out is in
This is a music docu-series about some of our favorite musicians who are changing the world through their work and who also happen to be queer.
our inspiration
We believe you’re the ideal artist to launch our show. Your wise and vibrant presence embodies the authenticity and energy we’re seeking to bring to these stories.
Beyond that, your involvement in your community is inspiring. Being out is bringing your full self to your work and your community efforts, therefore allowing the world to witness your shine and be inspired by it. We think that this message will resonate with viewers from all walks of life, queer and straight people alike.
This will be a short documentary about the human behind the work, the glamour, and the labels. We want to use this episode as the sizzle reel to pitch the show to networks and gain interest in our series. In exchange for your participation, we will offer an edited live and intimate performance for any song with hopes to feature you as an episode in our series in the future.
2 full production days
1 hour sit down interview and broll with audio
Additional 1/2 day for live performance of one song
Shoot your community involvement or activism-highlighting any cause of your choice
Location for the interview will be ideally in a house or at a space that feels intimate
Promotional content captured of you playing a song from three well-lit angles at an interesting location
Rights to the content for web distribution with attribution
the sizzle production plan
the series
The throughline is simple: queer artists are making powerful, lasting contributions to both the music industry and their communities. In this docu-series, we’ll walk alongside our favorite musicians through the rhythm of everyday life—offstage and unfiltered. We’ll see them trying new hobbies, cooking at home, volunteering with local nonprofits, flipping through cherished records, or casting a line into the river with friends.
As the landscape of music and culture shifts—thanks in large part to these visible queer voices—we’re reminded that what connects us most are the quiet, ordinary moments. These artists reflect a spectrum of identities, shapes, colors, and cultures, reshaping mainstream narratives and expanding how we see ourselves.
Through this series, we aim to amplify their stories and further humanize the queer experience—celebrating not just their art, but the authenticity that grounds them.
giving back
All of these musicians have used their social status to uplift a cause that they believe in. They want to give back. We want to use each episode as an opportunity for them to also promote those ideas or organizations. This will not only highlight the great work that the non-profit organizations are doing, but will also illustrate how queer people contribute to their communities. They all carry influence that goes well beyond their music and they use their voices to create real change. We will work with artists to learn which of these causes or organizations they want to feature. This will be a necessary component for each episode. We won’t tell the audience that queer people are good humans who are having a positive impact on the world beyond their music, instead we will show them.
on the shoulders of giants
We've come a long way since artists like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and later Prince, Elton John, Indigo Girls, challenged gender and sexuality norms. Imagine a world without these musicians stepping out to share their talents. More often artists are publicly embracing their queerness, paving the way for future generations to be proudly out. There is a historical aspect of our show where we want to leave space to recognize the heritage that brought us this far. We want to include as part of the documentary someone who was a musical inspiration to you growing up. We will recognize how they broke the mold as an artist, trailblazing the path for artists like you. This will further demonstrate how representation and visibility are important.
reference videos
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Ash Bernal
DIRECTOR/POST-PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR/EP
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Wade Yamaguchi
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY/EP
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Jade Ehlers
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/CASTING DIRECTOR/EP
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Jason Harper
STORY PRODUCER/EP
the approach
The production will feature interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and performances from each artist. To foster comfort and vulnerability, we’ll maintain a small, diverse crew and use a stripped-down camera setup for sensitive scenes. By spending time with artists in their homes and intimate spaces, we’ll capture honest interviews and vérité moments, highlighting how they navigate both their personal and public lives.
the look
the look
It's essential to capture the duality of how artists are seen by their fans and how they see themselves. We’ll collaborate with each artist to create a personalized look for their story, whether they prefer a polished vibe or something grittier and avant-garde. Overall, the show will have a natural tone in lighting, creating an intimate, living room-style conversation that beautifully showcases each artist's unique story and brand.
The look and feel of the episode will be organic and authentic as the viewer steps into the world of each artist. It will have a handheld documentary style which will make it feel like the audience is sitting in the living room with the artist. We will use wider lenses to make sure the environment is captured beautifully. The tones will be warm and rich with the black levels lifted slightly to create a film like image. We will use vintage lenses to create nice focus fall off and beautiful flares. These lenses will have a distinct character that will help tell the artist’s unique story. We will work further with each artist to establish style that reflects their originality and flair.
Ash Bernal
“I’m a queer artist who grew up in conservative, Catholic family in rural America, relying on queer creators to understand myself during my formative years. Music and art have the power to connect us, and by normalizing queerness through representation, we can create a community where we all coexist and inspire one another. The featured artists in this show are dedicated to nurturing the queer cultures that they lacked in their youth, and I’m passionate about using my queer lens to amplify those stories and break down barriers for others pursuing their dreams.”
Wade Yamaguchi
“Growing up in a small, conservative town in Colorado as a half Japanese, half German kid, I know how important diverse representation is for young kids. I discovered my passion for music through guitar, eventually joining a punk band that defined my youth. After high school, I fell in love with visual storytelling and launched a vibrant career in film. Meeting friends in the music and film scenes opened my eyes, challenging my family's beliefs and inspiring me to document queer narratives to combat ongoing discrimination. My background shapes my storytelling, and I recognize my privilege as a straight, cisgender male, striving to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. Inspired by queer artists, I hold hope that my children will grow up in a more loving and accepting world.”
