On Saturday, January 10, Bobby Weir left this realm, and the world lost a visionary musician, a counterculture hero, and a force of creative courage and climate philanthropy. 

He stood by OPS when it mattered most—when belief was everything.

Making documentaries is not an easy business. If you’re in it for money, the odds are better in Vegas. We tell every potential investor the same thing: if you expect a financial return, this probably isn’t for you—but if you want to help change the world, you’ve come to the right place.  It takes a unique kind of dreamer to believe that stories can shift culture. It takes an even rarer human to support long-shot causes when the ROI isn’t profit—but impact.

People assume that awards equal financial success. The Cove became one of the most awarded documentaries in cinema history. Yet by the time we were making Racing Extinction—which earned an Academy Award and an Emmy nomination—our organization was on the ropes. We were letting staff go, selling cameras and gear and staring down the very real possibility of shutting our doors.

That’s when Bobby showed up.

He had supported us since The Cove. He lent his voice and sang a benefit concert in support of OPS.  He believed deeply in what we were trying to do, and when we were at our darkest hour, he gave us a lifeline.

He auctioned off a guitar he had played at Citi Field, signed by the band.  And even more incredibly, he rallied all of Dead & Company to sign his Tesla and auctioned that off for us too. Those acts didn’t just keep the lights on—they kept the mission alive.

Bobby came to rough-cut screenings and offered thoughtful notes. He and his incredible wife Natasha walked the red carpet with us at The Game Changers premiere. He didn’t just support the work—he showed up for it.

Whether he was playing for a couple people or 80,000, Bobby always showed up—every connection mattered.

He lived with purpose, curiosity, humor, and heart. He believed in doing the work—on stage, in the world, and in the lives of the people he loved.

I’ve never seen OPS as being in the film business. We’re in the change-the-world business.

Entertainment is the vehicle, but impact is the destination. Bobby understood that instinctively. He believed in correcting a world gone horribly off course—and he acted on that belief.

It was an honor to do it with you, Bobby.

Thank you for the music.

Thank you for the courage.

Thank you for believing—when belief was everything.

You will be deeply missed.