This production has been years in the making, and we're so excited to be able to share this preview with you... though it doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the stories, imagery, and other surprises we've collected along the way.
A giant-sized thank-you to all of our supporters, interviewees, family, and friends for your continuing patience and encouragement! As we've said before, Jim's story is big — and we're determined to do right by him.
More to come!
- David and the IOBE Documentary Team
Jim's Birthday & Trailer Announcement
10 months ago
– Sun, Jun 15, 2025 at 12:15:26 PM
Today would have been Jim Varney's 76th birthday, and the documentary team is indebted to all of our interviewees who have helped us tell Jim’s story and keep his memory alive.
We are still hard at work on the documentary post-production, but we have something exciting to share with you:
Wednesday, June 25th is the online release date for the trailer for “The Importance of Being Ernest” documentary! We'll be posting the trailer here, as well as sending links via our email list and social media.
We’re looking forward to sharing what we’ve been working on!
See you next week!
- David and the IOBE Documentary Team
Post-Production Progress!
about 1 year ago
– Mon, Mar 31, 2025 at 04:18:44 PM
Hello, Ernest P. World! Here's what's been going on lately with the IOBE documentary project...
Interviews and Post-Production
In 2024, we filmed 14 interviews — the most we've ever recorded in one year! The majority of these interviews took place the week of Ernest Day 2024, but the last one (with Lianne Russell, seen below) wrapped in early November.
Lianne Russell reveals the secret history of the "Family Album" sock monkey. (L-R: Daniel Scarpati, David Pagano, Lianne Russell)
From 2022 to 2024, our goal was to capture as many stories of Jim Varney and the people who knew him as possible. This approach came into mournful focus earlier in the fall, when our very first sit-down interviewee — cinematographer Jim May, aka "Vern" — passed away at the age of 78. We are grateful for the time Jim May spent with us and that our documentary will play a role in preserving his legacy.
The IOBE crew with Jim May in June 2022. (Clockwise from top left: Daniel Scarpati, Ramiz Haddad, David Pagano, Jim May, Justin Lloyd)
Now, in 2025, the hours we’ve put into post-production have ramped up dramatically. Post-production is where documentary films really come together — where the story we want to tell is crafted from a ginormous amount of recorded material:
30+ interviews, lasting more than 40 hours in total
20 terabytes of footage, backed up in triplicate
Hundreds of pages of interview transcripts
It's a LOT of work. Logging and transcribing our interviews requires a careful watch-through of every last minute of footage. Our tracking documents are glorious to behold, KnoWhutImean?
Charting the progress of each interview transcript
Side-by-side transcription at our NYC "office" (aka the local coffee shop)
Keeping things consistent with our custom 50-page editor's guide
The multicam perspective of Dawn Shepherd's interview
It's been rewarding and exciting to see this film start to come together. Some of the stories we've captured are totally consistent no matter who's telling them, while others contradict each other. This is unavoidable when asking people to recount events from 40 years ago, but it's also fitting for the story of Ernest and Jim Varney: two larger-than-life characters of legend.
Fan Videos and Other Rewards
We've also received (and transcribed) a number of fan videos! These were submissions from backers who chose the "Submit a fan video" reward from our Kickstarter fundraiser, and they have been awesome to see!
Ernest fan Johnny Reyes' submission included this shot of the bank location from "Ernest Goes to Jail"!
If you were one of these backers and haven't yet submitted your fan video, it's not too late! We sent submission instructions via email last Spring. If you missed them, send us an email at [email protected] and we'll get you what you need...
As for the other tiers: digital rewards still are a ways out, but the outstanding physical rewards (the "Jim Varney is Ernest" poster and the Art by Kevin-John) are next in our fulfillment queue. If you're waiting to receive one of these rewards, please confirm your most up-to-date mailing address by dropping us a line at [email protected]!
- David and the IOBE Documentary Team
Check Out "Ernest Goes to Comics" — Launching Tomorrow!
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Sep 16, 2024 at 02:23:47 PM
As IOBE production presses on, we wanted to draw your attention to another Ernest project: "Ernest and the Dream Stone", a brand-new Ernest graphic novel from our friends over at Ernest Goes to Comics!
