This is basically the 4th in a five-part show profiling the panelists from GO’s virtual Pride event “LGBTQ+ Representations in movie and television.”
Robyn Levy
wants to alter the face area of television â actually.
The Jersey-based business owner, mummy of two, and former “genuine Housewives of New Jersey” personality has just launched her own generation company, Famed Entertainment, and it is trying cast a diverse set of LGBTQ+ females when it comes down to brand new fact program
“The Important Points of Partner.”
Picture by Drew Noel
Mentioning a requirement to see a lot more lesbian families on television, Levy talks of “The Facts of partner” as a combination of “Modern Family” and what happens following the ”
The True L Keyword
.” The tv show will consider an ensemble of diverse lesbian/same-sex individuals inside their everyday life, who will bond to be able to address larger problems dealing with the LGBTQ+ community. By widening the
representation
of LGBTQ+ females and
families
on tv, Levy will alter the way the old-fashioned household unit is actually seen and open up a multi-perspective discussion.
Robyn Levy along with her spouse Christina Flores.
Picture by Adrienne Longo.
“we will be since the everyday lives associated with the cast people, the assortment that is out there between all of us, but in addition the similarities,” Levy informs GO. Along with since the domestic position, the ensemble cast may also travel all over nation, campaigning on the behalf of LGBTQ+ people in need.
“It’ll be type of just like the lesbian âAvengers,’ on offer the united states making change,” Levy claims. “that is certainly the purpose of the tv show: producing modification and becoming the very best variations of ourselves.”
Levy was actually inspired to produce “The Main Points of partner” so as that she could generate change in true to life as well as on all of our screens. Having less same-sex family members â specifically, lesbian individuals â on television is actually a gap within our preferred society Levy would like to fill in. While shows like “contemporary household” deal with the same-sex family members angle, among others, like “The L Word”, element lesbian figures, few, or no, perform both.
On a very private amount, Levy was influenced by her very own truth show experience. She along with her girlfriend Christina Flores had been the initial lesbian few included on ”
The true Housewives of New Jersey
” from inside the show’s 7th period. Levy and Flores had a tendency to steer clear of the on-screen drama and weren’t featured a lot â which, until long-simmering tensions reached a boiling-point between Levy and something of the woman fellow Housewives. Out of the blue she was forward and center on display screen, embroiled in a verbal feud with a castmate.
Robyn Levy and Christina Flores.
Photo by Jeff Tilsman.
Although the event explained her personality on show, Levy states it is not anyway representative of who the woman is. “I found myself therefore mortified from that,” she claims. “It really is developed the period of me personally maybe not planning to do that. Following, eventually, i recently completely erupted.”
The scene of just one critic in particular weighed on her head: her boy, Jake, who had been subsequently two years outdated. “I imagined to myself, âOh my personal gosh, he’s planning to see this in which he will probably be mortified that which is their mommy,'” she states.
“which is a lot like where âFacts of Wife’ began,” Levy informs GO. “We have, full creative control over my tv series, and that I can also make modification. Which is a lot more of my design. I do want to assist the society. I would like to assist moms and dads in our society. And combating will not be really who i’m or what I desire my personal children to see.”
While combating might not be her style, Levy does think that respectful disagreement in the shape of discussion, debate, and debate is a crucial type discourse that flourishes when individuals from differing backgrounds get together. “it will likely be very interesting observe, with
such
variety that people also bring to the dining table, what happens organically,” she says of “The Details of partner.” She notes challenging one’s own perspective is actually an essential step toward impacting bigger change, which she dreams having a varied selection of females on her tv show will highlight this kind of transformative discourse.
Unlike different reality programs, Levy’s “focus will be on letting individuals to end up being totally on their own,” which is the reason why it is important for her to find the best cast when it comes down to ensemble. “its smart TV; it really is informative, make-change, family members television,” she states.
Levy and her team are currently trying cast LGBTQ+ ladies as well as their households â both cis and transgender â of different races, religions, ethnicities, views, and backgrounds to make the ensemble cast. They are also trying to employ second cast people, called ambassadors â program representatives from some other part of the united states whose part will be keep track of and report local problems that impact the LGBTQ+ society.
