The Secret Life of the American Queer

While researching the LGBTQ+ community I came across a saddening infographic

As well as the fact that many LGBTQ+ kids have homophobic parents and are more likely to have mental health issues, like depression and social anxiety, due to the fact that they don't feel accepted by the people they love, or have to keep who they are a secret.

Since I want the film opening to be a light hearted comedy, my partner and I have decided to look at the 35% of LGBTQ+ students who haven't heard remarks like fag or dyke; the 70% that feel comfortable to go to school everyday; the 15% who haven't been verbally harassed in the past year, to inspire us to make a quirky film that doesn't associate queer with a hardships that the LGBTQ+ community has to deal with but rather something normal that any person regardless of their sexual orientation or gender can go through. That is why the plot of this opening is of a girl having a crush and not knowing if her crush likes her back. This may not be the conventional approach to a 'gay' movie but the point is that this it isn't a 'gay' movie, it's a movie about a girl who just happens to like girls.

I have a few gay kids in my classes and I talked to them about this project, as well as asked them for any advice they have that could help me properly portray a lesbian without being stereotypical. When I asked one of them named Hunter, he actually laughed and said it would be a little hard considering that some of the stereotypes do fit some lesbians [just not all], and that media usually depicts them in only that way [that way being the pixie hair cut tomboy look], and it's the viewers who make it a stereotype for the whole population, it's not necessarily the media's fault, although it does play a part.

So with that in mind, Kit (the protagonist in my film opening) will be an average Joe, just with a little more rainbows in her room than a typical girl.

Homosexual Representation in the Media

After reading a variety of articles on homosexuals, including some of how they are represented in the media I came to the conclusion that media, for the most part, will portray a homosexual as a middle-class male with good fashion (feminine) who is rather liked by his colleagues, as well as successful. In the comedic show Modern Family gays are represented by the couple Mitchell and Cameron. Mitchell is the representation of the more masculine of the two and Cameron the more feminine; what this show does so well and effectively is not linking the characters to strictly one stereotype but a variety of them to be able to more accurately represent the same-sex couple. " Over time, Many Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ+) and other sexual minorities found earlier models of gays too narrow in focus." (Click here to access article.) So when filming my partner and I want to aim more towards Modern Family's representation of gays, we don't want to tie our character down to one set of stereotypes that may not be true. To ensure this, I have asked a few of my LGBTQ friends for an interview regarding the project. Interviews coming soon!

Final Script

After discussing with my partner we came to the conclusion that the script, although super funny, is too long and we're cutting out the last scene (the one including Kit's mother). We finalized the actors! As well as set up days to film, which will ensure us the time to be able to edit it to perfection:-) The only thing left to figure out is the opening of the opening part which will be to the song Pulling Teeth (which is written and sung by one of my partner's friends, this is super cool because we were able to get rights to it fairly quickly.


The Final Script...
Opening : "Pulling Teeth" (song) will be playing while Kit is in her pajamas waking up/getting out of bed, she sits at her desk and writes our names for opening credits on a letter, which after she crumples up will start writing a letter to her crush Julia/ internal monologue.

Internal monologue while Kit is getting dressed: Julia Edwards, her teeth are crooked, her breath always smells like soup, and the size of her backpack makes 6th graders look normal. I’m totally into it. She isn’t completely horrible.
There are some things I like about Julia, for instance, she’s a girl. And one time she touched my arm by accident in fifth period and I peed my pants a little but it didn't even bother me. And if that isn’t romance, I don’t know what is.

You see, i'm gay. You know, queer. A lipstick lesbian. And Julia, she's straight. You know, hetero. You know, plays for the other team? I mentioned that her breath smelled like soup, right? Well, Her hair smells like chicken. I don’t know what kind of shampoo and toothpaste she uses, but my guess is that they’re edible. And if I were to lay on a couch with her, watching some cheesy chick flick, I’d probably end up with some chicken soup, if you know what I mean.
So that’s what I call her, chicken soup. She probably calls me that weird lesbian who sits behind her in 5 th period, and if that’s true, well at least,   at least she calls me something. 

Kit gets ready to walk out the door and tucks the letter under her bed: So, here I am, wondering if i'm ever going to get the courage to give her this dumb love letter. 


