Kyle Schickner
Encyclopedia
Kyle Schickner is an American
film producer
, writer
, director
, actor
and a bisexual rights
activist. He is the founder of FenceSitter Films
, a Production company
devoted to entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles
, where he directs films, music videos, a Web series
and commercials for his production company
FenceSitterFilms.
theater company, Fencesitter Productions. Based out of the Stanford Meisner Theater, the company produced four successful plays, three of which were written and directed by Schickner himself.
While in college, inspired by hearing a talk given by bisexual
rights
activist
Lani Ka'ahumanu
, he formed BIAS (Bisexuals Achieving Solidarity) the first college bisexual rights
group in the United States
. After seeking out the campus' gay and lesbian organization, Schickner recalls, "I knew I was bisexual, but those who ran the club didn’t believe it." He later went on to appear on CNN
, Montel Williams
, Jane Pratt
and several other national television shows, helping to give visibility to what was at that time a largely invisible community.
After writing and producing three successful plays, Schickner moved to cinema in hope of reaching a wider audience. In 1995, FenceSitter Films
(the former Fencesitter Productions) started production on Rose by Any Other Name...
, a film based on Schickner's most successful play. According to the official website, FenceSitter Films
was "founded on the belief that films don't need straight white men as heroes in order to be successful and entertaining." He says, "I wanted to make films [that] a person of color, a woman, or a bisexual person would enjoy watching.” Schickner has written and directed five feature films, several commercials and music videos and is now currently producing a Web series
of Rose by Any Other Name...
.
His features include romantic comedy Rose by Any Other Name...
, the mockumentary
Full Frontal the critically acclaimed thriller Strange Fruit
. His most current feature film, Steam, stars Oscar-nominated actress Ruby Dee
, 1980s and indie icon Ally Sheedy
as well as up-and-coming young actress Kate Siegel
.
In late 2008 into 2009 Schickner began working with an American Cable TV Network
to spin-off
his original work Rose by Any Other Name...
into a weekly TV series. However according to Schickner "at the 11th hour as they were setting up to shoot the pilot the network expressed concern over how the cutting-edge social theme might play with some of their core viewership and decided to look at more data to see what kind of response the show might get". So with the assistance of American Institute of Bisexuality
, FenceSitter Films
turned it into a Web series
with each Webisode
being posted on their Youtube
channel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and a bisexual rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist. He is the founder of FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films is a film production and television production company founded by Kyle Schickner an American film producer, writer, director, actor and a bisexual rights activist, devoted to creating entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities....
, a Production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
devoted to entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he directs films, music videos, a Web series
Web series
A web series is a series of episodes released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode .While the popularity of web series is continuing to rise, the concept...
and commercials for his production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
FenceSitterFilms.
Career
Schickner attended Harvard from 1993 to 1995 before dropping out to start Off-Off-BroadwayOff-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
theater company, Fencesitter Productions. Based out of the Stanford Meisner Theater, the company produced four successful plays, three of which were written and directed by Schickner himself.
While in college, inspired by hearing a talk given by bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
Lani Ka'ahumanu
Lani Ka'ahumanu
Lani Ka'ahumanu is a bisexual and feminist writer and activist. She is openly bisexual and writes and speaks on sexuality issues frequently.She is the co-editor with Loraine Hutchins of Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out ....
, he formed BIAS (Bisexuals Achieving Solidarity) the first college bisexual rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
group in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After seeking out the campus' gay and lesbian organization, Schickner recalls, "I knew I was bisexual, but those who ran the club didn’t believe it." He later went on to appear on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Montel Williams
Montel Williams
Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...
, Jane Pratt
Jane Pratt
Jane Pratt is the founding editor of Sassy and Jane. She currently hosts the talk show Jane Radio on Sirius XM Radio.-Early life:...
and several other national television shows, helping to give visibility to what was at that time a largely invisible community.
After writing and producing three successful plays, Schickner moved to cinema in hope of reaching a wider audience. In 1995, FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films is a film production and television production company founded by Kyle Schickner an American film producer, writer, director, actor and a bisexual rights activist, devoted to creating entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities....
(the former Fencesitter Productions) started production on Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose By Any Other Name . . . is an American Romantic comedy whose plot and title are loosely based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in America around the turn of the 21st century, it gently pokes fun at life, manners, morals as well as the tensions within the modern LGBT and Liberal...