Levy, that will participate the ensemble cast combined with the girl spouse
,
informs GO that she actually is trying deal with a culturally varied cast because it’s through these types of representations that change is generally first discussed and implemented.
“i’d like full representation,” she says, “and so I’m wanting diversity in my own casting. Everything I desire is sincerity, and I also want, additionally, for all of us to get looked at the same as any heterosexual person.”
“we do not require a twin of myself,” she adds. “i am casting people who are distinctive from me to make modifications affecting all of us.”
Filming from the pilot for “the reality of partner” is actually underway using its existing cast members: Levy, Flores, and Nicole Guest. It actually was at first to start in April but was actually delayed as a result of coronavirus pandemic. The casting procedure are shot within the first period and will also be broken into the tv series in two specific phases. Initial phase includes Zoom interviews between Levy along with her group and qualified prospects from the candidate share. Applicants whom allow it to be through very first game will likely then be welcomed for a face-to-face ending up in manufacturing staff to take place under socially distanced tips.
“The tv show will probably be natural; it’s going to be real,” says Levy. “The casting will be recorded to ensure that even [for] the individuals that simply don’t succeed for reasons uknown, absolutely nevertheless a chance for them to display an article of their unique story.” And while the woman is aspiring to complete the ensemble with cast members driven from tri-state location, in which major recording will require destination, it’s more important for Levy to find the right cast, wherever a professional
applicant is inspired by.
Famed Entertainment
â which is possessed exclusively by Levy â is integrating with
Red Coral Casting
on an open casting demand the program (Red Coral Casting in a supply of Red Coral, which
Levy can also be a partner in)
. Those
contemplating
testing for “the important points of partner”
can use for a spot inside ensemble cast or as an ambassador on Red Coral Casting’s site
. A subscription that will allow individuals entry to the casting database â a standard exercise for many casting sites â costs $5
30 days.
Levy’s generation team normally seeking to employ LGBTQ+ individuals after all levels of crew, such as as producers, directors, and PR individuals. (curious people can email
info@redcoralcasting.com
to learn more.)
Levy, an experienced business person, is no complete stranger with the behind-the-scenes components of the entertainment sector. For years, she ended up being the author and holder of Dining Out mag NJ. During her time with the publication, she developed the YouTube collection, “Dining Out because of the Manzos,” featuring Albie and Chris Manzo. The devoted mummy can the inventor of
Tushy Brand
, a garments range for infants and toddlers.
Robyn and Christina’s son.
Picture by Electricity Adore Studios.
Household are at the middle of every thing Levy does. Her spouse in addition to their two sons, Jake (5) and Tyler (1 ½) will be the motivation behind her imaginative endeavors. She credits her entrepreneurial drive to the woman pops, Steve, who owns a marketing agency, while her need to give back arises from the woman mommy, Ellyn, a retired class teacher.
Although she is extremely near to her parents, developing â after the woman aunt, Cari, had currently done this â wasn’t a simple procedure. “So my personal cousin was released initially, and my personal moms and dads wouldn’t handle that really,” she states. Levy had her very own girlfriend during the time but stayed determined to not inform this lady moms and dads ever, if required. It was not until she ended up being with Flores that she ultimately informed them. And though the woman moms and dads have since are available about and remain a way to obtain really love and service, Levy claims the first experience was “horrible.”
While things are a lot better now (she matters the woman parents among her biggest champions), Levy expectations that by featuring LGBTQ+ individuals and achieving sincere conversations together with her very own family â who’ll participate in “the important points of partner” â she’ll be able to increase exactly how queer people and same-sex households tend to be represented in prominent mass media and consequently approved in to the bigger culture.
Robyn and Christina’s son.
Picture by Electronic Enjoy Studios.
“We are really love,” she says of her household. “This home is so full of love that that is all my young ones understand. I am aware that we now have will be issues that peoplewill deal with as a same-sex household that Really don’t genuinely know if i am prepared for, s
o if I will start to create change as they’re at such an early age, next my personal greatest hope on the planet is the fact that they can talk eloquently and happily with the means they certainly were elevated. That is the important thing for my situation.”