-switch to hallway scene-
Wes: You just have to be straight up with her.
Kit: I’m gay
Wes: Thank you 
Kit: I just need a way to be like “hey you’re pretty!” but I need to let her know I mean it in like, a gay way.
Wes: I got it! Say “wow you look so pretty today!” then be like “no homo. just kidding, super homo!”
Kit: Next time you have an idea, think about the idea, consider if it is worth saying, and then even if you think it is worth saying, don’t say it.
Wes: You’re such a supportive friend 
Kit: How'd your day go? Your lipstick is powerful enough to lead an army by the way
Wes: Uh, I’m okay. Some dude shoved me in the halls and called me a fag for wearing lipstick
Kit: What'd you say?
Wes: does that cough thing ppl do before they say something important
" YOURE JUST MAD CAUSE I LOOK BETTER IN LIPSTICK THAN YOUR GIRLFRIEND”
Kit:  I wish people would understand that just because you wear lipstick it doesn't mean your gay. You just look awesome. 
Wes: Dude, it's her.
Kit: Who? 
Wes: *whispers* Chicken Soup
Kit: Oh SnAPPLE
*approaches julia*
Kit: Julia! Do you have the notes? I wasn’t paying attention
Julia: Uh, yeah, I gotta meet someone for lunch though, can I give them to you tomorrow?
Wes: Why don’t you just text them to her?
Julia: Oh yeah. Here, type your info in! hands kit her phone
Kit gives wes a look
Kit: There ya go, I wrote kit kat as my name because my name is Kit, and I really like kit kats
Julia: I know
Kit: You know?
Julia: Yeah, you always leave the wrappers on the floor
Kit: oh, right, right. *awkward and somewhat staring at julia*
Wes: Well anyway, see ya later Julia starts to walk away
Julia: bye!
Kit: WES! what the heck did you make us leave for? We were totally having a moment
Wes: You were staring and you needed to seem cool and casual, and dude, clean up your wrappers! She’s a neat freak, there’s no way she’s into that!
Kit: Are you kidding? Did you see the size of her backpack? She probably has a vacumn cleaner in there. We’re perfect for each other.

Script: Rough Draft

My partner has just shared to me a rough draft of the new script, I found it hard to ready without actually laughing out loud. This came as a relief. And we are currently discussing possible actors. For the lead of Kit we are thinking of a girl named Susie (she goes to Cypress Bay which makes easy to film the school scene during lunch or Media Studies wooo)

Characters: Kit, Wes, (they/them) mom, dad

Internal Monologue while kit gets dressed: Julia Edwards, her nose is crooked, her breath always smells like soup, and the size of her backpack makes 6^th graders look normal. I’m totally into it.  She isn’t completely horrible.

There are some things I like about Julia, for instance, she’s a girl. And one time she touched my arm by accident in fifth period and I peed my pants a little. And if that isn’t romance, I don’t know what is.

You see, I am what they call a grade A lesbian, which is the only A grade I’m ever going to get as long as Julia Edwards sits in front of me in fifth period. I mentioned that her breath smelled like soup, right? Well, Her hair smells like chicken. I don’t know what kind of shampoo and toothpaste she uses, but my guess is that they’re edible. And if I were to lay on a couch with her, watching some cheesy chick flick, I’d probably end up with some chicken soup, if you know what I mean.

So that’s what I call her, chicken soup. She probably calls me that weird lesbian who sits behind her in 5^th period, and if that’s true, well at least,  at least she calls me something.

-switch to hallway scene-

Wes: You just have to be straight up with her.

Kit: I’m gay

Wes: Thank you

Kit: I just need a way to be like “hey you’re pretty!” but I need to let her know I mean it in like, a gay way.

Wes: I got it! Say “wow you look so pretty today!” then be like “no homo. just kidding, super homo!”

Kit: Next time you have an idea, think about the idea, consider if it is worth saying, and then even if you think it is worth saying, don’t say it.

Wes: You’re such a supportive friend

Kit: How’re you doing by the way? Your lipstick is powerful enough to lead an army by the way

Wes: Uh, I’m okay. Some dude shoved me in the halls and called me a fag for wearing lipstick

Kit: What was your sick one-liner?

Wes: does that cough thing ppl do before they say something important

“DUDE YOURE JUST MAD CAUSE I LOOK BETTER IN LIPSTICK THAN YOUR GIRLFRIEND”

Kit: niiiice. I wish people would understand that just because you wear lipstick and floral stuff doesn’t mean that you’re gay. It freaks me out that some people haven’t even heard the word gender fluid before.

