Abling the Disabled - Helpful Hints

Enabling the Disabled - Helpful Hints

Hello fellow screenwriters:

My name is Jennifer and I work alot in the film and entertianment industry as a disability technical consultant from script concept to on set to editing. I have helped writers who would like to include a deaf or disabled character but don't know how to do so. Or perhaps don't have the access to expertise in these subjects to help them with advice on developing characters, working on the actual film (when you sell it, and I KNOW you will!). If you have any questions about incorporating deafness or disabilities into your scripts (whether it be in theme, subject or a character), feel free to contact me or see the website on my signature to find out more about what it involves.

As a member of the tri-union Performers With Disabilities (PWD) Committee and president of the PWD Task Force, I volunteer to work with other performers to get access and work in disabled specific or non disabled specific roles. I myself was not born disabled or hearing impaired and when I lost my hearing I got my PhD in Psychology with a specialty in deafness & disabilities and am a fellow on the American Board of Disability Analysts and other similar organizations.

Deaf & Disabled persons are everywhere and every able bodied person could become a disabled person at any time and would love to see more writers include them in their stories (film or otherwise). :Cheer:

Hope to hear from some of you if you'd like more information! Would like to say "rock on", but will say "Write On!"
Jennifer

Advice & Information vs Advertsing


Joe

What a tactful guy you are, Joe!
"My opinions don't matter much, unless they help you get a sale. If so, you better buy me lunch."


You see joe, your quote says it all: you are all about self promotion and actually think that your advice will help someone sell something. Instead you are taking it upon yourself to edit and play with the first ammendment and put someone's free speech (and EDUCATIONAL not PROMOTIONAL) piece in another place on the boards where it may never get seen.

Actually I don't think that's tactful at all. Clearly information and wanting to educate writers about the other people that exist in our world to include them in stories, poems and scripts is instead looked at as "SELF PROMOTION"????
It was an article and educational information for all writers who should have access to it so all can learn about including this basically NON EXISTENT population in novels, TV & Film. Putting it in self promotion, and a comment by someone saying what you said is "tactful" had to have been sarcastic because if it wasn't - then you are exactly the people who need to read and learn to include others in all writings. Step outside your safe world and into the reality that is living with disabilities and take something and LEARN from it. It was in NO way 'self promotion' and you moving it there was putting MY information out as if I am putting it there as an advertisement which it is NOT. You should not be the judge and jury on what is and is not education versus self promotion.

In explanation to the information and why it is not a direct 'how to" :

Hi everyone.

The reason there is no 'advice' set forth in the post is that that kind of advice could take up an entire book. It was a way to introduce the subject to writers and see that hiring a technical assistant/producer who works with writers from conception is something that needs to be done. When and if there are projects being done, I often don't hear about them until the script is done, with lots of stereotypes and incorrect infomation included and thus the job of the technical advisor/producer is made much more difficult or the project becomes less of a truly believable project which perpetuates the stereotypes of disabled people and also perpetuates the belief in the business that just throwing in a character or theme in a story is enough to make it believable, acceptable and worth watching hiring non disabled actors and not having the full information needed to make the project truly honest and based on assistance given as part of the job in development.

Since all disabilities are different and each person in each category of disabilties are different, I can't just write something giving 'advice'. Then I'm basically writing that part of the story. However having worked with writers many times before from the concept on, and where they send a script and I can advise on where to include a disabled character or provide the advice or consulting for the project, I can't tell someone who or what to include but since ultimately from page through casting through production and even editing, involve a great deal of work, there have been deals made that there is a co or 'and' writing credit given when developing the story and contractually am put in to be the technical advisor that goes with the project.

So I hope you understand that I can't just write a simple piece to a thread that could include information on every disability or how, who or why to include someone is something that then is where I'm already working on the story to help find a place with each individual story and each indivudual writer, one on one, where it can't be written in a threat or thrown together in a short piece where actual general information on how to do so or how to create it is still putting me in the actual development and creative process of the script. Which is great, but it can't be done in one thread. The amount of information and how to kind of advice on including the disabilities of some sort, role, mention, and anything from lead roles to mentioning a character that may not be seen or things such as that, I hope you can understand why it cant be just written out to give away all the work it takes to make it happen and the creative work and writing and inclusive and cooperative work it takes to create these projects are something that cant' be done on a message board.

This is the type of a thing that could be put in a large book but otherwise, by being approached by individual writers who have script ideas, or even scripts completed and want to add a unique character that is disabled, or somehow include the essence or even to scripts that are already in development for production, these things can still be added by adding a character which involves a whole different area of advice and consulting which is why it is part consultant/advisor/writer/producer kind of role.

