Michael Palmer is Creating Niche LGBTQ+ Stories with Some Things That Couples Do

When the majority thinks of Utah media, they might think of SLC Punk! or Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The Utah LGBTQ+ community is small and mighty, but it’s not often presented on a screen, which is why we rely on our local community to create that environment for us. I was invited to a private test screening for a local movie and discussed what it means to be a queer Utahn and what it means to be depicted on the screen in the long run.

Local director Michael Palmer recognized the lack of LGBTQ+ Utahn media. With most of the movie cast also being queer as well, they all felt a lack of representation. He wanted to set the focus on asexuality, with main actress Ryeleigh Eliza and stunt actress Nikita Rabbitt both being ace, to highlight the joy of being a part of the community but also that there is nothing wrong with being ace. “A lot of movies that talk about asexuality talk about it as either a problem or a tragedy. And we had this idea of like, could you tell a story that’s uplifting?” Palmer says.

Regionality was important to the filming process; Palmer used it to his advantage to progress it in storytelling terms for humor and romance. He was able to get a grant from Project Rainbow, gain connections from local queer businesses and have the soundtrack be entirely full of local Utah bands. He describes the process as a love letter to Salt Lake, saying, “All of our cast and crew are local. We didn’t fly anyone in.” “There is actually so much talent here, and there is so much ability to create something meaningful… There is a local scene that can tell fresh stories that we really wanted to feel very modern.”

Using personal experiences from the crew was a key element when developing the script. Main actor Qwinton Gaije, producer Anthony Giorgio, cinematographer Paige Ney and production designer Austin Overmoe have previous film experience together, with Gaije blind auditioning for the movie. Eliza, previously known for being a stage actor, was deeply moved by playing an ace character in a film. “The three of us got into an apartment and really talked through the script,” he says. “I do think that it’s based on a couple of stories that we’ve threaded together. But the project feels like it comes from all of us. And I really do believe that.”

The message Palmer hopes the audience takes is that we need more queer stories; there is already an abundance of queer tragedy, so the genre needs to be explored more. “It’s a pretty unique project, one of the only features about asexuality,” Palmer says. It tackles themes of acceptance, vulnerable masculinity, moving on and the concept of being able to build a safe community to become a better person from a clean slate. “Be emotionally vulnerable, build community, and it will make your life better,” he says. “Being ace doesn’t mean that you can’t find joy and you can’t find relationships.”

Some Things That Couples Do ran on a small budget of $31,000 and a timeline of two years for production. The indie charm made it more appealing and lovable for the audience, because it shows it was made for the Utah audience. It was great to sit down to see actors look like me, have experiences like me, in a location that I am familiar with. “We did a test screening in Chicago, and we invited an asexual group to come, and a bunch of them came,” Palmer says. “And afterward, a bunch of them came up, and they said they cried, and they said they were laughing and then someone said that they felt the most seen they had ever felt by a movie.” The movie’s small budget doesn’t take away from the message, technical skills or acting at all. It was a heartfelt, realistic and humorous take on the LGBTQ+ experience in the local Utah area.

Read more film interviews:
Rod Davis Lurie Lights Up Lucky Strike
Pat Scola Hits A Bullseye with The Death of Robin Hood

To help SLUG continue covering upcoming films, consider becoming one of our donors!