LGBTQ Casting Opportunity

The below message is from The Casting Team at "Way Out"

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Showtime Networks and Executive Producer Bryn Freedman (A&E's "Intervention") are developing a new TV documentary series about gays and lesbians coming out to important people in their lives. Our aim is to create a show that not only helps the people we profile and the LGBTQ community in general, but also uses television’s vast reach and power to enlighten and increase understanding of what it’s like to feel compelled to hide an essential part of oneself.

We were alarmed by the recent San Francisco State University study about family response to a teen’s coming out and its conclusion that “teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide.” The glimmer of hope the study offered however was that “parents who take even baby steps to respond with equanimity instead of rejection can dramatically improve a gay youth's mental health outlook.” By raising awareness and visibility, we hope to help people take those “baby steps” or better.

Our production team includes film & television producer Todd Shotz whose on-line video campaign against Prop 8 in California was honored on March 14 with the first-ever Human Rights Campaign E-Hero Award.

Freedman, Shotz and the rest of the team will treat the people we profile and their loved ones with the utmost care, dignity and respect, and will provide a support system of counselors and therapists throughout the process.

**We are currently casting for the series and want to get the word out
as far and wide as possible. To learn more about the show and/or be
a participant, please visit our website:
www.wayoutdocumentary.com
or our Facebook group
or check out the interview that THE ADVOCATE did with Adam Drucker,
our Casting Producer
(Please note that THE ADVOCATE piece is a month old and we are now casting NATIONWIDE. We'd like to reach every corner of America, from urban centers to the smallest of towns where it is rare to live openly as a LGBTQ person.)

New Couple Added!

Meet Dutch and David, a fun bear couple from Texas. Their site is still underconstruction, but be sure to check back for more information about this handsome couple.

Bear Party Magazine

If you are like David and I, you may not go out to bars and bear runs much (or at all!) but if you and your huz are partiers, here's a magazine for you:
www.bearpartymagazine.com

The magazine is distributed at bear bars, events and by subscription. You can also view it free online by registering for free at bearparty.com.

Enjoy!

Shirtlifter by Steve MacIsaac

I had the opportunity to review Steve MacIsaac's comic book series, Shirtlifter. I first became familiar with Steve MacIsaac’s illustrations through STICKY, written by Dale Lazarov. His style is clean and distinct, classic comic book and not cartoonish at all. Although not all the characters in Shirtlifter can be classified as a bear (the majority are), he knows how to draw bears, and illustrates them well.

Issue #2 is a series of autobiographical stories. And although about the author, the stories he tells are situations most gay men have found themselves in at one point or another. A passing crush, missed opportunities (good thing or not?), unsafe encounters. Although all the stories were strong, the one that stuck out the most for me was “You Do The Math” which deals with internal homophobia. “Waiting for the Bus” is also a strong piece in the issue. At a point in the story, the main character makes a decision to follow or not follow a man into the bathroom, and from that point on, the story divides and you see two different versions of the story, based on the two alternative decisions. The comic book format, only strengths the narrative.

Issue #3 features the work of three different illustrators, Steve MacIsaac, Fuzzbelly, and Justin Hall. Steve’s portion, “Unpacking” is the first three chapters of what I can only guess is a continuing work. Like issue #2, the story is familiar and thought-provoking. Fuzzbelly’s “FBuds” is a fun look at the process of writing and erotic comic, and Justin Hall’s “The Liar” confused me. But I will say that “The Liar” was just an excerpt.

Where as STICKY was definitely an erotic comic, I’m not so sure I would say the same thing about Shirtlifter. Although there is plenty of sex, none of it is gratuitous. It’s simply part of the story and part of the characters’ lives.

To learn more about Shirtlifter, check out stevemacisaac.com. You’ll find all the information needed to order your own copies.

You can also find Shirtlifter on Amazon.com.
Shirtlifter #3
Shirtlifter #2

And, incase you are in CA, the Official Book Launch Party for SHIRTLIFTER #3 will be held at A Different Light, 8853 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA on January 23rd, 2009.