The technical consultants on shows like Law & Order, any medical show or film, any police film or show have techincal consultants who most of whom, used to be cops and work in every aspects including being on the writing staff to make sure these shows are as well done as they are and which is why they win so many awards: because the techincal advisor/producer has made sure, at every moment from script conception thorugh editing, that particular specialty they're hired to do, is being done appropriately, truthfully and that's why these shows win awards and get so much attention: because they are so realistic and so true to the nature of the characters - because there is someone there who is working from point 1 to make sure it works that way; with the writers, directors ,producers, actors, props, set, costumes and so froth. The same goes for including disabilties: there are projects done that don't include that and think they can just stick it in there somewhere or mention it or just hire the disabled actor (or not) but nothing is being done realistically and it's nto the actors job to know what is happening in all areas of the project to give it the reality that does not show stereotypes of anyone in the project.

So this is why I can't just make a checklist of sorts saying do this or do that or giving ideas in a bulleted list of 'ways to include the disabled'. It doesn't work that way and doesn't help anyone with one sentence that merely gives someone an idea that goes from that part of script development to the screen and in the old game of telephone with 2 cans and a string - lose everything realistic in the translation and make the project not easily fixed by bringing in someone last minute.

I've done both: beginnig to bring brougt in last minute and I can do both but being brought in last minute one week before filming for casting and then hving to fix script issues and other important problems that occur can be easily fixed by involving the expertise early on. Like having a pilot flying the plane who did the take off and let the student do the run and the landing.

The techs who work and write for these other shows are on set 24/7 and working in every aspect to assure realistic views of the police department or whatever else the specialty is. As of yet there is no category for excellence in this subject for the Emmy's or Oscars, but I have won all the awards possible to win on projects I've worked on - everyone. Whereas other shows/films that have been released without the TA set up have been absolute disasters where the actor has not had any leadership, the writer hasn't had anyone lead or help them (or have used interpreters and so forth, who do not have the qualfications to do these jobs).

The projects set next to those who include this work from the start are left as roadkill and leave audiences with the same old stereotypes that they've seen or with an untrue presentation of the disability or the character or story, that leaves the disabled fighting the same fights regularly because it was shown in a movie as being incorrec or having any progress that has been made, set back years, to where those subjects portrayed are left without any positive or realistic image to show the truth. It's not just about including the disabilities in selling the script and the PR and attention it can bring (which it does) but the work needs to startin the development by working with someone who does know how things are said, shown or expressed.

When I worked on one move for ABC and a TV show for Disney I was on the phone and faxing back and forth and having meetings regularly so the script and the portryal would be at its most realistic and then casting the best people for the jobs who could bring that to live. If I did that kind of work with every person who presented an idea to me on a regular basis to work on this, all my time is spent on that and then when do I get to actually work? I was paid for these projects. The writers wrote their rough draft (which was not close to the final) brought the knoweldge of having them have to hire a qualified individual who specilizes in this sort of thing brought in and paid, and thus the scripts were improved to be excellent and truthful works that truly came together forthe project. Just as the screenwriter needs to get paid, or rights need to be paid for or other research has to be done and worked on for the script, I also need to have a way to live while working for the art.

I'm sorry that I did not include specific ideas. The title of "Enabling the Disabled" did not lead toward : "this is a how to article on including disabled stories, themes or characters". It was what it was: simply saying, include the disabled in your projects: we are everywhere, just as the African Americans had to fight to be included and Native Americans to be cast in their roles ; all involved having someone there who specialized in it: a dialect coach, a techincal advisor, producer etc.,and now its time to show disabilities in all corners of the globe where we all live and portray them in our projects in roles that are not just 'disability specific' but in roles where they are not the 'poor disabled person" but the judge, lawyer, whatever. so when I did write it I'm sorry if some seemed to get that it was an instructional piece on exactly how to do that instead of just a piece on inclusion.

That's it. I'm sorry if you were expecting something else but I did try to find a title that approached the subject for what it was.

And being put into another category where everyone might no see it to have the grain of that thought put into their head is a conflict. Every writer on here wants to sell their goods, puts their work out there for people to see in hopes that someone may see it or read it and they can compete in writingcompetitions which makes the site in and of itself 'self promotion' of their wares. My thread including this one, are merely informational in nature to include this.

In reading all the writings on the boards and so forth, you can see where this subject is not touched on at all, and I felt it needed to be brought to attention of the writers who can create these roles, ideas and characters in their writing and then knowing one connection that would be available for professional consultation and workon the project to guide it to the truths that aren't shown for the disabled: instead we're shown as victims or happy go lucky wheelchair ballerinas.

