Riot Acts

              Flaunting Gender Deviance in Music Performance           

 

  Starting in 2006 the (then) music project Actor Slash Model, undertook a a 3 year   commitment in choosing to create a feature length documentary film to explore notions of   gender identity as it relates to music. The duo wished to seek out others in similar   circumstances as themselves, and give a voice to what was not being seen or heard, a   realm in which the array of gender diversity flourishes and the talent is superb - gender  variant musicians. (pictured left - Lipstick Conspiracy)  

Artistically this film is focused solely on the idea of a personal journey. Inclusive of both the struggle and glory transgendered individuals, as all others, experience, this film will allow a venue for a particular niche of trans existence to be revealed and celebrated. Each story is the story of a journey in progress, or a transformation. This idea of transformation is truly what drives the film. This metaphor sustains across the boards, even relating to how we as filmmakers are on our journey, artistically, intellectually and physically to expose the journeys' and stories of others.

Throughout this film we highlight the young and the old, people who have both thrived and fought within our community for decades, and those who have just discovered their own way of moving through life. This aspect of age diversity is greatly beneficial to the notion of a journey. Albeit a personal journey, a political journey, a literal journey, the aspect of travel (through years or miles) is the binding stylistic element in this film. Our lives are 4-dimensional, our media is 4-dimensional, and each person is on his/her/ze’s journey. As trans people, our bodies are nontraditional, our lifestyles are non traditional, our ideas about culture and identity are non traditional. Why shouldn’t our way of making art, be non traditional as well? Especially when our own creative process can be utilized by millions of people as a learning tool, a coping tool, or just a shout, “hey, we’re here, we’re not going away.” The merger of 16mm film, super 8 film, video, still image, experimental uses of music, audio and sound to form a truly mixed media documentary film, is only a reaffirmation of the place of trans people in this world.

At this time Actor Slash Model has completed the production process, and has begun preliminary editing. Featured inteviewees include Ryka Aoki De La Cruz and Lauren Steely from Los Angeles,Anderson Toone, Lipstick Conspiracy, Katastrophe and Trannysaurus Sex from San Francisco, Basic Fix from Portland (and San Francisco), Piper McKenzie, in Seattle, Tough Tough Skin, and Venus Demars of Minneapolis, Adhamh Roland of St. Louis, Jessica Xavier in DC, The Shondes and Novice Theory in Brooklyn, NY, The Degenerettes in Baltimore, and Systyr Act in Boston, The Cliks of Toronto and Coyote Grace(vagabonds!).

This film is due for completion in August of 2009!

*The aS/m crew cinematograher Malic Amayla has a new website!*

This project is funded solely on fundraising, donations, university gigs and small grants. If you have any interest whatsoever, please purchase the 2007 Actor Slash Model release, Cheap Date, as all proceeds go to this project, or make a donation below. The ASM film project is currently 6,000 in credit card debt, so we can use all the help we can get to bring this project to life. Let's do it together!

Simon and Madsen are available to speak on panels or facilitate discussions and presentations regarding their work. Please contact them directly. If you are interested in film stills, or production photographs please visit the press page for hi-res images.

This project has been generously supported by Beyondmedia Education, The Fire This Time Fund, The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, The Illinois Arts Council, Riot Grrrl Ink, The Broadway Youth Center, The Leather Archives and Museum, Early To Bed, Illinois Gender Advocates, Lakeside Pride Ensemble, Think Pink, as well as many individuals supporters.

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