Camp Abercorn
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Camp_Abercorn_promo.jpg
| image_size =
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| alt_name =
| genre = Drama, LGBT
| creator =
| based_on =
| developer =
| writer = Jeffrey Simon
Matthew Andrews
Meg Grgurich{{cite news|last1=Sarah|title=Camp Abercorn - A Gay Eagle Scout Narrative|url=http://maisonboheme.blogspot.com/2014/07/camp-abercorn-gay-eagle-scout-narrative.html|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=La Maison Boheme|date=9 July 2014}}
| director = Jeffrey Simon
| starring = Brad Leland
Declan Michael Laird
Tyler Cook
Morgan West
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
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| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 7
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Jeffrey Simon
Matthew Andrews
| producer =
| editor =
| location =
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| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = Gray Oak Productions
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|2014|09|04}}
| last_aired =
| related =
}}
Camp Abercorn is an American web series originally slated to release in September 2014 that focuses on being a member of the Boy Scouts of America and also being gay. Using the fictional scouting organization called the Compass Guides of America, Camp Abercorn brings attention to the BSA's position on homosexuality and "the real situations young men face while away from home for an entire summer."{{cite news|last1=Wong|first1=Curtis M.|title='Camp Abercorn' Web Series Aims To Depict Boy Scouts' Gay Controversy, Other Issues|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/08/camp-abercorn-boy-scouts-_n_5567806.html|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=Huffington Post|date=8 July 2014}}
The show is working with a $100,000 budget, which it met through crowdfunding on Indiegogo.{{cite news|last1=Preston|first1=Dominic|title=Web Series 'Camp Abercorn' to Tackle Anti-Gay Boy Scouts Rules|url=http://www.frontiersla.com/frontiers-blog/2014/08/08/web-series-camp-abercorn-to-tackle-anti-gay-boy-scouts-rules|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Frontiers LA|date=8 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812214847/http://www.frontiersla.com/frontiers-blog/2014/08/08/web-series-camp-abercorn-to-tackle-anti-gay-boy-scouts-rules|archive-date=12 August 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Isaac|first1=Tim|title=Camp Abercorn Web Series Trailer – Highlighting the US Scouts' ban on gay leaders|url=http://www.biggaypictureshow.com/bgps/2014/07/camp-abercorn-web-series-trailer-highlighting-us-scouts-ban-gay-leaders/|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Big Gay Picture Show|date=20 July 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Simon|first1=Jeffrey|title=Crowdfunder's Forum: A Dramatic Series That Explores An Imaginary Gay 'Boy Scouts'|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/bent/crowdfunders-forum-a-dramatic-series-that-explores-an-imaginary-gay-boy-scouts-20140806|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Indie Wire|date=6 August 2014}} George Takei endorsed the series and the Indiegogo campaign in early August, 2014, posting that people should fund it.{{cite news|last1=Gouttebroze|first1=Max|title=5 George Takei last-hour support sends inclusive Boy Scouts series over Indiegogo goal|url=http://www.glaad.org/blog/george-takei-last-hour-support-sends-inclusive-boy-scouts-series-over-indiegogo-goal|accessdate=13 August 2014|publisher=GLAAD|archive-date=9 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509141358/https://www.glaad.org/blog/george-takei-last-hour-support-sends-inclusive-boy-scouts-series-over-indiegogo-goal|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Bloom|first1=David|title=George Takei Last-Hour Support Sends Gay Scout Series Over Indiegogo Goal|url=https://deadline.com/2014/08/george-takei-facebook-indiegogo-camp-abercorn-fundraising-817323/|accessdate=13 August 2014|publisher=Deadline|date=11 August 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Hurst|first1=Samantha|title="Star Trek" Star George Takei Supports Gay Boy Scout Web Series During Final Hours on Indiegogo|url=http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/08/46570-star-trek-star-george-takei-helps-fund-gay-boy-scout-web-series-indiegogo/|accessdate=13 August 2014|publisher=Crowdfund Insider|date=11 August 2014}} The post on Facebook stated, "This is an excellent new Web series in the final hours of its crowd funding campaign. The filmmaker - a gay Eagle Scout - shines light on the Boy Scouts of America, both what it stands for, and the controversies it still faces."{{cite news|last1=Reynolds|first1=Daniel|title=George Takei Wields Social Media Power to Support Gay Boy Scout Web Series|url=http://www.advocate.com/boy-scouts/2014/08/11/george-takei-wields-social-media-power-support-gay-boy-scout-web-series|accessdate=13 August 2014|publisher=The Advocate|date=11 August 2014}}
Synopsis
=Setting and overview=
The series is set in the Rocky Mountains at a summer camp mirroring a BSA-structured camp. GLAAD describes Camp Abercorn as "A new fictional dramatic web series... follow[ing] the staff [who] develop as leaders, or Compass Guides, while learning and growing away from the pressures of school and work."{{cite news|last1=Katz1|first1=Joeli|title=Camp Abercorn web series spotlights room for improvement in Boy Scouts|url=http://www.glaad.org/blog/camp-abercorn-web-series-spotlights-room-improvement-boy-scouts|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=GLAAD|date=16 July 2014}} The camp is typical of scouting camps that generally deal with social interactions that are almost exclusively between males.
