Jasper Talks with Torres Fontain, Jr. about Sundance, Frame x Frame, the Luminal, the Nick & more

“It’s been a journey but I’m at peace nowadays.”

Torres Fontain, Jr. photo by Brailey Johnson

Hi Torres, and thanks for agreeing to virtually talk with Jasper. We’d like to use this interview as an opportunity for readers who don’t know you yet to get to know you as an artist and arts leader, so let’s start off with an introduction that will get all those basic demographics out of the way.

●     Where did you grow up and go to school, how old are you, what are your pronouns, and what terminology do you use to identify yourself as an artist?

I am happy to virtually sit down and talk with Jasper. For those who don’t know, my name is Torres Fontain (he/him) and I’m a product of Camden, SC, home of the Camden High Bulldogs. I am a 29 year old filmmaker and voiceover artist.

●     I know you worked at the Nickelodeon (CFS) until a year or so ago. What did you do there and, if you’d like to, please take a moment and tell us about why you left that position?

My time at The Nick was quite unique. My last job title was Theater Operations Manager however I started as an intern after I was foisted onto the then Director of Media Education, Sherard Duvall.

Quick backstory: I had previously interned for Cynthia Hardy’s tv and radio show and I was an awful intern–just all around bad. Cynthia showed me a lot of grace though, she even paid me, which seems like a miracle in hindsight. I worked so hard though so I at least had that going for me. My transfer over to the Nick was like that episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, where Larry David couldn’t fire his assistant so he passed her off to someone else. I was the bad assistant. Luckily, Sherard, the “someone else”, took me in willingly.

In 2013 I worked with him teaching Come Around My Way, a new after school media literacy and film production class that we taught at CA Johnson High School. I worked with Sherard for a bit and when he left, I taught CAMW with two other amazing artists, Jessa Gaitor and Josh Yates. At the same time I was working part-time as a theater manager and volunteer coordinator. I ended up moving to Atlanta in 2017 where I freelanced but moved right back to Columbia after I was presented with some stability in the form of a job offer from The Nick.

As the Operations Manager, I did a little bit of everything but mostly I managed the part-time staff and the volunteers. I also took care of the facilities which, in that old building, took up way too much of my time. My ultimate goal in that position was to help make the space more safe and inclusive. I kept this in mind when hiring and when bringing in new volunteers. I’m all about people. I put a lot of care into the folx I worked with and definitely got a lot back. This is why being laid off in May of last year was disappointing. My friends at the Nick were my friends outside of the Nick.

 

●     We’d love to hear more about how you perceive the situation at the Nick now. Are you satisfied with the response of the board of directors to the important problems you and Mahkia Greene identified?

I think we made it pretty clear in our open letter what our departure was like. To be blunt: the CFS leaders used the pandemic to fire everyone. It was done sloppily with zero care. They also made a couple of “fuck you” moves just to let us know that they didn’t take too kindly to a few of us raising concerns about the culture of the Nick before the pandemic hit. People can read all about that in the letter.

I do not currently support the Columbia Film Society nor do I support or approve of its current leaders. It honestly feels strange and a bit bold to think I should have some sort of approval over anything that goes on there now, but in my experience it has done more harm than good when I take the “humble” route and fail to stand in my power. I was there for almost a 5th of the organization's existence. Only a handful of people had been there longer. What was even more valuable was that I spoke to the folx who held positions at CFS before me and the folx who held positions before them. I’m even friends with volunteers who were there since day 1. I think it’s safe that I have a little audacity to express my disapproval.

With that being said, we were very disappointed in the board’s response or rather their lack of response to our open letter. Some of us got severance packages and I think they expected us to be happy with that but our letter was written to address things we did not want to see continue. Mahkia and I were prepared to support the Nick in becoming as safe of a space as possible. Unfortunately they doubled down on the white supremacy. Of all the bullshit though I think I’m most upset that I had to reactivate my Facebook page to keep people updated with everything. This, to me, is truly unforgivable.

●      How have you been using your time since leaving the Nick?

Well in a way, being laid off was the best thing that could have happened for me. It was a chance to take a real break. I had been working so hard and my position was taking a toll on me. I’m used to doing a lot of physical work, pushing the limits of my body. I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I did not expect to be so burnt out emotionally though. So I spent some time grieving, while collecting money from the government of course. I have to mention how grateful I am to have an amazing family. The support from my Mama and Daddy saved me. Spending time with my sisters and my nephews saved me. I owe it all to them.

But I had to get to work eventually. So I did some work with SCRJI (South Carolina Restorative Justice Initiative) and I also did a few podcast episodes with some amazing artists and friends. I joined a virtual workout group, edited a film, and recommitted to my spiritual practices. It’s been a journey but I’m at peace nowadays. Now if only this country could conquer a global pandemic we might be cookin’ with grease!

●      I understand that you have some work with the Sundance Film Festival coming up. What can you tell us about that?

Yes! So Sundance chose the Luminal Theater to host films here in Columbia and I’m helping the founder of the Luminal, Curtis Caesar John, with some editing. I’m also helping host some panel discussions. The only thing I love more than talking about film is listening to other filmmakers talk about film so it’s really exciting to get paid to do that.

