So here's where we are

I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since my last post...

The good news is I have finished a draft of Heterosexual Jill! (you can read my other post about the script which is much more descriptive here). I still have a good amount of work to do on it, but at least I have it down on paper instead of floating around in my head. Right now I'm in the process of getting feedback from people to help me re-think some changes for the next draft. The script is one of the most important things to get "right" before moving on to the next stage of production, so as eager as I am to get things going, I know I need to take my time and not rush things. Right now I'm looking at a 2010 production date if everything goes well...

As for Butch Jamie, it's been out on DVD now for 4 months. I don't want to jinx it, but it's been in the top ten lesbian best sellers list for Wolfe Video for the past 6 months! (which includes the 2 months prior to it being released)


If you're still looking to watch it, here's the lowdown:

Rental:
- Netflix
- Blockbuster online (not in stores)
- Your local independently-owned video store. If they don't have it, you can request it and they may purchase it to carry. I actually just got a myspace message from someone in Michigan who wrote to tell me how much she enjoyed the film and that her local video store ordered it for her to rent when she asked about it.

Purchase:
- Wolfe Video (really the best place to get it because they're the distributor and more of the sale goes to the filmmakers, especially if you use the above link; the rest of the sale goes to supporting an independently-owned GLBT film distributor, so all in all I think it's money well spent)
- TLA Video
- Amazon- LOGO
- Barnes and Noble
- Borders
- Best Buy
- Virgin Megastore
All of these companies only sell the video online and not in stores (I can't say that for sure, although I would be surprised). For that, I recommend supporting your local GLBT book/video store if you have one.

You can also rate and/or review the film on many of the above sites, as well as on IMDb. Any good word you can spread about it is much appreciated!

It's Here and It's Queer!

Butch Jamie is now on pre-sale from Wolfe Video! The DVD officially comes out on November 18th, but they're already taking orders. It'll soon be making its way to other retailers, but since it's so new, right now it's just at Wolfe and TLA Video (although if you do want to get a copy, I recommend using my link here to Wolfe because it's better for the filmmakers that way).

Wolfe is in the process of sending out press releases, so hopefully soon the film will get some good coverage. Festival activity will probably taper off after the release, but right now there are several upcoming screenings scheduled.

The cover art turned out a little differently than I had thought, but I like it - I think it looks like a fun movie. I'm also glad they were able to incorporate the photos of Lola and Jill. But guess who isn't on the cover? ...Howard! They had to get another cat, a "cat double," because none of the photos we took worked. I think this cat looks just like Howard, except the real Howard seems to have sort of a smile...

Out of the Closet and into the Movies

The past ten days I've been busy going to screenings and parties at Outfest, where Butch Jamie made its premiere last year. Since the festival is in L.A., Outfest is really the best GLBT festival in terms of networking - you get to meet film distributors, network executives, producers, other filmmakers, actors, crew, etc. And every night of the week there's a party!


Here are some pics of the colorful spreads from opening night (I feel like those ladies who take photos of the dining room table at the holidays. I guess when you get older some things start to make sense).




Since I didn't have a film in the festival this year, I've been promoting Butch Jamie's DVD release, which is scheduled for November 4th. I also met up with Wolfe Video to do a photo shoot for the cover art. The other actors, including Howard the cat, will all have separate photo shoots since they're in Upstate New York and we'll Photoshop them in depending on how it all looks. Howard is already becoming the star - what I wore, (it couldn't be black because he is black), what my arms were doing, what my face was doing, how I sat (can you slouch down a little so we'll be able to see the cat?) all revolved around him. It reminded me of how Jamie might feel when she shoots her next movie with Howard in Heterosexual Jill.

I also went to see several movies this year, including the much anticipated adaptation of Sarah Waters' Affinity. The two other movies based on her novels, Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith, were so much better that I was disappointed with this one. The movie isn't bad, but it's not great either.


My favorite this year was the newly restored Word is Out, a late 1970s documentary about gays and lesbians that'll be making its way to DVD soon. Despite the fact that the documentary is 95% sit-down interview and was more than two hours long, I wasn't bored at all (which is saying a lot, considering my attention span and long movies). In addition to the great 1970s kitch value, the humor and honesty of everyone's stories in a time when the closet was a much more populated place made it really fascinating to watch.


It was also interesting for me to learn that the film was considered funny when it came out 30 years ago - I thought a lot of the humor came with time (and some of it did - the music, outfits, interior design, chain smoking, mid-day drinking, and the P.O. Box listed at the end of the movie to mail in audience members' comments were all amusing reminders of the past), but it turns out that most of it was timeless. Even then, when positive portrayals of gays and lesbians on-screen were rare, it seems that we had the ability to laugh at ourselves.

Coming to DVD!

Wolfe Video has picked up Butch Jamie for DVD distribution! The film isn't available on their site yet to order, but I'll keep you updated. It's expected to be released this summer or fall.

Wolfe is one of the leading gay and lesbian film distributors. As I mentioned in my blog awhile back, they are also distributing one of my shorts, Half-Laughing, on a compilation called The Ultimate Lesbian Short Film Festival


They will be releasing Butch Jamie in the U.S. and Canada, although we'll hopefully find distribution in other countries as well. Also, let's cross our fingers for a kick-ass DVD release party...

As I posted in my blog awhile back, I went to the Chicago Reeling Film Festival where Butch Jamie won an award for "Best Narrative Feature."


I also got the chance to interview for the lesbian film site Tello Films. The interview is in three parts, two of which I already posted; to watch part one you can click here; to watch part two and the outtakes, click here. And here is part three -