Conquering the Catch-22

There are many situations in life that we find ourselves in the Catch-22. I have in a few situation but none like the one that I have been stuck in for the past 18+ years. It didn’t start out that way. I attended the Art Institute in Dallas for its Music and Video Business courses that incorporated the instructions and hands on approach for music production, video production, and the business classes to become successful within either industry. I had success in all courses but found a real passion in video production as a writer, director and editor. After school, I worked as a freelance camera operator, production assistant, writer, and whatever I could do to make a little bit of money in the music video field. In my free time I worked on transitioning my career from the limited storytelling in music video creation to becoming a screenwriter and director in the film industry. I found what was the most fulfilling in my life. I loved every bit of it and I knew I was going to make it.

Of course there were some ups & downs over the next couple of years. Just as things were looking promising, I had a life-altering accident that left me paralyzed from the mid-back down. Due to the nature of my work at the time, I had no medical insurance and the fall down the stairs was a no body’s fault but my own. Quickly all savings and money on hand was gone and obviously I was unemployed. Regardless, my passion and determination to be a filmmaker was not paralyzed with the bottom half of my body! In fact, I found that my dreams had become more focused and refined – as a paraplegic filmmaker I could create films that portrayed people with a disAbility in authentic, genuine and non-stereotypical ways that would show all that can be done and is being done by those with a disAbility. This would provide a new and realistic look at paraplegics rather than the stagnant and fairly hopeless lives that the entertainment industry usually portrays. This would give hope and inspiration to those living with a disAbility.

Within a year, I founded and served as Executive Director and President of the not-for-profit organization, “Wheelchair Independence”. With the goals to produce videos and a resource and social gathering website to help newly injured paraplegics become independent, I and my board of directors went to work in 1996 when the internet was still a new entity and no such website existed, nor did any videos to help the newly disabled and the professionals who treat and serve the disabled were available. Unfortunately, we found a major Catch-22 in fund raising and grant proposals. 80-90% of all private foundation grant money for each fiscal year is already committed to organizations such as cancer research to local operatic houses. All other not-for-profit organizations are fighting for the remaining 10-20% of grant funding. And despite our efforts we not find the acceptance needed to sustain the needs of the business and in 1998 I had to dissolve the company.

I was not deterred and instead went right back into following my real passion and dreams of being a filmmaker – to write and direct fictional films for mainstream audiences that featured a paraplegic in the starring role. And I was determined to hire only an actor with the same or similar disAbility as my featured character. Established and independent Hollywood did not welcome these slightly “out of the box” ideas of hiring a film director who was a paraplegic nor hiring an actor who is a paraplegic to portray the paraplegic character that I created in my screenplays. Even those that liked my pitches and accepted my screenplays to read and possibly purchase, wanted the characters and plots to be more stereotypical. I made some changes but they continued to want more stereotypical changes, I finally refused and pulled the screenplays from submission. Hollywood seemed content to keep business as usual and exclude paraplegics from portraying and representing themselves in movies. So I took the next step and followed the Hollywood gurus’ instructions to be a successful filmmaker by creating an independent production company and created, “Abilities United Productions”.

Now armed with the creative screenplays, and using my business skills and experience, I quickly went to raise the necessary capital to turn this start-up into a fully working production company. Only I found another major Catch-22. And again it was in funding:

• Traditional funding sources, banks, venture capitalist, and even angel investors do not fund high-risk companies even with the potential for high-returns, such as the nature of the movie business. Even with the assistance of the Small Business Administration which I first had to prove to them that being a member of the disability minority was a disadvantaged group and deserved to have that status, I was still turned down and told to take my business to the entertainment industry’s avenues of funding.
• But when I went back to Hollywood seeking assistance, now with a specific brand – the Abilities United Productions providing the authentic voice, vision, and representation of paraplegics – a brand with a business model and plan to capture the “golden egg” for most businesses by reaching and retaining an underserved niche market (the disAbility consumer market that is 54 million Americans strong and is the largest and fastest growing minority in America) with universal mainstream market appeal – I was still was met with the same resistance as before as they felt paraplegics were not necessary and would only get in the way.  

With this Catch-22 having me spinning my own wheels in circles – I changed directions and spent considerable time and effort to reach another option for independent filmmakers and for one like myself who has a cause. A noble cause that would at least get to pulling at some heart strings, along with the fair & equal opportunity for those who are not treated as most other minorities. And with the business model and business plans that I developed – I could show the real opportunity for social responsibility, critical praise worthiness, and commercial success:

• Hollywood star power – and ask for their assistance in helping me attract the funding and attention of those who could assist me in this historical “turning point” in American cinema. I was sure that would help overcome and even conquer the Catch-22 was I surrounded by. But all I found was another Catch-22. I could not get past the agents, or assistants of the actors, actresses, directors, or producers unless I had the money to produce my films. I could not even get their time to explain the cause – the need for their assistance to overcome this huge injustice, along with the simple solution that my business model, plans, and films would provide. I had to have the money and be ready to produce my film before anyone would even listen. I have a database with well over a hundred of the power makers and players and documented every time I attempted to contact, who it was I directed the conversation with, and how, i.e.: phone calls, letters, emails, faxes.
  
• Throughout this process, I did find some individuals who saw that this was a very good opportunity to invest – but as it turned out most of them were posers – those who said they had access to investors, to hedge fund managers, etc. – but
  when it came down to it – I never got in front of the person or persons who can sign on the bottom line and they never produced any real investors.

And then came the 2008 economic recession. Nobody was going or was able to invest in independent films.

Over the years, before and after the economic crises I have tried many, many other independent filmmaker options. From the well-known to the not so well known, such as:

• Sundance Institute – tried to apply but they said it is not wheelchair accessible. Even the Sundance Film Festival isn’t accessible to most of the seminars, etc.
• Film Independent the organization that produces the Spirit Awards for independent films and the Los Angeles Film Festival also has several programs to develop and help independent filmmakers and promises to help those who need it – but you have to already have a majority of the help in place! I know because I applied to several of their Filmmakers’ Labs, the programs to help independent films and filmmakers but was turned down for every one of them.

Despite the many obstacles and objections from all of the standard methods of raising capital for my production company I vow not to quit. I will find a way to conquer the Catch-22 that unfortunately happens to be 10 times the factor most other independent filmmakers encounter. I will continue to find opportunities that offer a chance for independent films, disAbility causes that seek to help improve the images of those with a disAbility, seek the support from Hollywood individuals, celebrities with the power to help make a change, as well as potential angel investors that have a personal interest in seeing people with a disAbility portray and represent themselves in non-stereotypical, mainstream, fictional movies and television programs.

