Action Alert: #HIV Short Film Support

Filmmaker shares vision and plea for support and he reveals an exclusive secret to imstilljosh.com.

“This is a film that people want to see.”  – Filmmaker Joshua Alan Rogers

And that is why imstilljosh.com is officially signed on to support this project, as we have supported other great HIV projects needing crowdfunding.  And ask that you do the same.  We often complain that the only thing in media is very stigmatizing toward those of us living with HIV and about us– so this continues my desire to find and assist projects that are important, timely and reflective of what it is really like to be living with HIV.

This project is a short film by Joshua Alan Rogers.  The cast and crew are also impressive and the actors starring in the picture are pretty hot, I must say myself:  Trevor Thompson and Brandon Crowder.  Yes! Yes! Yes!

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT “PICK UP” –

Queer SHORT FILM ABOUT HIV ON KICKSTARTER 

 

What made you want to tell this story?

Joshua Alan Rogers:  It took a close friend coming out to me as HIV positive to realize how important his story was. The more I talked about it with him as well as my own friends and family, and the more research I did, the more I understood how little people know about being HIV positive today. Ask most people about being positive and they’ll reference Philadelphia, Dallas Buyers Club, or The Normal Heart. There is almost no visibility for a modern positive person in the media right now. I always want to tell stories that haven’t been told. As well as stories that I can personally connect with.

How has HIV affected you?

Joshua Alan Rogers:  Whether your positive or negative, I think HIV affects every gay man, whether directly or indirectly, almost every day. People just don’t talk about it. Knowing positive people and hearing about the stigma they face has opened my eyes to a struggle I don’t think a lot people know about, even in the gay community. It’s time it’s discussed more openly and honestly.

What’s the plan for using the money?

Joshua Alan Rogers:  The plan is to make the best film possible. We want it to have high production value with fantastic visuals and performances so it can reach the widest audience possible.

What is one secret that only imstilljosh can share about the project? 

Joshua Alan Rogers:  If you’ve seen the Kickstarter page, you’ve met our two stars Travor Thompson and Brandon Crowder, but there is still a third, very important role left to be cast! We’ll be holding open casting calls in Los Angeles early 2015 

What’s your favorite HIV related film and how does your project compare?

Joshua Alan Rogers:  The HBO miniseries Angels In America by the late and great Mike Nichols. Pick Up could not be more different. Where Angels was a large scale, soaring, 6 hour melodrama, our film will be a simple, realistic, 12 minute coming of age short about one man’s journey to accept his HIV status and find love. And I don’t think this story is any less important.

What is the hardest thing you’ve learned so far about shooting an HIV film?

Joshua Alan Rogers:  So far the reactions to the script and the project overall has been overwhelmingly encouraging! This is something people want to see. And they’re ready for it! The biggest challenge we face right now is raising the money to produce the film. We want to make the film the best we can, using the best in the business, and that doesn’t come cheap. But it will be worth it when more people see the film because of the time, effort, and money we invested in it.