Sex Positive - Screening at SxSW '08! |
by Jason Whyte
“Sex Positive explores the life of Richard Berkowitz, a controversial gay S&M sex worker turned AIDS activist in the 1980s, who invented the idea of safe sex. Berkowitz emerged from the epicenter of the epidemic demanding a solution to the problem long before those within and outside of the gay community would take heed. Now, destitute and alone, he tells his story to a world who never wanted to listen.” Director Daryl Wein on his film “Sex Positive” which will be screening at this year’s South By Southwest Festival.
Is this your first film in at SxSW? (Or the first film you have) Do you have any other festival experience?
Sex Positive is my first feature film, and this is my first time showing a film at SXSW. I am very excited to experience Austin. Prior to making Sex Positive, I directed and produced a short film entitled, Unlocked, which received Official Selection at the Tribeca Film Festival and other festivals around the world. You can check it out at darylwein.com.
Will you be coming to Austin to attend the festival? If this is your first time, what do you expect to discover? If you have been here before, what do you love most about the city?
Yes, I will be coming to Austin to attend the festival with the entire Sex Positive team. We are hoping to spark interesting dialogue about the history of safe sex and the controversy surrounding it.
Could you give me a little look into your background and what led you to the desire to want to make film?
I was raised in a white, upper-middle class home in suburban Connecticut where my dad was always capturing everything on tape. Everything from baseball games to dancing in the living room was documented in all its glory. His sense of play with the camera is what inspired me to begin my own career as a filmmaker. Early in my life, I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, so I have always had attention deficit problems. Therefore, watching and making movies was an essential distraction for me to forget my uncontrollable and often painful physical impulses.
Growing up, you were no doubt asked the eternal question "When I grow up I want to be a …" Finish this sentence, please!
Archaeologist! For some reason, I longed to dig up bones when I was a kid. That dream became a reality when I watched the movie, The 'Burbs, during a play date in elementary school. After the movie, my friend and I took a pair of mini-shovels down to his basement to excavate. When we realized we couldn't break through the ground, we swung like monkeys on the water pipes causing one to break and flood the basement. I don't know if we ever had a play date after that. It's clear the kind of impact movies had on my mind at a young age.
While you were making the movie, were you thinking about the future release of the film, be it film festivals, paying customers, critical response, and so forth?
When I am making a movie, I am always thinking about the future release of the film. It's hard not to get distracted by the outcome of the project. I am doomed by the thought of the film festival I am missing out on. Or how it will play in front of an audience. And I daydream about Q&A's all the time! However, I try focus on the content of the film as much as I can from a directorial perspective before I turn into a producer. It's not easy, though.
How did this project come to fruition? If you could, please provide me with a rundown, start to finish, from your involvement.
At a Passover Seder in 2006, my girlfriend turned and whispered to me that there was a man across the room I had to meet. When I asked her why she said, "If you're looking for a subject for a documentary, he's your guy." His name was Richard Berkowitz. Upon further discussion, I found out he was a retired S&M sex worker living in the same rent controlled apartment he had hustled out of for the past twenty years. I was more than intrigued.
I inquired more about him and learned he had written a book entitled, Stayin' Alive: The Invention of Safe Sex." When I read the book, I was captivated by Richard's explicit analysis of what went wrong during the era of AIDS. The book taught me everything I didn't know about the history of safe sex (which was everything), and the controversy surrounding the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Shortly thereafter, I did my first interview with Richard, and I didn't stop for 8 months. On top of directing the film, I chose to produce it with David Oliver Cohen, a close friend of mine, and edit it myself. Luckily, Richard had an amazing archive of material for us to utilize so we didn't have to obtain screeners from news organizations.
What was the biggest challenge in the production of the movie, be it principal photography or post-production?
The biggest challenge was making the movie for no money. Luckily, we had an investor help us out with a small portion to get the film off the ground. In addition, we were awarded a grant from Broadway-Cares Equity Fights AIDS to assist with post-production. All that said, we still need a lot more damn money. It never ends.
