WATCH: Gay Short Film Basketball Drama - ANIMAL DRILL

03/11/2013

RATING:

WATCH: Short Film - Animal Drill
Discreet City | Nicholas Delmacy

Its rare that we find a film, television or web series featuring black gay characters that breaks from the typical stereotypes and story cliches (a group of best gay friends sharing laughs and tears as they look for sex & love). The rare times you've seen us share videos featuring black gays breaking the norm, the films were (almost always) from non-black filmmakers (Rivers Wash Over Me, Elliot Loves, Skin Deep, Children of God, W Delta Z, Strange Thing About the Johnsons, etc). The short film, Animal Drill, proves to be no exception to the rule.

Directed by Patrick Murphy, this deep, complicated, aggressively raw short film masterfully weaves manhood, masculinity, homosexuality and acceptance all in 22 short minutes. The film achieves this without having the narrative be entirely about 'being gay' or looking for a boyfriend. Taking place in the world of High School Basketball, Animal Drill tells the story of a black gay son, struggling with his sexuality, who tries out for the varsity team in an attempt to repair his relationship with his disapproving father. He faces adversity for being gay on the court, in his home and within himself.

The best thing about this film is the main character handles his situation not by crying but by standing up for himself, even when's he's pushed and punched repeatedly. This is the visual representation of what I was describing in my controversial article, Real Men Don't Cry: A Defense of Hyper-Masculinity. Check out this superbly written, directed and acted short film and let us know what you think.

Watch the short film "ANIMAL DRILL," In Just One Click.

Comments

03/12/2013 12:32am

................................................... O_O ...wow.

The ferocity he dished out @ the end.....pushed to the edge & proved his point on & off the court...he was a MFin FIGHTER..this touched me, man..

Black Pegasus

03/13/2013 11:00pm

@AJ

Agreed! Wasn't that shyt intense? I was like wow!

03/13/2013 11:33pm

Indeed...sometimes MFs explode, sometimes it all gets resolved soundly...I mean, sure he went in "angry ass nigga" mode, but damn...repressing that shit wouldn't have done much...nor would it have been realistic. I slid myself in his shoes wit the repression & lookin for another's approval to prove sum'n (which I don't care about anymore, I'm growin outta that fast).

We all learn differently..some of us on here apparently need the most supreme acting skills to legitimately understand the underlying (if not somewhat obvious) message the film conveyed/"attempted" to convey..some of us need to learn a lil empathy..I could rant on & on..lol. To each their own!!

03/13/2013 11:37pm

Correction: repressing woulda also been realistic, but the story would be flat out lame to all of us if he didn't do anything & suffered thru the end..

Wes

03/12/2013 2:47am

OMG! THAT WAS BRILLIANT!!! I LOVED IT!!! GREAT STORY!!!
It was so good that I forgot that he was gay! To me it was more about believing in oneself and never giving up on your hopes and dreams despite the odds, obstacles, and discriminations....even if it comes from your own very own family! VERY INSPIRING AND HEROIC!!!!!
Thanks for sharing~

Wes

03/12/2013 2:53am

The main perspective...
I guess was about Buck Jackson fighting for what he believed in, even if it meant to go all the way to the other side to prove it! There's so much you can pull from this 22min film thats insightful! again, I loved it!!!

COSHAMO

03/12/2013 5:12am

"HATED IT!" .... In my "men on film" voice. lollolol

I felt disconnected, distant, unaffected. I couldn't connect with the storyline, plot, characters, or the "fake" blood and gore. There was nothing there for me in this piece. I suppose, "everything ain't for everybody," it left me wandering who is the audience the artist/director are trying to reach/target with this film.

So much substance was lacking in this film. When other people tell "your" story it often lacks "something" much bigger than what we see before our eyes.

After viewing this film I felt empty, unfulfilled, unsatisfied.

It was a actually a good attempt - AT WHAT I don't have a clue?

03/12/2013 9:44am

"Good attempt"? So............amongst aaaaall the comments...nothin stuck?

COSHAMO

03/12/2013 10:15pm

It was a "good attempt" at trying to portray a "gay Black man" struggling to claim some type of pseudo masculinity and acceptance into a club that didn't want him to be there - wherever "there" is? Am I going to fight to be on a team that already has a "full squad?" If the coach already has a team with the "selected members," why would he let me continue to put up a "physical fight" to be a part of a squad/team that has all of the slots filled? Really - is that reality based, or a figment of somebody's wayward sense of reality? Be imaginative, yes, but make it "somewhat" believable.

