Each day for the 15 days leading up to the WAW Open House (October 7, 2012, 2-5 p.m.), we’re going to feature a current or former participant who’s completed a major project (book, film, album, academic credential). We’ll find out what they learned that helped them with their work.
Micheal Skiff, Crafting the Story
Project: Kink Crusaders, documentary film
When at a loss for drama in my stories, I ask “What are the stakes for my characters?” This helped me to craft a story for my documentary about a men’s Leather competition. I didn’t want to go with the tropes of Reality TV and exploit their “freakishness.” Discovering the stakes – survival during the AIDS crisis in the ’80‘s, negative perceptions by the mainstream – was how I was able to better see characters grow and story deepen. My reward, as an artist, was to hear audiences laugh and cry during public screenings (and getting distribution!)
Writers At Work 