Taking My Parents to Burning Man

Boesen wanted to make a documentary about Burning Man, "so that the people that won't make it here; people like my parents, can see what it's all about and we'll try to define it for a bunch of people who have never been."[9] According to Boesen, it was his parents' decision to attend Burning Man, "I already wanted to shoot a documentary about the event and asked them [Charles and Lilice] if I could follow them on their adventure with a camera."[1]

Boesen approached McCarthy while the two were finishing film school to make the documentary.[10] In April 2012, after McCarthy maxed out two credit cards, he and Boesen launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.[10][11] After successfully raising over $10,000, Kickstarter refused to deliver payment due to an "administrative glitch" and despite Boesen having proof of being a dual US/Canadian citizen.[10] The incident is incorporated into the feature.[12] In December 2012 they relaunched their campaign, this time using indiegogo and again reached their $10,000 goal.[13][14][15]

About 40 hours of footage was shot, including on-location from August 27 to September 3, 2012, with the approval of Black Rock City, LLC.[16]

Peter Mehlman described it as, "Funny, oddly heart-warming and beautifully produced. But most importantly, this fim portrays Burning Man honestly."[17] Fellow Vancouver filmmakers the Soska sisters called it, "A truly moving, honest piece that bridges the generation gap and brings people together in the real spirit of Burning Man."[18] Chelsea Rush praised its depiction of the family bonding, "that can't help but tug at your heartstrings," and that it, "truly grasps the experience of Burning Man."[19] Tommy Cook, although liking it, mentions it becomes, "an exercise in creativity-shunned, where the only answer to rampant corporate greed and the monotony of the '9 to 5' is to regress back to a constant state of adolescence."[20]