What is all the blood and gore about? How does it make the scenes any more realistic or believable? It detracts from the story and makes it tacky, useless, senseless. It screams fakery. And the lighting? tsk tsk tsk... I could go on and on, but for what? I didn't feel anything for this "SHORT" film (glad it didn't add another minute of torment).

Like I stated earlier, it was a good attempt, AT WHAT, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE. Interpreted to mean I give it 2 stars - one for putting it on film and trying to address a topic and one for the effort of the “actors.”

My experience has shown and taught me that MOST masculine Black men who are gay are always allowed on the team as long as they are not "outwardly" gay. That is reality - THE NORM. The story of WILL SHERIDAN can attest to that. His story, and others like him are the REAL STORIES. There are GAY BLACK MEN playing ALL major sports and this isn't their story... Their story is, "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL, and DON’T FLAUNT IT!"

And I didn’t get the pathetic little BRACELET "thing"? What was THAT about? What is its SIGNIFICANCE to the story/storyline? Nah nah nah… NO! I would have given it another STAR if the BRACELET had been explained. Why was he wearing it? What did it mean to him? How significant was it to him to “KEEP” wearing it in DEFIANCE? Defiance of what?

If I say anymore then I need to receive EDITING and WRITING CREDITS on the next film.

African King

03/12/2013 9:33am

At first when I watched the film, I thought, "Man that N*gga Tyson is mean!" But as the film continued, I admired that Buck stood up for himself. I think the true definition of masculinity in a man is being strong and handling situations without backing down from them.

He proved himself to tyson, the coach and his father all while accepting himself for who he truly is. It was definitely a departure from the typical gay films about being on the down low and sex, love and relationships.

Well Done!

Wes

03/12/2013 11:45pm

PRECISELY AFRICAN KING!!! YOU SAID IT!

anthony davis

03/12/2013 3:57pm

Omgoodness I so loved this film . I felt the characters sense of loneliness and isolation in trying to be the man his father thought he wasn't . I applauded him at the end when he gained validation albeit through violent means but validation none the less.This short film speaks to the struggles of many young black men who deal with these same issues;Hats off to you for this well written,well directed and well acted film.

Keith

03/12/2013 10:28pm

Where was this film when I was going through the EXACT scenario in junior high!?!?!?!?!?!?!??! I went out for the basketball team to appease my father who felt I wasn't masculine enough. This was the kind of shit that made me think all black men were evil (including my father) for many years. Perhaps if I had had a film to show me how to remain strong AND stand up for myself, there wouldn't have been many years of therapy to fix those issues. I applaud the filmmaker and DISCREET CITY for bringing this to my attention. I literally sat up when he started beating the hell out of his father and cheered when he beat the hell out of that fellow player. The only thing I wanted was him to turn on the coach who was aiding and abetting the abuse...maybe next film.

03/12/2013 11:44pm

After watching this movie and then reading Nick D's article, " Real Men Don't Cry: A Defense of Hyper-Masculinity," I feel that this is what is wrong with America today. When it comes to the defense of Hyper-Masculinity in African American community, it is portrayed by beefed up, angry, athletic men or in Nick's previous article, mostly your examples of masculine men were rapper or the CHARACTERS these actors. I know Nick also mentioned the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Eldridge Cleaver but I feel all these men are portrayed to be masculine because there passions were fueled through anger at the situation at hand. This to me adds to this false sense of African American masculine of having to be angry and aggressors at any cost.

On the movie though, I really did not like it or the message. I do not feel as if the guy was truly standing up for himself, it is evident people including his father were constantly belittling the young man, and holding in his emotions (due to his "HYPER-MASCULINE" ways) he finally snapped. He was a ticking time and he exploded; him fighting the Boris Kodjoe-ish baller and his father at the time was not him standing up for himself but him losing control of the emotions he had been suppressing and holding in. I just feel the film is another portrayal of an angry black man.

gary link

03/15/2013 5:40pm

Very good assesment.