, a film based on Schickner's most successful play. According to the official website, FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films is a film production and television production company founded by Kyle Schickner an American film producer, writer, director, actor and a bisexual rights activist, devoted to creating entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities....
was "founded on the belief that films don't need straight white men as heroes in order to be successful and entertaining." He says, "I wanted to make films [that] a person of color, a woman, or a bisexual person would enjoy watching.” Schickner has written and directed five feature films, several commercials and music videos and is now currently producing a Web series
Web series
A web series is a series of episodes released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode .While the popularity of web series is continuing to rise, the concept...
of Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose By Any Other Name . . . is an American Romantic comedy whose plot and title are loosely based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in America around the turn of the 21st century, it gently pokes fun at life, manners, morals as well as the tensions within the modern LGBT and Liberal...
.
His features include romantic comedy Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose By Any Other Name . . . is an American Romantic comedy whose plot and title are loosely based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in America around the turn of the 21st century, it gently pokes fun at life, manners, morals as well as the tensions within the modern LGBT and Liberal...
, the mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
Full Frontal the critically acclaimed thriller Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit (2004 film)
Strange Fruit is a 2004 film written and directed by Kyle Schickner and produced by FenceSitter Films. It stars Kent Faulcon as William Boyals and Berlinda Tolbert as Emma Ayers. The title comes from the 1939 Billie Holiday song...
. His most current feature film, Steam, stars Oscar-nominated actress Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
, 1980s and indie icon Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy
Alexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
as well as up-and-coming young actress Kate Siegel
Kate Siegel
Kate Gordon Siegel is an American actress.-Early life:Siegel was born Kate Gordon Siegelbaum in Silver Spring, Maryland, to Paul Siegelbaum and Laura Siegelbaum. Siegel attended high school at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac where she performed on and off the stage...
.
In late 2008 into 2009 Schickner began working with an American Cable TV Network
Cable television in the United States
Cable television in the United States is a common form of television delivery, generally by subscription. Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948, with subscription services in 1949. Data by SNL Kagan shows that as of 2006 about 58.4% of all American homes subscribe to...
to spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
his original work Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose by Any Other Name...
Rose By Any Other Name . . . is an American Romantic comedy whose plot and title are loosely based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in America around the turn of the 21st century, it gently pokes fun at life, manners, morals as well as the tensions within the modern LGBT and Liberal...
into a weekly TV series. However according to Schickner "at the 11th hour as they were setting up to shoot the pilot the network expressed concern over how the cutting-edge social theme might play with some of their core viewership and decided to look at more data to see what kind of response the show might get". So with the assistance of American Institute of Bisexuality
American Institute of Bisexuality
The American Institute of Bisexuality, Inc., also referred to as AIB, is a charity founded on July 23, 1998 by sex researcher, psychiatrist and bisexual rights activist Fritz Klein M.D. to promote research and education about bisexuality....
, FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films
FenceSitter Films is a film production and television production company founded by Kyle Schickner an American film producer, writer, director, actor and a bisexual rights activist, devoted to creating entertainment for women, and sexual and ethnic minorities....
turned it into a Web series
Web series
A web series is a series of episodes released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode .While the popularity of web series is continuing to rise, the concept...
with each Webisode
Webisode
A webisode is a short episode which airs initially as Internet television, either download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial.A webisode can be an episode...
being posted on their Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel.
Feature films
- Steam (2007) (producer, director, writer)
- Paradise Lost (2006) (producer, director, writer, actor)
- Strange FruitStrange Fruit (2004 film)Strange Fruit is a 2004 film written and directed by Kyle Schickner and produced by FenceSitter Films. It stars Kent Faulcon as William Boyals and Berlinda Tolbert as Emma Ayers. The title comes from the 1939 Billie Holiday song...
(2004) (producer, director, writer, actor) - Full Frontal (2001) (executive producer, director, writer, actor)
- Rose by Any Other Name...Rose by Any Other Name...Rose By Any Other Name . . . is an American Romantic comedy whose plot and title are loosely based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in America around the turn of the 21st century, it gently pokes fun at life, manners, morals as well as the tensions within the modern LGBT and Liberal...
(1997) (producer director, writer, actor)