Hollywood Hypocrites Have New Ally – Uncle Tom Mobility

Audiences often applaud the diversity of the movie or television program when they see a character from a minority group – especially if it is more than a small supporting, token role and instead is a featured or starring role. While that is often worthy of praise for inclusion of minority characters in their film or program, what most people – the moviegoers and television viewers don’t see – is how that role is created, portrayed and represented. This is certainly true for the minority characters with a disAbility. While the debate of the fair and equal portrayal of racial minority characters in the entertainment industry continues for positive changes in the authentic racial voices, visions, and performances, right up to the top ladder with authentic representation in the executives’ making the decisions at the movie and television studios (see the NBC Universal – Comcast Merger controversy and the proposed new race minority owned television channels), allowing for real representation.  It doesn’t even compare to how fair or rather unfair and unequal the portrayal and representation of the disAbled minority are given in today’s movies and television programing. And this selective diversity in Hollywood of which minorities to give authentic, fair and equal representation to and continue with the Standard Operating Procedures of exclusion of those with a disAbility is done openly and the best examples of this is when a character with a disAbility is easy to fake.

 

Hollywood has a history of films and television shows that have characters with a disAbility but the most recognized, used, and faked disAbility is those with a mobility disAbility – such as a paraplegic character. It is the easiest to fake. To any able bodied actor in any wheelchair and voila – you have an instant disAbility minority represented character that proves the movie studio or television network is inclusive and diverse. Oh, and don’t forget, with a named recognized actor and the proper publicity, you are 90% guaranteed to win critical praise and possible Oscar nomination and an award winner! Do not mess with the Hollywood success model for portraying a disAbled character. This is gold, baby!

 

Who cares what actual people with a disAbility thinks or feels about someone faking their struggles, their challenges and trials that they deal with every moment of every day? 

 

Fend off a few small protests from paraplegics and disAbility advocate groups and the general audiences will forget all about it when the movie is released. This is the standard practices for dealing with portraying a mobility disAbility character. Most in the entertainment industry have been doing it this way for so long that many do not even see what is wrong with this discriminated practice. And because of Hollywood’s decades of spoon feeding these very limited paraplegic portrayals that most audience’s accept any able bodied actor sitting in a wheelchair, who has been following the instructions of an able bodied director, who is interpreting the words on the pages of a script that was scribed by an able bodied writer. Their standard operating procedures will usually have all these individual creative forces educate themselves on how to fake being a paraplegic. Thus usually includes reading a book by a paraplegic, spending time with a paraplegic and if it is an able bodied actor, he or she will roll around in a wheelchair at home or in public to get the feel of it. And in some cases, the producers will hire a paraplegic as a consultant to teach the able bodied actor, and sometimes to be on set to give advice. This is what qualifies the able bodied to know what it is like to be a member of this minority group. And of course this is enough to properly fake the portrayal and represent those with a mobility disAbility. This is how it is done behind the scenes of a Hollywood production. Effectively excluding paraplegics or others with a disAbility from the creative roles as writers, directors, and actors. All audiences see is a new movie or television program that is praiseworthy of being diverse with a paraplegic character.

 

Dare Not Cross the Line

 

Critics of this argument and the history of the Hollywood accepted practice of not using a paraplegic actor will immediately reply that this is what actors are trained to do – to fake – to pretend – to bring to life the make believe! And I would agree, but, there are certain lines that you do not cross in this job, this talent and business of make believe – and that line is pretty clear when you fake having a “specific identity factor” – such as a minority status – based on gender, race, ethnicity, etc. Of course there are some exceptions, and that is when the character is faking the minority status, i.e.; “Tootise”, “Mrs. Doubtfire”, “White Chicks”, “Tropic Thunder” and others, when the audience is in on it and this is usually for comedic effect.

 

What about those with a disAbility? Why is it okay to cross the line and fake having this “specific identity factor” of having a disAbility so accepted? As stated above this has been done for so long that nobody questions it, but also because most in the entertainment industry and some in society do not even recognize that those with a disAbility as a minority. But by all definitions, in word and spirit, those with a disAbility are a minority group. In fact, it is the largest and fastest growing minority in America. Along with being identified as a significant minority consumer group in 1997’s “Packaged Facts”, a report that was the first consumer study on the disAbled community – all proves that those with a disAbility are a minority. In addition, let me repeat that being a member of the disAbility minority group, just like many in a racial minority group will tell you, that the specific reason that classifies you in a minority group, affects most if not all aspects of their lives and therefore is a “significant identity factor”.

 

I am a man, I am a paraplegic. And as a paraplegic man, I am a member of the disAbled minority group. And whether I like it or not, my disAbility, my paraplegia, my use of a wheelchair for personal mobility, is who I am. It is not all of who I am, but it is significant enough that it is an identity factor that makes me who I am. So rightfully, I get offended when anybody fakes being a paraplegic – you have no idea what it is like to live with paralysis with all of the physical, mental and emotional demands and challenges, and the disadvantages socially, economically, and environmentally unless you live life with paralysis.

 

This offense includes the faking of being a paraplegic in movies and television. Not all circumstances, but in most fictional roles in movies and television, it is offensive to me as a para. I have identified these times when I can see the value and when it is necessary to fake the disAbility status in previous articles and blog posts. And the most offensive is the way all of those with a
disAbility are viewed and treated in and by Hollywood. As if being a paraplegic or a person with a disAbility is nothing more than a mere medical condition, that those people are not a whole person, or even recognized as a member of a significant minority group and therefore not deserving the same type of respect for our own voice, our own vision, our own authentic portrayal and authentic representation in movies and television. And I know as a paraplegic filmmaker, trying and sometimes pleading with Hollywood to give me a chance to prove that we as paras can make a difference and represent ourselves, but they do not want the tree to be shaken or the Standard Operating Procedures that deal with paraplegics or others with a disAbility to be tampered with at all. If there is going to be any changes, they will do it themselves, so they can be heralded as the ones that make for real inclusion – they do not want or need a paraplegic to do it or even help do it. This is the Hollywood I have been dealing with since becoming a paraplegic in 1995.

 

The Real Betrayal

 

Although most of Hollywood is fine with their unfair and unequal portrayals that are stereotypical in their characters and misrepresented by able bodied people. And they are fine with how they justify these images and limited portrayals in movies, television and the media. This the how Hollywood continues to care and treat people with a disAbility when it comes to inclusion, or rather exclusion in the entertainment field. After all my years, dedicating most of my life to my work as a para filmmaker, I have come to expect this in and from most in Hollywood. But the one place that I, and others of us who work or try and work in this industry, that would have our backs and full support to make a change, a purposeful and genuine change, in our portrayals, in representing ourselves and in defending our rights to a fair and equal opportunity in these creative roles that will eventually have an impact on the entire community of those with a disAbility – is the very community we are part of – the disAbled community.

 

The disAbled community and all of their sub-groups, such as those that I am part of as a paraplegic, the mobility disAbility community, I have had and expected would always would have my back (no pun intended) and will have the backs of all others – not just paraplegic filmmakers like myself, but other paraplegic screenwriters, directors, and actors! I never thought they would lower themselves to justify the way Hollywood portrays a paraplegic character and how the Hollywood media supports this justification. Or so I thought!