Wes

03/13/2013 12:43am

Well....I don't know?! But its obvious from the comments that there seem to be a mixture of opinions on what masculinity is vs what a REAL MAN is, which I thought BUCK WAS A REAL MAN! I'll admit that everything doesn't always have to be nor should it be always about hyper-super-masculinity, chiseled sexy, sensual black men who don't know their way, or THE angry black man who happens to be tough as tarzan but Gay! But neither does it have to be about a SUGAR-TANK-CONTEST/FLAMBOUYANT A-TYPICAL GAY DUDE who's lost his way EITHER! I personally would like to see a good story on discrimination within the LGBTQ community and their constant back and forth idealistic views on what beauty is vs FAT/OVERWEIGHT GAYS! Now there's a topic-LOL (but I digress)....

Anyway, MASCULINITY & BEING A MAN to me are totally different definitions in many ways. I think DW and COSHAMO may have possibly missed the whole point of the movie?!
I don't really think it had to do with anything about the dude being weak, gay, and struggling with THAT within himself, as much as "IT" had to do with standing up and believing in himself despite the odds. Buck was showing that, it didn't matter, he wasn't afraid! Because in the midst of all the turmoil, strife between he and his father, it was only then that he realized he needed to take a stand or he'd never be respected. It was they (his father, team mates, and others) that seem to struggle or have a hard time with his sexuality! NOT HIM! Because towards the very end he fought and defended what he believed in even if it meant knockin the shit outta his father and team mate! LOL! NO...its not recommended to go around bleeding and fighting to defend your sexuality in a world that's inferior, but rather FIGHT for your rights! What I got out of it, was, whether you're desire is to be a pirate, teacher, athletic, or whatever, never allow someone to emasculate or disrespect or take away who you are! its about heroism and strength despite the odds! Peace be!

03/13/2013 9:01pm

I really don't think he stood up for himself, he was not trying out for basketball because he enjoyed it but rather doing it to get his fathers approval; he was trying to please his dad, not himself . The scene he where threw his gear outside on the ground, shows he really was not happy and did not want this for himself, but the next morning his clothes were neatly stacked and he went back only to make his dad happy. As teens, we all do things to impress our parents even if we did not want to, just for there approval. How can we say he was standing up for himself where he hide his bracelet because he wanted to be accepted, by his father, coach and teammate. Standing up for your is facing the adversity no matter where it comes from, and not willing to change for anyone. He wanted to wear his bracelet because he liked it, but he hid just to be accepted. Finally being called a faggot in the end, made him snap from his bottled emotions, not him standing up.

COSHAMO

03/13/2013 9:20pm

I missed the point? WHAT POINT WAS THAT? The movie had no POINT. Defending what? His right to be a on a basketball team that already had it's allotted number of slots taken? The team had a full slate of members when BUCK came on the scene. It wasn't like he was being discriminated against. Actually the SHORT FILM was quite silly. How does fighting to be on a sports team that doesn't want you validate your essence? your existence? your masculinity? your manhood? So, now, sports is the measurement of a MAN? That's a bunch of crap. And I’m not buying any of it. If a group of Black gay men were being attacked by "WHOMEVER," and they decided to fight back and defend themselves against abuse and violence against them... THAT'S MANHOOD!!! Standing up for your RIGHTS that are being trampled upon or denied you is the essence of MANHOOD. Now juxtapose what I stated with what was being portrayed in this film - which is nothing by comparison. It is all pseudo rights and pseudo masculinity. Nothing I could rap my mind around, or grasp, or feel, or touch. Total and utter emptiness.

But if you believe this film offered any more than what I have stated, and you can show otherwise, then by all means do.

Self-inventory and introspective assessment of one's reality is the much needed order of the day. Reassessment, honesty, and conversations with self will reveal quite much if you are willing to listen to self. If you don’t get an answer from self then you may need to contemplate further reassessment and outside intervention to right the sinking ship.

It was a superficially "CUTE" lil film. Actually, I was nauseous from the over dose of syrupy sugary content.

Don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with examining and viewing films of this nature for viewing's sake. Who knows, some great content might be found in these minefields. But I will not relent on critiquing them for lack of content, substance, and quality.

Kyle

03/13/2013 8:17pm

To me the film was about standing up for yourself and just excepting who you are. I would have beat up Tyson in the same situation though I was shocked when he beat up his father! I would suggest this short film to more gay men/bi men.

Black Pegasus

03/13/2013 10:55pm

I can't tell you the last time I watched a film short that was as moving as this masterpiece! I'm literally at a lost for words right now!

