You may have heard of Travis Mathews, who earlier this year released his docu-film Interior. Leather Bar, co-directed with non other than Hollywood star James Franco. Mathews’ latest series of documentaries spans San Francisco, Berlin and London in which men speak candidly to him about their sex lives and relationships. One of those guys was Alex Karotsch of London’s Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest. Alex talks to QX about what is was like to be on the other side of the lens…
I first met Travis while he was attending Fringe! in April 2012 where his first feature film I Want Your Love was opening the festival. The festival was also screening the second instalment of the In Their Room series, which was set in Berlin. While I was in conversation with Travis in the run up to the festival he was telling me about his plans to film a London edition while attending the festival. As in previous editions In Their Room: London would be focusing on gay men and intimacy with a special focus on the participants getting ready for a casual hook up. Travis asked me about any guys I knew who might possibly be up for taking part in the film. At no point during those conversations did I think I’d volunteer to be one of the film’s subjects.
Once Travis had arrived in London and we had met during the festival he asked me if I’d consider being in the film. I wasn’t really sure whether I wanted to take part or not. I wasn’t really concerned about the possibility of being filmed naked (which was in no way compulsory) but more about revealing quite intimate facts about my love (sex) life on camera and how I could do that honestly without it being cringey. After much deliberating and the girls on the festival team egging me on, I decided to go for it. I still don’t know if I would have agreed on being in the film without the encouragement of my festival colleagues.
So on a grey afternoon at the end of April I arranged for Travis to come around to my house to film my segment. A whole new set of semi-fears arose before Travis arrived. What underwear to wear? What about my room, which was a bit of a mess at the time? All of those were allayed by Travis who told me what underwear not to wear (he was quite specific) and that under no circumstances was I to tidy my room. Once we started filming it was really quite straight forward and Travis made me super-comfortable while filming my interview and my preparations for that casual hook-up including anything from having a shower to trimming my pubes. To this day I get questions from friends who have seen the film why I would be trimming my pubes with nail scissors… (I don’t always use those…)
I had thought, talking about the intimate details of my life was a lot harder than being filmed naked while having a shower. Although talking about sex and hook-ups among my friends is not that rare, it’s not every day that you frankly talk about your sexual desires on camera.
• In Their Room is out now on DVD and On-Demand (Peccadillo Pictures). www.peccapics.com