 

The Trouble with Never

 

Here we are in 2012 and the saying that you should “never say never”, well it is proven by this year’s “New Mobility” magazine’s “Person of the Year” edition making a television character, a person and naming that character as the most significant person of 2011! Using the same techniques that would make the Hollywood machine proud, by jokingly and sarcastically titling the article “Seriously? Person of the Year? Artie Abrams, by Allen Rucker.” Artie Abrams is the name of a paraplegic character, portrayed by able bodied actor, Kevin McHale, on the popular Fox network show, “Glee”.

 

Do they have any idea how far this sets us back in all of our efforts and work to make a change in how Hollywood portrays and represents us? Do they care how Hollywood will now be able to point to this justification article when they create and promote another paraplegic character in a movie and/or television program that is completely stereotypical and completely portrayed by able bodied Hollywood people? Hollywood will now not only just sweep it under the rug, and deal with a couple minor protests when a new movie or television program features a paraplegic – but they will say, “See even the paraplegic community thinks our justification is justified. They think our ways of portraying them is fine!”

 

I can easily pick apart this entire article. And I thought I would when I first started writing this entry. But instead I will pick out a couple that really stick out to me. Allen Rucker writes about one episode, the ninth episode in the first season titled, “Wheels.” He summarized it with the premise that the school is unable to afford to rent an accessible bus to transport the glee club to a competition. So the club director has the club members put on a bake sale to raise money for the bus rental. From here Mr. Rucker than takes time to point out one of the poignant scenes as Artie is all alone and performs a solo of the hit song by Billy Idol titled, “Dancing With Myself.” And then remarks, “…you’d be hard pressed not to react to this performance, especially if you were in a chair yourself.” Which I would agree with. It was a good song for a solo. Especially for a wheelchair user. I have been known to do the same – and not always when I am all alone. I will whenever the mood and the song strikes me.

Allen Rucker than concludes this feel good review with more praise for the episode on how it concludes “In a sympathetic nod to Artie, the episode closes with every Gleester in a chair doing a choreographed performance of John Fogerty’s “Proud Mary.” Twisting and turning up and down ramps, none of the performers ever leaves their chair during the number. Again, nothing like this has ever been seen on a primetime drama. There are groups of real wheelchair users who regularly perform dance routines, pop and classic, but never in front of 7.35 million American TV viewers, along with 3.5 million others in Canada and the UK.”

 

Missing Crucial Points

 

But in all this justification for how good Artie is for American television, Allen Rucker fails to point out some other significant points that deal with how people with a disAbility are portrayed especially in this episode. As I have pointed out in at least two previous blog entries, Glee is Everything to Everyone and Faking A Minority Is Okay In Hollywood and I will again here because it is very significant and I can only wonder why Allen Rucker, who is a person with a mobility disAbility, did not mention this when writing about this episode.

 

For years, through all my interaction, and all my rejections, all the times of being dismissed or ignored, I had come to the conclusion that Hollywood must just not understand how those of us with a disAbility feel when someone fakes being a person with a disAbility. But as I watched this episode the most significant scene was near the end of the episode when Artie and his Glee club classmate, Tina, whom he has a crush on, are on a date. They are both rolling in chairs (I will explain why Tina is in a chair later) through the hallways and having a fun time. They stop for a while and Tina kisses Artie. Then she has something to confess.

 

Tina: “I have to tell you something. I’ve been faking it.”

Artie asks, “Faking what?”

Tina confesses, “I don’t have a stutter. I pretended to have one in the 6^th grade because I didn’t want to give a speech on the Missouri Compromise. I was really shy and it made people think I was real weird. So they left me alone. And it wasn’t until Glee club did I realize how much I was missing. And I don’t want to push people away any more. You understand what that’s like, don’t you?”

Artie bows his head and then raises it to respond: “No, I don’t. I would never try and push people away because just being in a chair does that for ya. I thought we had something really important in common.”

Artie rolls away.

Tina stands up and apologizes, “Wait, Artie, I’m sorry.”

Artie stops and turns around to face her: “I am too. I’m sorry you get to be normal and I get to be stuck in this chair the rest of my life and that’s not something I can fake.”

Artie then turns back around and rolls away.

 

He rolled away from the beautiful girl that he had a crush on because she was faking a disAbility. Artie was so offended that she faked having a disAbility, even though it was not the same disAbility, but just the mere fact that she was faking it was so deeply offensive to him that he rolled away from the best chance a complete geek in a wheelchair was ever going to get with a beautiful girl.

 

WOW! The writers, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan (who are also the co-creators of the show) – they “get it”! They get it that people with a disAbility are seriously offended when able bodied people fake having a disAbility. So, Hollywood does understand how we feel – they just either don’t care or are hypocrites.

 

Allen Rucker didn’t “get it” when reviewing this episode. Well, he does mention at the end of his article when reciting the storylines that involve the Artie character he mentions, “Artie falls for a girl named Tina because he thinks she has a disability, too — stuttering. When he finds out she is lying, he dumps her.” This is similar to nearly all of the able bodied reviewers write about this scene. Most say that Artie broke it off because Tina lied and/or because they no longer had something in common. But a paraplegic, and other with a disAbility would see between the lines and see the truth of this scene – he is offended by her faking her disAbility and his final line of dialogue proves this. And Allen Rucker should have seen this and pointed it out. But the significance of what happens in this scene is both revealing and hypocritical. I wonder if the writers, director, and/or especially if the actor were a paraplegic, there would be more emphasis on the faking part and the audience and the able bodied reviewers might have understood this scene and how we as paraplegics and people with a disAbility really feel? That would be a breakthrough and some real depth to the character. That would mean a lot to disabled community – people would get us and isn’t that what everyone wants – to be understood?

 

But wait, it does not stop there. Even more in this “Wheels” episode is insane and offensive. And not just to those with a disAbility but to all people. This requires some set up – some that was left out of Allen Rucker’s review of this episode. The Glee club director, Will, not only has the club members put on a bake sale to raise money for the accessible (well in the show they call it handicapable) bus, but he also makes all of the members to become wheelchair users. He gets them all wheelchairs for a week and each of them have to spend a certain amount of time in their chairs. And these are not the semi-affordable basic hospital chairs. These are expensive chairs that are similar to Artie’s chair. So at school and at the bake sale we see them in chairs rolling around. Will does this as a lesson to teach the students a little what it is like for Artie, and as we find out at the end of the episode, they are using the wheelchairs in the Glee competition in a choreographed routine. So they have had these chairs for a while. (As a side note and nothing to do with Allen Rucker’s analysis or rather simple review of this episode – but to repeat, the writers and trio of co-creators, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, and Paris Barclay the director of this episode – I wonder if any of them questioned or had someone research what the cost of renting wheelchairs – especially 11 or 12 of them for a week would cost? I would bet it would clearly cover the cost of a handicapable bus for a day or two!) Okay so that is the setup – the reason why Tina and the other glee members have wheelchairs and brings me to the other outrageous scene. Glee student character, Rachel Berry figures out a way to help fellow Glee classmate, Finn Hudson, who needs to find a job but has not been successful. So Rachel devises a plan by having him “fake” being disAbled and continue using the wheelchair. Rachel and Finn, who is in his wheelchair, go into a small restaurant and Rachel immediately grabs the attention of an employee;

 

Rachel: “Excuse me. Are you the manager?”