If you are MASCULINE like Buck was in the film, then you can probably identify with this short in ways "others" cannot.. (No shade intended :-)
I faced the same pressures when I tried out for the football team in high school. Ultimately, I didn't make the cut - but not because I was some "weak sissy", but because I was too skinny at the time to be effective on the field. The fact that I even dared to try out in such a macho homophobic environment was enough to sure up my confidence just a little...

I applaud the director of this film and the actors for their convincing performances!

...........I'll discuss Tyson's phine ass at another time lol.. Damn!

Wes

03/14/2013 12:55am

Okay Coshamo & DW, I get your point quite clear and would agree, yes-that its important to make an honest assessment of oneself, whether gay or straight! And in my opinion, that's exactly what Buck did. Its apparent that Buck, just like anyone else wanted the acceptance and approval of his father even though he didn't agree with trying out for the game-but was willing to do so because of his fear, respect for his dad -until he did, as you all say...made an honest assessment of himself!

Now we all know if standing up for what you truly believe were that simple and easy-especially being a YOUNG GAY BLACK MAN?...despite the hurt and possible loss of once meaningful relationships, the isolation, the fear, and the constant bullying, and rejection that comes with it? the suicide rate wouldn't be as high as it is in the LGBT community, the degradation, drugs that sometimes accompany and lends itself to the already bad situations wouldn't exist! So, you all keep making it sound as if all he had to do was stand up for himself and not do as he was told....Remember, he was a kid in school dependent of his father apparently and didn't want to risk that! Be honest, Where could he have gone?! trust, I too looked at it from your perspectives and still come to the conclusion that he stood up finally and YES SNAPPED! Its horrible to think that you're being abused by your own parents because you won't back down from what you believe in, plus they're taking care of you?!?! IDK...sound like it took a lot for him to explode! To me it was justifiable!

03/14/2013 8:57pm

I just don't see how Buck doing things he may not want to just to be accepted like everyone else and "standing up and believing in himself despite the odds" can co-exist. That's like oil and water, they don't quite mix.

gary link

03/15/2013 5:35pm

I dont see what the ballyhooing was about as far as this being a great short film. It's ok- Not great.
Most of us have been pushed in a corner and had to come out swinmging- survival instincts. Nothing unusual about that- this boy had - had enough.
The real deal is-- most boys in an abusive type home environment will leave home- and it appears that after big strapping yung boi whipped up everybody, that is exactly where he might be headed- on his own, or with friends.
To me
the missing link was a friend. That bracelet meant nothing.
Freedom is wonderful !! You wake up one morning and realize you can't please evedrybody so u learn to " do me ".

Wes

03/15/2013 11:29pm

Yes Gary!
I was wondering about that...where were his friends?!

Obatala

03/16/2013 11:52am

I am very flattered by all your reviews, had no idea that this film had such a life online. Thank you for keeping it alive.

Diego

04/12/2013 5:58am

I applaud the films effort to break stereotypes. Glad the team captain and the dad got their faces punched in.(Really the only thing that kept me watching to the end was to see that. Very Gratifying)

This to me was less about a gay man, than it was about a weak boy finding his courage. I think the director has the right idea. Gayness should not be the storyline, it should be secondary or even tertiary to the primary storyline. It should be a story about something played by a person who just so happens to be gay. This to me is where Noah's Arc lost me. They made being gay the primary(and their version of gay was not representative of most of the people I know btw. Most gay men I know don't act like they did in Noah's Arc).

I liked the realness in this in that everybody at some point is going to have to face their inner-coward and fight for their right to be here on this earth. No exceptions.

Could the acting have been better? Hell yes. Do I want to see more attempts like this? Hell Fucking Yes. Good Start. Bravo for a good start. More films like this please.

Flavor4uL Viscus

04/15/2013 11:53pm

This film does a great job with portraying the issues any man has , straight or gay, with wanting to be accepted in any group, org. because of friends/family despite being met with fierce rejection. The bracelet was a symbol of freedom of expression (gay lifestyle) while the bball paraphernalia represented acquiescence to dad's overbearing legacy/expectations of a lifestyle modeled after the father. The story was much bigger than a kid realizing he was gay and then having the balls to come out. Everyone already knew he was homosexual..even his father. This story told a bigger story of overcoming biased rejection and showing others that you have just as much courage and heart as anyone else. i enjoyed this alot!

04/16/2013 1:37am

Ooooo...I 2nd this comment, wholeheartedly :)

WATCH: Gay Short Film Basketball Drama - ANIMAL DRILL

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