Charity auctions are one of the best investments you can make, provided you're OK with spending a decent amount of money for what might not seem like an equal exchange. For instance, you now have the opportunity to bid on a role as an extra in the next film directed by Adam McKay. But before you start having visions of running lines with Will Ferrell, stealing a lock of John C. Reilly's hair, or saying hi to Mark Wahlberg's mother, you might want to do a little bit of research into what you're getting.
You can bid through CharityBuzz here, with a minimum of $2,850 being required for bidding at press time. The value of the item is priced at $5,000; so it still sounds like you're scoring a good bargain. As for where your donation will be going, it will be donated towards The Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence. While the price tag is greater than most people would be willing to spend without some serious thought, you can rest assured that it's going towards a worthy cause. There's a couple of catches though, and they're pretty big factors you're going to want to keep in mind when potentially bidding.
The fine print on the item specifies the following, crucial details. First off:
"Location, dates and cast of Adam McKay’s next film are not yet set."
So while you're bidding on this part at the present time, you do not know when your shoot will take place, where it will take place, or even what movie you'll be shooting? You could be a stock trader in The Big Short, you could be a club patron in the Uptown Saturday Night remake he's been talking about for some time, or you might get to be an innocent bystander in a particularly brutal scene of The Boys. Of course, all of this speculation could be cut down by a random project making its way into Mr. McKay's able hands. Translation: if the stars align and Odin's Raven is fair, you could end up being in Step Brothers 2. OK, that last possibility is a real long shot, but that only further highlights the uncertainty at play with this item up for auction.
If the open-ended nature of the film you'll be taking part in isn't enough to scare you away, then the next crucial stipulation just might. It is also specified in the fine print that your potential part in the film is that of a silent partner. So on top of not knowing what movie you'll be taking part in, you won't have any lines to memorize for your big moment. Just to recap: the pros of the deal are you're supporting a charity and you'll get to be in a major motion picture, but the cons are that you don't know which major motion picture, who you'll be co-starring with, or even when you'll be co-starring in a silent role.
If you still feel it's worth the money, click on over to CharityBuzz and start researching whether you can claim the expense as a charitable donation and/or business expense. If not, don't worry: you can always film a Funny or Die video that might catch Adam McKay's attention, and make a smaller, more economical donation. Either way, the cause is good and the reward is kinda cool if you read the fine print carefully and have the funds to make it happen.