Manager: “Yes.”

Rachel: “You need to hire my friend Finn. He’s clearly handicapable and refusing to hire him can be seen as discrimination. My dads are gay and unless you want the full force of the American Civil Liberties Union coming down on you, I’d work something out.”

 

Finn gets the job and as he tells other students that he got it but that he has to use the wheelchair while he is at work. He says that it is worth it!

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

 

Can I get the “American Civil Liberties Union” to come down on Murphy, Falchuk, Brennan, and the Fox Network for “refusing to hire” a “handicapable” paraplegic actor for the role of Artie Abrams? Because to me that “can be seen as discrimination.”

 

And…

 

What message is this sending?

 

Every person with a disAbility should be employed! If not every person with a disAbility only needs to threaten to sue if they are not hired. Employers better hire someone in a wheelchair or they will be sued for discrimination. Or that the employers better run and hide when someone with a disAbility comes in and might ask for a job. I can go more into what kinds of messages this sends, and I again wonder about the storyline here as it brings me back to the wheelchair rentals. Maybe they were not rented but rather purchased? Otherwise Finn will have to continue to pay for the weekly rental as long as he is working and that will take a big chunk out of his part-time paycheck!

 

BUT this is about Artie and being the Person of the Year.

 

Instead of focusing on what the Artie character who is portrayed by an able bodied actor and what kind of representation or rather misrepresentation this character is sending out, Allen Rucker spends more sugar coating on how many people and the specific demographics that the show and the character reaches. Justifying the casting processing, which was good to finally find out that they at least auditioned a paraplegic actor. Before this article, I read articles that had Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk never address or answer if they auditioned a paraplegic. All they ever went on about is that Kevin McHale was “right for the part”. Oh, and how, Chris Colfer had auditioned for the role of Artie, but when they saw his audition they felt the need to create a new character, a gay teen student. An authentic character – an openly gay actor playing an openly gay character. Now if they could have done the same for the openly paraplegic character. Allen Rucker discovers from “an interview with Robert Ulrich, one of the principal casting agents for Glee” that he tried to find actors in a wheelchairs but didn’t find any in the traditional avenues – the traditional talent agencies. But he took the extra step and contacted “the Media Access Office, a service funded by the state of California with the express mission of connecting people with disabilities with employment in film and TV. The MAO office submitted one such actor, Toby Forrest, a performer and musician”. Really, the MAO only could find one actor to send over to audition? Allen Rucker goes on to say that after the audition both Robert Ulrich and Toby Forrest felt he was too old for the part. “So they ended up casting an experienced musical comedy talent in McHale.” Yeah right. I looked him up on the imdb.com website and his acting experience was very limited before “Glee”.

Still, how does this article become the “New Mobility” cover story?

 

Just as in the “Wheels” episode, people with a disAbility are offended when able bodied people fake having or pretend to have a disAbility. I am and I know many others with a disAbility, especially a mobility disAbility are offended by an actor faking that they have a disAbility. And I am so surprised that Allen Rucker would write this article. As I mentioned earlier that he himself is a person with a mobility disAbility and what I did not mention is that he used to work in the entertainment industry. Although it was primarily before he became disabled. I have read his autobiography, “The Best Seat in the House” where he talks about how this kind of portrayal by able bodied actors are offensive. So he of all people should know what this article, a cover story on a major publication that serves the mobility disAbility community specifically, would be a major setback for those with a disAbility working or trying to work in the entertainment industry. There are already many obstacles for people with a disAbility to work or even dream of working in the industry and now Hollywood will use this article to perpetuate their continue use of able bodied people as actors, writers, and directors and dismiss those of us who have real passion, constantly developing skills and talents toward one day working and expressing them in film and/or television.    

 

In a supplementary piece to this article, “New Mobility” editors quickly responds with a “Q & A” as to “Why” they selected Artie as the Person of the Year. And their answer is;

 “We’re pleased that so many of our readers are commenting on our choice for Person of the Year. Our intention was to rattle cages and create controversy. Now we hope our readers will turn to discussing the issues that the choice brings up.

In 1988 Time magazine chose “The Endangered Earth” as their “Person of the Year” to bring attention to very real problems facing all citizens of the earth. In the same way, “Artie” can be seen as a catalyst for discussion for the disability community. The fact that we are so invisible in our media, in our entire public discourse, and that the most well-known wheelchair user is a fictional character … what does that tell us? How does the public — not to mention legislators and policy-makers — view us as individuals and as a community? If they draw conclusions based on fictional characters as portrayed by nondisabled actors, what does that say about our public image, our real-life choices?

The truth is, we are not honoring Kevin McHale, nor “Artie,” nor anyone else. We are questioning why people with disabilities are not accurately or sufficiently represented in our culture. We agree with our readers: “Artie’ does not represent us in any realistic way. But he does shine a spotlight on us. What will we do with the attention?”

It is a fairly good answer. Their “intention was to rattle cages and create controversy” and if the most recognized wheelchair user is a fictional character “How does the public — not to mention legislators and policy-makers — view us as individuals and as a community?” I ask them the same question that I am asking Allen Rucker, do you have any idea how much this article, with all of its attention, which you admit was your intention, will have in Hollywood and for those with a disAbility trying to work in Hollywood?

 

Hollywood Pays For Readers & Opinions

 

Most in Hollywood will not read the article. They will use the cover of this “New Mobility” issue as a tool to continue their standard operating procedures of hiring able bodied actors and others in the creative roles that people with a disAbility could easily do if given the opportunity. And as I supposed above that Hollywood would bring it down to its simplest terms and even distort the actual article and wave this issue as a flag to say “See? Even people with a disAbility like how we portray them!” They will not read it – and if they do they will see only the parts that sugar coat and praise all the good the Artie character does for people with a disAbility. I know this as I have tried for over a decade to bring up the issues and provide a simple solution to the problem of exclusion of people with a disAbility. I have created the business blueprints, in terms they require and creative works that breaks the standard stereotypes, but as soon as they hear the word “paraplegic” or a “person with a disAbility” they quickly turn off what I have to say or read anything I have written. I know this from hundreds of experiences of dealing with every angles within Hollywood from the indie scene to the studios. And I know Allen Rucker knows this too. And he should have explained this to the editors of “New Mobility” and convinced them that if anything, this article should only be published as an entertainment article somewhere in the middle of a Spring or Summer issue and not a featured article with the highest attention of a “Person of the Year” issue.

