Planet London 4 "SHE 4 ME"

**UPDATE** 3 May 2014


The SHE4ME video has reached over 265,000 views!

It has been selected to play at the California Women's Conference with a cast Q&A as well! The Creative Expressions Concert series, showcasing performing artists including Mary Lambert, will be streamed live online. The Marriage Equality USA sanctioned “Love Is Love” PSA set to Jen Foster’s SHE will be officially included in the program for Tuesday 20th May.  Also part of the program will be a live Q & A with the multiple award-winning writer/director Nicole Conn, Jane Wishon (Board President of Marriage Equality USA) and some of the cast members from SHE4ME including Mike C Manning (Disney), Gabrielle Christian (South Of Nowhere) and Traci Dinwiddie (Elena Undone).  More names expected to be announced closer to the event. To purchase tickets to the concert series visit: http://goo.gl/ynTR5k


Here are Planet London, we are standing up and supporting our US LGBT family, as well as all of our LGBT brothers and sisters around the world who aren't as lucky as we are now here in the UK, to say NOW is the time for same-sex marriage to be legal EVERYWHERE.

Some very creative folk who you will have heard of in their fields of music and film, collaborated to create SHE 4 ME, a public service announcement (PSA) as a new music video to an updated version of Jen Foster's 'She'. 

Watch & Share the video: (@SHE_4_ME #LoveIsLove)

 
Mary Dawson from the campaign tells us just why it's so important...

The present atmosphere surrounding marriage equality in the United States is thick with anticipation.  Since the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) rulings striking down California's Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), there are seventeen states (plus Washington, DC) actively and legally marrying their citizens.  In the shadow of SCOTUS on DOMA, federal district judges have declared the state marriage bans of Utah, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas unconstitutional according to the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.  

Mary has written a very detailed and eloquent blog on the current position in the USA:  http://mindschmootz.net/2014/02/usa-4me/

The SHE 4 ME lead cast

The impact on the gay community is significant. It's a very different position to the UK where one national government-driven legal change does the job for everyone. Instead it's a fight one state at a time. As Mary writes...
I can’t begin to speak for the gay community as a whole, but for me, there are a myriad of emotions.  At one moment I am in awe at the pace in which this change is occurring.  At the next moment, I am scared to death of the pace in which this change is occurring. The American Supreme Court is a majority conservative court and often split their rulings 5-4. Avoidance is no longer an option for these justices, so as early as next year, full equality for same-sex couples could be determined by the law of the land and not by the fortune of geography.

On the role of Arts & Music influencing politics & society, Mary surmises...
How can the arts & music community influence politics & society? I don’t have to tell you about the long history of the arts making political statements.  Shakespeare is the first to come to mind in regard to political theater.  In the history of the United States, music has been used as anthems of solidarity for decades.  From the spirituals of the Antebellum South, to the lunch counters of the segregated 1960s, music has been the common chorus of overcoming the inequities imposed by a less than moral majority. 

And marriage equality doesn't mean that everyone will run out and get married straight away. Everyone involved in the SHE 4 ME project is taking part for their own reasons:
There are probably as many different answers to this question as there are people involved.  For me, it’s all about choice.  The legal protections notwithstanding, marriage is not for everyone.  Do I want to get married?  The prospects of wearing that Carolina Herrera gown I saw the other day makes me say, hell yeah.  I don’t know, but it sure is nice to have the choice, now isn’t it?

Why don't you check out our series of interviews with the stars and producers of the SHE 4 ME music video?

• Video review
• Nicole Pacent
• Jen Foster
• Nicole Conn
• Barbara Niven
• Cathy Debuono
• Guinevere Turner (to come)

By Katie 

SHE4ME and... Cathy DeBuono

Cathy and Comet;
photo by Kerry Krenzin.

We spoke to Cathy De Buono, actor, qualified therapist and host of weekly LA Talk radio show "Cathy Is In", about her supporting role in the SHE4ME campaign, upcoming comedy horror film Crazy B*tches and her new documentary.

