Show Me! Your Rainbow

May 21-24 the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation will be presenting the 20th Annual Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival at the Doris Duke Theatre. As part of the promotions, they have a contest: SHOW US YOUR RAINBOW! Just submit a 15 or 30 second video of yourself describing what a rainbow means to you.

The prize is a "Virtual Trip to Hawaii", which is probbly something like a video vacation of the islands. That may not sound too exciting for local residents (the contest is open to anyone around the world), but approved videos will posted on their youtube page and likely be played throughout the Film Fest, with the "winner" announced on the Opening Night.

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A few years ago I made a music video with the plans of entering it in the Rainbow Film Fest, but then had to suppress it for quite a few reasons. In fact I'm not even supposed to have it online, but maybe just for a little while. I can't say too much about it without stirring upp a lot of issues that I didn't intend to approach with the project. In further discretion, I'll avoid those topics. It's regrettable too, 'cause although it's not perfect, I think me and the people involved with the video did a good job with what we had.

I'd performed the 'number' a few times before, but this was the first time the main character was a drag queen. I usually played "him" as a pedophile businessman looking at kiddie porn online. I used one of them folding game boards from Battleship as my makeshift laptop, and when we performed at Fusion Nightclub the video screens above the dancefloor flashed provocative images of children (taken from multiple sources, including a European sex-ed book and a Crazy Shirts catalog). No matter what I wore, just preparing for the part, and then afterwards, it would take me a while to get over the creepiness of the character.

For the video, I was lucky enough to have the cooperation of quite a few friends:

My friends Raven and Nikki agreed to operate the cameras, and I love what they did with such little direction, and only one run-through just a few hours before showtime.

My crush Gerard Elmore was persuaded to play the "paperboy", even allowing me to take off his shirt. I was supposed to kiss him at one point, but I was so worried about my timing and cues, plus I thought he was a Jesus freak, so I missed that chance.

The "girly scout" was played rather passionately by my globetrotting sister in crime Tiare, who even sewed her costume expecially for the performance.

And I was lucky enough to have my friend Jesse as editor, although it took forever, and he had to be late for work at the Christian Broadcasting Network to help me.

And all my huzzbins and grlfrenz at Olelo kicked (us in the) ass when we needed it.

I owe a lot more people thank-yous, but I don't wanna get into further trouble, so you can read them in the credits.