 

The New Allies

 

And this is why I have titled this blog article “Hollywood Hypocrites Have New Ally – Uncle Tom “Mobility”. Hollywood has long been hypocrites when they proclaim they are the champions of the underserved, the means to give voice to those who are ignored, misunderstood, and/or to bring light to issues of inequality in our society. As they have to some, like women and racial issues, but are hypocrites when it comes to those with a disAbility. In fact, instead of champion the ignored issues of those with a disAbility, they nearly ignore the disabled all together, and instead exclude the disabled in the limited times they do feature a person with a disAbility. And as the episode in Glee spoken in the “New Mobility” issue and in this blog article has proven, Hollywood does know how offensive it is to those with a disAbility to have anyone fake having a disAbility – and they bring up this issue using an able bodied actor faking a disAbility! That is the pure definition of a hypocrite. And as for an Uncle Tom? I guess every minority group has to have one or two, and now the Mobility disAbled minority officially have theirs.

 

Hollywood’s Industry Versus Individuals

“That’s a fact, Jack!” – Although any “industry” is made up of the people who work within it – the “system” is a set way of doing business and the people within that system are often relegated to remain conducting themselves within the guidelines of that system. But are they one and the same? Do the individuals within the industry feel the same way and/or are simply fine with the way the business is run? Do they ever speak out if the injustices that are blatantly being practiced within the system are offensive? Even if the injustices do not apply to them directly? That is the question I keep asking myself about the Hollywood “industry” and its system of business, and the “individuals” that work and prosper in the business, and even have the power of directly or indirectly changing the injustices within that system – will any of the businesses, organizations, programs, or individuals stand up for those that cannot stand up for themselves?  

The Hollywood “Industry”

It is obvious to anyone who will spend a little time really looking at the Hollywood system of business and the common practices within the business, or will pay but a slight attention to my blog, website, or creative work, that Hollywood is an “industry” that blatantly discriminates against those with a disAbility. And thanks to the television series “Glee” episode 9: “Wheels”, from the first season, we finally know that they know it is offensive to those with a disAbility to fake having a disAbility. But because they used an actor who is faking that he is a “paraplegic” character who is the offended person that another character faked having a disAbility, it seems okay to preach about how offensive it is even if they do not practice what they preach! So, does “acting” like a person with a disAbility become exempt from the definition of “faking” a disAbility? Where is the line drawn between acting and faking, between acceptable and unacceptable, between offensive and inoffensive?

 

And regardless of how the “industry” feels about this issue – does it really matter if it is faking or not? And if it is not offensive to the masses does it really matter who is offended? It does to those that live with a disAbility and especially to those with a disAbility that have the ability, the training, the passion to be an actor, writer, or director and do so without faking the disAbility! And even if the able bodied population does not care who plays the paraplegic – does it matter if those who are paraplegics care who portrays and represents them in the very limited movies and television programs that feature a paraplegic character? This goes well beyond merely caring about or the popularity of a particular actor who is playing the part, but goes deep into who is portraying and representing the minority status of a character.

I have tried to explain how important this factor is before and because I think it is where most people are either unaware or simply do not care, and addresses the line between “acting” and “faking” I will attempt it once again! There are certain “identity factors” that we now consider as “faking” no matter how good the “acting” is and have become unacceptable except for certain circumstances more prominently for comedic effect that we do not “fake” or “act” a gender, race, or age group. These are important identity factors to an individual person and the group of people they represent. For instance, a man does not play the part of a woman, unless it is for a plot reason and the audience is in on it such as in “Mrs. Doubtfire”, or “Tootise”. Nor does a white person portray a black character unless it is for a specific reason that the character is “faking” such as in “Tropic Thunder”. And also it is not appropriate to have a teenage actor portray a person going through a middle age crisis or as a retired person living their golden years unless it part of the plot like in “Freaky Friday” or “Like Father and Like Son”. Although there were times in the entertainment “industry” that these were acceptable portrayals – because women were not allowed on the stage, and at the beginning of the “motion picture business” blacks were not allowed on the stage or in front of the camera and therefore it was acceptable for Al Jolson to portray a black character and sing black folk songs while wearing a black face to portray being a black person.

There are some factors – like those that go toward a person’s identity – that you do not “act” and you do not “fake”!  

Now the question is whether being a paraplegic or having any ADA defined disAbility is a worthy identity factor?

Well since the majority of the time people with paraplegia are often referred to as a “handicapped person” or even as I prefer as a “person with a disAbility” the language is part evidence that it is often an identity factor in who I am. And the visual elements that I cannot hide or be in the closet for since my disAbility as a paraplegic is very obvious – using a wheelchair! This also presents the social aspects in which many “wheelers” find themselves in most of the time – where able bodied people will “talk down” to us. This is partly because of the physical need for a standing person to look down to address a person sitting in a wheelchair and that sometimes cause the subconscious to speak down to the person as well. Not to mention that in our society it is often presumed that a person with a significant disAbility is not a whole person – is less of a person and that is manifested in the way a person often communicates with a wheeler. I have 15 years experience as a paraplegic and this is not only my perceptions but research on the disabled that I have read.

We can also look at the legal aspects of this disAbility identity factor. When we look at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and its federal authority to enforce laws against workplace discrimination we find that the categories that are protected against discrimination of an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, and disAbility are commonly accepted “identity factors”. Yet even with decades of the good the EEOC has done in maintaining fair and equal employment opportunities for Americans in these most often discriminated categories – it seems it looks past Hollywood’s discrimination practices. I suspect that this is because of the legal loophole of having “dramatic and artistic license” to do whatever they want! And legally or morally the “industry” has corrected itself in its former discrimination against most of the EEOC categories such as for gender, race, color, as described above – and yet continues to disregard the category of those with a disAbility! This is especially true in the creative roles of writer, directors, actors who are paraplegics or have another significant disAbility.    

Look at it on a human level.

Try and imagine how it would feel for the nearly 6 million Americans (and millions upon millions more globally) who live with paraplegia, or another mobility disAbility to see upon the screen one of the few Hollywood paraplegic characters being portrayed by an actor who is a paraplegic! That would be incredibly empowering especially if it is in a non-stereotypical portrayal and in a mainstream movie or television program – not some documentary or Hallmark inspirational story!

One where the character and story is not all about having a disAbility but is also not ignored – one like the feature film project “London Time” with the title character, Detective London, a homicide police detective and Dirty Harry type character who happens to be a paraplegic!

The Hollywood “industry” has made it clear they are not interested in changing the limited portrayals and misrepresentation of people with a disAbility as is evidenced in:

• The history of movies and television programs produced that feature a character with a disAbility.
• Through the experiences of thousands of people with a disAbility trying to work in this “industry”.
• The first “industry” report on performers with a disAbility (commissioned & then published by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) over 5 years ago) showing that discrimination of performers with disAbilities in the entertainment industry – and the continuing efforts by SAG, who report that through a 2009  Casting Report proving these issues are still be ignored by the industry, stating that “this protected category continues to be left out. Fifty-six million Americans — 20% of the U.S.population — have a disability. Despite being the largest minority group in the country, people with disabilities remain virtually invisible in entertainment media.”
• A new report (and the only additional one, from the SAG report mentioned above, about the “industry” to also include those with a disAbility) published by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in their annual “Where We Are on TV” report for the 2010-2011 television season included for the first time, people with disAbilities among the categories to be included in the study of television series regular characters portrayed. It showed that “only six series regular characters on the broadcast networks, or 1%, are scheduled to appear in the upcoming season are people with disabilities.”

