Getting to the Finish Line

We can see the finish line from here!

Tartan Track CCO by anncaIt’s been a long road. I sat down to do the first interview for TransGeek nearly six years ago. In that time we have recorded the stories of dozens of folks. We have seen hope grow, and had our hopes dashed. We have seen our world change in ways that we could not have imagined. After all this time, TransGeek remains an important and timely project.

As I look for the final bits of b-roll and Lisa polishes the final edit, we are facing a few more challenges to getting these amazing stories on the big screen. So what’s left to do? Color correction, sound mix, motion graphics, promotion, web extras…and more.

Enough more that our funding is beginning to run short. We have reserved what we need to fulfill the rewards we owe our wonderful and oh-so-patient Kickstarter supporters. But that leaves us a nearly zero balance in the production account.

So what to do?

Grant Writing CCO by jarmolukWe are applying for completion grants, a form of funding specifically intended to aid independent film productions that find themselves in this sort of situation. Producers with films that are essentially finished can seek funding to put those final touches on and get their film in front of an audience. This is where you come in…

WANTED: Grant Writer

If you agree with us that TransGeek is an important project and have some experience writing grants, we could use your help.

We are all working hard to get the film out. By enlisting the aid of someone with grant writing experience, the rest of the team would be able to concentrate on the work best suited to their talents.

Want to help? Know someone else who could? Email me, Tweet at me, or Leave a message on Facebook. Together we can make sure that these remarkable stories are seen by a wide audience.

Gaming History, “Old Sküül” Style

Occasionally I take advantage of my privilege as a documentarian.  Last weekend, Dark Tower coverinterviewing Jennell Jaquays and Rebecca Heineman was one of those times:

I was fortunate enough to find a copy of Jennell’s D&D module. “Dark Tower” on eBay, and brought it along to our interview at Olde Sküül. She graciously consented to autograph her work.

The inscription is for the members of a D&D campaign lead by my co-producer Mallory.

Jennell's Autograph

Mal seemed pleased when

The Newest Addition to Our Team

Mallory Anna Wood

We have a new co-producer joining us.

Mallory Anna Wood is a trans lesbian feminist activist and writer. She’s also a tabletop and PC gamer, a cartoon and horror film fanatic, and a huge science nerd.

Mallory’s involvement in the film began as a friend and general cultural consultant, and has slowly metamorphosed into her current role as co-producer. She adds a critical transfeminine perspective to the production team, as well as keeping the project aware of and involved in trans youth culture and activism.

[Edited to update bio. 13/Nov/2018]

 

Clip Reel

While we work on our trailer, we thought we would show a few of our interviews in more depth.

Here we are a few selections from our interviews with Anna Anthropy, Alicia E. Goranson, Mattie Brice, Cheryl Morgan, and Tab Kimpton. The footage is uncorrected, and the edit is rough, but the interviews speak for themselves.

This is the clip reel we showed at GaymerX2.

TransGeek Movie @ Trans*H4CK

The weekend of March 28th-30th, Sayer and I drove to Chicago to film at Trans*H4CK.

Dr. Kortney Ziegler, Kevin McCarthy and Sayer Johnson at Trans*H4CKThe hackathon, which took place at Dev BootCamp, is: “A hackathon and speaker series that radically shifts the ways trans people live by creating technology that economically empowers, improves access to social services, promotes gender safety and community sustainability, while bringing visibility to trans led startups.” The winning team of developers, RAD, got to present their project at the Trans100 that Sunday night.

TransGeek Movie is going to GaymerX!

TransGeek Movie is very excited to be going to GaymerX! “The first LGBT gamer convention focused on the queer geek culture”

We are hoping to talk with all sorts of geeks while we are there.

We have questions…

  • Why do you game?
  • Why do you cosplay?
  • Who are your favorite characters?
  • Tell us about your avatar.
  • How do stereotypes affect your gaming experience?
  • Is geek culture a true meritocracy?
  • Do you use gaming or cosplay as a way to express gender?
  • How do we make gaming more inclusive?
  • Are cons safe places for LGBT gamers?
  • How can we use games to change the way we look at gender identity?
  • Are we asking the right questions?

…and we want to hear your answers!

If you are transgender, genderqueer, or cisgender and have something to say about gender identity and geek culture; we want to hear your story. You can find us at GaymerX, wearing the TransGeek Movie t-shirts, or contact us via:

Twitter: @TransGeekMovie

Facebook: fb.com/TransGeekMovie

Email: kevin (at) transgeekmovie (dot) net

txt/voice: 618.210.6080

 

TransGeek Movie is not associated with or endorsed by GaymerX/GaymerConnect in any way.

The UK interview trip.

I have spent the last five days in England, conducting background interviews and shooting.

It continue to amaze me how willing people are to engage with me on the topic of gender and geekdom; and how much they have to say. More than once I have missed supper with my hosts, back in London, because an interview has gone on much longer than originally planned. The thoughtful input from those willing to talk on camera, and those that would rather not take such a public role, has been wonderful. I continue to discover on a daily basis how big a topic this is, and how deeply it touches our assumptions about gender and privilege.

Friday I went to the beautiful city of Bath to do an on camera interview with Cheryl Morgan. We talked about gender issues in gaming, science fiction, computer programing and publishing. Cheryl has fantastic insights on privilege, gender, and just about any thing else a geek might be interested in.

Cheryl writings at Cheryl’s Musings were an indispensable source for research, and one of the early inspirations for this movie.

I want to thank Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights for hosting us. If you find yourself in Bath, you should check out this fantastic independent bookseller. While you are there, don’t miss the recycled Tin Tin comics papering the stairwell.

Monday I traveled down to Southampton. There I had a great on camera interview with Tab Kimpton. We talked web comics, cosplay, and much, much more.

Tab Kimpton
You need to check out his work.

I head back to the States on Friday. I will get in at least one more background interview before then, and perhaps even another on camera. Next stop will be the northeast United States in mid-October.

Anna Anthropy

I had the pleasure of filming Anna Anthropy at Dorkbot Chicago on April 5th.

Anna is an independent game developer and author of

    Rise of the Videogame Zinesters: How Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives, and People Like You Are Taking Back an Art Form

She creates and champions game development that embodies personal experience, and takes back authorship for all of us. Her message is powerful. I encourage you to get a copy of the book, and head over to her site to play the games.

I also got a chance to sit down with Anna for a one-on-one interview. Afterwards, she did me the kindness of signing my copy of her book with a whimsical call to action:

When you’re done making your movie, remember to make a game too!

I wan’t to thank Jason Soliday of Enemy Sound; and Jake Eliot and Jon Cates of Dorkbot for accommodating my filming on such short notice.

First Light!

I had a great on-camera interview with Robyn Carolyn Montague, Executive Director of TransHaven, in St. Louis. We had a wide ranging conversation about her work in aerospace engineering, and the role Science Fiction has played in her life. Robyn and I spoke off camera about Trans Equity advocacy, and the larger struggle for human rights. While I broke down the camera and lights, we mused about independent film-making and the digital technology that has made it so much more accessible.

It was a real joy visiting with Robyn; on camera, and off.

This was the first filming for TransGeek Movie! It went smoothly. I am pleased with both the technical and editorial quality of the material we recorded.