Behind the Mask

“Saying something becomes a form of doing.” Performative documentaries are powerful tools of persuasion, connecting to our empathy in a way that resonates deeply. These documentaries do not focus solely on facts or logic, but rather on personal experiences and the exploration of individuality. To me, they act as a magnifying glass on broader social processes. We move from institutional, political, governmental, or cultural issues and zoom in on an individual experiencing them. After all, their experiences and perspectives often tell us more about the truth than mere statistics or facts.

My documentary tells the story of former BYU student and Cosmo the Cougar, Charlie Bird. Charlie is known for being Cosmo from 2015 to 2018 and became widely viral for one of his performances, catapulting the BYU mascot to a global stage. His experience at BYU was defined by hiding behind a mask, unable to reveal his true identity. However, Charlie Bird wasn't just hiding his identity as Cosmo; he was also hiding the fact that he is gay. Attending BYU can place enormous pressure on students to represent the school's values and adhere to a set standard, especially for someone in the public eye. I found it fascinating to tell the story of someone who was not only hiding his physical identity but also his internal truth.

Cosmo the Cougar is an iconic character at BYU, with a legacy dating back to 1953. Representing this character means representing an institution, but how often do we think about the person behind Cosmo? As I mentioned earlier, performative documentaries act as a magnifying glass on broader topics, and this documentary does just that; looking past Cosmo’s mask and diving deeper into Charlie Bird's personal experience.

The documentary is divided into two parts: Cosmo and Charlie Bird. At first, we see the superficial, iconic face of Cosmo the Cougar, surrounded by fans and praise. We are bombarded with photos and people shouting his name. The final moments of this part show Cosmo being interviewed, where he says, “I’m Cosmo,” as a way to assert his strength. The second part mirrors the beginning but shifts focus to the name Charlie Bird. We hear news lines about him, and we finally get to listen to his experience amidst the noise we encountered earlier. I decided to include more personal B-roll during this section, showing Cosmo having one-on-one interactions to humanize him; not just as a mascot, but as an actual person. Additionally, I included footage of Charlie Bird’s personal life. The simplicity and quietude of these moments contrast heavily with the energetic and loud scenes from the beginning of the documentary. This contrast challenges us to rethink our connection to the world around us and the people we share it with.

In a way, this documentary also aligns with the reflexive mode, as it encourages viewers to adjust their expectations and assumptions about the person behind Cosmo. It challenges stereotypes about BYU students and members of the LDS Church, inviting us to reflect on the media we often consume. Individuals are frequently put on a pedestal and become the face of an organization, but very often, the stories behind these individuals are vastly different from the public persona they portray.

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I did not film any of the content in my documentary but a lot of work went into gathering interviews, images, and videos for it. A great deal of thought went into creating a story that mirrored Charlie Bird’s experience - from the selection of music, pacing, to the video clips shown.