Those are the facts, experiences, and a fairly good look at the “big picture” for paraplegics and others with a disAbility being portrayed as part of the American scene – which is mostly being ignored and excluded from movies and television – but when we are seemingly reluctantly included in a movie or television program, the over whelming majority of those limited portrayals are done by able bodied – well intentioned, but still able bodied actors, writers, and directors – denying, repressing, and/or discriminating against self representation of the paraplegic people, for the paraplegic people, and by the paraplegic people!

The Hollywood “Individuals”

That is the Hollywood industry so what about those that make up the industry – the individuals? Will any dare to stand up for those who cannot stand up? Many will and do stand up for “cases” all around the world – but what about a “cause” that is in their own backyard, their own workplace?

Over the many years that I have been trying to get my work produced and raise awareness to this “cause” – or at least raise the awareness of how important it is to those of us who are paraplegics or have a disAbility in general – to the disAbled community in general and to those trying to work within the industry – I have tried every possible route to get help – from the traditional avenues, to the emerging and non-traditional routes in business, in show business, and even with the disAbled community. On occasion I have attempted to contact individuals that work within the “industry” to help me either raise the awareness of being given a fair and equal opportunity within the industry, or to help me get my work produced to show everyone what “doing the right thing” would mean socially and commercially when dealing with the portrayal and representation of paraplegics and those with a disAbility!

In 2006 and 2007 I spent considerable effort in contacting those individuals in the “biz” to do one or the other in helping me help millions of people finally have an authentic voice, vision, and representation in movies and television. I created an Excel database of Hollywood individuals and companies with contact info, when and how I contacted them and if there were any responses as they happened. This database of mine has well over 100 people whom I felt had the power, knowledge, experience, the heart from either being directly or indirectly connected to a person with a disAbility, or plainly would care enough that as soon as they were presented with the evidence of the discrimination and practices of the “industry” would gladly want to help us correct the years of injustice and provide a brighter and a real inclusive future for those with a disAbility. Despite repeated attempts with several of these individuals and always in a professional manner – I got less than 10 responses. Unfortunately, they all basically said that they thought I was doing a great thing, a wonderful job with a noble cause but none went beyond that and wishing me “good luck”! While I really appreciated any response it was very frustrating that there were so few of them and that none felt they wanted to “dirty” their hands with something they probably felt would go against the “industry” that they worked in.

Since then I have continued to do my work as both a filmmaker and an advocate for disAbility rights in Hollywood. And I have found that many of these individuals do not see any discrimination and therefore think it doesn’t exist! Yet not seeing it should be evidence that it does exist! Hollywood – the industry – has successfully kept us out of being portrayed and certainly out of any of the creative roles in the limited portrayals of paraplegics in movies and television. I am going to make another campaign of pleading to Hollywood individuals and although I am not Santa Claus – I am making a list and checking it twice to find who is naughty and who is nice to our cause!

The question is: should I publish this list – here on my blog or on my website? Maybe this way others – within and outside the disAbled community – will see who in Hollywood, who with the power and ability to help, will care and who doesn’t care about how we are portrayed and misrepresented. And maybe this will cause some to be more apt to help this “cause”? OR this could cause me to be blacklisted as some horrible person trying to make those who do not respond or help as “bad” people and further hurt my chances (on top of being a paraplegic in this industry) at being a mainstream moviemaker who happens to feature paraplegic characters. Will this help or hurt this cause of being the authentic voice and vision and determined to hire paraplegic actors in the roles of my paraplegic characters and therefore providing a completely authentic representation of paraplegics in Hollywood’s mainstream movies and television?!

(Career) Suicide Is Painless — & Could Be Successful

Well since there are very few options I have not tried in the past 15 years – this may or may not be a career suicide move – but I am at the end of my rope any way so do or die and if it is a suicide move it would be painful for me but maybe those in Hollywood – the industry and the individuals that make it work – will finally take notice and give paraplegics and those with a disAbility more than a passing glance or nod when it comes to being truly included in mainstream movies and television. I have been dedicated to this work and “cause” for so long now that anything that will bring a brighter future in the authentic portrayal and representation of paraplegics in Hollywood will be a success. 

Boston Legal Suit

I watched Boston Legal this week as usual, even though I don’t like being politically preached to every week, I love the characters and the actors portraying them. Including John Larroquette and his character who this week went on to sue the television networks for discriminating against the elderly! The similarities toward those with a disAbility that I have working and shouting about for years was remarkable! Only it is even twice, five, ten times worse with any representation for those of us with a disAbility have on television or movies (oh come on. At least the elderly market had “Murder She Wrote” and “Matlock” which is still in syndication. Its been 40 years since “Ironside” and no reruns on TV Land!).

Still the stats Larroquette’s character spoke about in and out of the court room is what had me cheering at the tv! Most were so identical to our cause here. From the market size which I forgot the exact number he said it was for the elderly Americans but ours of 56+ million Americans with a disAbility, to the spending power of the disAbled consumer market which for us in 2001 numbers is over $1 trillion in aggragate income and $220 billion in discrectionary spending power, both of which he quoted the stats of the elderly market of. to the market demographics of who is watching television (and I might add movies) and yet where is the targeted programing for either of these market segments of the most prolific entertainment consumers?

So kudos to David E. Kelley for bringing up the issue that should be as obvious as a white elephant of ignoring and even discrimination that are common in network and even cable network programming and production practices. Although it was part of the Boston Legal swan song with only 1 or 2 more episodes left in the series at least someone who is on network television has the balls to speak out against the networks! Now let’s keep the ball rolling (no, not Kelley’s balls!) and make a difference. Make our voices heard so that all of Hollywood will recognize the injustices they are unknowingly or uncaring about those of us in the LARGEST and FASTEST growing minority – which by the way as more and more Baby Boomers enter retirement age more and more will also join the disAbled community and therefore why it is predicted that the disAbled community will retain the status of largest ans fastest growiing minority for some years to come.

So listen up Hollywood Dearest. If 56 million Americans is not enough for you to give any respect to, maybe you will when that number becomes 70, 75, 80 million and the voices get louider. Do you really want to wait until you get your balls handed to you as its splashed all over the media on how repressive and disciminatory you have been before making a difference to a very significant market segment of entertainment consumers? When it will be revealed how negligent you have been to us for years – even after the warnings that I have been sending you and calling you about and that you CHOOSE to ignore. Will that be the crowning jewel or the crown of thorns in your contribution to entertainment, your career, your life? Call me!