For Cathy, marriage equality is an "evolution of the consciousness of human being" and it fills "every ounce" of her being that evolution can't stop equality happening. Cathy argues that on a global level there is a collective consciousness of fighting injustice for humankind, and lack of marriage equality is one of the many ways humans beat each other down.

Cathy's involvement in SHE4ME is through her established friendship with Nicole Conn and Jen Foster. As a wedding guest, more of an "ancilliary supportive presence", Cathy had the opportunity to stand back and watch the production create Nicole Conn's "beautiful, dreamy vision".

The experience of walking into a grand room full of friends and members of the community all getting together and supporting the film makers, and knowing that behind the beauty is a grander message to the world that "Love should prevail". The tone of the day was one of "coming together, being a team" of mutual support and creating something beautiful together - about something beautiful - love.

Cathy appreciates that much of our challenges are that many people in the world are just afraid of gay people, and have struggled with acceptance of us because they associate the community with only sex and deviant behaviour. However, as late to the table as they are, things are changing and people now want to understand and listen, about what they are getting wrong, and realising they were judging the wrong thing and it's a relief to find out there's nothing to be afraid of. It is about two people falling in love, equal marriage, and wanting the same thing that everyone else has. Now they are listening we can't "uninvite them to the table" instead we have to make the table a welcome space to demonstrate what love means to all of us.

The campaign has been on a journey to get the message out there, beyond the LGBT community. Cathy's ideal celebrity tweeting supporter would be Oprah, and she is "honoured to be part of this campaign, even in a small way". She's grateful for all the hard work and tenacity in getting the message out there in a beautiful and creative way.

Also upcoming for Cathy is horror flick Crazy B*tches which was an "amazing" and fun time to film, alongside long time friend and the film's director Jane Clark, with whom she had been waiting for a project to work together on. It was a period of great transition in Cathy's life during the filming and she found it very "healing" to be on set and feel "safe and loved" as well as take on a "different kind of movie". Cathy indicates the film will be out in 2014, so hopefully it won't be too long to wait. The aim is to show to film at festivals around the world - mainstream, horror and LGBT themed.

Cathy is also finding time to work on a new documentary, Untitled, which follows her as she retraces her steps from young, working actress in Hollywood approached by a man, who went onto lure other women and in case commit murder, with promises of a key role in a new James Bond film at the Century City Mall to taking the witness stand on Johnson’s behalf years after she met the same man at that same mall. The documentary covers many of his victims, who individually stepped up and took the witness stand that led to his conviction. It's in early days, so it's not clear yet exactly what the story will uncover. 

Catch a glimpse of what to expect in this short intro from Cathy...
 

By Katie

SHE4ME Love Warriors #LoveIsLove

We've brought you some interviews with the extraordinary women behind the SHE4ME Marriage Equality PSA. 

Now is the chance for you to get involved and show your support that we need Equal Marriage around the globe, not just in lucky countries like the UK. (I say lucky, but obviously the law was passed after many years of campaigning and hard work by individuals, campaigning groups and politicians alike).

The Love Warriors - the thousands of women being active on social media - are a key part of getting the video and the message out there. As the stars of the video put it, 

"thank you for being in support of what is one the most important causes of our time, thank you for not just sitting back. Thank you for all the beautiful messages – life is good and I appreciate on every possible level. You are on the right side of history." (Nicole Pacent)

"...amazed and overwhelmed by the love and support and the collective action the video has inspired. The Love Warriors are sharing the message with 20-30 people a day each. And there's been some great press too, incredible mentions in the likes of Huffington Post, She Wired and Curve. It's not just the sharing the link that has mattered, it's also creating the space for people to share their own personal stories and express their situations, creating a sense of love and validation." (Jen Foster)

"You are"so dedicated and devoted and committed", and your actions are "humbling, lovely and touching". Getting the word out there about the campaign to the mainstream is the key to influencing change, ...your "devotion and dedication so inspiring – truly the icing on the cake."  (Nicole Conn)



All you have to do is spread the word via social media - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest - whatever your platform. 

