Checking in on the Outfest
Jackson Bell
Lisa Bevis began her filmmaking career in front of the lens.
Bevis, a Burbank resident, is the producer of “Coming Clean,” a
short film screening today at Outfest 2003, a Los Angeles-area gay
and lesbian film festival.
She got her start in the entertainment industry as a model and
actress while living in Europe during the 1980s. As she grew older,
she wanted a job with more longevity.
“When you model, [the industry] kicks you out when you turn 30,”
she said.
In 1990, the Baltimore native relocated to Burbank and bought a
home in the 1100 block of North Kenwood Street -- the same block her
grandfather has lived on since the 1930s-- and began producing and
editing commercials, music videos and short films.
Last year, Bevis founded her own production company, Bevis Film &
Video.
In 2002, she produced and edited her Outfest entry, “Coming
Clean,” a romantic comedy by director Ken Feinberg.
The 25-minute movie with gay themes is about an engaged couple,
Robert and Mason, who must overcome a secret exposed when he meets
her friends at a party.
The five-month project, which cost $15,000, was shot on digital
video and edited by Bevis on her home computer.
Her goal for the film is to find a financial backer to fund a
feature length version, or have a network pick it up as a TV series.
“Coming Clean” isn’t Bevis’ first Outfest entry. Last year, she
entered the short film “Salt the Blade and Twist the Knife,” a
romantic comedy about lesbians that she co-directed, photographed and
edited.
Kristian Salinas, a senior programmer for the festival, said it
serves as a networking opportunity for gay filmmakers or movies with
gay themes.
“It’s a great way [for filmmakers] to get their foot in the door
and make the contacts they need to advance their career,” he said.