We recently connected with Frank Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Frank, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
My work exists in this world, so it has absolutely been subject to mischaracterization and misunderstanding! Open to It is a comedy series about love and open relationships. We are fortunate to have achieved global distribution with the show. On the Polish streaming service’s website, viewers are allowed to comment on the episodes. One comment we received was, and I’m relying on Google Translate here, was: “This is trash! You know what you should watch? This drama about two gay men who fall in love during World War II, before both are killed.”
Mischaracterization #1: gay media is not valid unless it portrays misery. No, we are absolutely allowed to be happy, and thrive in our worlds. Our community has been through so much. We’ve earned our heartfelt, happy stories, alongside our thoughtful, dramatic ones.
Mischaracterization #2: non-monogamy is never a valid relationship structure. To be sure, it’s not a good fit for everyone, but the thesis of the series has always been to find the path that works best for you. For some, that’s monogamy; others, polyamory; others, singledom.
I think why both misunderstandings happened is due to our desire to fit in. Queer people, as with any minority, get told that if we play within the lines, society will accept us. The truth is, if you have to compromise yourself, you’re not being accepted. You’re being controlled. Authenticity and joy are how I lead in my life, and I hope people can be open to… honoring themselves and their hearts’ true desires first – rather than behavior they think will get more people to like them.
Frank, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the head writer and lead actor, as well as sometimes director, of OPEN TO IT, an independent queer comedy series available at www.opentoitseries.com and distributed by OUTtv, a global cable channel and streaming service. We feature several queens from RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE including Manila Luzon, Laganja Estranja, Pandora Boxx, and Honey Davenport, along with globe-trotting, Deaf drag queen influencers, the Deafies in Drag.
I got into the entertainment business by shifting over from medicine! I was planning to attend medical school, but had a change of heart, and flew to LA before starting. An actress friend from my speech and debate days in high school was starring on an ABC Family show at the time. She introduced me to her agent. I got a job working in the mailroom of her talent agency, and from there, moved on to working at a smaller talent agency as an assistant. Next, I worked as an assistant on two different TV shows: one drama, one comedy. While I was an assistant, my actress friend became my writing partner and best friend. We sold our first pilot to a studio together, and the rest is history!
Other series I’ve worked on include RAVEN’S HOME on Disney Channel, OCEAN EXPLORERS from Moonbug Entertainment, which produces COCOMELON, as well as the upcoming MAIL WITH MR. ZIP, also from Moonbug. The latter two series air on YouTube. Funny that so much of my paid work has been in the children’s entertainment sphere, when OPEN TO IT is… not that.
What sets me apart from others is my unshakeable belief in myself, and my team. I know that the work we do is entertaining, and interesting. When someone tells me no, I figure “they just don’t get it.” I resist the temptation to doubt myself, and instead, redouble my efforts. To date, as I look back on my time in entertainment thus far, each year has been a clear improvement on the last. I am very lucky.
I want potential fans to know that independent productions like OPEN TO IT, made without a studio’s support, are produced for much less money (try 1% of the budget), but with a lot of heart. Buying Season 1 for $2.99 at our website may seem daunting when twice that price is a month of Hulu with ads, but putting money directly into the filmmakers’ hands enables them to continue making honest, gripping stories, for many years to come. And with inflation, $2.99 is a fraction of the cost of a cup of coffee or other caffeine! So come on. Won’t you sip our tea? ;) www.opentoitseries.com
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Never saying no will make everyone like you. All it actually does is burn you out.
When you start in the business as an assistant, you’re told that your value is in being a go-getter, making things happen, always saying yes. In truth, never saying no is the surest path to having your boundaries knocked down time and again.
I learned that lesson with more than one boss who sought to exploit every minute of my free time. Crying on my way to work due to dread for the day ahead, while also realizing I had forgotten to RSVP to my best friend’s wedding due to stress and disorganization at home, were telltale signs that I had given up too much of myself to the job. How could I be such a sniper at work, but such a mess at home?
The first time I stood up to a boss who made an unreasonable request, I could barely believe I’d said it. We both seemed frozen in time. But he respected me more for having stood my ground. When I gave in too easily, I seemed weak. When I pushed back, I earned respect. I also gained back valuable time, with which I was able to work on my writing.
When you’re a writer, you write. You don’t let anyone stand in your way. Your creative time needs protection. And that protection comes from sometimes saying no.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Having a project is similar to having a kid – it never leaves your mind. First, you’re writing it; then, you’re thinking about how to bring it to life; then, you’re dealing with the complications that arise before and during production; then, you’re making the footage you shot work in the edit; then, you’re marketing the finished product, while hoping it makes even a small impact.
For independent creators who often have survival jobs, producing a show or movie is very much a case of having multiple careers running simultaneously. Your heart and your mind are often doing battle. And sadly for your wallet, the heart often wins.
So much goes into what you see on screen at the theater. We shoot an hour for every minute of footage that ends up on screen, to say nothing of all the time spent in prep, and the edit bay, and the festival circuit.
I once heard someone say that it takes just as much work to make a bad movie as a good one, and that is 100% the truth. All the same jobs are done. The difference comes down to did the target audience connect with the material – if they even heard that it existed in the first place.
In this fractured media landscape, where making noise and breaking out are so hard, I would ask people to support independent creators – especially those with underrepresented voices. Please tell friends, share posts, make donations. It takes a village to make a movie, and we are so grateful and fortunate when our friends want to be part of our little town.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.opentoitseries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opentoitseries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091874207800
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@opentoitseries
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@opentoitseries
Image Credits
Stills 1 – 6: Nacia Schreiner, Stills 7 – 8: Samantha Kelly