Interview with Writer/Director/

Producer Melissa Osborne
and Producer Bridgette Wright
on RealTalkNation 2/12/11

Watch 5 Stellar Shorts from Outfest 2011 - It's not often that a short can take on something approaching the narative scope of a feature and succeed, but 'Change' does just that and more.
Source: The Bay Citizen (http://s.tt/12Q28)

ACE HOTEL - Palm Springs Film Festival Interview with Melissa Osborne

POPCORN 'N' CANDY - REVIEW - "Thought provoking and captivating"

PROGRESSIVE PULSE - FUSION FILM FESTIVAL

www.loldarian.com - A blog that discusses a range of issues from an African-American gay male perspective.

THE JUXTAPOSITION APE - Critical Pop-Social Review - " I believe it was a combination of the production, the content and finally the acting that secured it’s status as the best film."

THE MAD PROFESSOR LECTUERES - Blog review - FUSION FILM FEST

THE SON OF BALDWIN - Review "I know I've been changed"

THE BAY AREA REPORTER - David Lamble
"Change - An African American teen is faced with an agonizing choice of identities on the evening that sees the election of President Obama and passage of California's Prop 8. Director Melissa Osborne makes effective use of TV election coverage to underline the emotional tsunami in one family as equality and bigotry triumph simultaneously. The history-noting words of ABC anchor Charlie Gibson are still ringing in our ears as our hero makes a brave stand with a queer white friend."

FILM QUEEN REVIEWS - Lincoln Madison
"In CHANGE, kids of various ethnic backgrounds in a Los Angeles high school are discussing the upcoming 2008 election, with the possibility of electing the first black President but also banning same-sex marriage. Jamie (Sean McClam) is torn between his homophobic black friends and family and his boyfriend Ivan (Jesse James Rice), the class white-boy fag. It’s a moving portrayal of being at the intersection of a dream come true and a nightmare made real. Highly recommended."

Synopses
3-Line Synopsis
A gay African-American teenager grapples with his young identity on the night Obama was elected president, and Proposition 8 - the voter initiative to eliminate same-sex marriage -passed.

3-Line Synopsis (French)
Un adolescent afro-américain, homosexuel, en pleine quête d'identité le soir ou parallèlement, Barack Obama fut élu président des Etats-Unis et où la Proposition 8 - Une initiative populaire qui rend le mariage homosexuel illégal - fut adoptée.

FORMS:Short
GENRES:Drama, Educational, Coming of Age, Human Rights, Urban, Drama, Social Issue
NICHES:African American, Black, Gay/Lesbian

Medium Synopsis
Jamie is an African-American teenager grappling with his sexual identity on the night Barrack Obama is elected president and Proposition 8 - the voter initiative to eliminate same-sex marriage – is passed.
When one of his gang initiates the bullying of an openly gay classmate, Jamie uses his wits to try and prevent it, but when things don’t go the way he predicted, he is forced to face his fears head on.

Long Synopsis
On the day of the 2008 election a bright young African American student, JAMIE, is among a group of teenagers presenting their case to the class as to why the candidate of their choice should be elected president. When, Ivan – the openly gay student - stands to speak, he is bullied by some of the boys in the class. Later, the same boys make plans to humiliate Ivan further by spraying graffiti on his house. Jamie steps in to prevent it by suggesting that they should do it after Proposition 8 has passed and the boys agree to wait until the next day.
At home, we see Jamie’s true nature when he talks to Ivan on the street, reassuring him that the proposition to ban same sex marriage will never pass in California and then, in the secrecy of his bedroom, he looks at gay porn magazines.
When Obama’s victory is announced Jamie celebrates with his family and shares a special moment with his Grandmother as he recognizes the importance of the occasion for her.
The following day Jamie is shocked to learn that Proposition 8 has indeed passed. He sprints to Ivan’s house to try and prevent the boys from spraying it but arrives too late – the deed is done and Ivan sits alone on the front porch.
Jamie sits beside his friend and tries to comfort him. They share a moment together, when suddenly Jamie’s friends arrive on the scene and discover what Jamie has been hiding from them. Ivan starts to panic, but Jamie is steadfast in wanting to confront his friends no matter what the consequences.