Through their own production company, Mythgarden, actors Chad Allen and Robert Gant not only managed to get their own film made ("Save Me") with lead roles for themselves, but the gay-themed film set at a "gay recovery" center, was also featured at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
"There's challenges at every level of this industry to tell stories about us," Allen Sunday at the Q-MeCon Queer Media and Entertainment Conference. "There's enormous challenges from financing to distribution to the creative side."
But he is undaunted and when it comes to making his own movies, uncompromising.
"If you're not in this to change the world, then go back and write about straight people because we've got things to do..Instead of being marginalized with niche themes and niche products, we get to break down all the walls. Gay cinema does not have to open in two theaters then go onto a life on DVD. We want our films to reach as large an audience at they can find...and in theaters."
Charlie David, the 26-year-old star of "Dante's Cove," is setting up his first independent film, Mulligans," to produce and star in and says: "It's an interesting dance when you step out of lur bubble and into the mainstream. Trying to sell outside our arena, everybody wants to [gay characters] to be the 10 percent part. Like the gay one on "The Real world" then there are nine other [straights]."
But Paul Colichman, the successful out producer of films including "Gods and Monsters" and the founder of here! TV and Regency Films, seems to have no use for the mainstream. He is at the forefront of creating and distributing queery content through his own companies and is encouraged by young filmmakers like Allen and Gant.
"Chad and Bobby exercise their power through their art every day and I'm so proud to know them," Colichman said at the Q-MeCon closing party. "Get your message out! Use digital distribution, use gay networks, use radio, use the Internet. Use it all!"