There is little doubt you have heard a “coming out story” before, especially at a school where “gay by May” is a popular catch phrase. The coming out experience has become the most recognizable queer narrative in current popular culture, specifically by our generation, as the experience has been portrayed by television, film, and mass media (cue the Edge of Seventeen essential coming out scene and parody of said coming out scene).

The story arc of articulating “I am a _______ (gay, a lesbian, trans individual, non-label)” has become a part of how many understand and become introduced to a community of difference. Even our celebrities do it. In many cases, there are certain expectations of the process. What makes this narrative so interesting is that it is so personal while being a part of a conversation within a larger social understanding of a queer community.

That is why Alden Peters and Brenda Lopez’s forthcoming documentary, which is untitled and currently in production, is so incredibly appealing and engaging. The film follows Peters, a Tisch Film senior, through the entirety of his own personal coming out with revealing closeness, from the big expected moments of telling his friends and family to the small humorous details like changing his Facebook to “interested in Men”.

When asked why he decided to document the entire (and understandably intimate) subject, Peters answered simply enough that it would make sure he actually did it. “If there wasn’t a camera I would keep finding excuses, reasons to wait a few more days,” he explains. In this case his passion for filmmaking became the means his for articulation. For Peters it was not unusual for a camera to be on hand, so capturing these moments on camera was not as unusual as one might think. In a sense it gave him the tools to come out. “When he approached me to work with him on it, it was typical Alden. It wasn’t just ‘I’m gay’, it was ‘So, I’m working on a film…’”, remarks Lopez, his co-director.

The level of collaboration and trust between the two, who met as transfer students to Tisch in a Sight and Sound Film class, is refreshing. You can see both a close friendship and a strong sense of artistic collaboration. The teaming of the two not only came of Peters’ personal friendship with Lopez, but also on the respect and admiration of her previous work. Both are completely necessary for a project that spans over three states across the country, and encompasses such personal exchanges.

What is important for Peters is the understanding that one coming out does reflect the multitude of experiences, that his film is “a coming out story, not THE coming out story.”  In contrast with what prompted him, events of intolerance, Peters remarks that his story translates quite smoothly from person to person, and as seen in his trailer we can see the humor of certain moments. For him it is important to understand that every experience is different and to give accessibility to these different stories. The directors are planning on launching a website that would add an interactive element to their developing feature length film with a space for sharing one’s experiences and opinions. Until then you can check out the the continuation of the project on its Facebook page.

The film promises to give a more dynamic look at this experience as well, with the directors promising to follow not only the revelation of sexuality, but the time that follows it in which an individual figures out what being gay means for them. This is a element missing from the majority of the “coming out story lines” we see, where a character comes out and somehow is just a established Capital G “Gay” immediately after (as if you get a manual and starter pack over night).

The project is set to bring a refreshing outlook and engaging intent as a distinct history of coming out narratives.

Check out the film’s trailer:

Untitled “Coming Out” Documentary Trailer from Alden Peters on Vimeo.