Wes: D-d-dude, there she is.

Kit: Who? Oh SnAPPLE

Kit: Julia! Do you have the notes? I wasn’t paying attention

Julia: Uh, yeah, I gotta meet someone for lunch though, can I give them to you tomorrow?

Wes: Why don’t you just text them to her?

Julia: Oh yeah. Here, type your info in! hands kit her phone

Kit gives wes a look

Kit: There ya go, I wrote kit kat as my name because my name is Kit, and I really like kit kats

Julia: I know

Kit: You know?

Julia: Yeah, you always leave the wrappers on the floor

Kit: oh, right, right.

Wes: Well anyway, see ya later Julia starts to walk away

Julia: bye!

Kit: WES! what the heck did you make us leave for? We were totally having a moment

Wes: You were staring and you needed to seem cool and casual, and dude, clean up your wrappers! She’s a neat freak, there’s no way she’s into that!

Kit: Are you kidding? Did you see the size of her backpack? She probably has a vacumn cleaner in there. We’re perfect for each other.

**at home*

-nervously enters home, tries to do it quietly, looks scared-

Mother: Kit? Is that you?

Kit: clearly looks upset that she was caught Yeah

Mother: how was school?

Kit: under her breath very hetero, super straight, just the straightest.

Mother: what was that?

Kit: Nothing really happened today

Mother: Are you still hanging out with that cross dresser?

Kit: They aren’t a cross dresser

Mother: Well then what’s going on with that kid?

Kit: They’re gender fluid, sometimes they wear skirts and lipstick, sometimes they wear beanies and “boy clothes”. Even though clothes don’t really have a gender…

Mother: Is Wes a boy or a girl?

Kit: Sometimes Wes identifies as more masculine, sometimes they feel more feminine. Sometimes they feel like neither, or both.

Mother: Does Wes have a penis or a Vagina?

Kit: Does it matter?

Mother: Yes, yes it does.

Kit: Why?

Mother : I want to know what kind of people you’re hanging out with

Kit: Are people defined by their genitilia? Why haven’t you asked me about any of my other friends genitilia? You could call wes’s parents and ask, if you think that’s appropriate.

Mother: I am asking you.

Kit: And that was my answer. Wes is gender fluid, and Wes uses “they pronouns” and Wes is smart, nice, and cool and I am absolutely positively hanging out with Wes.

Kit starts to walk away

Mother: come back here

Kit: and they wear their lipstick better than you do!

I really like the script, I believe the whole script will be way over 2 minutes so we may have to cut out a few lines or cut it short, like take out the mother scene. 

New Topic, New Plot

I have recently found out that my partner, who volunteered to write the script, changed the entire plot. It was originally going to be a Drama about an abusive relationship; but now it's about the LGBT+ community and a comedy so although it's quite different from what I had expected, it's not necessarily a bad thing. We do have to find new actors since the story has changed and the actors I had chosen don't really fit the part, as well as the fact that we'll be on crunch time since my partner is still completing the comedic script. But hopefully she'll be done with that aspect to so I can start filming the actual film opening. One thing I'm looking forward to is learning more about the LGBT+ community, after researching abuse relationships I have a broader understanding of the subject which I wouldn't have gained if it hadn't been our initial topic; I hope to do the same with this new interesting topic.

Film Opening: Planning

The short film will open up with opening credits, these credits will be displayed on various colorful flower vases and a hand will push them off a window sill, breaking them to just place them with another one. (We're going for cute and quirky)

Opening credit will include: 

Directors/Script Writers: Josefina Coll and Megan Muralles 

Actors: Tess Rowland (as Katirina aka Kat) & MALE TBA as (Wes) 

Once the opening credit have ended the short film will begin, an establishing short of Kat in a dark lit room strumming a sad melody on her guitar, with the radio playing, her laptop will be on (probably on social media  -> twitter or tumblr etc.)  Kat will repeatedly check her phone and find no new messages, she will be disappointed by this. After a few minutes (seconds in movie time) the door bell ring, and she finds a bouquet of flowers, she is overcome by a rush of happiness and as she's reaching down her long sleeve shirt moves up releasing a large bruise she quickly pulls the sleeve down, embarrassing and looks around to make sure no one saw it. She reads the note out loud and smiles to herself. She adds the flowers to the vase with water and walks to a window, where there already is a vases with flowers but the flowers are DEAD!  This will show that this has been done before. Kat doesn't seem to notice/ make a connection. She goes to her room happily and starts to listen to a happy song (Unlike before).