=Characters=
Colin: Colin hails from London and is a direct descendant of one of the Compass Guides founders. He wants nothing to do with the camp.
Mark: Mark is Camp Abercorn's new director.
Russell: Russell is a "archetypical life-time scout" who is the shooting sports director at Camp Abercorn.{{cite news|last1=Hinzmann|first1=Dennis|title=Fund This: Camp Abercorn Parallels Boy Scout Summer Camp|url=http://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2014/07/29/fund-%E2%80%9Ccamp-abercorn%E2%80%9D-parallels-boy-scout-summer-camp|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=Out.com|date=29 July 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Ralph|first1=Matt|title=Actor who played Buddy Garrity starring in new summer camp series|url=http://www.summercampculture.com/actor-who-played-buddy-garrity-starring-in-new-summer-camp-series/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725045348/http://www.summercampculture.com/actor-who-played-buddy-garrity-starring-in-new-summer-camp-series/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 25, 2014|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=Summer Camp Culture|date=9 July 2014}}
Zak: Zak is Russell's protege, and also happens to be gay.
=Plot=
A British teenager angry with the world, a closeted Eagle Guide, and a Shooting Sports Director with a thirst for power, are part of the colorful staff that collide at Compass Guide Camp. A mysterious new Camp Director with a militant past (and pet chicken) finds he's not sure where he's going, but he's leading the way.
Cast
Zak: Morgan West
Russell: Brad Leland
Colin: Declan Michael Laird
Mark: Tyler Cook
Willy: Zach Louis
Sage: Jeff Rosick
Soundtrack
Impact
Jeffrey Simon, executive producer of the series, hopes to "re-direct the conversation away from executives in fancy offices and bring it back to the values of scouts and importance of camp".{{cite news|last1=Harrington|first1=Tom|title=Meet the former Boy Scout behind Boy Scouts webseries 'Camp Abercorn'|url=http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/boy-scout-webseries-camp-abercorn/|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=Daily Dot|date=12 July 2014}} He continues with "I am in awe of what activist organizations like Scouts for Equality and their LGBT allies have done and are still doing to bring change to the BSA. Boycotts and activism can go far to change policy, but no amount of lecturing can change people. What can change people are stories. What can change hearts and minds are stories."{{cite news|title=An Inside Look Into the Dramatic Series Camp Abercorn|url=http://www.spidvid.com/blog/2014/07/camp-abercorn-interview/|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=Spidvid|date=15 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052445/http://www.spidvid.com/blog/2014/07/camp-abercorn-interview/|archive-date=2014-08-08|url-status=dead}} This series, acting as one of those stories, brings more attention to the BSA's policy of excluding gay men serving in leadership positions.{{cite news|last1=Geoffroy|first1=Kyler|title=NEW WEBSERIES 'CAMP ABERCORN' TO SPOTLIGHT BOY SCOUTS BAN ON GAY LEADERS: VIDEO|url=http://www.towleroad.com/2014/07/new-webseries-camp-abercorn-to-spotlight-boy-scouts-ban-on-gay-leaders-video.html|accessdate=2 August 2014|publisher=Towle Road|date=17 July 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Gus|title=Camp Abercorn: A New Dramatic Series|url=http://queermeup.com/featured-2/camp-abercorn-new-dramatic-series/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808042628/http://queermeup.com/featured-2/camp-abercorn-new-dramatic-series/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 8, 2014|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=Queer Me Up}}{{cite news|title=New Web Series 'Camp Abercorn' Needs Your Help|url=http://rukkle.com/gay-news/camp-abercorn-funding-indiegogo/|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=Rukkle|date=29 July 2014}}
Simon continued, "I hope this series will help bring back some interest in the Boy Scouts. We need an organization to train our future leaders; leaders that believe in the power of equality. I hope I can one day join the troop and give back to the organization that gave me so much."{{cite news|last1=Papa|first1=Rocco|title=New online series plans to shed light on gay equality in the Boy Scouts|url=http://lgbteen.org/2014/08/new-online-series-plans-to-shed-light-on-gay-equality-in-the-boy-scouts/|accessdate=3 August 2014|publisher=LGBT Teen|date=1 August 2014}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|3395274}}
- [http://grayoakproductions.com/camp-abercorn// Website]
Category:2014 web series debuts
Category:Crowdfunded web series
Category:American drama web series