After an intern goes out to dinner with his supervisor on the last day of his internship, things take a sharp turn as he gets pressured into his first sexual encounter with a man.
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It’s not uncommon to hear about stories of abuse in the workplace. Just look at the Harvey Weinsteins and the Matt Lauers of the world. But I didn’t think it could happen to me. And when it did, like so many others, I didn’t realize what had happened. I thought that it was normal. That I did something wrong. That I asked for it.
I hid this story for many years since that internship. I packed it away. I sat with my shame. With time and by sharing my story, I’ve learned that not only was what happened not my fault, but also that my experience is not uncommon. This is why I wrote FIRST TIME. I’m telling this story because while these things occur all the time, I’ve never seen what happened to me on screen before. It is a deeply personal and intimate look at how this played out. How the transgressions can go even deeper than what you read in the headlines. And how pervasive this can be at even the smallest moments.
For gay men, these experiences can transpire in ways that are different than we might see in heterosexual transgressions, such as men who think they can have whoever they want because of the prevalence of hookup culture, or men who take advantage of those who are confused about their sexuality. I’ve found that in the process of normalizing the telling of LGBTQ+ stories, some of the more intricate experiences have a tendency to be glossed over, and still haven’t had the opportunity to be told.
FIRST TIME is a story about when a power dynamic goes too far. About a work crush that turns into a nightmare. When you don’t know if someone is a crush, a mentor, or an abuser. The threads are tangled together in such a way that you might not know if you can ever rip them apart. And how does the power dynamic change when the job ends? It’s about how someone takes advantage of the shame and confusion of the coming out experience to take control.
I am finally ready to tell this story in the form of a short film. I’ve felt the support of my community, and the relief we’ve all felt when our experiences are validated. And then we stand up, we shake our shame, and we use it to shine the light on the dark we’ve left behind. I would be honored to have you join us on this journey.
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Daniel Kahana | Writer/Director/"Evan"
Daniel Kahana is a queer Swiss-American writer/director/performer based in Los Angeles. Having grown up in Geneva, Switzerland, he is still adjusting to life on the other side of the Atlantic one day at a time. Despite Geneva being an international melting pot and having attended a school with students from over 100 different countries, ethnicities, and religions, Daniel never felt like he fit in. This drove his move to Hollywood where he strives to tell stories for those who never saw themselves reflected on screen. After graduating the University of Pennsylvania, he has worked at a major talent agency, with shows for HBO and ABC, and is currently developing TV with prolific writers and directors. Now, he's excited to make his first short film.
Rebecca Shapiro | Producer
Baltimore native, Rebecca Shapiro, graduated from Tufts University in 2018 with a BA in Child Development. Following graduation, Rebecca decided to tap into her creative interests and move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. In her first position in Hollywood, Rebecca was an assistant to Director/Producer Ondi Timoner. In 2019, Rebecca made a jump to scripted TV/Film, working as an assistant at the production company, Escape Artists. Two years and a global pandemic later, Rebecca was promoted to her current role at Escape Artists as a Development Executive for TV and film. Outside of her day job, Rebecca takes on a variety of creative endeavors. She loves to write and her latest pilot script, EMERGING, placed in the Quarterfinals of the Stage32 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Screenwriting Contest. Rebecca also hosts and produces a blind dating podcast called "Listening for Love," makes lots of TikToks, produces short films with her friends, and attends as many concerts as she can each week.
Lesley Arfin | Executive Producer
Lesley Arfin is a Writer/Producer who rose to prominence for her book "Dear Diary" which was published based on her Vice column. She co-created LOVE for Netflix and served as Showrunner for BETTY on HBO. Other writing credits include GIRLS, AWKWARD, and BROOKLYN NINE-NINE.
Antoine Combelles | Cinematographer
Antoine Combelles is a French Cinematographer based in Los Angeles. Thanks to his European background and American filmmaking experience, Antoine strives to bring a unique and passionate perspective to his collaborators' visions. After working as a photographer and VFX artist, Antoine focused on Cinematography to be closer to his love for storytelling, character development and human connection. Over the years, Antoine has lensed award winning short films, web series, music videos and worked with Academy Awards nominees & Golden Globes winning actors. Antoine earned his MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory and his BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In 2015, Antoine received the ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award for his work in Cinematography, for which he was featured in the American Cinematographer's magazine. www.antoinecombelles.com
Arthur White | "Tom"
Arthur White studied business at Kansas State University only to 180 and move to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an actor after graduation. For the past four years Arthur has shaped his craft spending his time at Playhouse West, The Second City, and working diligently with coach Benjamin Byron Davis. You may have seen him on stage in North Hollywood a time or two, or perhaps you caught him as “Murdered Man” on season 2 episode 2 of “The Family Business” on BET+. Arthur takes roles that challenge him to grow as an actor and in his personal character, which is why he is so excited to take on this project.
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Getting a film off the ground is expensive and requires a lot of time, and we want everyone involved to be compensated for their efforts. Your help will get us over the finish line. The current timeline sees us shooting at the end of January 2022 in Los Angeles, CA.
THANK YOU!!!
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