In speaking with some parents who are taking care of their children with ASD, one of insights I gained was hearing about their biggest fears. They aren’t only concerned about what will happen to their children once they are adults (and where there are fewer resources to help them – … Continue reading “THE GREATEST FEAR”
One of the inspirations for writing FOR IZZY was to find a way to work with veteran actors Elizabeth Sung and Jim Lau again – both of whom were in my previous feature YES, AND… (and Jim being in most of my prior short films). And through the development process … Continue reading “BEING A SINGLE PARENT”
I received an email the other day from a recent college graduate who found me through my college’s alumni database. This person was asking for advice on being a screenwriter. What is ironic is the person giving the advice (me) is often the person who needs to hear it the … Continue reading “RESILIENCE IN FILMMAKING”
While our film FOR IZZY isn’t a soapbox for social issues, the lives of the characters impacted by addiction is underpinned by recurring struggles that many recovering addicts and their loved ones face. A recent article here (http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2016/05/opioid-addiction-treatment-focus) summed it up quite nicely: that treating addiction involves both addressing the … Continue reading “THE SCIENCE AND HUMANITY OF ADDICTION RECOVERY”
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”