Artistic Vision
As a closeted high schooler, I was thrilled when there was finally a lesbian character on one of my favorite TV shows... The Walking Dead. I clung to every word of the scenes between Tara and her new lesbian love interest. For a moment, the potential for queer love existed not only for the lesbian characters mid-apocalypse but for the closeted high schooler watching from their living room. Only two episodes later, however, she was killed. Tara’s (and my own) chance at queer love seemed to disappear.
Since coming out of the closet and declaring a Major in Film Production (with Minors in Screenwriting and Women’s & Gender Studies), I’ve learned that this moment on television was not an isolated incident. LGBTQ+ characters are so frequently killed off in television shows that this trope was given a name: “Bury Your Gays.''
Bury Your Gays: Why 'The 100,' 'Walking Dead' Deaths Are Problematic
As a writer and director, I am not only dedicated to promoting realistic and nuanced representations of LGBTQ+ characters, but I will give them narratives that do not end in tragedy. Instead, I plan to use comedy as activism, and laughter to mobilize change!
I plan to combine my passion for social justice with my comedy writing and directorial skills. I’ve trained with The Second City and ComedySportz as well as held Film/TV development internships with companies specializing in comedy films (National Lampoon, The Montecito Picture Company). While comedy movies have the reputation for being less cinematic than dramas, that will not be the case with my directorial work. Heavily influenced by Edgar Wright, I will use powerful visuals and aesthetics to heighten the comedy!
Edgar Wright - How to do Visual Comedy
In my recent film, Admit One, I combined exciting aesthetics, visual/verbal comedy, and tender queer characters to create a truly unique short film, because that’s what #LGBTQFansDeserve.
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