Framed Youth — Revenge of the Teenage Perverts 1986 (Part 4)

The Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project formed in 1982 and around 25 young lesbians and gays made this video about themselves. Jeff Cole, one of the group, explains the process: "We were challenging the ways that conventional documentary makers were showing lesbians and gay men on television documentaries and so wanted to include ourselves as makers and as subjects, not in any way trying to be balanced. We found ways to film each other that helped us feel comfortable and we did loads of experiments using the new VHS and Betamax cameras. When the editing came to be done the new technology of the freeze frame helped disguise some dodgily shot interviews but also had the great effect of helping the viewer to concentrate on what was being said. So what with adding in clips of tv and films as comment and videoing what we shot in the street on a monitor (to highlight the outside ‘straight’ world) we were throwing away all the conventions in the book, not to mention chopping up what we said underneath all the freeze frames to make it sound better — we ended up getting an award for Best Documentary from the BFI in 1983 and being shown on Channel 4 (at midnight in a youth slot) in 1986." Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts is a 1983 documentary film, produced by the London Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project, in which gay and lesbian teenagers interview straight people on the streets of London about their views on homosexuality. Directed by Trill Burton, Jeff Cole, Rose Collis, Nicola Field, Toby Kettle, Pom Martin and Jimmy Somerville who also stars in the film. Jimmy Somerville (born 1961) is a Scottish pop singer and songwriter. He sang in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and The Communards, and has also had a solo career. Detailed accounts of gay-bashing attacks, intimidation and homophobia.