We fit the roles of judge, DA, the doctor and more,:Smack: and it was just a post to help to educate the members on how to be more inclusive in their writing. but separating it and putting it in a self promotion instead of like any other educational piece of information to improve, educate and enlighten writers saying its an ad for work is not true and is unfair.

I'm working as a producer and coordinator for an international disability film festival - volunteer. This information and the post were given to hopefully plant the seed that inclusion is what is needed to truly create a world through our stories and scripts, books and poems to include people of all kinds and not to ignore the visibile or the invisible disabilities that surround us in every day life.

Hopefully this will give you more information but being pulled by saing it was not educational so it was put into 'self promotion' is not tactful; its judgemental and is denying that putting information out there that is clearly not, and no matter what you do is taken to the wrong intention istead of : hey how about including deaf or disabled people in your projects is inappropriate If i wantd to do that i'd say write a role for a deaf woman with 2 phD's and here's my picture and resume. The links that were added were because there was more extensive informatoin on exctly what a techincal advisor does. if people who read the post had actually gone to that you would have found LOTs of useful information on why it's so included.

if you were writing a script on the NYPD would you do it without trying to get an actual member of the NYPD to help you make it reailstic? or would you write a story on the peronal effects that happened on 9/11 from your apartment in Idaho as opposed to talking to somene like me who was there? No i doubt you would - that is the information I was passing. But when someone takes the writing and puts it into self promotion instead of in threads where all writers can benefit from the knowledge is wrong. And comments like "how tactful" show just how not tactful it truly was.

Sorry I tried to help educate the readers on subjects that should open minds as writers and as human beings but it seems that in education - there is still the same of problem of people assuming its self promotion instead of educational. But you should leave articles that are there to reach all members who should know how to write what they may want to write in a positive way and not continue to write disabled characters as the pitiful person that people stlil tell their kids not to stare at. Being a deaf and disabled person - I found your taking my writings and information that it was clear a few people found interest in, and chose yourself to move it to an area where it would see like I'm selling lemonade by the roadside, is inappropriate.

For those who thought you were getting a cornocopia or a book of directions on the subject, I did explain that above but feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions. Regading the project on "little people", I can help you with that or put you in contact with someone who can. I'm glad to see one person appreciated it for what it was a small piece with pieces of info take from the title "Enabling the Disabled". I've written articles for Emmy magazne on "Demystifying the Deaf" and other publications on this subject and no one is looking for a how to, hold your hand give me everything I need to write the story. If you have a story and want to include this type of thing plese feel free to contact me.

Although now that Joe has taken it upon himslf to put it in a self promotion area, I doubt very much the essence of the post which was the seed of inclusion will ever be seen because actual editing and someone else taking freedom of speech and deciding WHERE that freedom belongs.

to Maryn

Maryn:

You are not being ignored by your question but I don't spend all day online or on this site to check threads and so forth, so I wasn't ignoring you. Please don't think that a day or a few days perhaps, would denote ignoring your question. I just got online today and saw all the responses and its a lot to take in and digest and find a way to respond. Therefore, I apologize for your very valuable and interesting question you posted, and I'll try to give you my take on the subject:

"Not with the intention of hijacking this thread, but I'd be interested in knowing how the disabled view the phrase "differently abled," of which our school district is quite fond.

Maryn, who now returns us to our regularly-scheduled thread"

The use of the word disabled or differently abled, just like the words used such as "hearing-impaired" vs "deaf" are all very subjective and also individual to each response. None are really considered 'wrong' or 'inappropriate' in a general way. I think they are looked at differently by everyone. Many able bodied people want to be as politically correct and respectful as possible by using terminology like "differently abled" versus "disabled". There are deaf people I know, actually most of them, who hate the term "hearing impaired"; while I, as someone who was not born deaf, do not find the term at all offensive. Nor do I, as a disabled person (spinal disabilities from domestic violence), find being categorized as "disabled" a problem. I really think it's a personal view and opinion of the deaf or disabled person who is viewing it or hearing it, that may want to be viewed or labeled by a terms which for them, provides self-empowerment, versus someone else's description of their person.

That unfortunately is the only answer I have for you: each person looks at each term in their own way and from their own set of circumstances. I think erring on the side of caution and respect that you feel as a writer is the safest way to go and then no offense would be taken because you are not writing anything with a negative intent.

I hope that helped a little.

(*one note: deaf and Deaf however are two different things as described in the Deaf world. Persons described with a "D": denote those who live a culturally deafl life, versus "d" which is used to describe deafness or a person who is deaf who perhaps became deaf due to age or does not use sign language or live in the "Deaf Culture" Community. "D" Deaf persons, use sign language and have a different view of perception as a culture not as a handicap as opposed to someone who is deaf, who may not want to involve themselves in the Deaf Community. For statistical purposes: the population of deaf persons is larger than the population of Deaf persons. The Culturally Deaf, is a much smaller population of people with hearing loss, statistically, in this country.)

