I think as young adults we are often in a state of emergency. Each of us at some time has felt separate from others, like we don't belong. This is certainly true of LGBT young people, as indicated by their disproportionately high suicide rate; our rites of passage often come with a certain amount of risk. It is risk we are, at times, even drawn to.

Based on the novel Closer and poems by Dennis Cooper, Weak Species, my thesis film, explores youth, alienation, rites of passage and calculated risk. Dennis' writing made a huge impression on me as a young adult. As someone who came out at 13 and later worked as an HIV youth educator for ACT UP, I found his young characters and their curious gravitation to sex and danger to be honest and compelling. I'm excited to be able to take audiences on a journey with them.

Many, many thanks to Dennis Cooper for the use of his amazing novel and poetry, and to No-Man for the use of their rich soundscapes for the film's score. These artists' words and music have served as the emotional wallpaper for the different chapters of my life. It is very rewarding to be able to include them in this project, the culmination of my three years of learning at USC, and my largest creative undertaking yet.

-- Dan