Things Bears Love

http://www.thingsbearslove.com/

The site used to have t-shirts for sale...maybe too many hits. So brilliant!

MANLY by Dale Lazarov and Amy J. Colburn

About two years ago, I had the opportunity to review STICKY, a graphic novel by Dale Lazarov, illustrated by Steve MacIsaac. Now Dale has teamed up with illustrator Amy J. Colburn for his latest project, MANLY.

As with STICKY, MANLY did not disappoint. Consisting of three story lines, the hunky police officer, beefy boxers and the mysterious leatherman, each have the perfect mix of tension, hot sex and whimsy. The illlustrations in MANLY are much more colorful, both in ink and emotion. I particularly liked the last story "Hot Librarian" which in a way is the classic Superman story....Clark Kent by day...

Just in time for the holiday season, why not pick up a copy of MANLY for your huz, that you can read together to warm up the winter months. And be sure to check our my interview with Amy, below.

An Interview with illustrator Amy J. Colburn

Amy, you are making your book publishing debut with MANLY, written by Dale Lazarov. How did you get involved with this project?
Dale had seen some of my personal comic work and contacted me about working with him on a project. He writes the kind of stories that I love to illustrate, so it was a great match.

Some people may be thrown that a woman is illustrating a gay comic novel. When did you first start working with homoerotic subject matter?
I can't even remember. It was something that I naturally fell into. I personally find gay art to be very erotic, and the gay erotica that I like in particular has strong stories and characters behind it. Sex scenes are also one of the hardest (no pun intended!) things for me to draw, since there are so many forms to consider. Drawing one person is hard enough, but drawing two people together, and making it look good, is a serious challenge. So, when I finish a homoerotic picture that I feel has turned out particularly well, I get a double payoff!

Was there a particular story in MANLY that you enjoyed illustrating more than another? If so, what was it about the story?
I really liked "Clinch"--the whole idea of getting to meet your idol (and getting it on with your idol!) is fantastic. There's something really sweet about the two leads' mutual admiration for each other. I love the part when Buster (the older boxer) runs in to get the younger guy's autograph. It's very genuine, and I find it extra adorable to see this big tough-looking guy acting like a star-struck fan.

Your illustrations in MANLY have a particular wit and emotional depth. Can you mention a little bit about your process when deciding how to represent a scene?
Sure! Once I got the script from Dale, I'd read it over, making little notes in the margins--mostly stick-figure doodles for panel and page composition. Since the book has no words, the most important thing was making the sequence of events clear to the reader. Luckily, Dale is a great writer, and he writes out the framing he wants for a shot, where the characters are, and what each character is thinking. Next, it was a matter of taking all that and putting it together in a way that would be visually interesting. There aren't any speech bubbles to keep the reader from skipping the page, so I had to make sure that even if the characters were standing around talking, they were doing it in a way that would make you want to look at it.

There are a lot of tricks in the visual language that you can use to evoke a particular feeling in the reader. For example, one panel in "Hot Librarian" called for the main character to sit at the bar, feeling miserable after being rejected. I used a tall, thin panel with a lot of empty space and the character drawn down at the bottom, to give the sense of him being small and isolated. I further enhanced this feeling by placing one of the harsh bar lights high above his head and creating a spotlight effect, like he's the only person on a stage. As for the character himself, he's slumped over, looking defeated. All of these things combine to make the reader feel his sadness and loneliness.

What drives and or influences your work? Are there any styles, illustrators or other artists that inspire you?
Disney animation art, certainly, for the fluidity of movement and their attention to expression as a function of the character's whole body, not just the face. I remember reading in an animation book that a character's pose alone should be able to tell you what that character is doing and how he is feeling. It's great advice that I do my best to follow, especially in a comic like this where there are no words to explain what's going on.

How can people find out more about your work?
Right now there's not much to find out! I hope to have a website up in the future, once I have more work to show.

New Couple Added

Meet Michael and Tony, a bear couple from Las Vegas looking to meet friends. Check out their page on MeetGayCouples.com.