Bulldog Productions, a production company created by Guelphite Mathew McLaughlin is launching its first two-part mini-series to air worldwide on OUTtv titled FAK YAASS.
Having done ad campaigns with Nike, TD Bank, Samsung Mobile, Covergirl Cosmetics, Grey Goose Vodka, IKEA, Scotiabank and MUCH Music to name a few, director and CEO of Bulldog Productions, McLaughlin is ready to venture in a miniseries for the production’s tenth anniversary.
FAK YASS is inspired by true events in McLaughlin’s friend's life, Vasilios Filippakis, who plays the protagonist- a Greek gay millennial character named Nico and will premiere part one on June 17 at 9:30 p.m. and part two on June 24 at 9:30 p.m.
The story shows a clash between older and newer generations where Nico struggles with the idea to return home, a place where he feels unworthy because of his sexuality and a place where his grandfather, Pappu doesn’t accept him.
In a very traditional Greek family, the story explores the importance of family while bridging the gap between generations through communication.
“I think people right now think that FAK YAASS is a story about a gay kid and club life, but it's a complete 180,” says MacLaughlin.
“This is a story about family love and about family values and more importantly it's about having the hard conversations that really do bridge the gap between generations.”
The title plays on a greek lentil dish named Fakes (pronounced fah-kehs) that will be featured in the series where the family owns their own restaurant.
McLaughlin says the idea of the story began after he met Vasilios who identifies as a gay man, at a time when they both were going through difficult breakups.
“We were both hurting and going through our own pain and anguish, we bonded over that and in many ways, we were each other's rock,” says McLaughlin.
“Vasilios was like ‘you know I really feel like this story hasn't really been told in its full honesty yet,’” says McLaughlin.
When Vasilios’s friend and creative writer of the series Anthony Filangeri pitched the script to him, McLaughlin was in awe.
“Once I read the script it was like oh my god, this is my story. This is the story that I feel so many of us have,” says McLaughlin.
“You grew up in the day and age where -okay now its somewhat more accepted to be gay- there's still lots of struggles we have to go through but its definitely a much easier world than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago.”
McLaughlin says the same remains true with the older generations.
“There's still a disconnect and I think that this is a bridge to connect that gap. It bridges the generations, the old and the new and that's really what this show is about,” says McLaughlin.
Papu’s name is also Nico. So while they share many similar values and traits, McLaughlin says they are separated by time and cultural norms because they simply never had those types of conversations that address the cultural difference between the old European outlook versus the gay millennial outlook on life.
McLaughlin says by watching the series, the viewer will learn that the love between the generations exists, it's just the method of making oneself understood that seems to be the issue.
“What it is, is learning how to communicate,” says McLaughlin.
McLaughlin says the story is one that the audience is able to relate to despite their sexual orientation.
McLaughlin says on the set, he would hear people saying how similar Nico’s family is to their own. And because of the real conversations that take place in the story, the audience is able to see themselves in it.
“Even if Papu is greek and their grandfather is Irish. Culture is one thing but the roles that our family members play in our lives is another thing altogether,” says McLaughlin.
“There ‘s just so much heart in the series. It's funny, you will laugh and you will cry.”
McLaughlin credits his creative team that includes Filippakis, co-producer Leanne Noelle Smith, and Filangeri for allowing this project to come into fruition.
“When you work with artists, its kind of interesting because you quickly learn that there's kind of a similar language. One that isn't really something that you learn in school,” says McLaughlin.