Why not tweet your friends and celebrities and ask them to watch & share the video as well? So far, Love Warriors have reached Martina Navratilova, Deepak Chopra, Melissa Etheridge, Suzanne Vega, Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty) and a bunch of actors including Erin Daniels (dana from the L word)... who do you think you could get to re-tweet? Maybe Clare Balding, Sue Perkins?

We have some messages ready for you to get out and tweet and facebook, selection taken from Love Warriors out there:

Marriage Equality has come a long way, thanks to the LGBT individuals like Nicole Conn and Jen Foster who have bravely taken a stand. I long to see the day when we can simply be just who we are, love who we want, without so much effort. After all, Love is Love.- Lucy Nico (Love Warrior)

Being able to help promote such a powerful message, feels good. It is empowering to be part of a movement that is changing the world. ~ Melinda Paradis (Love Warrior)

Our fight for marriage equality et al, is not to make precedence for new human rights, we want to be afforded existing human rights, fore we are separate from no one. The world has deemed us separate, the world has made us Love Warriors. ~ Anita McRae (Love Warrior)

Having been a Love Warrior and watching the process of SHE4ME come to life, its message not only touches me but mirrors my soul in a sense. I am so happy being a small part of this amazing project. ~ Susan Blowers (Love Warrior)

True love has a voice, from the tiniest whisper that can form into the greatest symphony that can unite many. I've fought all my life to show that this voice can't be silenced or suppressed it defines us as love warriors for love truly is love. ~ Sue Jackman (Love Warrior)

Love is Love, it doesn't require the condition of perfection, just that you feel it, experience it, give it, take it with all of it's ups and downs, laughs and cries, hurts and healing.....Unique, Unconstrained LOVE!!  ~ Robin Reed (Love Warrior)

 Make sure you include the following #hashtags and @mentions...

@SHE_4_ME

#LoveIsLove

#SHE4ME

SHE4ME and Nicole Conn...

Nicole with Jen Foster Nicole Conn is the visual mastermind behind the video that accompanies Jen Foster's 'She' in the SHE4ME PSA video. Nicole is the heralded and award winning director of classic lesbian films Clare of the Moon, Elena Undone and A Perfect Ending. 

What Marriage Equality would mean for Nicole and indeed "all of us", is "humanity acknowledging we are humans with the same rights as straight people". As Nicole puts it,
"love between any two people is acceptable and society – every soul deserves that right."

This isn't the first time two massive creative minds have worked together, Jen supplied the track Broken, written especially, for Nicole's Elena Undone soundtrack. Jen introduced Sue Melke "the most awesome producer and person on the planet and the heartbeat of the project", and after a long session at West Hollywood's iconic The Abbey, SHE4ME was borne.

What started out as just a nominal music video to the new version of the song became the PSA it is today. During conception, Sue and Nicole came up through storyline using different artistic devices such as dance to represent women's love. 


Nicole with lead Brides Gaby Christian (left) and Nicole Pacent (right)

The aim was to create a story and story telling that makes the message accessible to the mainstream. Using the "incredible gift from Jen Foster" to try and pay forward an "international gift of civil liberty". 

Nicole and Sue pulled out all the stops to make the video happen in the large scale, celebrity endorsed way it has, calling in favours and friendships to get the all rolling.  




As the cast and supporters came on board it became possible for Nicole to conceptualise fully how to hit mainstream audiences and to created a shared understanding of the "purity and innocence of love" and to start the story with a familiar childhood "best friend concept"the Used best friend concept. Once shooting began, the segments of the story line came in to place. Who couldn't champion the basic idea of "soul mates who end up marrying". 

Nicole played with the idea of the traditional wedding to represent what everyone is familiar with. Self-confessed "purveyor of love and romance", for Nicole she wanted to take the story where typically the end goal is that of true love – in a union and celebrated publicly. 

Once it began, Nicole was quick to realise that the project would become a special event. All the creatives took part in great spirits and everyone left their egos at the door for the greater good. Key LGBT actors and community to come together for a shared cause. 

