Big Apple Film Festival - The Real Thing
A soldier returns from his tour of duty to surprise his child, who has transitioned while he was away, for her birthday. After a rough day at school, Allie comes home to find her Dad standing in her room.
Interview with Director Brandon Kelley
Watch The Real Thing here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
This film is based on a feature screenplay I've written with similar themes of unconditional love, finding oneself and listening to your child. Originally, we made The Real Thing to accompany that screenplay as a proof of concept but it has since grown and taken on a life of its own.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Our film's message is meant for everyone. Each viewer will take something different from the experience based on where they are/where they're from. We want it to reach parents in order to help guide them towards following their child's lead. We want it to reach the parents of trans children so that they see how they should act when their child is transgender. We want it to inspire young trans kids to feel better and know that they are loved. We want it to reach all kids, so that when they do encounter a trans person in their life, they treat them like any other kid.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is deeply personal and the theme of unconditional love is something that I cherish within my own family. Unconditional love, especially from a parent to their child, is something that I feel should absolutely be universal. We also want to push past the theme of acceptance and into the world of embracing trans kids. It's not enough to simply accept that a child is transgender, they need encouragement and affirmation from the adults in their life. Friendship comes into play in the film, as we see Amanda showing Allie how to use the spring-loaded hair clip. The juxtaposition of all of these positive themes with the negative from the teacher/administration is the reality that trans kids face every day. Our star, Sophie, is transgender and has faced these same obstacles in her life.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Originally this film had no dialogue. In receiving feedback on the original script, a few people were confused by the bathroom sequence, and being the most important antagonistic moment (as well as a true story which trans kids face every day) I really wanted to nail it, so I added the teacher's line. I knew then that I didn't want that to be the only line of dialogue in the film so I bookended it with the father's line at the end. This balance created an emotional arc which I realized the film had been lacking.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Our film has received positive critical feedback with reviews from a handful of writers. The cinematography and the performances, as well as the lack of dialogue, are most cited. I'm also honored that we've received intimate feedback from members of the LGBT community, especially trans people and parents of trans children. Many of them have told me their personal stories and how certain moments within the film reflect moments from their own lives. This feedback has been the most rewarding.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I've been pleasantly surprised to receive only positive feedback, thus far, on the subject matter. In our non-LGBT screenings we've had a few people ask about Sophie and when they find out that she is trans or have the opportunity to meet her, they're moved by her struggles, represented on screen by the main character.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are trying to build a large network of people to see the film and, when the time comes, help us share it online. The community is rallying around the film and the leaders of the community: advocates and trans/LGBT celebrities, are ready to help us spread the film far and wide. It's been wonderful to have positive feedback from the community on the film's realism, but the film has a message that needs to reach that community's antagonists, and we aim to send it to them as a message of love and understanding.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Personally, I would love for this film to help me towards representation as a director, but what the film really needs is people to help it spread like wildfire. We want to break through the border that separates people who already love and embrace trans children and get our message to those who don't understand or are actively trying to discriminate against trans kids.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for this film to help change hearts. My own family is a mixed bag of tricks on social issues. I am excited to bring them into my world and introduce them to the film. I sincerely hope that they will have the opportunity to both see the film and meet Sophie, in person. She is a powerful young woman and a phenomenal advocate, simply by being herself.
This hope goes beyond my family, of course, and I hope that our film and its message will spread to all corners of the world and lift up trans children, out of the hole of discrimination they face. I want to inspire them by showing them a film starring a young trans woman. I want to show their antagonizers that all they're doing is hurting children. I want to show parents of trans children how to act towards their child. 7 minutes is not a lot of time but I feel confident that all these wishes can be started by simply viewing the film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why would you ever want to hurt this child?
Would you like to add anything else?
I'd like to add my sincere gratitude to the people who have helped make this film possible. My parents, first and foremost, have been active supporters for my entire life. Without them, I wouldn't be able to speak so personally about the effects of unconditional love. Sarah McBride, National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, along with Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst, helped us reach and cast Sophie to bring Allie to life. I'd also like to thank the community for their support of the film and our team.
We shot the film on 35mm celluloid thanks to the generous discounts by Reel Good and Kodak, as well as Metropolis NYC.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Brandon is directing a music video for upcoming musical duo, Chec, as well as developing their first episodic project.
Cinematographer Greta just completed principal photography on her first feature film.
Producer Jon Gestal is wrapping the first season of his first narrative television series, Big Dogs, as the production manager..
We all look forward to our next collaboration.
Interview: November 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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The Real Thing
A soldier returns from his tour of duty to surprise his child, who has transitioned while he was away, for her birthday. After a rough day at school, Allie comes home to find her Dad standing in her room.
Length:
7.5 min
Director:
Brandon Kelley
Producer:
Jon Gestal
Writer:
Brandon Kelley
About the writer, director and producer:
Brandon Kelley is a filmmaker and advocate whose passion lies in shaping the performances his cast and collaborating with equally passionate crew.
Jon Gestal is a producer who enjoys the challenge of bringing to life projects with strong stories, casts, and crews.
Key cast:
Michael Torpey (Orange is the New Black, Red Oaks)
Sophia Grace Giannamore (Transparent, The True Adventures of Wolfboy)
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Looking for new projects, representation, journalists and advocates.
Social media handles:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheRealThingTrans/
Twitter:
Brandon - @theworldic
Instagram:
Brandon - @theworldic
Greta - @gzoz
Funders:
Kickstarter
Family and friends
Self-funding
Kodak Film-matching grant
IFP Fiscal Sponsorship
Where will the film screen in the next month?
Indianapolis, IN
Nov 10 @ 7:30pm
#indylgbtfilmfest
Premiere Night Short Film
https://indylgbtfilmfest2017.brownpapertickets.com/
San Francisco, CA
Nov 11 @ 7pm
San Francisco Transgender Film Festival
http://sftff.org/saturday-november-11-at-7pm/
Charlottesville, VA
Nov 12 @ 11:30am
@vafilmfest
Shorts Block D
http://virginiafilmfestival.org/films/short-films-block-d-2/
Bahamas
Dec 12 @ 6:30pm
Dec 14 @ 8pm
Dec 17 @ 5pm
@bahamasintlff
http://www.bintlfilmfest.com/the_fest…/film_description/1005