To the rest:

For those who are mocking my degrees, or my lack of punctuation or spell check, or perhaps run-on sentences: give me a break. I'm not writing here to be judged on my thoughts and typing them as fast as I can think them. (BTW some of you should spell check your own.)

Saying I didn't check every post on the board (and someone said I had said I had seen every post; which I did not say), and don't know my 'audience'. I say you're wrong: I do know my audience. Instead of asking intelligent questions, specific based on something you're writing or want to write, you want to go into 'bogus' awards and so forth. Perhaps that's just jealousy rearing it's ugly head: it sure looks that way to me.

However for others who have real questions: please feel free to ask me. If I can be of help to answer them, I certainly will. If I do not know the answer, I will find a place for you to get the answers you need. I unlike some people I've seen posting after my post and the comments I've seen - DON'T know everything, but do have a level of expertise that can be of benefit for those who need it.

For writers who write about their own disabilities in length: CHEERS to you! That is where most people do get their information and it is highly important that people do write about their experiences whether it be in fiction or non-fictional arenas. This is how many people will get the proper education and information on how those of us with disabilities live in this world, which is often quite inaccessable to most of us. For those like Jenna who have her own experiences through her brother, again, another avenue where people are educated by someone's direct experiences with a disabled person. It is through real life experiences and real life expressions from those with disabilities directly, that all of us can learn more about how each person lives and thrives in this life, despite how we were born, accidents or things that have happened that have given us a different view of the world than those without disabilities.

Re: Joe and your different view of how you look at your foster son: more power to you. I only hope that for his entire life he has someone like you who will always fight with the 'powers that be' who will want him to do 'special' this or that; and will fight for him to have a wonderful, happy, productive life that is happy and successful and gives him and you, reasons to rejoice in the successes that happen every day. Unfortunately there are lots of people in the schools and so forth, who will want to continue to drag him (and others with disabilities) down to what "they" "can" do.

With lack of education or sensitivity in the world there will unfortunately always be people who will look at him and say "he can't", but he will know he can and it's all in the knowing you can because SOMEONE believed in you. "Success" is relative: I have a friend who's daughter is severely disabled and when she reacts to certain things in a cognitive understanding, it is a huge leap and a huge success.

He (your foster son) will do very well and be very productive and happy knowing that he has had your support in knowing he CAN and that disabled does not mean "NOT ABLE"!


For anyone who wants to eat at my writings here and how a dissertation committee wouldn't put up with this or that: I am not speaking to my disseration committee and don't really care what you think about how I write my notes here or if I want to continue withone continuous thought without even a pause or using any form of sentence structure or punctuation. Bottom line is I've written and defended 2 dissertations, many articles, several scripts and my first play was optioned and played Off Broadway fora year. So instead of those of you who are wasting your time blowing smoke criticizing me, perhaps you should do something better with your time.

Bottom line is, I have the credentials and the resume and the experience both personally and professionally to offer suggestions. But as I said: I am not going to put in paragraphs of pieces of information that are opinions on various subjects. Instead, I offered you see the site and if you have questions about specific things you are or want to write about, I'll do my best to help out with. Now, based on some of your reactions, I'm apprehensive about helping anyone. However, I do not want to punish all for the actions of a few, so if there are any writers on the boards that want some information or some assistance that I may be able to give you, I will try to help you as best as I can or direct you to a place where you can hopefully get answers to your questions.

and, I AM a Deaf woman with two Ph.D.'s. I also happen to be Deaf, but I am a DEAF woman and I'm proud of that and when I lost my hearing ove 20 years ago, I became part of the Deaf world and Deaf community: my using sign, and sign language and being a proud Deaf woman is something I don't compromise and I liken it to someone (a friend of mine) who says she is a "Black woman with a PhD", not a woman with a PhD who happens to be black: I look at being a "D" deaf person who is involved in Deaf culture and Deaf rights, something to be proud of. It was not until AFTER I lost my hearing that I went to college and went on to my Ph.D., it was not until AFTER I became Deaf and disabled that I turned alot of things around and did things with my life I probably woudln't have normally attempted. So yes I am proud to say I am a DEAF WOMAN WITH TWO PHD'S.
Don't get 'politically correct' with someone else's culture or views of their own life or how they describe it; that's one thing about including disabilities - you can't speak for us or try to grammatically (or politically) try to improve the way we describe ourselves or anyone else.