LIFE LESSONS. Comedians Jacy Catlin and Joe Pickett released their short film about Catlin's house burning down – which had a great film festival run over the past couple of years – on Youtube. (Photos via FreeWay)

When it comes to finding the silver lining out of bad situations, perhaps no one has done it quite like local comedian Jacy Catlin. After his Osseo home burned down in February of 2021, resulting in a total loss of his and his family’s belongings, Catlin teamed up with Found Footage co-founder and UW-Eau Claire graduate Joe Pickett to create a short film showcasing a humorous take on Catlin’s experience.

The roughly nine-minute film includes shots of the demolished home as Catlin attempts to continue living in it. As Catlin’s voiceover walks you through how it felt during and after the fire, you watch as he attempts to complete everyday tasks, like "watching" his melted television or pushing around piles of soot with his mangled vacuum.

Everything I Learned When My House Burned Down was selected for many film festivals, including Eau Claire’s Midwest WeirdFest, The Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, and more.

Catlin planned to eventually release the film online for all to watch – and that time has come. On Feb. 13 – the third anniversary of his house burning down – Catlin released the short film on YouTube. In just one day on the platform, the video has already garnered over 2,000 views. You can watch the film here: