The first time I met Drags Aloud

I was organising some family photographs the other day and came across this little gem! This is the first night I met Drags Aloud at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in March 2008. At the time I had no intentions of spending the next 3 years working with and at times living with these talented performers but you know you can never tell what is around the corner. I remember on the night this photo was taken that Amanda talked for ages about what she had been doing and the process she had undertaken whilst performing as a Drag Queen. I went home and just could not stop thinking about what an amazing and interesting journey of transformation Amanda was on.  I was fascinated then and still are by these funny, generous, loyal and creative characters. My dear friend Anthony introduced me to Drags Aloud because at the time he was the partner of the lovely Linda Lamont. Unfortunately they did not endure but I have stayed around. In this photo Jess, Anthony, Faith, Amanda, Me and Linda Lamont.

Amanda does Cats in Adelaide

Amanda Monroe makes a beautiful picture as she belts out Memory from Cats (in a lip syncing kind of way) As the audience is just getting a feel for the dramatics of this beautiful song, the Cats appear. In the irreverent and audacious style that Drags Aloud do best we cannot help but laugh out loud as the two powerful forces clash.  Today it is the show I can write about and hope that anyone reading this has the chance to check them out in Melbourne over April before they take off for an extended tour of the UK. Check out their websitewww.dragsaloud.com

Being Patient is not easy for me

Writing the synopsis to pitch this documentary about Drags Aloud has been one of the most exhausting and draining experiences in the process so far. Since returning from Adelaide with a fresh take on the story and a desire to really push the process along I have been glued to the chair, tapping away at the keyboard non stop on the three days that I have my film maker hat on each week. In three weeks the document has got better and better but still has a way to go. Just the last few days I have realized the enormity of the task I set myself with this my second documentary project. I am aiming high and want a broadcast but that means I have to lift the standard so much higher than where my film making was. I am learning the process of writing a document, creatively putting the ideas together, blogging, producing and directing all at the same time. My brain is hurting a bit today as it feels slightly overwhelming!! Yesterday a very encouraging conversation with a respected and wise Melbourne producer has filled my with hope but also illuminated the work that is still required. If I take my cue from Amanda Monroe and Drags Aloud the transformation process takes time and has lots of hurdles and setbacks along the way. My journey as a film maker is having a little dip today, not really a set back but a dip.

Drags Aloud at the Movies - The Wizard of Oz

Some days I just can't get to find the 15 minutes it takes to make a blog that has been considered and is worth posting. Today after 4 days of silence I sit down to write at 8pm. I have just sent out a bulk email (which I really hate and normally don't send) to invite some of my friends to see Drags Aloud when they get up on stage here in Melbourne. We are all heading off to the Friday 23rd April show at the Shell theatrette. I know it will be a fun night and having my friends and my sisters with me will be even more fun!! The photograph I have posted today is Jess and Linda doing a piece from the Wizard of Oz which gets a mention in the new show. A fantastic bawdy view of life and a piece from most of the "classic" movies of our time. On the documentary front I have been writing so much my eyes were hurting at the end of last week. But as they say no pain no gain and I feel like I have really moved forward. I am hoping to get this documentary out there and the reality of it is getting closer all the time. Another meeting next week with an important producer, so keep your fingers crossed for me and the talented Drags Aloud. Their story needs to be told.

Check out Drags Aloud's website and book their Melbourne shows online
http://www.dragsaloud.com/daatm/gigMelbourne.html

Manamana

Jessica James is the comic clown of Drags Aloud and his version of Manamana is a classic. Jess is the brains behind the boardy humour we love so much. I just love this picture of Jess and see so much in this that I'm sure it will become a classic marketing picture. Today on the film making front things more forward oh so slowly. But they do move. A wonderful Melbourne documentary film maker Genevieve Bailey, check out her current project "I am eleven" spent time and energy helping this project along with tips and advise for getting an audience with the Aunty we all wish to please. The ABC is the high point of free to air TV in Australia and my BHAG is to get this project up and aired on ABC. For those who don't know the BHAG it is the Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Mine is in reach and I can see it clearly. But timing is everything and luckily,  know how to be patient and I like to be prepared.   Slow and Steady wins the race.

Drags Aloud (then The Show Bags) in 2001 Linda Jess and Amanda

Today has been a really productive day writing up a new synopsis. Each time I devote a whole day to writing without any interruptions it really feels like I get down on paper more of what I really want to convey in this film. It is however still evolving and each time I do write it gets closer and closer to feeling like what I really want to say. Except for some pick ups this has to be where my filming of Drags Aloud and their international journey ends. I know I have my story and that I have the footage of what I need to show these inspiring and complex performers in a most authentic, vulnerable and fantastic way. As I spend my time alone here pounding away at my keyboard the characters fade and the character of these amazing individuals comes forth. I am so privilleged and proud to be doing this work with these people at this time!! My writing journey today finished way back in the early days of this story so it sent me looking for old photographs of Drags Aloud (then the Show bags) and looky here what I have found.

Facebook | Mathew Jackson's Photos - 24/02/10 part 2

Facebook | Mathew Jackson's Photos - 24/02/10 part 2

 

Some more fantastic pictures from an avid photographer who snapped the lovely Kris Del Vase and Linda Lamont in Adelaide recently

Trying to catch up

Making up for lost time over the weekend. Drags Aloud are back home in Melbourne. Sleeping soundly after a long night's drive from Adelaide.

Do you call these gorgeous girls a quartet of Queens??

I just love this first photo of Molly, Kris Del Vase, Vonni and Linda Lamont at The Garage Bar on February 28 2010. It was such a beautiful moment to see these gorgeous Queens together. For about 10 minutes they were just chatting amongst themselves and it was beautiful to watch. We have it all on film as the lovely Natcho was filming for me. It is one of the only relaxed and free scenes I have of such a wonderful, colourful, gorgeous and loving collective of Drag Queens. Kris and Molly are exceptional in the next shot too and I just love these pics. Thanks to Mathew for the photos. Today I will add part one of these shots to add to the blogs collection of photographs. This weekend  I have been madly playing mother so have had to put my film maker hat in the apron pocket. Thinking though, always thinking.

Kris, Jess and Amanda - Flash back to Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2007

I was thinking about what makes these Drag Performers such interesting and unique subjects for me to spend so many days and nights, weeks and months, years in fact thinking about, filming, watching, and transcribing every word they say. And after the 4 days in Adelaide just recently I have to say it is the family thing that keeps coming up each time. Take these pictures for example. Kris, Jess and Amanda have spent the majority of the last 5 years of their lives living, working, inventing and entertaining together. Yes it's all colour and light for the pictures above but in truth there is so much more behind the costumes and without the make up. These people really care about each other, look after each other and love each other in a way that appears to me very much how a family loves and cares for each other. This is what interests me just now. This level of unconditional love and support is what allows people to create, explore, expand and evolve. This is powerful stuff to my eye and it thrills me to be witnessing and now part of documenting what is possible when the competitive nature of human beings is put to the side to allow love, loyalty and creativity to shine.

Drags Aloud sparkling in silver sequins!

Another day and I am sitting down to write my synopsis for the 100th time. Hemmingway once said something like this " the first, second, third and fourth draft of anything are always crap' !  I'm sure he is right and having the persistence and wisdom to keep pushing through the crap is hard. This level of reassessment, rewriting and rethinking is quite the opposite of our instant, have everything I want right now kind of society! (and if I can't make it/ do it myself why damn it I'll just buy it!!)

Each day the thoughts swim around in my head. I talk and seek advice from experienced film makers, writers and people who are still interested in hearing my story almost two years after I started telling it. That has to say something about the strength of the story or perhaps it's the manic persistence of a Taurus who just won't or can't give up until something until it is done and for me, done well. So without further delay I will away to the task at hand.

A final note about a negative review (amidst a sea of positive ones over the season)  I read today about Drags Aloud at the Movies. Check out yani.blogspot.com and see what you think. I wonder if the poor kitten was just tired and a little jaded by a long season attending fantastic shows. Perhaps like my young children yani was over stimulated after such a hectic day of being entertained and excited and felt like whinging for no other reason than it was possible. When I saw Drags Aloud at the Movies on opening night everyone was laughing most of the time. A full house each night usually means something is going right and several 4 star reviews can't all be wrong.  Kitten put your claws away and perhaps rest a little between excitements next time.

Drags Aloud do SA FM early morning breakfast radio

Drags Aloud continue to sell out shows at the Garden of Unearthly Delights in Adelaide. Join them on Facebook today!!  These fabulous shots were sent to me by Amanda Monroe just yesterday. Drags Aloud were up at the crack of dawn doing this promotion with SA FM and if Linda Lamont's face book is anything to go by it was hard work getting up and on the road. For me I have been chilling out with the family in the Alpine regions of Victoria. I use the word chilling as it couldn't have rained more in any given 3 day in this state in the last three years! As a a film maker I used the time to re think my approach to the story and take some much needed down time to let the whole experience of Adelaide sink in. The break has had the desired result and today I wrote a whole new synopsis. I have put it out there into the world and hope to get some feed back before I take to the next step of writing up a full treatment with gusto and intention. Tomorrow I will spend time with my artistic designer friend who has kindly agreed to assist me to navigate and plan the next moves for this film in the world of cross platform media. Just to finish on a really bright note. Tonight was another wonderful night at Doco 3000 a gathering of people interested in all things documentary.  I am encourage and inspired by the film makers and other talented creatives of Melbourne.

AIDC Convergence, Multiplatform and Documentary Makers

I know this blog is about all things Drags Aloud and the documentary currently in production but it is also very much about my journey as a film maker. And once again, my film making brain has been expanded at the recent Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC). Of the many things I learned last week the the one big thing I have taken away is that film makers like me can no longer only think of broadcasters as their market. In Web 3.0 speak broadcasters are old media and there are so many new medias that are much more accessible! Navigating a path to and through them is something that could stump most people but for me it's a challenge and I'm like a bull to the red rag. The light bulb moment happened for me at AIDC when Jennifer Wilson spoke at a session called Totally Convergent. She and the other speakers Silva Basmijian,  Executive Producer National Film Board, Kirsty Hunter, Head of interactive Lion television,and Michael Mc Mahon  Executive Producer Primitive Entertainment presented a compelling story about why film makes should produce more than just the broadcast documentary. I was gripped by the discussion, and wanted to know more. These speakers were some of the most organised I saw at a very high quality conference and event took the trouble to upload some of the notes to slidshare.

Below is a link to some note put together by Jennifer Wilson Director of the Project Factory. The Project Factory work in the multi platform / digital media area and will help a new film maker like me to understand how markets have changed and why film makers have to be across all of these platforms. What surprised me about this discussion was that a lot of things can be done from home without too much cost. Drags Aloud the Documentary blog is just one of them. I'm hopping to discuss my documentary with Jennifer before too long to plan the next steps toward this project ending up as an interactive project that is delivered across various platforms, from television to mobile and online. 

AIDC Convergence, Multiplatform and Documentary Makers

View more presentations from Jennifer Wilson.

