Identity Behind Closed Doors And Four Walls: Gage Oxley On His Anthology "A Series Of Light"
Gage Oxley is a writer/director from Leeds, United Kingdom, working primarily on films with challenging LGBTQ* narratives. His latest endeavor, A Series of Light, is an expansive exploration of the notion of identity within a digital age. This short film series peers into the dark side of this theme with thought-provoking force, giving the audience something new to chew over with each entry, and can be streamed right now in the US and UK via Amazon Prime!
We had the opportunity to chat with Gage about the series, its origins, the importance of music, finding the right actors, and much much more!
An anthology series which explores the darkest sides of humanity, through technology, connection, intimacy and heartbreak.
How did you come up with the concept for this series or short films?
The concept originated from a conversation with Jack Parr (Greenlight) and Bruce Herbelin-Earle (Limelight), where Jack had received an email from a scammer saying that his webcam had been hacked, and they had video of him masturbating, as well as sending his current password. That initially terrifying moment of being extorted to ensure it isn't sent to friends, family and colleagues dissipated — but the story remained and turned into what the first episode in the anthology explores. What then transpired was the realization that we could tell a host of unique, different stories mostly in one room, with one or two actors. While it was born from mostly budget constraints, the restriction presented themes of isolation, claustrophobia and modern relationships through technology; merging with narratives which I was really excited to present for the first time.
The series focuses heavily on the theme of identity, hiding it, revealing it, or discovering it. What do you find most fascinating about this theme?
I think the fascinating element of identity is that while everyone has one, our perception is completely unique. What I think about my identity is vastly different to what my closest friends will see, which is again different to what my family or colleagues see. Identity is something so personal and intimate, yet we are living in an age where it's splashed across the internet, dictating our love lives through a swipe, or being the crux in how many likes we achieve. I think identity is becoming something so manipulated and crafted that we lose that sense of freedom; and so that is how A Series of Light presents it — identity behind closed doors and four walls. On a more personal note, growing up queer from a council estate in the North of England, I didn't really see my identity around me. Hiding it for years was really very damaging, and I think that queer experience is something that is rarely presented in this format.
Since you wrote and directed each piece, I’m sure all the stories in the anthology are near and dear to your heart, but I’m curious, do you have a favorite out of the bunch?
Ooh — now that is a tough one! Each episode really does have a special place in my heart for very different reasons. With the series being shot across different months, to me it represents a sort of nostalgia and history. The opportunity each episode presented to work with the best people, and collaborate with incredible talent in new and exciting challenges is exactly why I do what I do. Though, if I had to chose, Starlight is the type of film that I would have loved to have seen growing up. It's a really personal, heart-aching story, and Nathaniel Farah (Kane in Starlight) embodies that piercing queer coming-of-age so beautifully.
Music plays a big part in each film. What did you look for in the backing tracks? Were there any you wrote or structured stories around?
I think music is such a massive element of film, and I'm so pleased with how a lot of the tracks are used to evoke response and reaction. Songs like "People Are Strange" which opens Blacklight is incredibly provocative and throws a whole new spin on what would be a really disturbing, explicit entry into the episode. Many of the songs in the film were placed within the script at its writing phase, but there were a handful which were changed in post-production. I remember sitting with our brilliant editor, Thomas J. Harkness and assistant director, Harley Mathews scouring Spotify trying to find the perfect fit for some of the parts of the film which required scoring. My favorite moment of this is when we were editing Greenlight, there was a radio in Sticks and Glass (our post-production house) which was playing "Be My Baby". I remember thinking 'that would be such a better song for the end than the one we have planned', and we got the rights, made the change and sent it off!
How did you work with cinematographers Rose McLaughlin and Faizan Raza to discover the look for the series?
Rose and Faizan are two incredibly talented visionaries and creators. Placing that trust in them to deliver the style and tone for their episodes was so easy because they totally understood the emotion and story we were presenting. Rose, who was the director of photography for Redlight, Whitelight, Blacklight and Limelight, jumps straight into the scene with acute precision and planning — but by shooting handheld, it allows the camera to be perceived as a character within the film itself. Doing this often shortcuts our connection to the characters, which is especially important where the episodes are so short. Faizan, who did cinematography for Starlight, achieved such a stylistic representation of the 90s, and his more static, fluid set-ups allowed us to experience the slow burn of the two main characters' desire for one another over a period of several months.
How did you find your wonderful cast?
