LGBTQ HISTORY Filmmaker Competition Story Starter Ideas

Films should combine SIGNIFICANT research and personal observations to create an original, relevant, entertaining, and accurate story to document LGBTQ people, places, and historical events. Ideally, your story will motivate change and provide actions the audience can take.

PEOPLE (LIVING)

• Showcase a local LGBTQ community or business leader, sports figure, musician, artist (Examples: Dustin Lance Black, Virginia Uribe, Steve Schulte, Robin Tyler, Michael Kearns, Rosie O’Donnell, George Takei, Greg Louganis, Ellen DeGeneres, Toni Atkins)
• Share a poignant story about an LGBTQ friend or family member
  

PEOPLE (DECEASED)

• Acknowledge and celebrate the historical contributions of an LGBTQ or allied ancestor (deceased) through the lens of a new generation. (Examples: Alfred Kinsey, Joan Rivers, Alan Turing, Jeanne Cordova, Oscar Wilde, Adele Starr, Jean Manford, etc.)

PLACES (LANDMARKS & NEIGHBORHOODS)

• Describe a historic LGBTQ location or landmark
  • Los Angeles (Examples: Black Cat Bar, Mattachine Steps, Jewel’s Catch One Disco, Metropolitan Community Church, Coopers Doughnuts, City of West Hollywood, etc.)
  • San Diego (Examples: Hillcrest flag, secret garden, hate crimes plaque, The Flame, etc.)

EVENTS & MILESTONES

• Tell the story of an impactful LGBTQ event or historic milestone (Examples: First Pride Parade in Hollywood, Activist rally against Briggs Initiative, Proposition 8 Voting Day, George Takei and Brad Altman’s marriage, Ellen DeGeneres’ Coming Out (The Puppy Episode), Rock Hudson’s Outing in Paris, etc.)