Like our documentary, this graphic novel has the blessing of the Varney and Cherry families, and we're psyched to see other folks keeping the Ernest energy going! You can find more information below, and support their Kickstarter campaign — which launches tomorrow (9/17)!
- The IOBE Documentary Team
For the first time in over 25 years, ERNEST IS BACK! That's right—he’s starring in a brand-new, spooky, heartwarming graphic novel launching Sept. 17 on Kickstarter!
We crafted a fantastic, true-to-form, Ernest-y adventure. Adapted from an original screenplay, you'll not only hear Ernest's voice as you read, but it'll feel like experiencing a brand-new Ernest movie there in your lap!
Go to www.ErnestGoesToComics.com to sign up for weekly exclusive free content and updates (and keep an eye on your spam/promotions folders too, Vern)!
This is more than just a comic—it's a tribute to the character that has touched millions of hearts. But we need your support to make it happen! If the project is not fully funded by October 17th, this new Ernest P. Worrell adventure may never see the light of day!
Join us on this journey, and let’s bring Ernest back where he belongs: into the hearts and hands of fans old and new, KnoWhutImean?!
MORE Interviews, ANOTHER Ernest Day, and Next Steps
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 01:59:52 PM
Howdy, Ernest P. World! Here's a behind-the-scenes look at our multi-city shoot from earlier this summer...
IOBE Tennessee Interviews
A post-interview selfie with "Ernest" Actor / Writer / Composer Bruce Arntson
Sound Mixer Peter Kurland talks about cutting his teeth on the "Ernest" franchise.
Setting the scene for our interview with Josh and Emilie Cherry.
Josh Cherry reveals the original "Window Slam" window from the Ernest commercials!
Capturing even more of Writer / Actor Daniel Butler's "Ernest" stories and memories
Andy Van Roon recalls collaborating with Jim Varney on a "Hatfields and McCoys" screenplay.
Karen Duncan (Hair Stylist / Makeup Artist on "Ernest Goes to Camp") shows off some Jim Varney continuity photos.
Bruce Arntson's infectious joy is exactly the vibe we want this documentary to capture.
Ernest Day 2024
Daniel Scarpati records some of the lakeside action at Montgomery Bell State Park.
The IOBE team grabs some spooky interviews with "Ernest" fan cosplayers! (L-R: Daniel Scarpati, David Pagano, Justin Lloyd, Sadie Slack as Ernest, William Whitehurst as Dr. Otto, Valerie Champagne)
Even more cosplay of some obscure "Ernest" franchise characters: fans dressed as Harmony Star (from "Ernest Saves Christmas") and Rene Loomis (from "Ernest Goes to Africa")!
IOBE Kentucky Interviews
The IOBE team with Radio Host Jack Pattie, who acted alongside Jim Varney at the Lexington Children's Theatre in the 1960s. (L-R: David Pagano, Justin Lloyd, Jack Pattie, Mo Edwards, Daniel Scarpati)
Recording some b-roll at Charlie Brown's, one of Jim Varney's favorite Lexington haunts
The IOBE team with Mary Polites (Jim Varney's teacher at Children's Theatre)
Next Steps
So what's next for the documentary? We've been adding more information to our website FAQ, including:
When are we going to see some actual footage from the film?
We've been organizing and transcribing all of the footage we've captured, and have been working on a rough cut of the film using our interviews, b-roll clips, and other archival footage.
We also want to prioritize creating a new teaser trailer to use for future fundraising and promotion. This teaser will feature actual interview footage we've shot. As soon as it's ready, we'll post about it here!
Future fundraising? Does that mean there is going to be another IOBE Kickstarter campaign?
We will not be running a second crowdfunding campaign for this documentary. The Ernest fan community already showed up to support us in 2021 — without them (i.e. you), we wouldn't have gotten to this point!
Any future fundraising will come from other sources (e.g. individual donors, investors, film grants, etc.). And of course, anyone who missed the original Kickstarter campaign can still support us via our BackerKit store.
Do you have a full list of everyone you've interviewed?
We'd love to! But it will all depend on our future fundraising. The lists of "how many interview trips we want to take" and "how many interview trips we can afford to take" are two different lists.
