Outfest's Highland Park Fusion Lab Is Safe, Creative Space

Nelson Peña, P.R. Hawkins and Joey Monasterios were seated around a table inside 5503 N. Figueroa St. when inspiration struck.

Peña, a filmmaker from Echo Park, had an idea to improve the scenery for miniature-sized movie the trio were creating.

Monasterios began cutting two rectangular holes to create a window in the piece of construction paper that served as the set's back wall. A print of a darkened night sky was placed several inches behind the newly created window.

As Monasterios and Peña erected their tiny set, Hawkins, a published author who lives in Leimert Park, began writing the scene about two woman who wander into an eerie motel.

Quickly, their tabletop film came to life. Youtube aps were loaded on iPhones so spooky sounds could play in the background while Monasterios and Peña improvised dialog. A set of bike lights were volunteered to help create a lightning effect.

After about one-and-a-half hours of work, the group had created not only a minute-long Twilight Zone influenced film, but a new friendship.

All three were participating in a tabletop theater workshop lead by Los Angeles filmmaker Brick Maier through Outfest's Fusion Lab in Highland Park.

Founded in 1982, Outfest is a Los Angeles-based organization that works to promote LGBT equality by providing outlets for community members to create and share stories.

Open throughout March, Highland Park's Fusion Lab has hosted workshops and screenings of films relevant to the LGBT community. The lab also has two editing docks that can be used by anyone with an interest in filmmaking during operating hours.

Executive Director of Outfest Kirsten Schaffer, a resident of Highland Park, said  Outfest was brought to Highland Park to provide a creative outlet for residents, both gay and straight.

"It's been way better than expected," Schaffer said. "We thought we'd have 10 to 20 people in the workshops, but we've had close to 30 to 40 in some. It's been a mix of people who know what we are, and some who had no idea."

Jennifer Declue, Outfest's Fusion Programmer, explained that the organization seeks to create an environment that is welcoming to the LGBT community, without requiring participants to create LGBT art.

"It's a queer environment, but not necessarily about anything queer," Declue said. "The screenings are queer, but the workshops are just about the work."

Monasterios, who lives in Studio City, said she's attended almost every Fusion Lab workshop since the space opened on March 7.

"I'm meeting new people and being creative," she said.

Among the approximately 10 participants of Monday's workshop was Highland Park resident Marco Tejadilla. He said he read about the Fusion Lab online and decided to check it out because he has an interest in filmmaking.

"It's more of a hobby," he said.

Tejadilla collaborated to create a tabletop film that prominently featured cardboard cutouts of shoes dancing to Men Without Hat's "Safety Dance."

He and his group mates laughed uproariously as the film was screened at the end of the workshop.

"Outfest at its core is about community," said Christopher Racster, Director of Individual Giving at Outfest. "It's about creating a safe place where people can come play."

Click here to see a scheduled of upcoming events at Outfest's Fusion Lab.