I've been lucky enough to have worked with a few of our leads over the past few years; I've known and worked with Jack [Parr] for six years now, so that trust is definitely there. The same goes for Bruce [Herbelin-Earle] (Limelight) and Samuel Curry (Whitelight) who I've been friends with for a few years since we worked together on another film. I went to college with Charlie Harris (Blacklight) and we studied acting together back in 2014, but what has been exciting is meeting and having the chance to work with so many new and ridiculously talented people. We often put casting calls out through social media, as well as on casting sites such as Mandy; as well as going direct through agencies and universities. I've been really lucky to be able to work with such a brilliantly creative cast who are totally up for the challenges, and open to crafting the stories together.
I know Oxygen Films is entirely non-profit and self-funded, but can you tell me more about the production company?
I set Oxygen up just over five years ago now, mostly due to the fact that as a 17-year-old boy desperate to be in the film industry, I couldn't get any on-set experience due to my age. Then, when I turned 18, suddenly it seemed I couldn't get on set due to lack of experience. This catch-22 felt so infuriating, and so I decided to take matters into my own hands, at first working with school friends and slowly assembling an incredible cohort of young people who are passionate about film, as well as the narratives we produce. Everyone on the team volunteers their time and talent, including cast and crew, with everyone being under the age of 25. We offer a foot in the door to an industry which is difficult at the best of times, but can be remarkably intimidating to any young person from a minority or disadvantaged background. I'm so proud to do what I do, not only because of the direct change our films make, but also to the offer we provide to every person we work with.
What drew you to the visual arts? How did you get into directing?
I've wanted to be a director since I was eight years old. I vividly remember getting a tape camcorder and running around gardens, woods and anywhere else I could find to tell some ridiculous stories. I have a folder of hand-written scripts about aliens, pirates and zombies — and remain quite envious of the imagination my younger self had. My mum took me to see La Vita é Bella (Roberto Benigni's Life is Beautiful) when I was younger. It was the first subtitled film I remember watching, and it was the first time I recall having such an immense reaction to a film. It was then I realized that that is all I wanted to do for someone else. If I could present a fraction of the way that film made me feel, I would be happy. So from there, I self-taught how to edit, I became involved in my local film festivals, I saved up over Birthdays and Christmas to assemble equipment — and watched, read and engaged as much as I possibly could. I've never wanted to be anything but a filmmaker, and cannot see myself doing anything else.
What films or filmmakers inspired this series or your overall approach to storytelling?
With A Series of Light presenting such a diverse range of stories and styles, there is quite a mix of films and filmmakers which inspired me. One name that does keep popping up is David Fincher, whose visual storytelling is stupendous. Lynne Ramsay is another voice who I adore — her representation of violence and the darker aspects of life are so sensitively handled. A personal inspiration is Xavier Dolan whose queer presentations were, and remain, so important to me. While working on a second season, these names, as well as Gasper Noe, are firmly keeping me motivated. In terms of content, I would have to say it has been more television or VOD shows which have inspired me with A Series of Light. Stories such as Fleabag and Killing Eve are a masterclass in dialogue and realism, contrasting with the vibrant distortions and vivid style of Euphoria. For me, television is pushing so many boundaries cinematically that I do hope film starts to do.
What advice would you give to those young filmmakers out there?
My advice is to persist. This industry can be a real challenge, and it can take a lot of effort to just continue. If you're working a job on the side, it's being strict in keeping motivated to be creative outside of that. No one is going to make you be proactive, so you have to achieve that yourself. If you want to make a film, then find a camera or borrow a phone. Stay true to who you are, and your voice — try not to let anyone silence that — eventually people will listen.
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
I hope audiences take away a new perspective of queer life, recognizing that LGBTQ* people are not a group, we are individuals with very unique stories and beliefs. I'd love for people to see themselves somewhat represented across the series, all I ever want is for a younger me to feel proud and be able to see some form of them presented on screen, unapologetically.
Do you have any future projects in the works that you can share with us?
Yes! I am working on a second season for A Series of Light, which continues the narratives from its first season in the exact same order, some minutes or months later. I'm beyond thrilled to be able to work with this talented cast again, as well as continuing to push boundaries and break cinematic ground as we (hopefully) enter a new artistic renaissance after the lockdown.
Wanna learn more about A Series of Light?! Check out the links below!
A Series of Light review
Jack Parr on “Greenlight”
Jake Watkins On "Redlight"
Rochelle Naylor On "Whitelight"
James Coutsavlis On "Starlight"
Charlie Harris on "Blacklight"
Bruce Herbelin-Earle On "Limelight"
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!