The HIV Story Project

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Stuart Gaffney, documentary filmmaker and political activist, talks about the collaborative process of THE HIV STORY PROJECT…

Q: Describe your role & involvement with The HIV Story Project.

SG: I directed “Full Circle,” which tells the story of Elaine Vocelka, her husband and their daughter. Elaine’s story is somewhat unusual, yet she tells it in a way that makes it universal and touching. She shares her story in classrooms many times every month to help educate a new generation. It was an honor to help bring her story to the screen to reach an even wider audience.

Q: Why did you decide to participate?

SG: I decided to participate in The HIV Story Project because of the collaborative nature of the project. I love the way The HIV Story Project partners filmmakers with individuals who have great stories to tell. As soon as we met Elaine, we knew that we were going to hit it off and enjoy working together.

Q: What was your goal & vision when you started?

SG: I first started making films in the early 1990s because I wanted to tell the story of our friend Garet who died from AIDS. I’ve continued making films since then, about HIV as well as other topics including Asian American identity and gay marriage. Over the years, many things have changed about HIV and AIDS, and I wanted to be part of a project that was bringing new stories to the screen.

No matter what the topic, I love filmmaking because of its power to tell personal stories with immediacy, intimacy, and emotion. I also like to think outside the box and give my films a distinctive visual style — film is a great medium for getting creative — and The HIV Story Project supported me 100% in finding a way to tell a great story while having the fun and flexibility to make something beautiful.

Q: What was the actual experience like?

SG: Matching up was a little like speed dating! Or, in our case, it was more of a double date — my husband John and I drove up to Napa where we saw Elaine give an awesome presentation on HIV to a class of high school freshman, and then we had lunch with her and her husband Jeff. I loved seeing how great Elaine was at telling her story to young people in a way that was touching and down-to-earth. Having lunch with Elaine and Jeff showed us what a great marriage they have, and what wonderful support he and his daughter Natasha give Elaine every day.

Making the film brought us together with a great team of Bay Area film professionals whose dedication really impressed me. From the first creative meetings with the Director of Photography Alex Duprel, to the final editing sessions with Eva Moss, we felt lucky to be working with a great team who were all committed to making The HIV Story Project as great as it can be.

Q: What do you hope to see for The HIV Story Project in the future?

SG: The power of The HIV Story Project is in collaboration, which means the project’s impact grows exponentially as more and more people tell their stories — and those stories make the story grow into the visual quilt it is destined to be. I truly believe that personal stories are the way to change hearts and minds, which means The HIV Story Project has a critical role to play in reducing stigma, educating people, and making art — all at the same time.