Please tell me about the technical side of the film; your relation to the film's cinematographer, what the film was shot on and why it was decided to be photographed this way.
The film was shot on HD on the Panasonic HVX 200 at 720p24 with P2 cards. I edited the film in Final Cut Pro. The cinematographer did the movie for free with all of his own sound and video equipment. We shot the interviews handheld to give them a more dynamic feel. We also shot the pictures in HD as opposed to scanning them because it looked a lot better. The archival material was recorded off old VHS tapes. I am glad we didn't get the source tapes from new organizations because the grainy, discolored VHS footage gives the film a more authentic, vintage feel. If we copied the beta tapes the video would have been super sharp, which isn't as interesting visually.
Talk a bit about the festival experiences, if any, that you have had with this particular film. Have you had any interesting audience stories or questions that have arisen at screenings? (This can also apply to non-festival screenings as well, if you have had one.) If you're a festival veteran, let us know your favourite and least-favourite parts of the festival experience.
We haven't had any festival experience yet so I can't answer this question! Sorry! SXSW is going to be our first festival.
Who would you say your biggest inspirations are in the film world (directors, actors, cinematographers, etc)? Did you have any direct inspirations from filmmakers for this film in particular?
I am inspired by all of the different films and directors I see. I think the last director that excited me was John Turturro for his directorial debut, Romance and Cigarettes. There was something so playful about that movie that got me excited. It became a little repetitive after a while, but overall it felt fresher than a lot of other stuff out there.
How far do you think you would want to go in this industry? Do you see yourself directing larger stories for a larger budget under the studio system, or do you feel that you would like to continue down the independent film path?
I am an independent filmmaker, but I can see myself working in Hollywood. Whoever will let me make movies is fine with me, as long as I can make them roughly how I want to make them. It's hard to think about a studio re-editing your movie once you've finished making it. I know that happens, and I'm scared about it.
If you weren't in this profession, what other career do you think you would be interested in?
If I weren't a filmmaker, I think I would like to be a journalist. I want to know more about the world and what is happening in it.
Please tell me some filmmakers or talent that you would love to work with, even if money was no object.
In a dream world, the two actors I would love to work with are Daniel Day Lewis and Cate Blanchett.
Do you think that you have "made it" in this profession yet? If you don't believe so, what do you think would happen for that moment to occur?
I didn't make it yet. I'll have my assistant call you when I do. According to my mother, I've made it when I can take her to the Oscars.
How important do you think the critical/media response is to film these days, be it a large production, independent film or festival title?
Critics are very important to a films success or failure. They influence people's decisions to go and see certain movies. They also can really help the reputation of a filmmaker. As they say, "Live by the press, die by the press."
If this film could play in any movie theatre in the world, which one would you choose?
It's perfect for the IFC Film Center (in New York).
What would you say to someone on the street to see your film instead of the latest blockbuster playing at the local goo-gooplex?
Hey. I made a really interesting documentary about the guy who basically invented safe sex. He was an S&M sex worker, controversial activist, and a true unsung hero. He has an amazing life story. I would love for you to come!
No doubt there are a lot of aspiring filmmakers at film festivals who are out there curious about making a film of their own. Do you have any advice that you could provide for those looking to get a start?
Just go make it on your own. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.
And finally…what is your all time favourite motion picture, and why?
I kinda love the movie, Being There, directed by Hal Ashby. The humor is really dry, which I love, Peter Seller's performance is incredible, and the story is really satirical but smart.
This film is one of the many features that will be screening at SxSW this year from March 7th to 15th. For more information on this film, its screening times and for more information on SxSW, point your browser to the official website. – Jason Whyte, efilmcritic.com
link directly to this feature at http://www.efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=2415
originally posted: 03/01/08 17:43:09
last updated: 03/07/09 08:19:18
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