●      And if I’m not mistaken you are one of the organizers of the Frame x Frame Club, is that right? Can you tell us more about this project? Is the Frame x Frame club open to the public or is it by invitation only?

Yes, FxF is our baby. We’re lovers of independent film and for the past few years, this team of people have been the ones moderating the critical dialogue in our community. We want to continue to engage with our people in this way. “Think book club but with films”– is what we say. Our contributors are all former CFS employees but anyone can join the discussions. We go live once a month and discuss a film selected by one of our contributors. For now, we only choose films that are available on Kanopy because it’s free with an active library card. Maybe we’ll expand to Netflix or something else in the future we’ll see.

●      What else is going on with you? We’d love to hear about any other projects you have going on.

I’m currently working on launching my podcast next month. I don’t want to drop the name yet because it might change but it’s going to be something special. I’m also writing and editing for a web series that I can’t say much about but some real talented people are involved and I think it will be huge for SC.

●      Is there anything that I didn’t ask you about that you’d like to talk about?

I wouldn’t have expected anyone to know to ask about it because this is a new very new thing for me but I’m finally pursuing my lifelong dream of being a voiceover artist! I’m still working on my demo reel but it’s been a fun and difficult journey so far. If there’s anyone reading this that needs a good voice for something, hit me up, I’m available!

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Thanks, Torres, for bringing us up to date on what you’re up to and some other happenings in the MIdlands-area film community.

While Sundance at the Luminal ends today, you can read more about the project at Luminal Theatre. (The Luminal Theater is a nomadic cinema that brings Black film straight to the people.)

And you can check out Frame x Frame on Facebook and at their website.

Film - Revisited, Reviewed, Reflected: Lauren Wiggins and Discovering "But I'm a Cheerleader" in Small Town SC

It’s strange, but logical, that film has become such a large part of our lives during these pandemic days even for folks who don’t identify as cinephiles.

Stranger still is the recognition that, as hungry as we are for film art, a lot of what we’re getting from the plethora of studios producing work now is leaving us dissatisfied. (Watch this space for more on this subject coming soon.)

Consequently, many of us are going back to the vaults and revisiting films from earlier days that we either missed when they came out or that came out before we were even born.

In the case of the former, it’s impossible to approach these movies with truly fresh eyes (is this ever really possible?) because we don’t just watch a movie, we experience it with all the temporal baggage (and the lack thereof) that accompanies being a human of a certain age.

Lauren Wiggins, a friend and former student of mine (USC class of ‘09 WGST) found this to be the case when she revisited the 1999 comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader, starring the intoxicating Natasha Lyonne (check her out in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK and RUSSIAN DOLL) and directed by the equally brilliant Jamie Babbit. We happened upon Wiggins’ blog post detailing this experience and wanted to share it, with her permission, with our readers (below). - CB

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You Can't Make This Up, #4: Discovering But I'm a Cheerleader in Small Town SC

A queer camp cult classic anniversary celebration extravaganza!

The year 2000 is a fine vintage for movies that I still love. Drowning Mona, Memento, American Psycho - all classics! With the exception of darker titles like, Requiem for a Dream, several of the best ones from that year were inspirational for young women. They were the kind of films that made teenage girls want to become something and trust their instincts. Center Stage left me to ponder if 14 was too old to start ballet lessons. Coyote Ugly taught me that I could be a badass bartender on the side and the compensation from that one job would surely bankroll my passions and cost of living. Miss Congeniality showed me that I didn’t have to be girly to make friends that were girls. Let me tell you, it was a real coming of age summer.

When I entered Freshman year of high school that fall, my cousin Tiffany took me under her wing. She was a cheerleader and she played soccer. She was a senior with a million friends, and she was about to get a car! Plus, she let me hang out when her friends were around and they said I was funny, which of course cinched a top spot in the hierarchy of cool Freshmen.

When we got bored in our three stoplight town, as all apathetic teenagers across the USA did; we flocked to the beautiful blue and yellow beacon known as Blockbuster. There, amongst the over-priced candy, we’d sometimes spend an hour selecting our film. One particular visit to our local Blockbuster, But I’m a Cheerleader caught Tiffany’s eye. She was chasing the Bring It On high from that summer, and the word ‘cheerleader’ was all she needed to read; certainly no reason to flip it over and read the synopsis. 

Allow me to pause the story to tell you what But I’m a Cheerleader actually is. It’s a queer camp film directed by Jamie Babbit, which follows a protagonist who doesn’t know she’s a homo, as she’s forced by families and friends to go to ‘True Directions’, a conversion therapy camp run by Cathy Moriarty and RuPaul. And this past year, this movie turned 20 years old. Vintage queer camp. 

Again, since I had proven my coolness, I was invited to come along to Tiffany’s ultra-cool friend’s house. Jessica did pageants, but she had the kind of sense of humor that made you think she was doing them ironically, like a joke that only she was in on. She was tall, her hair was always pretty, and she had an endless supply of Roxy t-shirts that I silently coveted. I studied them and all the hair products I had no idea existed strewn across her room, as we cozied up on a floor pallet with snacks. 

