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Learn more- American Goth: a documentary
American Goth, an 86-minute feature documentary, provides an in-depth examination of Gothic culture, which is often typified by black clothes and an interest in dark music, literature, and culture. In a post-Columbine era, Goths have been perceived and stereotyped in many ways. American Goth is a D.I.Y.-style, conversational documentary that asks if Goth culture poses a threat to society or if it is simply an alternative lifestyle. With a think-for-yourself approach, this guerilla film features Goths in their own words, and first-time filmmaker Ryan Rhea explores their unique place in todays society. The film is divided into sections including the Goth Scene, Gothic Origins, Goths and Music, Goths and Society, Paganism, Vampirism, Witchcraft, Goths and Spirituality, and Prejudice. The idea from the film came out of a reaction to hearing about the Goth Grant, $273,000 given to the community of Blue Springs, Missouri, to investigate Goth culture. Ryan Rheas film questioned the validity of such a grant, but ultimately provided an overview of Gothic culture, and the people in it, in a much broader context.
American Goth is underground, D.I.Y. filmmaking. It was conceived by, shot, edited, and directed by Ryan Rhea over the course of three years. With the help of executive producer Michael Lynch, whose guidance and support made it possible for the film to be made, and PJ Corvus, who provided the films compelling soundtrack, American Goth is one of the first films to take a close look at Goth culture, and to give a voice to the Goths themselves. Ryan conducted a number of filmed interviews on various formats. Ultimately more than 20 hours of footage for the project was gathered. From notebooks and transcripts of the interviews to the actual editing and post-production on an Avid editing system, the first cut came in at two and a half hours. Too long, the next step was to cut it down to an optimal length, and it was eventually brought to its current 86 minutes. At this point, PJ Corvus provided the music and Ryan incorporated it into the film. After some narration, color and sound fixes, and titling, it was at last ready for release. Of course, the true credit for the film goes to all of those who appeared in it, sharing their thoughts and allowing access into the mysterious world of Goth culture.
The films premiere was warmly received at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November 2005 and subsequently appeared at other festivals. The soundtrack for American Goth is available through Cuervo Loco records.
The film features Goths from St. Louis and the Kansas City area (including the preeminent DJ Skeletal from St. Louis), as well as New York Times best-selling author Laurell K. Hamilton, law enforcement officials, and others. In addition to a dynamic original soundtrack from PJ Corvus, the film includes performance clips of bands Son of William and Tripelexer.
* 2013 Update: American Goth is screening at the 2013 X-Fest Film Festival in South Africa.
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