We could maybe incorporate quick flashes of Kat and her boyfriend fighting (black and white/ or just dark dark lighting) while she is in her room and include the part that he hits/pushes her juxtaposed with the doorbell, the door bell will literally interrupt her train of thought while simultaneously-  fugitively transition the to the next phase of the cycle of abuse: the honeymoon phase.


Background "love" story of Kat and Wes
Kat and Wes have known each other since 7th grade;  Kat has always fantasized about Wes and how maybe when they were old enough they could be together. Unlike Kat, Wes knew that 'fate' would bring them together, because, being that they were so close, it was bound to happen sooner then later. When they graduated 8th grade, Kat confessed that she use to have feelings for Wes when they were younger, and Wes laughed and told her he had to. They parted ways during the summer, only for Wes to return from a summer scholar program and find out that Kat had a boyfriend. Throughout Kat's relationship with Timothy (Timmy), Wes grew protective and very jealous, basically stalking their every move, he started lashing out at friends who liked Timmy. After a few months had passed, Wes found out that Timmy had cheated on Kat during spring break, and he saw this as an opportunity to keep Kat for herself. (This is a sign of early psychotic behavior, one doesn't keep a person, they can be together, but one may not possess another person.) This was one thing that Wes does not comprehend. Once they were together, Wes would not leave Kat out of her sight, she slowly stopped going out with friends to parties, to barely talking to anyone but Wes and her family (although she is rather aloof with them too). Wes on the other hand, was free to go where ever he liked, whenever he liked because he was the 'dominant' in the relationship and Kat was a lost puppy in need of his guidance. Kat was a strong, charismatic, funny, smart and outgoing girl; until she got together with Wes. Kat was now an aloof girl, who was immensely dependent on Wes, and only Wes.

The background story will help us think of things that the characters would say in the script. We have already started writing the script.

What makes a relationship abusive?

ABUSER

Possessiveness: abuser needs to know what their partner is up to at all times

Jealously: gets jealous really easily, and over everything

Put-downs: lowers partners self-esteem by saying negative comments

Threats: threatens partner if he or she doesn't do something in the way the abuser wants it done

Obsessive: Obsessive over partner

ABUSED

Seems afraid or anxious to please their partner
Goes along with everything their partner says and does
Checks in often with their partner to report where they are and what they're doing
Receives frequent harassing phone calls 
Talks about their partner's temper, jealousy , or possessiveness
Have frequent injuries, with the excuse of 'accidents'
frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanations!!!!
Dresses in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars (long sleeves in summer or sunglasses) 

11 Facts About Teen Dating Violence 

• Roughly 1.5 million high school boys and girls in the U.S. admit to being intentionally hit or physically harmed in the last year by someone they are romantically involved with.
• Teens who suffer dating abuse are subject to long-term consequences like alcoholism, eating disorders, promiscuity, thoughts of suicide, and violent behavior
• 1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. A lack of alternative housing often leads women to stay in or return to violent relationships. Collect used cell phones to benefit domestic violence programs.
• 33% of adolescents in America are victim to sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional dating abuse.
• In the U.S., 25% of high school girls have been abused physically or sexually. Teen girls who are abused this way are 6 times more likely to become pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
• Females between the ages of 16 and 24 are roughly 3 times more likely than the rest of the population to be abused by an intimate partner.
• 8 States in the U.S. do not consider a violent dating relationship domestic abuse. Therefore, adolescents, teens, and 20-somethings are unable to apply for a restraining order for protection from the abuser.
• Violent behavior often begins between 6th and 12th grade. 72% of 13 and 14-year-olds are “dating.”
• 50% of young people who experience rape or physical or sexual abuse will attempt to commit suicide.
• Only 1/3 of the teens who were involved in an abusive relationship confided in someone about the violence
• Teens who have been abused hesitate to seek help because they do not want to expose themselves or are unaware of the laws surrounding domestic violence

Click here to access article with more information.

Making A Short Film: 5 Tips For New Filmmakers

Click here to access article.

