Being Seen’s Ren Faulkner on making music videos, sharing queer stories and the BAFTA Cymru Awards

Chuck Chuck Baby has been nominated for three BAFTA Cymru awards, comprising Best Feature/Television Film, Best Production Design for Caroline Steiner, and the Breakthrough Cymru award for writer-director Janis Pugh, while Being Seen and Spectre of the Bear have been nominated for Best Short Film.

Directed by Ren Faulkner and produced by Toby Cameron, Being Seen is a short documentary that tells three queer stories through three breakthrough appointments. 

To celebrate the BAFTA Cymru award nominations, we sat down with Ren to talk about their personal inspiration for the film, creating a safe space on set, and helping people understand queer identities. 

Congratulations on your BAFTA Cymru nomination, can you tell us about the inspiration behind your film Being Seen?
“Thank you! I am so honoured and didn't expect the nomination, so it was a big surprise. The inspiration behind Being Seen just came from my own life experiences as a trans person. I had my first dramatic haircut from long to short, on a whim, after dwelling on it for a long time, and I just had it done at a random barbershop. Obviously and understandably, the barber didn't realise how huge this was for me, and I went through all the emotions in my head during it, and let them out after, alone, in a changing room in a random shop. 

When I first had a haircut from a queer barber, I really felt seen and supported, and they understood how affirming it was for me. That made me realise it's these seemingly small things in life, that some people don't have to think twice about doing, but queer or trans people really do. It's hard to just go to a massage, or a hair appointment in a barbershop, and not worry about their reaction to you. I also had BUTCH tattooed on me by a queer tattoo artist - which inspired tattooing being a part of it too.”

How did you approach the casting process for the film? And how did you ensure it was a safe space on set?
“For a few of the contributors, it was just community - they were already friends, or I had followed them online and admired them from afar for a long time. For those who were more of a casting process (which was only the receiver of the haircut, due to needing a very specific person who had long hair and wanted an affirming haircut), it was just reaching out online, and then making sure they were okay getting this captured on camera. I also had an entirely queer production staff, which really helped the atmosphere.”

How do you hope Being Seen opens up conversations about the need for inclusive spaces?
“I just don't think people understand sometimes. If they don't experience the need for these spaces themselves, then they've never had to think twice about it. I hope films like mine just encourage empathy and understanding, just an "oh yeah, I can see how it could be really difficult, as a trans or queer person, to tell your masseuse that you bind, or tell your barber who's asking about a boyfriend, that actually it's a girlfriend." Especially given that there's a lot of hatred towards queer and (especially) trans people everywhere right now; a lot of it just comes from a total lack of understanding, because it's difficult to imagine how it feels when you don't feel it. I do try to understand that to an extent, but that's why the more research, media, and dialogue that's opened up about transness and queerness, the better.” 

What do you hope audiences take away from the personal journeys in the film?
“I hope they take away that these kinds of things - haircuts, massages, tattoos, and everything of the sort - are acts of affirming care for us. Just little things that let us live better in our bodies and express our identities. I hope they see the change in River before and after their haircut, and understand how big of a difference they just made to their life, and why.”

Have there been any surprising or impactful reactions to the film?
“I watched it through with my friends, a lot of whom are queer/trans, and their reactions were the most special for me. Although, I had a family member who can't quite understand my identity watch it at a private screening, and she actually had a lot of questions for me after, which surprised me, and it felt like a step towards her understanding more.”

Did you face any challenges in making the film? 
“Definitely finding the person who would be receiving the massage. I knew they had to be absolutely comfortable, and so initially we wanted someone who was an existing client of Ana's - as it would be an experience they were used to, but in the end we couldn't find someone who was 100% on board with being filmed in such a vulnerable position (completely understandably), so we almost had to remove the massage segment. Then a close friend of mine who trusted me and that I'd ensure their safety and comfort, came forward for it. I'm so glad he did, because it definitely made it such a close-knit team on the day, we were all crying at the end of his massage.”

How did the collaboration with Ffilm Cymru Wales come about?
“I had applied for their Beacons short film scheme! I'd been nursing the idea for a while in my head, and it felt perfect to go for it for that scheme.”

How did they support you in the initial stages of developing the film?
“They just really helped map out the idea more, but still encouraged my full creativity. They were very patient about the casting process and how delicate it was, and were supportive throughout that too.”

What's the one thing you wish you'd known at the start of developing the film?
“I wish I'd known not to put so much pressure on myself, as it was the first real short documentary I'd ever made, and my first short film edit. It taught me a lot, even though some things didn't go to plan creatively, or I wasn't happy with certain bits in the edit. I just look at it now and appreciate it as a film, as well as an experience that taught me a lot.”

What is next for you? 
“I'm very keen to develop something long-form, although I'm not quite sure what that looks like for me yet. In the meantime, I'm working on a lot of music videos, which I think are just the perfect form of filmmaking to do whatever you want with your creativity.”