5 Questions with Tristan Scott-Behrends
(Photos by Devin Pedde @dpedde)
A lavish glimpse into sex and love in the digital age, “Only Trumpets,” is an ultra stylized visual feast directed by Tristan Scott-Behrends. For today’s 5 Questions (with 1 bonus!), we asked Scott-Behrends about portraying sexuality onscreen, achieving a striking visual landscape, and working with his cast…
1) Can you talk a bit about your background. Where do you come from? How did you come to be an artist?
I grew up near Santa Cruz, California but spent High School in Monterey, where more of my formative moments happened. From an early age, every week my Dad would take us to the local video store where he would let us pick out a movie to watch. The kids section was across from the musicals section. At some point, for some strange possessed reason, at around the age of 4 I turned away from the kids section and grabbed a sepia toned VHS of the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney musical "Strike Up The Band". From that moment on most of my selections came from the section across from kids. From a very early age I am sure my parents had no doubt that I would grow up to be as gay as I am. About 94%.
Watching those films made me want to be in them. I spent most of my youth determined to make that happen. Taking every class, acting in every play, putting on weekly shows that I would force my siblings to be involved in. At the end of 2005, when I was 18 I moved to Los Angeles, with every intention of becoming a proper actor. “Will & Grace” was on the air, though no one on that show or virtually any other was publicly out. I made the choice to avoid addressing my sexuality for almost 2 years. I wanted IT so bad.
Acting is about truth, possibly I just wasn't good enough, but certainly I couldn't hide who I was. It was stifling. It blocked my truth. Once I accepted that, I auditioned for some gay roles. They were so stereotypically and offensively written that I didn't even want to be cast. I put acting to the side, occasionally participating in projects the easily presented themselves to me.
I went out. I partied. I experimented with drugs, and drinking and sex. I fell in love. In lust. I worked in fashion. I hung out with artists and musicians and fuck ups and major successes. Over the course of over a decade I never lost the initial spark that I had from watching "Strike Up The Band". It took me some time to figure out how to properly channel it. Eventually I realized that if I was going to make art, it can't come from my ego wanting to be on tv or in the movies. It has to come from telling truths that haven't been told by making work and creating spaces for people who don't always feel seen. For now that is what I will do in whatever form it takes. Today it may be through films, tomorrow who knows.
2) And about this project in particular. What’s the origin story behind it?
It is autobiography. It was my way of making sense of decisions and heartbreaks. Creating the project helped me see my own choices and behavior, in a new light and has made a profound impact on my relationship to myself and others.
3) It’s a provocative film. I love how you present the sexual encounters in the film. Edgy but beautifully shot. Can you speak about your general approach to the sexuality in the film?
I am really interested in the impact that different kinds of sexual behaviors can have on our psyche and souls. In this film we have the main character having solo sex with porn, psychical sex in a variety ways with strangers, and a very connected intimate sex with a partner that is loving, tender and caring.
We are living through a very sexually liberated time that is enhanced by our ability to date and communicate with strangers online and in our phones. In some ways this is great. At it's best, it can make sex more consensual, and allow people to search and ask for what they are looking for.
Minds have changed about what is or what isn't acceptable behavior. I would now like to ask, particularly the sexually disenfranchised, to take a look at how their sexual behavior can impact their happiness and self esteem. I think we can now all agree that there is no right or wrong way to fuck or love, but each time we do either we are sharing a vulnerable part of ourselves with another person or persons and if proper measures aren't taken we can get lost. With out the proper tools, and self care, the hedonism of modern sex and dating can be as damaging and addictive as drugs or alcohol. I say this as someone who loves sex, drugs and alcohol.
In terms of the film, I wanted to discuss the things we don't always talk about. While we have great medication out there for AIDS treatment and prevention, the fact is STDS are on the rise with both straight and gay people. People are having unprotected sex in high numbers. While mostly treatable, having an STD is still not a pleasant experience, and I've tried out a few. I wanted to create a world in the film that shows the struggle of living with the natural human desire to touch and be touched and orgasm, with the real life consequences of what acting on that in different ways looks like. Sometimes I desire to "hook-up" because I haven't had human contact in a while. I tell myself that I deserve to have sex with another person. Because, Yes. I do.
What I, or others don't deserve is the feelings that come after that.
4) Also, I love the colors and overall visual sense. Very striking images. What’s your creative process with your D.P., Kelsey Talton?
Thank you. The color palate, particularly for the bed room, was largely inspired by a trip I took to Mexico City. I found Kelsey through a different project she did and instantly knew she was the person I wanted to work with on this. The mood boards she sent me after reading the script perfectly mirrored the mood boards I had already been working on. Both of us were drawn to a lot of Wong Kar-wai films for this.
Growing up watching technicolor musicals I have always been drawn to film makers that work with saturated colors. Filmmakers like John Water, Fellini, Vincente Minelli, Pedro Almodóvar have long inspired me. I love a lot of films that take a more realist approach, but I get to live a real life every day so if I am going to take the time and spend the money on making something I think it should look beautiful and extraordinary. Film is a visual medium, even if a character lives a drab dumpy life it can still be stylized. For this film I wanted to create a sense of fairy tale fantasy for this person who is very real. We kept that level of elevated fantastical reality in mind across the board. With production designer Tyler Lumm creating spaces that could be commonly presented as seedy into evocative art installations. Kelsey created magical moments of lighting particularly when the characters go from the bar to the dance sequence. All of this work was really hammered down and heightened once I sat down with my colorist Scott Bradbury. We got as much color saturation out of each frame without looking digital.
4) And your actors, they have this otherworldly presence, quite memorable. How and when did they come to the project?
It was very important to me to work with queer identifying actors. Particularly ones who have an element of gender fluidity in their lives on a regular basis. I didn't want the characters wardrobe or make-up to feel like a costume or a gimmick. This is how I and many other people dress to feel the most attractive and comfortable. Both characters needed to equally embody masculinity and femininity. I am terribly bored of seeing gay male love stories where the actors are white, conventionally attractive and "straight-acting". I am not attracted to that. I don't relate to it and I absolutely don't want to.
Xavier, the lead, and I took an acting class together over a decade ago and have always crossed paths over the years. From day one I was always blown away by the power of his talent. He had the intensity of a younger more beautiful Sean Penn. Daniel, the love interest, and I met when he showed up to be in a party scene for the last film I did, "Curtain Down" we became fast friends. We share similar thoughts, ideas and experiences. The camera loves him and his charm. He has become a muse of mine. For that part I needed someone that the audience would instantly fall in love with. With out a word being spoken Daniel was magnetic and special. The entire film, their meeting, and interaction would have never worked without a talent that had that magical rare spark.
Bonus Question: What comes next?
As the name of your website boldly embraces, even on a small scale making films is expensive. My work is particularly visual. To pull it off, even on the very low end, which is what I do, there are several thousand dollars involved. Currently most of my income is made waitressing. I don't have thousands of dollars to pour into making short art house films, unfortunately. I have about 5 different feature films I would like to make but in the meantime I am working with a writer on a short that we will shoot for no money. Like literally truly, no budget. I can't afford to do it otherwise. And my soul can't afford to stop creating. In the meantime I am reaching out to production companies and musicians, looking for music video or commercial directing work. If that doesn't pan out I will soon start looking for a wealthy man to marry before my looks are completely gone.
Contact Info
Email: tristanjamescott@gmail.com
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