This article focuses on 5 major times for new filmmakers, specifically filming short films. One of the beginning steps is having all the 'gear' necessary to not only film the the movie but have props and costumes. Having an idea for the film is also a very important aspect, it is what draws viewers in. Nowadays, getting noticed is made so easily through the usage of social media, like YouTube. The idea will then be incorporated into a script, edit, edit, edit; keep editing: there is always room for improvement  and changes. Once posted on YouTube, it is imperative to follow up on the audiences reaction, whether good or bad learn from it.


Reflection:
I think these tips are great! It is very important to come up with an idea that one is interested in so the project doesn't feel like an obligation but something one can pleasingly devote there time to. For my movie opening (my partner is Megan Muralles) we are deciding between a few options for the main theme for it.


One of them being the opening of a movie about a transgender/gender queer. (Specifically, possibly about a person who doesn't associate themselves with either gender.) I really like this because I have never seen this done! The topic intrigues me so it wouldn't be a task but something I want to do.


The other one would be a drama based on an abusive relationship. There would be a few twists like having the relationship in the eyes of the abuser; or also having the abuser being the girl. This would defy gender roles so that's also cool and I would be interested in the topic.

Why do abusers abuse?

The social views on domestic violence vary especially from region to region; the concept may be very poorly understood. In some places, the relationship between the husband and wife is not considered one of equals, but one in which the wife must 'submit' herself to the husband.

Alcohol is often used as an excuse for an abusers behaviors, but much like the other excuses abusers make this one doesn't make up for the actions; although, intoxication can trigger aggressive behavior it is not the cause. 

Many cases of domestic violence arise from the jealousy felt by one partner that they suspect their partner of being unfaithful or is planning to leave the relationship, this may be a small cause but mostly used as an excuse. 

Psychological theories suggest that personality traits and mental characteristics of the abuser can be factors: traits like bursts of anger, poor impulse control, poor self-esteem, and abuse experienced as a child leads some people to be more violent as adults.

This ties into the social aspects like external factors: environment like family structure growing up and current, and stress. Stress can trigger aggressive acts, financial crisis is a common factor. (This is why there are more reported domestic violence acts in low-income relationships. 

When a male cannot support his family, his 'masculinity' levels drop so he has to prove it in some other way, by controlling and abusing the wife or girlfriend.  

Domestic Abuse: The Cycle

1. Abuse: The cycle can start anywhere, but after a relationship has stabilized the abuser will "show who's boss" by showing aggressive behavior or belittling, which can psychologically damage a person into become withdrawn and lack self-esteem. :(
2. Guilt: After the abuser abuses his or her partner, just like accidentally stepping on a dog's paw, the abuser feels guilty, not because it is wrong to abuse someone but because there is always a possibility of getting caught and if that's the case he or she needs to cover their tracks, this train of thought,in some cases, happens subliminally.
3. Excuses: To avoid actually taking responsibility the abuser will string together a series of lies, and of course apologize repeatedly.
4. "Normal" behavior: For the cycle to be able to begin again the abuser has to gain their partner's trust back, (this is soooo sad!) because the abuser usually doesn't mean a word he or she says, and buys gifts and flatters his or her partner to be able to move on to the next phase to be able to abuse again.
5. Fantasy and planning: This part is pretty messed up, but the abuser (after gaining his or her partner's trust back) fantasizes abusing their partner!!! He or she begins to think of things their partner did wrong and how he or she can punish them, in some cases, if the abuser is extremely wack he or she can make up things in their heads and actually believe them!
6. Set-up: The abuser sets the partner up and puts his or her plan in motion, creating a situation where he can justify abusing you, and alas the cycle begins again

Brainstorming:)

For the Film Opening this cycle can easily be incorporated; for instance we can show a girls receiving flowers and chocolates from their partner at school, but when the girls go to grab the gifts she long sleeve shirt rises up and reveals a large, black and blue bruise on her forearm with a quick cut to her face, she blushes and pulls it back down, even though no one would be looking. At this point the only sound playing in the back ground would be a happy, feel good song. The boyfriend, possibly named Nate walks in and apologizes(he is whispering because he doesn't want anyone to know) & (the domestic abuse hasn't been explicitly stated, only implied by the bruise), while Nate apologizes, black and white shots (with no sound except the voiceover of Nate from the other scene) from a scene showing the domestic violence taking place.