Due to world premiere at last month’s postponed Tribeca Film Festival, Becoming A Man in 127 Easy Steps: But What About the Children is a short film written and produced by and starring trans trailblazer Scott Turner Schofield, based on his live show exploring the trans male experience. Directed by activist and filmmaker Andrea James, the short is part of a larger planned multi-media project (‘a transmedia anthology’) and offers us three of the 127 Steps; each step being a story that forms part of Schofield’s journey to becoming a man. It immediately left me wanting to hear the other 124 shorts addressing childhood, masculinity, love, sex, death and survival. Think a mix of standup, intimate storytelling and trans Ted Talk.
Becoming A Man in 127 Easy Steps: But What About the Children. Courtesy of Tribeca.
The concept of the live tour saw Schofield’s audience members call out a number, he would then tell the associated story or ‘step’, meaning every performance was different. With this film, each of the three steps presented here are distinctively shot and staged, with dynamic camera work. Schofield, who made US television history as the first openly transgender actor on a US daytime soap with his recurring role on The Bold and the Beautiful, is a captivating storyteller; he has an effortless charm that keeps the film engaging and we go with him as the tone shifts from hilarious, to touching to deeply poignant. It’s an exciting work that I’m looking forward to seeing develop further. For more information and to support Scott Turner Schofield’s 127 Steps project, head to the official website.
