If you’d like to see more queer female character in action or sci-fi movies, you may be in luck. Out writer-director Tina Scorzafava (Gillery’s Little Secret) is currently screening her 12-minute special effects—laden film In Twilight’s Shadow at LGBT film festivals across the nation.
It stands out in the usual festival fare in the best way possible, bursting at the seams with sexy characters, mythic undertones and serious ass-kicking action. In the film, the vampire-like Carlisle (former model Natasha Alam) travels to a rival coven to save her human girlfriend from certain death. The
project is just begging to be made into a full-length feature or a TV series, and Scorzafava is currently waist deep in trying to make that happen. Unfortunately, getting queer content into the expensive (and often male-oriented) world of genre film is anything but easy.
AfterEllen.com recently corresponded with Scorzafava by email and phone about the trials of getting her project off the ground, why it isn’t just Buffy (though she’s a big fan!) all over again, and how kick-ass women are irresistible.
AfterEllen.com: Let’s start from the beginning. How’d you get into film in the first place?
Tina Scorzafava: If I’m honest, it was born out of stupidity, naiveté and obsession. I needed a creative outlet, to develop material that interested and challenged me. But being new to it, I didn’t want to go it alone, so I contacted a writer who I liked and asked if she’d be willing to collaborate on a story that I could work into a short film script.
She said yes, and I came away with my first script that I then spent the next year turning into a 25-minute film.
AE: It may sound obvious, but why queer film?
TS: Because they make so much money, their budgets are endless and the world loves them.
What?! No? Then I guess it always circles back to what you know. With my coming-out process, the films were all about the struggles of realization, facing fears and (hopefully) gaining acceptance. We’ll always need those, but I realized that I now needed the films that spoke to my next steps of simply living a life.
I wanted to see characters like me, who were already comfortable in their skin, but there weren’t any stories like that out there. So I decided to test the waters and start small with a short film for the community that had nothing to do with the focus on being gay. That film turned out to be the award-winning Gillery’s Little Secret, which starred Annabeth Gish, Allison Smith and Julie Ann Emery.
AE: OK, let’s talk about In Twilight’s Shadow. What was the genesis of the project? What made you decide to pursue it?
TS: You mean besides the fact that one can never see too much of a strong, beautiful woman kicking some major ass all over the screen?
Well, after the success with Gillery’s, I began working on its full-length script – The Color of Secrets – I started taking meetings within the industry to interest them in the feature. Annabeth Gish is still tentatively attached to star.
I was told time and again that it was well-liked for its story line, structure and characters, but one thing kept popping up – did it have to be lesbian (and a drama) – something seen as highly unprofitable.
I was like, “What? Are you kidding?” So after being frustrated about that, it got me thinking: What could I write that would promote visibility but also be seen as a potential moneymaker?
It’s a business, and the bottom line is what investors care about. So I started thinking about a genre film. I then decided to raise the bar to one where queerness is not only expected but accepted, and is a theme that people could excitedly embrace.
I then spoke with a writer friend and began writing the feature version for In Twilight’s Shadow, which was inspired by a short story of hers.
AE: So you’re now looking into making the feature based on this short. Could you tell me where you are in that process?
TS: The feature script has now been finalized and receiving great feedback. It’s being broken down and budgeted, then we’ll be looking to form a collaboration or co-production by knocking on the doors of the queer networks and production companies.
Anyone out there want to make a sexy, kick-ass, female-led thriller for a reasonable budget? Let’s talk.
AE: Would you consider the project viable as a TV series?
TS: Definitely. There are so many aspects of this epic story to show. It’s well past time for a lesbian-led genre show on television/cable that’s well-told, tightly written/directed/produced, and superbly acted.
AE: I remember you saying that the film is intended to show that you can do action and sci-fi with queer characters. Do you feel that audiences respond to that, as opposed to the usual festival dramas and comedies?
TS: I think audiences respond to any genre film as long as it’s a good story done well, and I especially feel action sci-fi films would be something they’d love, since it’s all but been neglected.
Based on festival audience reactions so far, where the short In Twilight’s Shadow has been screening, I think we gave them something fresh, fun and visually exciting that they’ve been waiting to see.
But without enough of these types of short films, festival programmers have a hard time programming them since they don’t have others like it to fill a program. And because of that, some audiences are really going to miss out.
AE: Do you think there’s real potential for queer characters in mainstream action sci-fi films, or on the flipside, potential for queer films done in this style?
TS: I might be a Pollyanna wearing rose-colored glasses, but I fully believe mainstream is willing to accept queer characters – within certain boundaries.
They don’t care about seeing the queer process, and even they’re tired of the stereotypes. But if you give them a character who just happens to be queer, put them in a solid story wrapped in big action and intense effects, surrounded by a great cast – then the queer content becomes just an element, not the focus.
However, a concern popping up is that the companies say they have no money to make these kinds of films. Plus, based on some of my past conversations with a few of them, they seem to believe what the mainstream industry believes: Queer films are not profitable unless the budgets can be kept to an extremely low dollar amount.
But it’s just a fact that you can’t shoot a well-done, believable action sci-fi film or TV series for the same costs you could a drama or comedy. Just the small additional crew, effects and stunt teams require more. But if you plan your shoot creatively and use all available resources to keep the budget down, you can make it cost-effective. I’ve done it.
AE: It’s clear that there’s a great deal of backstory and mythology underlying the short film. Could you give us a few clues, especially about the heroine, Carlisle?
TS: Um, if I explain the mythology and backstory then where’s the fun of watching the feature once it’s made? But I can share this: The feature script of In Twilight’s Shadow is an adventure about a young woman’s battle to accept the dark gift and all the power, seduction, rage, sorrow, excitement and consequences that come with it.
I’ll take you into Carlisle’s inner sanctum, to witness the Coven and all its mythology from the inside. Everything I hope to achieve is there to give the audience what they need to enhance the experience and seduce them into her world.
AE: Speaking of a dark gift, there have been comparisons to Buffy and Underworld. What would you say to differentiate your film from them?
TS: It has a fascinating story, with all the action and effects you’ve come to expect, but what will separate In Twilight’s Shadow is that it asks a question of the audience: “If eternal life was laid at your feet and you could have almost anything, what would you desire most?” I think our answer to that will intrigue you.
AE: Finally, I want to know what you’re seeing in mainstream genre film. Do you think women, queer or not, in sci-fi, action and superhero movies are in trouble right now? That is, relegated to playing wives, sidekicks, girlfriends, damsels in distress, etc.? If so, how do we fix that?
TS: It’s true that women have typically been relegated to secondary or stereotypical roles, although they’ve been treated more favorably on TV.
But we can’t deny that we’ve also been given some strong females in good action film roles – Sigourney [Weaver], Angelina [Jolie], Charlize [Theron], Uma [Thurman], Linda [Hamilton], Milla [Jovovich] and Keira [Knightley] – just to name a handful. But they’re few and far between.
Sadly though, it’s worse within our community and probably will stay that way for a long while. Queer – specifically U.S. – filmmakers are literally making shorts and features by themselves on peanuts, whereas action sci-fi films require at least a raise to cashews – thanks to Dara [Nai] for that metaphor – and a certain level of support.
Until we start getting assistance both financially and creatively from the queer networks and production companies, with audiences supporting it at the box office/festivals, then the only hope of women – queer or not – in these kinds of films lies in the hands of a few mainstream straight male directors – which is fantastic, but not nearly enough.
In Twilight’s Shadow is currently playing at LGBT film festivals across the country; visit www.liquidfilmworks.com for more information.
