Camp Abercorn

Camp Abercorn is an American web series originally slated to release in September 2014 that focuses on being a member of the Boy Scouts of America and also being gay. Using the fictional scouting organization called the Compass Guides of America, Camp Abercorn brings attention to the BSA's position on homosexuality and "the real situations young men face while away from home for an entire summer."[2]

Camp Abercorn
GenreDrama, LGBT
Written byJeffrey Simon
Matthew Andrews
Meg Grgurich[1]
Directed byJeffrey Simon
StarringBrad Leland
Declan Michael Laird
Tyler Cook
Morgan West
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producersJeffrey Simon
Matthew Andrews
Running time30 minutes
Production companyGray Oak Productions
Release
Original releaseSeptember 4, 2014 (2014-09-04)

The show is working with a $100,000 budget, which it met through crowdfunding on Indiegogo.[3][4][5] George Takei endorsed the series and the Indiegogo campaign in early August, 2014, posting that people should fund it.[6][7][8] The post on Facebook stated, "This is an excellent new Web series in the final hours of its crowd funding campaign. The filmmaker - a gay Eagle Scout - shines light on the Boy Scouts of America, both what it stands for, and the controversies it still faces."[9]

Synopsis

Setting and overview

The series is set in the Rocky Mountains at a summer camp mirroring a BSA-structured camp. GLAAD describes Camp Abercorn as "A new fictional dramatic web series... follow[ing] the staff [who] develop as leaders, or Compass Guides, while learning and growing away from the pressures of school and work."[10] The camp is typical of scouting camps that generally deal with social interactions that are almost exclusively between males.

Characters

Colin: Colin hails from London and is a direct descendant of one of the Compass Guides founders. He wants nothing to do with the camp.

Mark: Mark is Camp Abercorn's new director.

Russell: Russell is a "archetypical life-time scout" who is the shooting sports director at Camp Abercorn.[11][12]

Zak: Zak is Russell's protege, and also happens to be gay.

Plot

A British teenager angry with the world, a closeted Eagle Guide, and a Shooting Sports Director with a thirst for power, are part of the colorful staff that collide at Compass Guide Camp. A mysterious new Camp Director with a militant past (and pet chicken) finds he's not sure where he's going, but he's leading the way.

Cast

Zak: Morgan West
Russell: Brad Leland
Colin: Declan Michael Laird
Mark: Tyler Cook
Willy: Zach Louis
Sage: Jeff Rosick

Soundtrack

Chris Ayer - Carry
Chris Ayer - The Infinite Abyss of Space
The Currys - Big Cold Mountain

Impact

Jeffrey Simon, executive producer of the series, hopes to "re-direct the conversation away from executives in fancy offices and bring it back to the values of scouts and importance of camp".[13] He continues with "I am in awe of what activist organizations like Scouts for Equality and their LGBT allies have done and are still doing to bring change to the BSA. Boycotts and activism can go far to change policy, but no amount of lecturing can change people. What can change people are stories. What can change hearts and minds are stories."[14] This series, acting as one of those stories, brings more attention to the BSA's policy of excluding gay men serving in leadership positions.[15][16][17]

Simon continued, "I hope this series will help bring back some interest in the Boy Scouts. We need an organization to train our future leaders; leaders that believe in the power of equality. I hope I can one day join the troop and give back to the organization that gave me so much."[18]

References
  1. Sarah (9 July 2014). "Camp Abercorn - A Gay Eagle Scout Narrative". La Maison Boheme. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  2. Wong, Curtis M. (8 July 2014). "'Camp Abercorn' Web Series Aims To Depict Boy Scouts' Gay Controversy, Other Issues". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  3. Preston, Dominic (8 August 2014). "Web Series 'Camp Abercorn' to Tackle Anti-Gay Boy Scouts Rules". Frontiers LA. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  4. Isaac, Tim (20 July 2014). "Camp Abercorn Web Series Trailer – Highlighting the US Scouts' ban on gay leaders". Big Gay Picture Show. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  5. Simon, Jeffrey (6 August 2014). "Crowdfunder's Forum: A Dramatic Series That Explores An Imaginary Gay 'Boy Scouts'". Indie Wire. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  6. Gouttebroze, Max. "5 George Takei last-hour support sends inclusive Boy Scouts series over Indiegogo goal". GLAAD. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  7. Bloom, David (11 August 2014). "George Takei Last-Hour Support Sends Gay Scout Series Over Indiegogo Goal". Deadline. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  8. Hurst, Samantha (11 August 2014). ""Star Trek" Star George Takei Supports Gay Boy Scout Web Series During Final Hours on Indiegogo". Crowdfund Insider. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  9. Reynolds, Daniel (11 August 2014). "George Takei Wields Social Media Power to Support Gay Boy Scout Web Series". The Advocate. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  10. Katz1, Joeli (16 July 2014). "Camp Abercorn web series spotlights room for improvement in Boy Scouts". GLAAD. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  11. Hinzmann, Dennis (29 July 2014). "Fund This: Camp Abercorn Parallels Boy Scout Summer Camp". Out.com. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  12. Ralph, Matt (9 July 2014). "Actor who played Buddy Garrity starring in new summer camp series". Summer Camp Culture. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  13. Harrington, Tom (12 July 2014). "Meet the former Boy Scout behind Boy Scouts webseries 'Camp Abercorn'". Daily Dot. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  14. "An Inside Look Into the Dramatic Series Camp Abercorn". Spidvid. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  15. Geoffroy, Kyler (17 July 2014). "NEW WEBSERIES 'CAMP ABERCORN' TO SPOTLIGHT BOY SCOUTS BAN ON GAY LEADERS: VIDEO". Towle Road. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  16. Gus. "Camp Abercorn: A New Dramatic Series". Queer Me Up. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  17. "New Web Series 'Camp Abercorn' Needs Your Help". Rukkle. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  18. Papa, Rocco (1 August 2014). "New online series plans to shed light on gay equality in the Boy Scouts". LGBT Teen. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
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