"To raise awareness on depression, suicide and LOVE"

Originally just an idea of actor/co-founder Tyler Atkins, who wrestled with the death of Australian mentor and friend Charlotte Dawson -- Tyler wanted to create a story and film that would show audiences a glimmer of hope.  Or in his words "one pathway" through depression. Through constant ups and downs with his own depression and life and death experiences, Tyler channeled his pain and experience into a unique story for a film.  He called it "THE LOVE EFFECT"

 

​Moving to Los Angeles to act full-time, Tyler met fellow rising actor Ari Blinder, who together put the story to the page.  Soon after, they met writer/director Drue Metz through a family friend. After a thorough discussion of what "The Love Effect" meant to them, and what it could mean to others, Drue signed on to direct and re-write the screenplay.

 

On New Years eve 2014, Tyler, Drue and Ari shared a unique experience for their very first meeting. From a Yoga retreat to meditating at a Sikh Temple, to celebrating the New Years Eve countdown to spending an entire evening under the Los Angeles stars, the three talked about how their film could indeed be a special movement in cinema and culture across the world.  They each saw it as a new wave and a powerful approach to raising awareness for not only depression and suicide, but LOVE.

 

Through their grass-roots social media campaign and kickstarter, "the boys" as they call themselves, raised their $30,000 film budget within 3 days. Thanks to an unexpected and life-changing email from Linda Barrie, Leigh Goodman and Susie Morrissey who were deeply moved by their campaign, "the boys" realized the impact they could make in people's lives. These three gracious ladies who reached out were still in grief of their brother, Cameron Morrissey, who not too far from Ari, Tyler and Drue's age, took his own life after years of fighting depression. The Morrissey family, still troubled with pain, regret and frustration, wanted to channel it into something poisitive.  As Linda Barrier puts it, "it hit her like a ton of bricks, discovering the boys and what they wanted to do with their film and movement.  Fast-forward through a successful media campaign, the boys not only raised $30,000 with their new fmaily and co-founders, they exceeded $50,000, developed a relationship with the most important, original mental health instiruttion in the county, MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA, but they received over 1 million views, shares, trafficked audiences and interactions, around the world.

 

The film is now touring the country and Ari, Tyler and Drue have crafted their film into an interactive presentation to breach the discussion of depression, suicide and love for youth and adults.  They are currently taking bookings and touring the country with their innovative, edgy and breakthrough mental health film program.