Interview with Screenwriter Max Rasmussen (BABY QUEEN)
Baby Queen is about a 10-year-old drag queen and their single gay father trying to get famous in Wisconsin. When an ambitious child talent agent from Milwaukee scoops them up and launches their career, they must escape the trappings of fame in order to save their relationship. In this new world where queerness is a hot commodity, they learn that their individuality is too important to sell.
Definitely a comedy, with enough lip sync numbers to maybe be considered a musical?
Baby Queen should be made because audiences haven't seen these types of characters and relationships before. The heart and soul of this story is the close bond between a single gay father and his drag queen child, which is put to the test through the climax. Ultimately, they both find that their dreams of fame and success aren't as important as the people they have around them to share it. This is a fast-paced story with quick-witted dialogue and multiple lip sync performances. Rather than focus on the agony of queerness that is often portrayed in movies, I wanted to write a joyful and heartwarming story featuring a gender non-binary main character who's pronouns are the least interesting part of who they are.
Queer and wholesome.
If I'm being totally honest, it's Reno 911: Miami. I saw it for the first time as a teen and proceeded to watch it every single night before bed for like 6 months. And it still holds for me today, it's just so fun and stupid.
2 years! I did the first draft in film school at Second City, and then used the lockdowns to slog through the next few drafts.
I've made a few shorts, and I love writing and performing in live storytelling shows, but this is the first feature I've completed so far.
Little Bird by Annie Lennox. It's such a fun pop song but somehow always makes me weepy because it's so earnest. I have tried to write it into every single thing I make, to the point where people have been like "you have to stop using that song". Also You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon is ingrained in my DNA at this point.
Well the pandemic took away a lot of the physical obstacles and gave me plenty of time to write, so the next obstacle in its place was self-doubt. I've always believed in the idea of this script, but I've struggled with having enough confidence to be the one to write it. Also, I still struggle with how to write stories post-pandemic. It's hard to create a world for your characters when everything in the real world is changing so dramatically all the time.
I love making documentaries, it uses a totally different part of my brain and it's a great way to tell stories without having to write them. I'm passionate about working in production, and helping other writers express their voice. I'm also passionate about my stubby little dachshund.
I've used FilmFreeway to submit both screenplays and short films, and I've found it to be a really reliable and useful way to get my work out there and meet some great people.
This is my first time submitting a script to festivals and contests, so I cast a wide net and sent it to a huge variety. While all the feedback has been useful, I'm especially grateful and eager to hear from a queer festival like the LGBTQ+ Toronto Film Festival. I wanted this story to resonate specifically with the queer community, so to get feedback from that particular perspective was really encouraging and motivating.
10-year-old drag queen Darien the Librarian dreams of going viral, but when the top child agent in Milwaukee launches their career in the lucrative and booming drag industry, their single gay father must rescue them from the murky depths of local fame.
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Darien: Andy Camp
Jonathan: Shawn Devlin
Ma: Hannah Ehman
Interview with Screenwriter Franco Duerme (1 PAGE DRUG DEAL)
Interview with Screenwriter Paul Frift (SPOTTY: A TORTOISE IN THE ERA OF COVID-19)