Nicole is quick to give much credit to the crew and actors, she says "Barbara Niven perfect in every way I know". Nicole emphasises Jen [Foster] as "so giving and willing, gracious and generous", allowing Sue and Nicole manifest on the project and go where their creativity took them – whilst being easy to work with and contributing creative ideas ensuring the three women worked well together. With the addition of Kim Rocco Shields, a "very talented and on the up" Director, the creative input was set. Altogether combining to create a "Company of people dedicated to the issue and allowed everything to be what’s best for the project."

It wasn't all smooth sailing, and whilst the rest of the cast and crew have said filming was a pain free process, much of this was down to Nicole and Sue's planning as well as keeping check of things on set to not disturb the actors. 

Nicole worked with a new crew (described by Nicole Pacent and Jen Foster as a "tight" outfit) and unusually mostly "on the fly" which presented in some challenges in the tight time scales available, non consecutive shooting days and the need to capture as much footage as possible on the shooting days - following a pragmatic decision to fit logistics around availability of actors and locations. 

The favourite on set day, unanimously, was the day SHE4ME shot on location at Andaz West Hollywood.  (AC) Agustin Cruz, head of Marketing at Andaz, helped the filmmakers secure free access to the ballroom and multiple hotel rooms along with other benefits.  

It was the day that all the personalities supporting the cause came together and resulted in a "room filled with lots of love, creative and wonderful giving.

The elaborate wedding set up was a deliberate mechanism to "escalate the beauty of the love in the relationship, to show the world who we are" alongside the excellent performances to portray a wonderful reality and wholesomeness that the mainstream will understand.  [Editor's note: it was at this point in the conversation, I recalled my wonderment that it took a fair few viewings for me to realise I had watched a whole short movie with no dialogue whatsoever and yet completely understood the meaning without questions.] Nicole puts this down to the editing process and Sue's contributions to the story building in the edit suite. 

Somewhat unanticipated, the project has become a much larger manifestations it forrays into the mainstream. It's been teen tested and parent tested and received a heartfelt response. Nicole has the utmost thanks to the Love Warriors working hard to spread the word about the video (now at 149,000 views!) They are "so dedicated and devoted and committed", and their actions are "humbling, lovely and touching". Getting the word out there about the campaign to the mainstream is the key to influencing change, all involved agree. Nicole can't thank the supporters enough and says their "devotion and dedication so inspiring – truly the icing on the cake."

Our discussion ends with a final thanks to cast and crew, and the US organisation Marriage Equality, led by Bryan Silva, who provided organisation backing to the campaign.

By Katie
 

SHE4ME and Jen Foster

Jen Foster is the voice and generosity behind the music video at the heart of the SHE4ME campaign. In partnership with Sue Melke, Executive Producer of the PSA, Jen adapted a fan favourite track, the 2004 'She' into an upbeat dance tune, with the help of music producer Eve Nelson. 

'She' has been performed in all of Jen's tours since, and used a many commitment ceremonies, so it clearly resonates with the lesbian and bi women's community. From there, Sue introduced Jen to Nicole Conn who came on board as the director of the video, and from there it "snowballed".

Jen and Sue took the decision to align with Marriage Equality, the organisation, and also to be patient in waiting for things to come together to make a special video that would really be a "statement". It was not always a straightforward process to get supporters on board and keep them on board and wait for things to fall in place, but well worth the wait in our opinion. 

Jen says that once Nicole Conn was signed up, she was so easy to work and a team player who brought along some familiar names with her.

It was Jen and Sue's "persistent approach" and determination and perseverance "to make it happen"  and that now is the time to turn the video into a real campaign. 

Jen felt that after talk of gay marriage and bullying in the media over the last twelve months, that perhaps the public are ready to hear what we have to say. "It's a different time" and we need to seize the opportunity to be heard.

For Jen, Marriage Equality in every US state would be the "ultimate freedom" but there's still a "long way to go until we get there". Jen says that after making a lot of progress, "projects like this really important to keep it in the forefront" and the message within SHE4ME is one of inclusivity and that same-sex love is the same as heterosexual love, with similar goals and journeys. SHE4ME "focuses on the similarities, not the differences". 

