After the Supreme Court blocked video broadcast of the federal trial to decide the constitutionality of California's gay marriage ban last Wednesday, John Ireland, a freelance journalist and filmmaker, decided he would produce his own version of the trial and post it on YouTube.
“People want to see this drama unfold and there is a tremendous narrative that was propelled by that first day of testimony,” Ireland told the press. “This is the first time that gay and lesbian people have talked about their lives in federal court. It's historic from that point of view.”
Ireland said he's would be basing his story on the accounts of bloggers who have been and will continue t0 be at the San Francisco trial that started last Monday
“I don't think you have to be gay or lesbian to see that there is a tremendous human story being told but so few people are actually hearing it,” Ireland said.
Ireland filming began over the weekend after casting the trial's main characters. Opening day of the trial is set to air on YouTube this Tuesday, with daily updates starting on Wednesday.
“We've been in a fast and furious process of auditioning yesterday, confirming and booking last night, late into the night, and this morning at 9:30 we were all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and started filming,” said Ireland.
Ireland has a personal stake in the trial. In 2004 he married Duncan Crabtree in San Francisco City Hall after Mayor Gavin Newsom instructed the County Clerk's office to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Newsom's decision began a domino effect that eventually led to voters approving Proposition 8 four years later.
No comments:
Post a Comment