5:12-7:15
TITLE: Swim: An LGBTQ+ Romance
ROLE: Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Producer, and Editor
MEDIA: Senior Thesis / Narrative Short
SOFTWARE: Adobe Premiere Pro / Davinci Resolve Studio
CAMERA: Blackmagic 6k Pro
SPECIFICATIONS: 3840×2160, H.264
DURATION: 11’38”
CLASS: FMX 460 Senior Seminar
PROFESSOR: Dana Plays
TERM: FA 22
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
LINK: https://youtu.be/OQRBBIRjowQ
After all of the hard work and dedication over the past several months, I am glad to say that Swim: An LGBTQ+ romance is finally completed. This project was essential to me for many different reasons. Not only was it my senior thesis and the accumulation of the past four years of study in film at my university, but it was also a message that resonated with me. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically the transgender community, I felt I needed to spread a message of transgender and queer acceptance that is not usually seen in the media. There had never been a transgender film at the University of Tampa before, and I knew I needed to make that change. I spent countless hours perfecting the piece to ensure it would be well received by audiences that may not understand the struggle that members of the community may face while also showing members of the community that they are not alone. I wanted the message to be that it is okay to be who you are and that even if you may be different from others, you can always find love, happiness, and acceptance with the best people. After seeing many people cry and come up to me with open arms after the first screening, I knew I had done that. I am incredibly proud of everyone involved and super grateful for all of the support I had while creating this project. Here’s to acceptance and more inclusion to come.