot.
In the end, The To Do List stands as a shining beacon for those creative souls grappling with one of Hollywood’s heaviest burdens: a lack of funding. “If you’ve got a great script, just try to get it made at whatever level you can,” Todd advised, as if this should be printed neatly on the bottom of every Starbucks cup collar.
Ready to Check Off Your List?
The To Do List also stars Clark Gregg, Connie Britton, and Rachel Bilson, and it opens on July 26. So grab your friends, a bucket of nostalgia, and get ready to check off your summer plans with a laughter-packed film that proves you don’t need a billion-dollar budget to make a mark!