Heading off for a long week end with the family

 

As Drags Aloud prepare to head into the busy weekend nights of the Adelaide Fringe Festival they can expect more sold out shows and thunderous applause. No doubt they will continue to thrill the crowds and set The Garden of Unearthly delights on fire. Me the anxious film maker is off to the Alpine region of Victoria to spend a long weekend with my family. This last two weeks has been such a full on period I need to sit back for a few days and regroup. My time at the Australian International Documentary Conference AIDC and the following 4 days and nights with Drags Aloud has made me re think lots of things. This is thrilling but frightening at the same time because it means lots of planning and additional work that has to be done carefully and quickly. I need to re think all my ideas about broadcasting it and about the story of the film itself. But most importantly I need to rethink the story line as the aspect of family, love and caring for each other had not really made itself known to me before to the extent that these 4 days have done. Now I feel this is a story of love, acceptance, commitment and family. I will try not to think too much over the next few days. I will let it all sink in and then come back next Tuesday to my computer and write. In the mean time the show goes on in Adelaide and Drags Aloud continue to thrill the crowds with Drags Aloud at the Movies. Check it out at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide Fringe Festival Adelaide Fringe Festival Website

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News update from Linda Lamont, Amanda Monroe and Drags Aloud

They have just received 4 fantastic stars out of 5 with their first review in the Adelaide Theatre Guide

Drags Aloud at the Movies, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide until Mach 13 

Tony Busch says 

"This is a wildly entertaining show and much, much more than the usual collection of mimed songs and old gags that make up the run-of-the-mill drag show. No wonder Drags Aloud has performed in the UK and Off-Broadway. A satire on movies, no stone is left unhurled with everything from the Salvation Army and “Soldiers of the Cross” to The Wizard of Oz coming in for a serve.

The show opens with an hilarious send-up of “Fame” and segues through Cats, Titanic, Cabaret, Mary Poppins and more. The soundtrack uses excerpts of dialogue from the films as well as music to cleverly weave a comedic web of enjoyment that had the audience totally caught up in the fun.

The cast of four are all real troupers but Jessica James is a knockout, and her Muppets rendition of “Manamana” had the audience in stitches.

The video clips that introduce each segment, all atrociously dubbed, are priceless, particularly the Barbara Cartland and Little Britain take-offs.

Of course the costumes are gorgeous and the only criticism is that the sound is a little woolly which makes some of the dialogue hard to keep up with.

From the level of whistling, stamping, clapping and singing along from the audience it was clear that the entertainment factor of this show is right at the top of the scale.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5) 

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Facebook | Mathew Jackson's Photos - 24/02/10 part 2

Check out some of the fantastic shots from The Garage. A fantastic club in Adelaide that hosted Drags Aloud's Linda Lamont and Kris Del Vase the night before they opened to a full house at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Some other beautiful Queens worth mentioning were Vonni and Molly.

Thanks Mathew


Facebook | Mathew Jackson's Photos - 24/02/10 part 2

Trying to be is not easy for me

Today I must come clean. Trying to be has been an experiment in my journey as a film maker. But like many things in my life this blog got lost along the way. As well as a film maker I am a mother of 4 young children, an active domestic goddess and a committed singer. Now that the past 2 months of what feels like a tornado of children, school return and domestic catch up has somewhat settled down, I will attempt to pick it up and continue to blog about the fantastic film making process I am privileged to be part of. The truth is I am trying to be a film maker and make the best film I can about some of the most interesting, funny, generous and talented people I have met in a long time. Drags Aloud have opened their hearts and lives to me over the past 2 years and I feel overwhelmed today with the responsibility I have to make a documentary that fully conveys the creativity, determination and love I have witnessed over this time.

Yesterday I returned from Adelaide after being with Amanda, Jess, Kris and Linda for 4 days and nights as they prepared for and opened their new show "Drags Aloud at the Movies" in The Garden of Unearthly Delights" as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. What an amazing experience I had!  What amazing insight and footage we captured of those days. Drags Aloud were tolerant and generous with me and my camera operator, Natcho. They hugged us, feed us and let me film the most stressful and difficult moments of their fantastic artistic journey thus far. I now need to rest, think about and then process what I have seen and now understand. I will use this blog to try to work it all out. It is me who is Trying to be and it is me who finds it not easy.