A team of local filmmakers is setting out to make a short film about the experience of being transgender and they need help to make it happen.
F**king Transformer is a project from writer-director Grey A’Vard and producer Lauren Demarti. They’re both graduates of the WA Screen Academy and ECU and this will be their first major independent project.
They’ve lined up a team of creatives including cinemaphotographer Juan Felipe Sarmiento, editor Bryan Liew, sound designer Sheridan Neilsen, production designer Kiara Gorton and costume designer Shakira Mingonie.
Here’s what their short film is about.
F**king Transformer follows Max, a trans man who has been out for a year, with wonderful and supportive friends. His Mum is mostly supportive, however, she has made a few mistakes.
It’s the school ball and Max knows his Mum is struggling with the idea of this seminal moment being different from how she imagined when he was younger. This is causing him some distress, so his best friend Danny decides to show Max that he should be himself on this day, and every other day.
Director and writer Grey A’Vard shares that they really want to be making films about acceptance of gender and sexuality and negotiating the important relationships in people’s lives.
“I didn’t hear the term ‘nonbinary’ until I was in my twenties, which made figuring out who I was very difficult. Once I realised that the issues I had been experiencing had a lot to do with my gender presentation, I still didn’t know how to tackle that.
“It’s difficult to be something you cannot see.” A’Vard said. “In figuring out my identity and discovering I was trans, I became comfortable in myself in a way that I wasn’t before – it really helped to settle me, having these answers. This is why I think it is so important to see trans characters represented by trans actors on screen.
“Queer stories often seem like they are only for a queer audience, however, I feel that this film speaks to every person’s deep need for acceptance.”
The film will feature actors Percy Archer who will take on the lead role of Max, while Harrison Popple will play best friend Danny. Emily Jenkins and Elizabeth-Anne Jospeh will round out the cast.
The team have set themselves a goal of raising $3,500 to create the film. The money will go towards locations, feeding the cast and crew, costumes, hiring technical equipment and marketing the film.
Contribute to their fundraising campaign at their Pozible page.