The filming experience was one of the best says of her life, and filled with energy. A massive orchestration of 160 cast and crew, and thanks to the generosity of the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, rooms were provded for breaks and preparation, as well as the ballroom for the filming of the wedding scenes.
 
There was a shared experience of everyone on set, everyone giving up their time for the day, but there because they wanted to be, and having fun too. Jen and director Nicole Conn both found themselves watching the action through a camera lens with tears in their eyes as the visuals emerged. It was a moving experience that didn't escape the cast either, and the extras fell to the same experience. This proved it was "really something special".

In particular the sense of collaboration and "team" felt strong and that everyone was working together for the "greater message and the greater good". Jen said she was "blown away" at how smoothly the filming went - the production team took care of problems and kept smiles on their faces the whole time. 

If Jen could predict her own dream wedding, it would be focused on making the other person happy and enjoying that experience - even if that means skydiving out of a plane! 

Jen, and everyone behind the project, are amazed and overwhelmed by the love and support and the collective action the video has inspired. The Love Warriors are sharing the message with 20-30 people a day each. And there's been some great press too, incredible mentions in the likes of Huffington Post, She Wired and Curve. It's not just the sharing the link that has mattered, it's also creating the space for people to share their own personal stories and express their situations, creating a sense of love and validation.

Jen's celebrity aim for the Love Warriors include retweets from Bono and Bill Clinton... and may be even Kate Middleton or the Queen! However with names like Melissa Etheridge and Suzanne Vega already retweeting the video, she's not complaining! Jen is very clear to say that she is "So deeply grateful for everyone who has related to the message and taken it to the next level" and for relating "their personal experiences relating to the video, with the struggles to be openly gay and own the love they have with their partners... Please know the continued help is very welcome"

Jen is already thinking about the next project that could become a part of the campaign – perhaps other songs, new songs. It's a new passion for Jen that is not just to put out an album but to align songs with causes she is passionate about.  She's also going to undertake some on the ground volunteering to remain "inspired and re-fuelled". 

By Katie

She4Me - the mass equal marriage campaign project gathers support globally #LoveIsLove

Watch the video below or at Singer-Songwriter Jen Foster gave her  song and her time to be the soundtrack to the campaign and the music behind the story of two women who fall in love and get married. Foster appears in the video as the “Wedding Singer.”  The song has been a favorite within the lesbian community for over a decade and is regularly used in lesbian commitment ceremonies. A new version of the track has been produced and scored by Eve Nelson who designed an incredible fusion of contemporary orchestra and dance to compliment the video storyboard.

The video opens up to a beautiful wedding, where viewers witness a celebration of love between family, friends, and guests.  The viewers are taken on a journey through exquisite flashbacks of the bride and her best friend in their youth.  We witness an underlying tension during the present day wedding before being presented with an endearing plot twist.  The twist has been designed to help transmit a hopeful message of love and understanding to a mainstream audience, thinking of those with opinions somewhere near neutral on gay marriage. 

Iconic lesbian film director Nicole Conn, the director behind the music video PSA said "The pinnacle of love is the joining of two souls to become one and the most sacred act to commemorate this is Marriage. When I was approached to come up with a concept for the SHE4ME supporting Marriage Equality, I was thrilled. My entire career has been devoted to creating books and films that provoke the viewer to experience the spectrum of emotions involved with love and passion and our goal here was to produce something that could communicate our message to a mass audience." 

SHE4ME is all about love.  About how underneath it all, Love is Love and, to coin a lyric from the song SHE “there is nothing to be afraid of”. This video shows a face that people need to see, the face of unconditional love.  With the help of YouTube and hundreds of volunteers, partner organisations, SHE4ME is expected to reach millions of people all around the globe, especially in places where LGBT people are not accepted. 

Wedding scenes were filmed at the iconic Andaz West Hollywood, which has recently served as location for many high profile same-sex weddings.

Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA), the largest grassroots Marriage Equality organisation in the United States, partnered with Fosterchild Records and Melke Pty Ltd to produce this social project.