Business to Resume

 

 

Well it does look like some really good news – the Writers Strike looks like it will end as we only wait on the WGA members’ vote that is expected to go through. Business in Hollywood has nearly come to a stop for the past 3 months as this strike has been going on – and now with it about to end I will look forward to seeing if that was one of the causes for the many I have contacted over the past 3 months and have gone un-responded – or if their non-response is just because they are perpetuating the Hollywood practice of ignoring & dismissing the authentic voice and representation of those with a disAbility! No more excuses! Talk business now that business has resumed in the industry or dismiss and hope I go away? I will NOT go away! This is what is suppose to be and WILL be!

 

UPDATE: Speaking of business here is an update to the best Win-Win for Abilities United and for James Cameron/LightStorm Entertainment and 20^th Century Fox – I did call on Friday (Feb 8^th) just as I said I would in the one page letter I faxed to LightStorm on Monday (Feb 4^th). I did get a chance to speak to a staff member who said he never saw any of the letters I have been sending once a month the past few months! When I asked if there was an email address he would like me to send it to – he requested that I re-send through the fax and that he would make a special lookout for them.

 

He did sound genuine and I did resend the Feb and Jan letters. The Jan 8^th letter was 5 pages long and as I mentioned to him in the cover letter that I addressed to him – the beginning of that letter presumed that the Dec letter was received and read but not to worry as the rest of the letter reiterated the background and the proposal of “Mutual Support” between us.

 

I have to admit that there is some expression in that Jan letter of my frustration at the industry that I also love, and I do hope that it is not taken the wrong way. I know that without getting a response from previous letters I have sent to Cameron that I also was a little blunt in some of the statements in that letter but never intended to make it threatening – ie: that if you don’t do this I will do this and you will be so sorry! Most of what I said could be read on the website page that I dedicated to the Hollywood climate on those of us with a disAbility, the issue of James Cameron and his new movie “Avatar” as well as throughout this blog. After all, it is as you all know – the truth. This would be the best solution for us both as I will give my full support to Cameron and “Avatar” even with the casting of an able bodied actor regardless of the circumstances that got him that job so long as I can honestly say that Cameron had no idea how deep this problem within the industry was until I brought it to his attention (after principal photography had begun & too late to recast the role) AND he helps us get the authentic voice and representation produced and preferably as the Executive Producer of “London Time.”

 

It is also the truth that if I cannot get some attention to the solution to these blatant problems soon, whether it is from James Cameron/LightStorm/Fox or from the industry as a whole – soon, then I will bring the attention to Hollywood. I will mobilize – like never before – the entertainment news media and disAbility rights advocates and groups along with all that are trying to work or dream of working in this business despite the incredible industry wide discrimination, stereotypes, and attitudes imposed on those of us with a disAbility. And possibly produce the documentary film that I have a blog post here on that will turn the cameras on Hollywood and name names to all of those whom I have tried to contact or been given a response to from their assistants and receptionists over the past couple of years in the details of my 12+ year journey to break the Hollywood stereotypes and discrimination of  characters and people with a disAbility.

 

I concluded the fax cover letter with a request to read through the entire letter despite these possible deterrents to finishing – to visit the Abilities United website and then to bring it to James’ attention and get back to me as soon as possible since my needs to launch Abilities United to the next level with the production of “London Time” has gotten to a critically point. So we will see what happens and I will update all of you as soon as I hear something. Hopefully that “something” will not be the deafening silence that most of the industry likes to respond with when we speak of these issues of authentic voices and representations of those with a disAbility! 

Who Will Join Us? Will You?

 

Well
the time has come. I am not going around and trying to sell my script to Hollywood. Mainly because
I am trying to sell an idea – a well thought out and constructed idea – but
even though the selling of one of my screenplays would solve a lot of – well
all of my financial woes currently – but there is too much more at stake when looking at whole picture and after all isn’t the picture business what we’re in? Not just for a
lasting career, but because of the mission of “Breaking the Hollywood
Stereotypes of Characters and People with a Disability” will take more
then a simple adding a character using a wheelchair and more than just one screenplay.

And
how can I do that? Especially when there is already a million guys and girls
out there trying to sell their one screenplay to make it big! Another reason is
the common knowledge or belief if I sell it outright of course it can be and
probably will be bastardized as Hollywood
beginning with development hell and going to a director who has to come up with
his/her vision of that screenplay to bring it to life on the screen. That
brings me to the next reason and that is
I wrote these screenplays so I can direct! I started out directing music videos in Dallas after attending the Art Institutes’
Music and Video Business and loved creating stories that I then filmed and
interlaced with shots from the band and other interruptions to the story.  I wanted to stretch it into film because I
loved being a director – being on set or location with all the crew and talent
and everyone asking questions and needing direction! It was the first time I
ever felt comfortable due to growing up with ADD! Along with the personal
satisfaction of putting it altogether in post production and then seeing a
story on screen that you created form a blank screen! So now film, movies were
where I had to take my career as I could tell stories longer then the typical 4
minute song. But after my accident which delayed my career into film – into
storytelling on film – and the direction turned to those with a disability – I
couldn’t find any stories that featured characters with a disability. There is
one exception but I didn’t find James Patterson’s “The Midnight Club” which he
wrote years before my accident until much later – so I knew I had to create the
stories so that I could be a storyteller on film and be a director. Now it was
time to learn screenwriting. Damn long way around for a guy who is usually
getting or wanting everything yesterday!

So
to be a voice that was true and honest it requires a director with a disability
to bring to the screen an authentic element to it. Of course it also requires
an actor with the same or similar disability but the nature of this project
would require that I be the one – not only because I am the writer but because
of the need of authenticity! So now I have written content-specific screenplays that have non-stereotypical roles and
plots. And they contain all the necessary elements that I have learned from
my screenwriting books, videos and guests at the Dallas Screenwriters
Association that would be commercially successful and therefore are universally
appealing.

Of
course after writing my first one I thought I was going to sell it for $100,000
and everyone would want me to write another! Yeah, right when the actual answer
was, write! So I continued and I knew I had something – I had what was not
being produced in Hollywood
or through independent means. But that was just a benefit in my mind after all I began all of this because I wanted to see
some representation of those who were paralyzed and living a life that didn’t
revolve around their disability – just like myself!

But
I also found out that it takes more then a great idea for a great cause to get
anyone to pay attention. It comes down to business and that means it had to
also be a great deal, business deal. So I then created the marketing and
distribution strategies that would make it a great deal – I have it all
together to be able to do what Hollywood
has not will answers to all questions and all elements except for one, great
support. If it has great support, meaning a
professional production budget and distribution deal, then it will be a
great deal. And that is where I am now. I put all of this together and formed
my Abilities United Productions company and now I just have to get the support
that can see the vision that I see. That can see the route that I have outlined
and created to make it a success. Now I have to find someone to join me. So instead of selling a script, I am
selling a concept that includes a great idea for a great cause that has the
potential to be a great deal.

