Many of you have heard about the Bully movie, a documentary which goes hand-in-hand with a major anti-bullying movement that is growing worldwide. This film is particularly influenced by bullying in the United States, where the film was created. It was filmed over one school year and follows the stories of five youths. The MPAA originally chose to give this film an R-rating, preventing anyone under 18 from seeing this film. Obviously, this was a problem, considering that the film is a great opportunity to empower youth and foster conversation and actions to prevent bullying. After a lot of resistance, the MPAA changed the rating of the film to "Unrated", which leaves the decision to play the movie up to the theatres. This is clearly better than an R rating, but it still means that many people won't have an opportunity to see the film. Many of you may have also seen some of the viral videos from Mike Tompkins, who is a beat-boxing, self-producing artist. Mike and I went to high school together, and although we haven't kept in touch, I have been following his videos and watching his success. He is an incredibly talented guy and always stood out in our high school years as being a unique and creative thinker with exciting ideas. Today, Mike released a self-written and self-produced song and video on YouTube called "Stand Up". It is the official music video for the Bully movie and its inspiring to see him use his talents in such a great way. His single is available for purchase on iTunes, and you can out more of his videos on YouTube. Please visit The Bully Project to find out more information about the film and the movement.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=begg0NKhiK8]

Related articles

• Marlo Thomas: Bully: The Year's Most Important Film (huffingtonpost.com)
• ReThink Interview: Lee Hirsch, Director of Bully (news.moviefone.com)