Today I saw a spoof video made by Foundry Group, a well-known technology venture capital firm, that just totally cracked me up so I thought I’d share it with those of you interested in such things. Nothing healthcare here, but a great send-up of how so many people see those of us in the VC world. It’s especially hilarious because it is a play on those funny digital short videos that Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island Productions does on Saturday Night Life…yes, that’s the one…with the box. Say no more. There are plenty of people out there that, when they hear “[rhymes with chick] in a box,” immediately think: “Oh, there must be a venture capitalist in that box!”
This video and it’s press release are so funny on their own that I don’t think I can improve upon them, so I will excerpt directly from the press release here:
Today, Foundry Group, a venture capital firm investing in seed and early stage US-based technology companies, premiered a documentary film illustrating through complex metaphors and stunning montages the secret lives of venture capitalists which has been rarely seen or understood, until now. Set amidst a backdrop of a highly competitive investment environment, the film follows four venture capitalists as they explore the intense relationships between themselves and the entrepreneurs in which they invest. While these relationships are critical to the long-term health of the start-up ecosystem, the VCs chose to communicate only through song and interpretative dance.
The film, entitled “I’m a VC”, is an in-depth, hard-hitting, and emotionally charged look into the human struggle of four venture capitalists trying to make the world a better place. Starring Foundry Group Managing Directors Seth Levine, Ryan McIntyre, Brad Feld, and Jason Mendelson, the film gives insight into the difficult issues venture capitalists face every day, making decisions that impact the lives of many, but perhaps most importantly, their own. The film leaves no stone unturned and delves into topics that few understand, such as determining lunch selections, competing with friends and family for deal flow, and feeling insecure about their choice of college education.
In speaking about the challenges of getting into character, Seth Levine struggled to find his words, “It was particularly hard for me to admit on camera that I had not attended Stanford, Harvard or MIT,” says Levine. “It has always made me feel a bit inadequate as a venture capitalist. But I’m working through it. Playing this role and spending three months growing a beard for it really shouts to the world that I can do anything!”
Now watch the video. It’s a scream. I am so ashamed that I didn’t think of doing this myself.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKArupEBE6Y&feature=player_embedded
