I think it’s insulting when studios and distribution companies chastise movie fans for watching movies.  I mean, this is what people want to do, and the last thing I want is to insult the people who want to watch my films.

In December a California distribution company that caters to the lesbian/gay market released a series of video shorts that wagged a patronizing finger at people for illegally downloading movies.

But here’s the thing: If something is online and not password protected, than the world of internet consumers expects it to be freely available and to be shared.   Right or wrong (and actually, yes, it is illegal) if you come across a copy of ANGORA RANCH online and want to watch, you’re gonna watch.  I hope you enjoy it.

(The intentionally criminal act is uploading the movies to the internet in the first place. So if you gotta call someone a criminal, pick on the uploaders, not the downloaders.  But I digress.)

We need to change our internet culture to understand that someone somewhere has got to pay for making the content that is online.  All those videos on youtube cost somebody money.  Maybe the cat that flushes the toilet didn’t have to get paid for her starring role, but actors in movies usually do. And as inexpensive as digital technology may be, it still costs money for people to eat, wear clothes, drive to locations, use props, paint the walls a certain color, etc.

That’s why I made the Hot Gay Men PSA’s.   I figure it’s better to tease people into realizing making these movies costs money rather than blame people for doing what they are naturally trained to do.

It’s kinda like growing up. When we were kids dinner was served to us on the dining room table and  all we had to do was eat.  As adults we now understand we have to actually buy that food. And some of us cook it, too.

If you haven’t seen these four little PSA’s, here they are:  http://youtu.be/B_en_KoMrc0

Feel free to share these, download them, upload them, repost, re-edit, repeat, re-use. You have my blessings.  In this case, it’s totally legal.

We shot the four scenes early in February on a soundstage in Austin, Texas.  Scott Woodings was the Director of Photography, Patrick Henderson was on sound, Chris Ritecz handled the props and set design, Joe Patton brought in the food and created the fabulous glasses hanging on the bedroom wall.

Jon Gale flew in from LA for 18 hours to get these done, and Matt Burnett was able to get out of rehearsal long enough to shoot his scene.  It took us about three hours, maybe four, to get it done before heading to Nuevo Leon for a Tex-Mex lunch.

Please take a moment to check out the videos, and let me know what you think.  I hope you’ll agree with me this is a much better approach to dealing with illegal video piracy than those lame Hollywood comparisons to stealing a car or paranoid reactionary attempts threatening arrest.

After all, we can’t make these movies without you.  Bring gay-themed movies into the light.  Buy the dvd.