Who or what is Phone Whore, and why make it a movie? Aren't there already movies out there about phone sex?
Answer: Yes, but they're not REAL!
They say "write about what you know", and after Cameryn Moore started doing phone sex in 2009 and staying on call for 14 to 18 hours a day, sexual fantasies--male ones, at least-- were what she knew. Her first solo show Phone Whore emerged as a way of sharing what her daily life had become, and as a launchpoint for authentic discussions of sexuality in a culture that is both hypersexualized and repressed.
A slice-of-life comedy/drama, Phone Whore won the award for Best Female Solo show at the 2010 San Francisco Fringe Festival, received Judges' Honourable Mention at the 2010 Ottawa Fringe Festival, and was selected Pick of the Fringe Drama at the 2011 Victoria Fringe Festival.
Phone Whore has travelled all over North America over the past three years, and will be going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer. However, live theatre has limited audience, and we believe that there needs to be a lot more authentic conversation about sexuality and taboo, in places where Cameryn's live touring may not reach. This is where Phone Whore: The Movie comes in. it will provide greater exposure and a different, more intimate perspective on the life of a phone-sex operator. The phone sex in this film is not a mere plot device to tell another story, as in some of the existing movies about this subject; it is the central theme of the movie.
The movie stars Cameryn Moore as herself and will be directed and shot by the award-winning director and independent filmmaker, Farzin Farzaneh. We have a small and talented crew to help with the shoot. It will be shot entirely in Montreal in HD and should be released by the end of the summer. This is the movie adaptation of the stage play - it is not simply the stage play on video.
Phone Whore: The Movie is a Lachrymose Films and Little Black Books co-production.
The Target
We are trying to raise $3000 to cover costs for three days of filming in Montreal. This should cover basic salaries and food for the production crew, as well as a few rentals. Most of the other costs are already covered.
One thing we aren't being cheap with are donor perks. Depending on the size of your donation, you could get glossy collector's photos, posters, mentions in the film credits, a DVD of the movie, an invitation to the pre-premiere... Hell, if you throw down big, we will have to get out the dayplanners, because a date with Cameryn Moore could be in the stars.
All funds raised through this campaign go directly to making this film. We will not compromise on production value and the artisitic quality of the film. Farzin Farzaneh's unique style of filmmaking, coupled with Cameryn Moore's confident and evocative acting and strong writing skills, are certain to make this a mesmerising and memorable film experience for audiences everywhere. It's a low budget film, but it certainly won't look it!
The Impact
Phone Whore is a challenging show to watch on stage. This is a Good Thing. It is supposed to make us think and challenge our ideas. It is very easy for us to fall into a rut, to keep quiet or stay in the narrow channels of what society says we should talk about when we talk about sex. One of Cameryn's favorite parts about performing Phone Whore is having conversations with audience members afterward. Whether they agree with what she's saying, or have questions or concerns, AT LEAST THE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING. This film, especially in conjunction with post-screening talkbacks, will spread those conversations further.
You can read a little more about some people's responses to Phone Whore here:
"Phone Whore is the kind of wondrous theatre work that forces you to face not just your own limits, but also what the limits are for text, performance and - let me say it - theatre itself. Go." (Charlebois Post)
"The most intimate and insightful theatre experience you’re likely to have, in more ways than one.” (roverarts.com)
“I haven’t been shaken by a piece of theatre like this for quite a while.” (audience member, Ottawa Fringe 2010)
How else you can help?
Don't have money right now? We feel ya, and that's okay. There are other ways you can help:
• SPREAD THE WORD. Share this campaign with your friends. If you've seen Phone Whore on stage,TESTIFY and let people know how important it is to bring more thought-provoking, sex-positive cinema into the world.
• FIND MORE SPONSORS. If you know people who run sex-positive, kink-friendly businesses online, point them in my direction, because there are lots of sponsorship opportunities for companies who support films that do not shy away from controversy and confronting social misconceptions and taboos.
