What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire

All DVD’s are already licensed for house parties!

What are you waiting for? Throw one!

It’s a real, concrete, “thing you can do.” Bringing people together to view What A Way To Go and then connect in real conversation about the challenges we all face is one of the most meaningful steps one can take. You will, just by raising the issues, change the world for yourself and for the people who care to join you in this most important adventure.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Ask a friend to help. It’s always best to share the responsibility of an event with at least one other person. Set up a time to watch the movie together. You want them totally on board with you. And, you’ll find every time you watch the movie, you’ll get clearer why it is such a gift to help other people begin to step out of the stories of Empire and into the much larger, more meaningful story of The Great Turning.
• Set a date and make a list of people with whom you and/or your friend would like to build a closer sense of community. Pick people who are ready to question the dominant culture and to look at ways to step outside of it. The first time you do this don’t invite the most resistant people you know (like your parents)…that’s just a set-up for struggle. It’s hard enough to confront the stories of Empire with like-minded people. So go for the smartest, most insightful, most caring people you know, at least for the first gathering you throw.
• Send an email inviting people to come and have some food and then to stay for dialogue after. Ask them to email you back so you know how many people to prepare for. If you want to open this house party up to people you don’t know who might come from learning about it on our website, let us know about it, date, time, etc., and how you would like to have them contact you for details (you probably don’t want your address on the website but you could include an email address so people can contact you for details.) You can let us know at info@whatawaytogomovie.com.
• Food and Drinks: Have some great food for people to share before the film. Good food and drink build community and connection like nothing else. Buy locally grown and/or prepared food and drink if possible and then let everyone know with little cards, next to the food, that locally grown food was used.
• Start early. The movie is two hours long so allow an hour or an hour and a half after the movie to engage in dialogue before people need to leave.
• If you want to build a supportive network the dialogue afterwards is as important as the film itself. Familiarize yourself with the dialogue guidelines (on our page of publicity materials) and use them if you want to. Although using a talking stick can feel a little odd at first, it really does create an atmosphere of respectful conversation. People are often surprised at how much more thoughtful and substantive the conversation is when they use this simple ritual to promote that.
• Print up some copies of the handout entitled “Five Things You Can Do to Create Change” (on our page of publicity materials). Give the handout to people as they come in, both to inspire dialogue and to encourage action.
• Donations: If you want to ask for donations to help support the distribution of the film….Great! We have an order form with all the info you need to send a donation.
• Let us know how it went. Email info@whatawaytogomovie.com and tell us about the party. It’s great to hear how people are sharing the film with their friends.