“Answering the call for Inclusion in the entertainment industry, two down-on-their-luck buddies open Diversity Casting in their garage. Will their first big client put their money where their mouth is?”
BEHIND THE SCENES
Read more below about the Disability Film Challenge, why we made the film and what the challenges were.
Read the insights and comments from the Producers and Cast.
And check out the awesome RESOURCE section.
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People With Disabilities In USA
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Characters With Disabilities Seen On TV
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Abled-Bodied Actors Playing the 2% of Characters With Disabilities
Although people with disabilities make up nearly 20% of our population, they are still significantly under-represented on television. What compounds the problem is the fact that even when characters with disabilities are featured on the small screen, they are far too often played by actors without disabilities.
THE RUDERMAN WHITE PAPER ON EMPLOYMENT OF ACTORS WITH DISABILITIES IN TELEVISION
The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge gives filmmakers – with and without disabilities – the opportunity to collaborate and tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms and support Easterseals’ goal to change the way the world defines and views disability, so everyone can reach his or her potential.
Why I did the project
I learned a ton about what can be planned from the beginning of production to make a finished film completely accessible. The considerate way to do Closed Captioning or Open Captioning with high contrast and font choice for people with dyslexia, the ways to technically add Descriptive Audio later or the better option – to integrate it in the script with narration, voice over and descriptive dialogue. Although not completely part of the rules of the film challenge, we wanted to see how close we could get to make our film completely accessible. I look forward to putting these challenges on myself when creating my next script and finding innovative ways to tell a story. It has been said a good movie is a movie that can be understood with the sound off. I want to make films that can also be understood with the screen off. Compelling storytelling both visually and aurally.
My personal goal
There is a frankness that disabled people have when they are asked directly and honestly to share about their situation. I, for one, find it refreshing being able to discuss my disability when being asked about my needs or concerns when it comes to how a story is being told or addressing the possible physical barriers of a set. Once we knew our main location I immediately looked for the barriers, reached out to my wheelchair bound actors and we created solutions for steps at entrances, craft table height and a barrier free location, bathrooms and change rooms. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel they had been left out or were not considered. I know what that has felt like throughout various aspects of my life. I mean who likes to be stuck on the sidelines of a sporting match and keep score rather than play?
Tips for future entrants
As a writer I enjoy the parameters a challenge like this presents. The story elements provide a springboard for creativity. Nothing is going to affect your story more than genre. Themes/motifs are somewhat fluid and can adapt to the perspective your story is taking. Locations/settings and props need to be gathered quickly as your script becomes realized. You can plan out your technology production side – what Camera your using, making sure camera works with editing software, how you will deal with capturing sound, lighting (you got a day to shoot so maybe avoid night scenes) and gathering crew to run all that. You can plan casting by gathering as many actors possible to have ready so you know who you’ve got, you’ll want to start this early as I found some of the disabled performers were already attached to other teams – it helps with the immediacy of writing the script to have an actual face to put on a character when writing.
Why I did the project
I will always jump at the chance to work with my good friend, Rick Howland. This is our third project together and I hope to be involved with many more. A good partnership in filmmaking not only helps to jumpstart the process, but lowers the odds that you will see it through to the final credits. Two heads are better than one, especially in such a collaborative art form as filmmaking. Of course you can go it alone, but with no one there to bounce ideas off of, some terrible ones invariably make the final cut. Our quick editing of each other’s inspirations helped streamline the process and reduced all aspects of making our movie to its most fundamental and necessary.
What the challenges were
This particular shoot posed specific challenges. Without knowing what our script would be the day before, we had to have a pool of actors ready at a moment’s notice in case we included characters that suited them. In addition to that, we had to have a variety of locations in mind that we could shoot in depending on what our story ended up being These considerations, along with making sure we had the right video, audio and lighting equipment ready at a moment’s notice, were key in making sure we could pull it off. Although we didn’t use it, we also had a vehicle on standby for transporting actors, crew and gear in case we had to travel any distance to shoot.
People get hungry and thirsty, so hearty snacks, water and juice also needed to be on standby and transportable. Shooting where we did in Los Angeles, we made sure we had plenty of sunscreen and umbrellas in case we shot for hours in the blazing heat.
Advice for future entrants
Advice I have for future entrants is to be flexible, open minded, highly creative, resourceful and above all, remember that it’s all about having fun. If you don’t have fun making the movie, the audience probably won’t have any fun watching it.
We asked our cast to share how and why they got involved in this film project, and to share any thoughts they had with us. Not surprisingly, all these wonderful, unique, diverse, talented individuals support diversity on screen. They have either experienced the exclusion themselves, or know fellow actors who have. We all feel it’s time for change.
We want to thank all our amazing cast and crew for your honest and committed participation in this project.