About Me
Hello! My name is Lauren and I am a queer/genderqueer writer and filmmaker living in Oakland. I left my midwestern life of Waffle House waitressing behind a few years ago to finish school here in the Bay, where I quickly realized my life's calling was to make videos showcasing upapologetic displays of queerness, bitchiness, and true love(s) in a magic kind of way, not a one-true-love and then "The End" kind of way.
I work writing and making videos usually for other people (other great people and organizations, might I add) but feel the time is right for me to finally bring to fruition a project that has been a gleam in my eye for quite some time now. This is going to be a collaborative project from the get-go, as my "butch" vantage point is just a puny one in the grand scheme of identity/gender presentation/etc. I will be casting actors who have ever felt like they were "just not butch enough" or who have felt there are big problems with strict butch identities — or anyone who has ever wanted to glitter decoupage/call out/destroy/etc. the infamous "Cult of Masculinity."
This project will offer some serious theatrical catharsis, and aims to add to the ongoing dialogue in various queer communities that problematizes the worship of narrow conceptions of masculinity, read: masculinities that center whiteness, able-bodiedness, skinniness, macho-ness — in other words, masculinities that don't actually reflect insurrectionary queer communities that value all bodies, not just those that are valued by conventional beauty/gender standards.
Costs Breakdown
I have done projects before on no budget, but this time around I'd like to really be able to take time off work to devote to the project, and pay my actors and crew for their involvement. The money will go towards paying the actors, providing food for the shoot and the food fight scene, and buying matching "Butch Please" hats for everyone involved. The money will also be used for various set expenses, like gas money for hauling equipment around, paying the artist I've comissioned to do set design, and costuming. I would also like to have money to use making various Camp Butchinson propaganda materials, like posters of the cast and postcards!
I am expecting to have at least 30 actors, with main characters paid more based on longer time commitment/longer shooting times. I will be paying myself to take time off work for editing and scripting, and hopefully use any portion of the money left over to invest in a camera for myself as I still have not been able to afford one in my post-college lack of finances. Making this project and finally having a camera of my own would be two of my fondest dreams come true, so I really hope it can happen with your help!
What Will I Do For You?
Well, aside from my never-ending gratitude and adoration, there are some thing I have in my power to bestow upon you if you would like to get involved by donating:
Donate $5-25 and I will write you a big thank you on Facebook, and put you in the credits of course. I will also send you a special "Post Card From Camp Butchinson!" inviting you to the world premiere on August 15.
Donate $26-74 and I will do all of the above, plus send you a DVD of the finished product!
Donate $75-200 and I will send you all of the above, plus a poster from the film. This is cultural history in the making, so who knows what these posters will be worth in the gay future!
Donate $201+ and I will send you all of the above, plus donate my time to help you realize some of your video-related dreams — whether you need help shooting, editing, or anything else!
More about the story of "Camp Butchinson"
The plot is pretty simple: I am feeling more angst than usual in my daily life due to various "emasculating" incidents, and so my roommate gives me a flyer for Camp Butchinson. I quickly pack my bags and head off, only to meet many other fledgling butches who just aren't quite hacking it in the macho-ness department.
The camp is a brutal place, complete with ruthless counselors, routine searches where forbidden items (like nail polish) are confiscated, grueling physical activities (like chivalry windsprints), and general brainwashing/chant type stuff. After a few days of this misery, the trainees decide that the kind of butchness Camp Butchinson showcases is sad and pathetic — reinforcing misogynist ideas and tired binary gender crap to say the least.
As queerness is about bodily autonomy and resisting oppressive bullshit, the trainees realize they must band together to burn down the camp — and trample the counselors to death while wearing high heels in an over-the-top display of gruesomeness and supreme faggotry.
This is a link to my last video project, which I did on zero dollars.
Other Ways You Can Help
Even if you can't donate money, you can still forward this campaign to your friends! Or, you can get involved by becoming an actor! Here is the Facebook event.
