Meet Frank Arthur Smith | Executive Producer, Actor, Director & Writer-Creator, OPEN TO IT
We had the good fortune of connecting with Frank Arthur Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Frank Arthur, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success? The team! Hands down. OPEN TO IT is a queer comedy series with a 75% LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC cast and crew. We are passionate about our work, especially since opportunities to create together as a community are not yet as common as we would like. But I am grateful that everyone from the cinematographer, Nacia Schreiner, to the actors – Tim Wardell and Jason Caceres are the main throuple with me, Kimberly Nieva and Elizabeth Boone are our hilarious queer neighbors, Victoria Gluchoski is their potential third – to producers Afrika Jonée, Sarah Whitaker, Josslyn Glenn, Bryan Schaub, and Troy Barboza, and of course, my co-showrunner and co-fiancé Matt Hartman, understands on a deep level what we are going for in this series. We share a desire to promote queer joy and sex-positivity.
I am pleased to say that I am very satisfied with how the series turned out. The show we created is the show I envisioned. Not all projects have such good fortune – the first short I ever filmed on my iPhone using singular, ponderous takes stolen from a Philadelphia chemistry lab comes to mind. Shoutout to my fellow chemists who did so much to help even this tiny short come to life!
As to OPEN TO IT: I want audiences to take away the FACT that queer stories can be uplifting, and entertaining. The idea of consensual non-monogamy is often portrayed in a dark, foreboding way, especially in queer series. But the truth is, happy, consenting couples can have fun and misadventures, without rocking the very foundation of their relationship. Our thesis has always been that with love and communication, all relationship formats are valid, and viable.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m most proud professionally of producing 2 seasons, the equivalent of 2 movies in length, with so many queer friends and allies over the past 3 years. Even though I’ve been writing for 8 years professionally, this show is something of a “debut” for me. I’m coming out! I mean, I came out as gay a long time ago, but with OPEN TO IT, I, a writer, came out as an actor AND director.
In 2017, I was working on a Showtime series that filmed in my hometown of Boston. That’s when I first had the idea for the show. The lead actor on that series was also the showrunner and director. I felt like I had the level of organization and energy to take on all three roles as well, and so started to think about what a loosely autobiographical comedy series would look like for me. In 2019, that show morphed into a short film script, which ultimately became Episode 1 of OPEN TO IT: “Open to Threesomes.” In 2021, I wrote Episodes 2 and 3 as a continuation, featuring the incandescent Laganja Estranja of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, before finally producing the first half of Season 1. Last year, we filmed the second half of Season 2, featuring DRAG RACE stars Manila Luzon, Pandora Boxx, Laganja Estranja, and Honey Davenport, as well as Deaf drag queen sensations, the Deafies in Drag. We’re premiering Season 1 in Europe and Latin America this year, after debuting it in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada on OUTtv earlier this year. The train keeps on moving!
Juggling acting, writing, directing and “everything” aka producing is not for the faint of heart! Of those four, producing takes the majority of my time. Our sets are fun, relaxed atmospheres, but in preparation of those shoot days, we expend a lot of effort to look effortless. Like Beyoncé.
What helped me find balance was slowly transitioning into occupying more than one role. I identified solely as a writer for much of my 11 years in LA, acting here and there in short films. With the first three episodes of OPEN TO IT, I purposely chose not to direct the pilot – the wonderfully talented and kind Greg Wolf did – so I could focus primarily on the acting. Episode 4, the midseason premiere, was the first episode I directed.
Although I grew up doing theater, I quickly learned that film acting is different. You have to be able to turn it on and off quickly, to accommodate changes in light or direction. Gone are the days of meditating for 10 minutes before the show, and being in character all night long!
I apply that same logic when directing. I’m in the moment with my scene partner, but in the back of my head, I need to reserve a small amount of space to observe their performance, and give notes. When I need to be entirely focused on the person before me, I rely on playback from the monitor, after a take is done, to review their (and my) performance, and offer feedback. I’m my worst critic, but also my biggest fan! Layers.
The writing is done prior to coming to set, but we always allow room for improv. Some hilarious takes have remained in the series, often as the buttons to scenes.
One last anecdote I hope will inspire readers: while this show is a great triumph for me and for the team, I have also been told no, and unkindly. I was told I would never be a professional writer and should go back to medical school – 90 days before I pitched to Michael Eisner, a pitch he later bought. Episode 1 was called by one screenwriting competition “too gay, and too gross” – so I made it even gayer (but maybe slightly less gross). Finally, I was told to stop with Season 1 of OPEN TO IT, before producing a Season 2 I so enjoy. I take professional no’s as a challenge. I hope the people reading do too.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Frank’s Mexican for brunch (not my restaurant – I wish! The food is incredible). A hike to Griffith Observatory. A relaxing read on Will Rogers Beach. A delicious, low key dinner at Mendocino Farms. Finish with one of the many fabulous events put on by queer hotspot, Akbar, especially their wonderful Planet Queer night, where we have been privileged to screen all 13 episodes of the series so far. A 12 year old evening of wonder! That’s the longevity and empowerment to which I aspire.
I would also hope that the timing would work out to go to one of LA’s many phenomenal film festivals! Festivals have been a beautiful way for us to share our work with local communities around the world.
Community supported festivals like the Glendale International Film Festival are 100% necessary to the success of independent series like OPEN TO IT. Building an audience and spreading the word are full-time jobs – in addition to the full-time jobs most independent filmmakers have, outside their projects. The visibility, encouragement, and frankly, fun of having your film in a festival that sees YOU, is what keeps your energy up, gives you endless opportunities to meet new collaborators or forge new friendships, and allows you to celebrate the success of all the hours of hard work from you and your team.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to shout out a group and a particular member of that group. I could not do anything without the support and friendship of my fellow LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, and the LGBTQIA+ community at large. Honestly, there are people who resent our progress, and want to, ironically, follow the words of queer icon Cher, and “turn back time.” But co-opting phrases from queer icons is nothing new.
The reassuring news is: as a community, we are more present, vocal, and energized than we ever have been. Putting our art out there, and reminding the world of our existence, is one of the most important things we can do that will assure we keep our rights. The best revenge is living well, and by showcasing OPEN TO IT, by you sharing YOUR work, you become part of the effort to cement our place in culture, and assure that our voices will remain loud, proud, and OUT.
A member of the queer community whom I must shout out as invaluable to my success and to my life is my wonderful, gorgeous fiancé, Matt Hartman, with whom I co-directed the Pride Special, and co-wrote and co-directed the Season 2 Christmas episode. And we got enGAYged shortly thereafter! That’s love.
Website: http://opentoitseries.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frank.arthur.smith/?hl=en
Twitter: https://x.com/fas4us?lang=en
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@opentoitseries
Image Credits
Nacia Schreiner & Samantha Kelly
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