After Orlando Massacre, Glimmer of Hope Shines As Premiere of New Amazon Series Conveys Powerful Message of Acceptance.
LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After the deadliest mass shooting in history, the premiere of the new show 'Back Stabber' has come at the perfect time, bringing a powerful message surrounding acceptance, anti-bullying and embracing who you are.
With its successful premiere this past Friday, the highly anticipated new series on Amazon has come at the right time, bringing a message of accepting everyone for who they are. Created and written by openly gay actor Ryan Zamo, the show is loosely based on his real life experiences, he said, "I came out 11 years ago when I was just 16-years-old, and at the time I was really young to do so. And sadly, I faced a lot of bullying because of it. I grew up in a town where no one else had come out yet, and since I didn't know better, I tried everything to mold myself into what they wanted. It took a while for me to be okay with who I am…so I wanted to bring the message of accepting everyone, because the world needs to see that we are all just human."
A recent and very public campaign, which targeted the 27-year-old's orientation hit national headlines this past December. The news spread quickly after Westboro Church attacked Zamo and his fiancé via social media. However, also owning an organic cosmetics company, the wild antics of Westboro back fired, driving sales through the roof for his company Z Skin Cosmetics. He said, "This is just one example of why we wanted to get the show out there, we want people to accept everyone for who they are, regardless of age, race, orientation, religion etc."
The main characters in 'Back Stabber' provide a powerful message of unconditional love and friendship, regardless of one's background. The show touches on taboo subjects including; teen pregnancy, being a single parent, recovery from addiction, acceptance, adultery, bullying, embezzlement, and many other sensitive subjects in today's society.
Individually, each of the storylines in 'Back Stabber' carry multiple messages. Two of the main characters, Sam and Isaiah, are faced with the challenges of coming out and being bullied, as well as being accepted by their family. Isaiah, eccentric and vibrant to say the least, lives in fear of telling his parents he's gay. Zamo commented, "I based his back story on some of the real events my friends have gone through. I think the show will open people's minds because the situations the characters are faced with are all based off of real life stories, so hopefully viewers will sympathize."
However, with major blows and setbacks over the past year, 'Back Stabber' almost never came to be. The show was created over 7 years ago, but had no interest from Hollywood producers. Zamo said, "I wrote the first episode in film school as a final project, which I happened to get a C on, but the message behind this story was something I've always fought for. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing it through, and finally last year, I decided I would just produce it myself." With no financial backers, sponsors or Hollywood interest, season 1 was fully produced for under $2,000. The young creator said, "I used my own equipment, and spent weeks watching video tutorials on how they edit blockbuster movies. The show looks like a multi-million-dollar project because I was able to do everything myself, including CGI, special FX, sound mastering, color correcting, soundscaping, marketing, website development and everything else. I knew I had to get this message out there, so I poured my soul into it, I sucked it up and for the past 365 days I've done non-stop work on this show."
Among other things, the show also incorporates cyber bullying, teen bullying and standing up for yourself. The 27-year-old creator said, "I wrote the show making Isaiah and Sam the 'cool kids', hoping to show people that it's okay to have gay friends, because we're actually pretty cool. Also in the clique of friends are testosterone driven straight men, and despite the drama that takes place throughout the season, they still stand up for the two gay guys when needed."
At the June 23rd red carpet premiere for the new Amazon series, the event hosted raffles for high-end luxury items, which they donated the proceeds to anti-bullying organizations. With celebrity teen ambassadors for other organizations that take a stand against bullying, the event drove home its message of acceptance and trying to make a change in the world.
Following the recent tragic events in Orlando, the new Amazon series 'Back Stabber' has the potential to create a shift in today's society, creating a positive impact on embracing everyone for who they are. With many activists now trying to put a stop to the violence and bullying both online and off, the new show's success will hopefully start a positive movement with its messages of love and acceptance for all.
Season 1 of Back Stabber is now available on Amazon Video, and free with amazon prime, visit:
https://www.amazon.com/Episode-1/dp/B01GJ1SXBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1466888891&sr=1-1&keywords=back+stabber+tv+show
SOURCE Z Skin Cosmetics
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