Why | Home

Creative Society Productions presents: Why. A documentary film.

We’re being driven to the edge.
There IS a solution.

We begin at the edge of despair, uncover the forces that drive disconnection, and discover how resilience and community can bring us back together.

A documentary by Alvin Zamudio

A Note from the Filmmaker

This page is being shared privately, because someone you know believes you could be interested, or they trust you enough to invite into the very beginning of this journey.

We’re getting ready to launch the Why. documentary project publicly next month in conjunction with during Suicide Awareness. But before we do, we need a little seed funding to get to the starting line. This is a quiet, pre-launch step — not a big public campaign, just me reaching out to people who care.

If you’re moved to contribute — even $10 — it would mean a great deal. Every early gift helps us cover the basics and build momentum toward the full campaign.

Most importantly, thank you for being here, for caring, and for believing in the work of bringing light to the epidemic of despair and building more connected futures.

With gratitude,

Alvin

ACT I

What.

The reality of despair: suicide, addiction, and isolation rising across society.

ACT II

Why.

The forces behind despair: disconnection, conflict, distraction, and cultural pressure.

ACT III

What Now.

The path forward: resilience, community, and more connected futures.

About the Documentary

More and more people in our society are reaching a breaking point.

Across the United States, suicide, overdose, and addiction — what researchers now call “deaths of despair” — are claiming lives at alarming rates. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people. Overdose deaths have tripled in recent decades. And behind the statistics are families, classrooms, and communities struggling to understand why.

The forces driving this crisis are not isolated. They are everywhere:

Educational struggles that leave boys and young men disengaged and adrift.

Polarization and high conflict that erode empathy and trap us in “us versus them” thinking.

Distraction and fractured attention in a world where technology exploits our focus and replaces connection with consumption.

Cultural expectations that reward performance, competition, and conformity, while punishing vulnerability.

But despair is not just social or economic. It is also psychological. The placebo effect reminds us of the healing power of hope and expectation. The nocebo effect warns us how hopelessness, stigma, and shame can make suffering worse. In a society that pathologizes pain and labels human reactions as disorders, despair multiplies.

About the Filmmaker

Alvin Zamudio is a former minister, an award-winning artist, musician, and experienced audio producer who has worked on multiple documentary films in roles such as composer, audio, art direction, and production support. His creative work is driven by compassion, justice, and emotional truth, and is grounded in personal experience.

In late November 2019, Alvin lost his 16-year-old son, Addison, to suicide. That loss fundamentally reshaped his purpose and perspective. Rather than walk away from the pain, Alvin chose to use his voice—and now his own story—to advocate for those who feel unseen and unheard. This film is part of that calling.

Alvin and Addison in August of 2019, after their first ever performance together in a house concert organized by Peter Carlos of Lindenwood University.

Why. is a documentary that dares to explore these forces.

It asks: Why are so many people standing at the edge? Why are disconnection and despair shaping our future? And what can we discover — in ourselves, in our communities, in our culture — that might point to another way?

Through the voices of those in crisis, the families who carry their stories, and the professionals on the front lines of emotional health, this film is a journey of discovery. It is not only about despair, but about resilience: how belief, meaning, and community can make staying possible again.

Why. is the catalyst — the first step toward imagining a more natural, connected way of life. A way where community is not an afterthought, but the ground we stand on. A way where hope is not a placebo, but a lifeline.

We cannot accomplish this much-needed work without your help. We are firmly committed to maintaining full creative control—refusing to hand over power to corporate film entities or studios that could risk the integrity of the film—and to making it freely available to anyone who wishes to view it, I am asking for your help to make this vision a reality.

Fundraising Roadmap

Why. is an ambitious project — a documentary that explores the epidemic of despair in America and the possibilities of connection and community. To bring it from vision to screen, we’ve designed a four-phase fundraising roadmap. Each phase builds upon the last, ensuring transparency and accountability as we move from development to distribution.

PHASE 1

Development

$50,000

This is the foundation of the project. Funds raised in this phase cover:

Legal groundwork and initial research.

Branding, promotional materials, and online presence.

Focus groups that will guide the direction of the film, ensuring we tell this story with honesty and depth.

PHASE 2

Pre-production

$200,000

Script and story structure development.

Securing interviews, filming locations, and release permissions.

Assembling the production team.

Early promotional trailers and teasers to build momentum.

Once the foundation is in place, we get prepared. This phase includes:

PHASE 3

Post-production

$150,000

Editing and sound design.

Music licensing and scoring.

Test screenings and revisions.
Creating final cuts for festivals, streaming, and community screenings.

With filming complete, we’ll turn to editing. This phase will support:

PHASE 4

Distribution

$100,000

Editing and sound design.

Music licensing and scoring.

Test screenings and revisions.
Creating final cuts for festivals, streaming, and community screenings.

With filming complete, we’ll turn to editing. This phase will support:

A final important thought...

While the concept of this documentary may not be entirely unique, what sets it apart is twofold:

A) We will look beyond the immediate victims to examine the deeper societal roots of despair, past and present.

B) We will offer practical, actionable solutions—potentially including the establishment of healthy communities where needed and even curriculum to teach and model connection, resilience, and belonging for children and youth.

You can help us make this happen.

Alvin

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION

Subscribe to the Creative Society Newsletter for updates on Why. and future projects.