 

As
much as I didn’t want to show my hand, it doesn’t seem I have a choice but to
show the whole hand to prove I have what it is that I say I have or at least
believe I have! This is so much more then just a movie with a character who
uses a wheelchair. I have defined my film projects to include the 3 elements I spoke of,
content-specific, authentic and universally appealing that are rarely if ever
combined in the same film. I have created specific
marketing and distribution strategies that take into account both the
disabled consumer market segment and general audiences. How the films by
Abilities United Productions casting of actors
with the same or similar disability as the characters will help end the terrible discrimination against
performers/actors with a disability which I also believe that name recognized Hollywood stars will be attracted to
our projects to help end this blatant injustice constantly being done against
those within their own field of acting and give us an advantage over other
indie films they are considering.

 

Capitalizing on the new James Cameron
movie “Avatar” that features a
character who is an ex-Marine and a paraplegic
– although it is by an able bodied actor (and not a name recognizable actor as
Hollywood justifies the use of in most of the previous movies with a character
with a disability) and Cameron is the writer and director and therefore has no
“authentic” element – but is being released in 2009 and will warm audiences to
featured characters with a disability in a non-stereotypical role. This is just
a huge benefit of not doing this all alone. And it is James Cameron the writer,
director, producer of the largest box
office grossing movie of all time and made him “king of the world” with Academy Awards for the Best Picture
“Titanic”! Along with my self and our featured actor rolling our wheelchairs
out on the talk shows to explain the similarities and the differences of our
film that will be released short thereafter. This will play a significant part
in educating potential moviegoers to the authentic voice and representation in
our films which will attract some ticket sales and especially within the
disabled consumer market segment when they see a movie written, directed and
acted by those with a disability. And the A-List co-star telling audiences on
the talk shows that one of the factors that first attracted her to the role was
helping to end the stereotypes and discrimination against actors with a
disability.

 

Knowing
that it will take more then a one time movie with all of these elements to
change things and make a lasting impact
in American Cinema changing the stereotypes and discrimination for all
current and future generations to be able to work on their talents, skills and
not be ignored or dismissed as those of us with a disability are today. And
because it will take more then one film to meet this Mission, I have them ready with a slate of screenplays and short
stories I will adapt into screenplays. This is a major reason for forming my
own production company, Abilities United Productions, LLC.

 

I
have every corner covered. I can answer
all questions and by reading my business plan many of them before they are even asked! I have
dedicated 12 years which constitutes all of my second chance at life to
creating what this is today and its potential for what it will become in the
future. A future with actors with a
disability become household names like any other celebrity without the
labels and categories!

 

And
now I am contacting all of the major studios, their independent divisions as
well as independent production companies that can partner with Abilities United
Productions’ and provide the great
support for this potentially great deal with a necessary professional
production budget and at least a semi-wide release distribution deal to make
the impact that history will record as the “turning point” for those with a
disability in Hollywood on both sides of the camera.

 

So who will join us?  Are you in? If so then say so in a comment below! Let everyone know, “you’re in” and when those who can
provide the necessary support resources do partner with us I will make it known
here first (unless they prefer to be a silent partner) and let history list
them when the time comes!

 

So will it be:

 

Disney

Paramount

Sony Pictures

Twentieth Century Fox

United Artists

Universal

Warner Bros.

 

Or

 

Columbia

Cruise/Wagner

DreamWorks, SKG

Fortis Films

Happy Madison Productions

Icon Productions

Jersey Films

LivePlanet

Miramax

New Line

Paramount Vantage

Picturehouse

Revolution Studios

Searchlight Pictures

Sony Classics

 

Or
one of the ones who I will contact tomorrow or the day after that? I am
contacting so many for a few reasons. One is that my formula for “Breaking the Hollywood Stereotypes of Characters and
People with a Disability” will be known throughout the industry as
originating from me! Second to create competition among them but I just wish to
get any attention and if they know I am contacting their competitors they may
want to be the “one” who will have the best of both worlds – making a significant change in American
Cinema, changing the history of stereotypes and discrimination against
those with a disability AND making a LOT of money!

 

And
the last but certainly not the least reason for the blitz of contacting as many
as possible is because I need this to happen ASAPP – I took the risk of taking my Abilities United to the next level and
have come into a few obstacles in which now I am totally broke – which is
obviously causing some problems with things like food, medicine, rent and
utilities and unable to move back home
to SoCal as this stepping stone from Dallas to Cali has lasted too long as
it is!

 

So
the time has come – and I completely believe that I have the whole package –
ready to provide unique films that are universally appealing, commercially
viable and to achieve our Mission
and Vision that will make Abilities United Productions the premier motion
picture production company that features those with a disability! Are you in?

 

 

 

Biz Update

Things with the formation of the business are moving along. And I am very excited about the current business environment with what we are doing in establishing Abilities United Productions as the premier motion picture and television production company that specializes in content-specific, authentic and universally appealing entertainment!

The marketing of this business with a unique mission is one that has to be aggressive and clear. Although we are producing films that have the starring character as a person with a disability, and primarily at this time, characters using a wheelchair(that is what I have written), and using only actors with the same or similar disability should attract those with a disability but are not exclusively targeted to those with a disability. Some think that our mission of using the content-specific material (meaning the screenplays that are written with the main character has a disability) and are authentic (meaning are written and directed by me, a paraplegic and are acted by actors with a disability) that they will only be interested by those within the disabled consumer market! That is part of the stereotypes that we are breaking! Although this is a point where I like to point to the facts that the disabled consumer market is the largest and fastest growing minority in America – with 54+ million – and a spending power of over $1 Trillion a year – which many other industries have now found out and are specifically marketed to attract – this is a great “Segment” of moviegoers that we hope will become loyal followers not only coming to future films that we produce but also buying the DVD and other merchandise from the current movie because of our realistic and honest portrayals.

Some come to these conclusions which brings concerns that it will only be attracted to those in the disabled community but do so without ever looking at the “universally appealing” part of our mission – without ever reading my scripts! But that is where nothing but another challenge lies!

There is a lot of concerns and questions but I can give an answer for each and every one of them! So now I am currently getting some attention and from those who will look at the whole picture – since I also point out that  James Cameron’s next  blockbuster movie – which is in production now – features a character  in the starring role of his futuristic, sci-fi, action movie is a paraplegic! And when the audiences go in droves to see this movie that currently has a release date in 2009 – Abilities United Productions will be positioned and therefore known for bringing characters and people with a disability to the front of the entertainment business – and when all the other studios want to follow Cameron’s success, they will know where to look for authentic projects – ABILITIES UNITED PRODUCTIONS!

We are in this for the long run – not just for one movie! Finally a production company specifically setup and doing this over and over again! That is what the difference is between the movies of the past that were produced and acted by well-meaning Al Jolson’s in a wheelchair! They were looking at just doing that one picture! I am getting investors to look at more then just one movie – and how this will become a “turning point” in Hollywood for all of those with a disability both in front of and behind the camera and the audiences too!  Look out – Here we come!