(OUTview AMERICA) MK INTER-views Mark Strano, Star and Writer of TIGER ORANGE, Now on DVD!

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by MK Scott

Wolfe Video's gay drama TIGER ORANGE is available TODAY! After premiering at Outfest in 2014 (winning the Grand Jury award for best actor) and completing a successful and award-winning festival tour, this heartfelt small town drama is being released by Wolfe Video in celebration of 2015 summer gay pride events and festivals. I saw this at the 2014 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival last fall and was one of the good ones. The script was unique and the performances were incredible about 2 Gay Brothers that couldn't be more different than Night and Day. Frankie Valenti aka former adult star Johnny Hazzard plays the Out and Proud and Aggressive brother, while Mark Strano plays the submissive Gay, but traditional brother playing it straight in a small town that he feels content and a responsibility to carry on the Family legacy. I chatted with Strano who shares more insight on the story and its characters. 


MK SCOTT:  Mark, congrats on the DVD release of TIGER ORANGE. I had a chance to see it this past year and Was one of the Best. How did you get involved? Was it your idea or Wade's?

MARK STRANO: Thank you! I am very proud of it. It was my first feature script. I came up with the idea as a sort of play on my own coming out process to my father. I never had the chance to tell my dad, who passed away when I was in high school. These characters represent 2 potential scenarios or reactions I imagined my dad might have. Rejection or denial. But this is based off my high school conception of my dad in a very different time for gay attitudes. So I don't really know how we would have progressed. I'd like to think he would have accepted me for who I was & that he may have always know deep down.

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MK: Now you played the Straight acting brother, Chet as the literally the "straight man" to the Outrageous In your face, slutty brother, Todd (Frankie Valenti aka former adult star Johnny Hazzard) was it hard to stay serious? Was there a scene that was hardest not to break?

MARK: Good point! No one has pointed it out in that way & that was the intention. Chet is the straight role in a comedy writing sense. No, it was easy not to break character because I was so invested in Chet's needs & frustrations. Todd is fun to watch in a movie, but living with that character can be very different when you have taken on responsibility & care for your father, money & the family business. It wasn't always fun to play, it was exhausting.

MK: Was there any part of Todd that you wished you got to do as an actor?

MARK: Everything! There is a lot of Todd in me. As there is Chet. I sort of struggle in life between the two characters - being responsible or rocking the boat. What was really great, was seeing how Frankie interpreted it. It was very different.

MK: Why was  Chet still hanging onto the past and his father's memory, regardless of how homophobic he was? 

MARK: Because Chet hasn't accepted himself when we first meet him. He's suppressed & uncertain how he feels about his own sexuality. Isn't that usually the case? We internalize homophobia because Chet hasn't accepted himself when we first meet him. He's suppressed & uncertain how his own homophobia & it stops us, from shame, from embracing who we really are.

MK: What was your Favorite Scene?

MARK: The scene with the over-stretched mom & the little boy wanting to play with the doll. I thought Andrea who played the mom flew with it & Frankie really connected with it. It is so something I would do in real life too!

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MK: The Best part was when Chet ended up finding Love with Brandon, Tell us a story about working with Gregory Marcel?

MARK: The first scene I shot with Greg was the make out scene in the kitchen. You never know how a kissing scene is going to go. If the chemistry will be there or how much of a kiss the director wants. Needless to say, Wade wanted a big long kiss followed by an even longer kiss. I was a little hesitant at first to jump right in, you never know how much your co-star wants to kiss. But after the first take, wade directed to go further & Greg said he thought it needed that too. Well, Mr. Marcel is a great kisser. We kissed & kissed, take after take, for what seemed like at least an hour. When we finally wrapped the scene, our cinematographer, Lila, asked, is it hot in here or what?!

MK: You also Co-wrote the film, I noticed there was a Metaphor for Tiger Orange (More than just a color of paint) but was more. What did it mean to you?

MARK: Tiger orange is about being bold to me. It's about not being ashamed to stand out. It's a bold color. Chet is trying to embrace Todd & his own budding boldness.

Tiger Orange is available at our NEW STORE  HERE. It is also available VOD at the WOLFE site.