Web series explores coming out

Web series explores coming out

Melbourne-based filmmaker Kylie Eddy is creating a web series of short films called Coming Out Is Hard to Do, based on real coming-out stories from GLBTI people. Eddy is looking for people to offer their own stories for future episodes.

Already available on the series’ website, the first episode is based on Eddy’s own coming-out story, and is a cut-down version of a short film she made some years ago. The film has been shown at film festivals over the years, and Eddy said people seem to remember it.

“It’s kind of stuck in people’s minds, I think because they can relate,” Eddy told Southern Star Observer.

This ongoing interest in the film and the technological ease with which webisodes can now be produced and distributed has prompted Eddy to begin the series.

“I think coming out is something universal for queer people, and it’s kind of ongoing,” she said.

However, she is not looking to create a resource for people looking to come out.

“I’m hoping that people will firstly be entertained,” she said.

However, she may also be interested in looking at coming out stories that are less positive.

“I’m keeping an open mind to it. What I’m more interested in are stories that have a beginning, a middle and an end, but if it goes into a slightly darker place, that’s okay”, she explained.

“But I would say, it is an entertainment series not a documentary.”

Eddy recalled that when she was involved in the Melbourne Queer Film Festival many people would comment on the number of coming-out stories each year. However, she sees this as a good thing.

“I love coming-out stories and I love coming-out films — I think they are their own little genre,” she said.

“I still think it’s important in mainstream media to have coming-out stories, because that is the reality for gay and lesbian people.

“That being said, what I would like to achieve with this series is that it’s for us. It’s a queer filmmaker speaking to a queer audience.

“Sure, if straight people want to watch it of course they’re welcome, but really it’s about celebrating our stories together and not having to view that through some kind of acceptable mainstream language. We can just be ourselves.”

By Benjamin Riley

info: To watch the series and for details on how to submit your own stories, visit www.comingoutishardtodo.com

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