Take 5 with ... "Tennessee Queer"

Mark Jones

As we gear up for the 10th anniversary Oxford Film Festival, we wanted to introduce you to the filmmakers and their films you will experience on Feb. 21-24, 2013. Meet Mark Jones, executive producer and writer of "Tennessee Queer."

#1: In 140 characters or less, describe your movie and why someone should see it.   
Funny film dealing with a serious subject. In this film, the lead character, Jason Potts, returns to his small Tennessee home town to discover that things have not gotten better for the closeted LGBT high school youth. Jason is only home for the weekend, but wants do something to give the gay teenagers some hope; something he never had while growing up gay in the small town. He devises a plan, but it doesn't unfold like he thinks it should. Before he knows, what's happening, Jason is put in charge of the first LGBT Pride Parade in the town's history. As Jason fumbles and stumbles as the Pride Parade Chairman, a conservative minister and conservative politician plot to use the parade as a means to out the gay high school kids in order to round them up and send them off to an ex-gay ministry camp.

#2: Biggest lesson learned in getting the film made? Best part in getting the film made?
Biggest lesson learned - I've got to delegate pre-production more.

Best part in getting the film made - Without a doubt, working the awesome cast and crew.  

#3: Tell us about you. What is your movie making background? 
I worked in television in Memphis for several years before I made the jump into making movies. Some jobs TV were more successful than others. Before TV, I got a degree in religion and worked in a church in Greenville, Mississippi as a youth director. My degree from college was in Religion.

I've written and produced three films: "Eli Parker Is Getting Married?" "Fraternity Massacre at Hell Island" and "Tennessee Queer." I also wrote and produced a web soap opera - "On The Edge Of Happiness."

#4: What's your dream distribution plan for the film?  
My dream would be to get at least some limited distribution in movies theaters in New York, LA, Chicago, and a few other large cities. My dream would also have a few Oscar nominations come out of this film and of course those be winners. Then, at the Oscar Award show I'd get to make out with Matt Damon. Of course, that's just a dream.

Anyway, I do hope to have at least a one week theatrical run in New York or LA and hopefully Memphis. At some point, get the film on DVD. 

#5: What does the future hold in store for your film and for you?
At the moment, the plan is to get in to as many film festivals as possible for the next six months. I'm working on another feature film script to be shot sometime in the next 15 months.