Flags were quickly raised that this was not a movie about cheerleading, but there were pom-poms, so I kept my mouth shut. Just to see. I could be wrong. Nobody else had said anything yet, and in my angst, I quietly hoped they’d want to watch the whole thing. 

We did end up watching the whole thing, mostly because up until the end of the movie, I think we were all still expecting that it would eventually work out to be the farce on cheerleading that we rented. After all, I might not have been the cinema hound I am today, but I knew about parody and the low-budget looks of the box were on par with a poster for a Leslie Nielsen movie. 

The longer I waited for the movie to be more relatable for my cousin the cheerleader, the more it struck me that this movie was a kind I had never seen before. I had seen Rocky Horror Picture Show a million times with my mom, but that was blatant, flagrant queerness. This movie was speaking some new language, and even though I was missing a few words, it was a language made for me. The entire duration of the film evoked that weird feeling that was a bit like watching a sex scene with your parents, and we passed through the real moments that made us feel awkward by acknowledging the other movies we had seen these actors in. 

“Holy shit, it’s Rufio! What’s that guy been up to?!”

“Is that Stokely from The Faculty?!” 

“Oh, it’s the chick who dances with the vibrator in Slums of Beverly Hills!”

“Yeah, she’s the friend in American Pie too!”

I concealed my interest during the actual sex scene, but if there had been any doubt in my mind before I watched that very thoughtfully directed moment between two women, I knew I was gay then and there. I also wondered if my mom paid very close attention to our Blockbuster rental history.

I remember the first time I secretly studied it alone in my room. Not a euphemism. I wanted to understand the color coding but was so nauseated by all the blue and pink. I was equally repulsed at the pukey browns in the parents’ house, but I mainly took issue with the queer characters being stuck in these institutionalized style uniforms of what I felt were baby shower colors. It wasn’t until many years later that I got to talk to other queer people and unpack Dir. Babbit’s commentary on gender roles being artificially grown in a heteronormative laboratory. 

Conversion therapy was back in the news a few months ago, for good reasons. If you haven’t heard, 370 religious officials signed a declaration to ban conversion therapy. In my mind, it’s unconscionable that anyone would still support such a crazy idea. I’m friends with deeply religious people, but I can’t imagine that they’d look at me and think there was any “going back” or some different life for me. Then again, I don’t know what they say when I’m not queerly taking up space in a room.

On the 20th anniversary of this excellent piece of film, I celebrate But I’m a Cheerleader, not only as my root and an instant classic in queer camp, but as something that made me begin to analyze everything I watched and listen out for the languages of the oppressed. After all, those are the tools I have now to truly own the space in the room.

Thanks for coming to my super gay Ted Talk.

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LAUREN WIGGINS AT

YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS UP.

CORONA TIMES - Wade Sellers talks with 2nd Act Alum Tamara Finkbeiner

Tamara Finkbeiner - all photos courtesy of the artist

Tamara Finkbeiner is a Columbia based filmmaker and graphic artist. She is a member of WOW Productions an urban inspirational entertainment company. Through her involvement with WOW and her own independent work she has been leaving a huge creative mark in our area for many years. She is an alum of the 2nd Act Film Project. Tamara’s films took home the 2nd Act Audience Award in the 2nd and 3rd year of the festival.

Wade Sellers

film editor, Jasper Magazine; president, Jasper Project board of directors

JASPER: Tamara, how have you and your family been coping with the pandemic shutdown?

FINKBEINER: We've actually been doing pretty well given the circumstances. We've had to make many adjustments, but overall we have become even closer as a unit and that has been a tremendous blessing during this time.

JASPER: For those who don't know about WOW, tell us about Walking on Water productions.

FINKBEINER: Walking On Water Productions (WOW) is an urban inspirational theatre company founded by Tangie Beaty and is run by Beaty (CEO) and Donna Johnson (COO). My business partner, Josetra Robinson and I also run One7evenOne Productions (O7O) and we partner with WOW to mount stage productions and are also looking to venture into television and film. Josetra and myself are part of the management crew at WOW; our emphasis is in visual production and marketing.

Finkbeiner with creative partner Josetra Robinson

JASPER: Introduce us to other members of the team.

FINKBEINER: Josetra Robinson is co-founder of O7O. She's a tremendous talent and I'm honoured we get the chance to work together on so many amazing projects.

JASPER: What project(s) have you and the team been working on during the shutdown?

FINKBEINER: Through O7O, we've been editing for various projects, which has been, again, a major blessing. We've also been writing for a project that we have coming up and that everyone will hear more about very soon. 

JASPER: What is the overall mission of WOW?

FINKBEINER: One of WOW's missions is to produce impactful productions and also cultivate talent in our local community, which aligns with our passion and purpose at O7O. It's been a beautiful partnership.

JASPER: What's next for you or Walking on Water productions/One7evenOne Productions?

FINKBEINER: Many details are still unfolding but we (O7O) will be partnering with WOW again on a really cool project and are looking forward to the team coming together to do what we love and challenge ourselves as we push this next level!