One of the main characters of the film, Dede Cheung, is an opioid addict. What I tried to do with this character and story is deeply personal to me (speaking from experience). Her story in the film is about her struggle in recovery. Lots of stories out there have been … Continue reading “LOVING AN ADDICT”
Taking in constructive feedback is akin to eating vegetables. You know it’s good for you, even if you don’t always want it. And throughout the process of putting together this film project, I’ve learned more and more that it’s all about process. The art is in the process moreso than … Continue reading “THE COLLABORATIVE ART”
Oftentimes in an indie film production (or even for a more mainstream film for that matter), the line between “development” and “pre-production” can be a nebulous one. To me, pre-production starts when the project is no longer a concept, but when we’re attaching actual elements (people, places, things) to a … Continue reading “START YOUR ENGINES!”
My producer and actor Jennifer Soo (who plays Laura Yip in our film FOR IZZY) mentioned to me earlier in the week about commenting on the recent controversy over Scarlett Johansson’s casting as Motoko Kusanaki in a live action adaptation of the Japanese anime GHOST IN THE SHELL (http://variety.com/2015/film/news/scarlett-johansson-signs-on-to-star-in-dreamworks-ghost-in-the-shell-exclusive-1201320788/). Not … Continue reading “THE INSANITY OF CYNICAL CASTING”
A recent article in The Economist (http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21696944-how-not-squander-potential-autistic-people-beautiful-minds-wasted) discusses how we as societies have to find ways to integrate those with ASD into our economic lives. So much of the research, resources and attention seem to be directed mostly to children with autism. And while it is essential to find better … Continue reading “A BEAUTIFUL MIND”
One of the more moving and surprising stories I read this week was an interview with a woman diagnosed with autism, and how that has impacted her relationship with her children (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dena-gassner-autism-diagnosis-mom_us_5706ad8ce4b0b90ac2719d08). This is just yet one more example of the true diversity of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). … Continue reading “BEING A CARETAKER WITH ASD”
As a writer, what inspires me to create a particular character often comes from gut feel. It’s not a conscious thing, at least at first, the reasons of which only become apparent with some distance. That’s why for a while, other than it just felt right at the time, I … Continue reading “HOW AUTISM CAN REVEAL THE SUBLIME”
As we are continuing to prep for production (woohoo!), I’d like to briefly mention the context with which I created the character of Laura Yip, an adult with autism. Autism is often misunderstood. Although there has been greater visibility in the western media (mostly through news and documentaries), its stamp … Continue reading “APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH”