Erie International Film Festival 2018 - A Boy Named Skye
Skye struggles with finding true love in the overly-sexualized gay community.
Interview with Director James Elinski
Watch A Boy Names Skye here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
As a gay man, I have experienced the difficulties in trying to find a relationship in an overly-sexualized gay community. In the gay community, more emphasis is put on casual hookups rather than meaningful relationships. I wanted to show a larger audience what it’s like to try to find genuine love in a society that is mainly focused on sex. I also wanted to make a film that shows the homosexual experience in a normalized light. My goal was to create a story where the main character was gay and that was just a part of who he was but not all that defined him.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
For those who aren’t familiar with the gay community, A Boy Named Skye is a window into the homosexual experience. As depicted in the film, common interests are overshadowed by sexual desire. This is a truthful and personal look at what it’s like to be a gay man in this generation.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
One of the main themes throughout the film is love. The universal theme of love plays its part in nearly every story and that’s especially true in this film. The main character is constantly in search of love, but it always seems to be out of reach. The desire to have love and be loved plays a huge part in Skye’s (the main character) motivations. Yet, what is holding him back is the mindset of the gay community. Being trapped in a society that doesn’t match your morals it another important part of my film. Skye is trapped in a society that is very much sex-based. In my own life, I have dealt with this gay hookup culture ever since I first came out as gay. I’ll admit that I have also been a part of keeping this mentality alive. Like me, I wanted Skye to embracing his sexuality while also wanted more from men. He gets swept away by hookups but in the end, they leave him empty, and nothing more comes out of it. That personal struggle of desire and immediate gratification tug at Skye throughout the entire film.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I always knew the film was going to be a commentary on the digital age, I just didn’t know what. As I thought of a look for the movie, I realized I wanted to create a film about my experience as a homosexual man in the digital age. That’s where the story really came to life for me – when I started to share my story of trying to find a relationship in an online hookup world.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overall, I’ve only received positive feedback on my film. I think the people that would not like my film tend to steer away from it purely because the subject matter makes them uncomfortable. But the people that have watched it appreciated my honesty and portrayal of the gay community. Some people who have watched it were uncomfortable by the depiction of two men engaging in sex, but I wanted to be as honest as I could when creating this movie.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
For the most part not really. I have been told a few times that this overly sexualized portrayal of the gay community isn’t the entire community and I agree with that. I am just portraying my perspective of the gay community.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that an audience who isn’t familiar with the homosexual experience views this film and gets to see how the gay community works. I want to start the conversation on the overly sexualized gay community and We Are Moving Stories is an outlet that my voice can be heard.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
To amplify my message, I would love to expand on my short film and create a feature with the same message and themes. Therefore, I’d need producers who want to help normalize homosexuality in cinema. Also, I would be honored for distributors to help share this film to an even larger audience.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
This film was created to give people insight into the gay community. So, I’d hope people would come away with a sense of understanding that opens their eyes to the society that gay men are surrounded by.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why is the gay community so sex-oriented?
Would you like to add anything else?
This film was created by me with the help of several of my classmates. And While the subject matter was slightly uncomfortable for some, we were able to make the subject a comfortable one to discuss. Therefore, I want people to have the same conversations that we had about bringing hookup culture into the light and being comfortable to discuss it.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently a sophomore film production major at Chapman University, and I am working on fine-tuning my craft and becoming a better storyteller.
Interview: December 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
A Boy Named Skye
Skye struggles with finding true love in the overly-sexualized gay community.
Length: 5 mins
Director: James Elinski
About the writer, director and producer:
JAMES ELINSKI is a Pennsylvania native who currently studies film production at Chapman University. His goal is to normalize homosexuality in cinema.
Key cast: Daniel Neale, Gabriel Florentino, Angela Cotey
Looking for: distributors
Instagram: @jameselinski
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? YouTube under “A Boy Named Skye” on my YouTube channel “James Elinski”.