I really believe that the main reason there are
not more films that feature those with a disability is because too
many are afraid of the risks that people will not want to see
someone in a wheelchair going through things that are unimaginable
to them. And a reason why that is is because there isn't that
many films about those with a disability that do not focus on the
disability. Therefore there isn't anything to break down the
negative or at least uncomfortable stereotypes that audiences can be
exposed to. Catch 22!
I have the answer - film producers do not have
the stories! There is not enough stories written that feature
characters with a disability in many different aspects of their
lives. If you have not seen my "Feature
Films" page or more specifically the "London Time" and "Forever Yours" treatments and script
excerpts, then I strongly suggest to go there and read
some. Then the vision of these Other Stories will
become even more reel to you. Here is a variety of
different topics and situations.
Although directing, being on set and bringing my
vision to life is my first passion, I found that writing has
become a close second. I love creating and found that writing has
brought me a lot of satifaction. I started writing because
there were not any stories about paraplegics I could make or adapt
into a film. So I got busy writing and like most
with passionate structure and developed characters the
stories quickly begin to write
themselves!
I currently have a dozen stories
that I am copyrighting and publishing as my short story book. I plan
to develop each of these stories into feature length scripts.
As soon as the short story book has
the copyrights and is (self) published I will post the stories here
in their entirety. Still feel free to browse here - I have
copyrighted my entire website and am just waiting back for the
submission to be reviewed and granted from the time of
submission.
Meanwhile, to show you my diversity not only in
the genre, and topics but also in the approach to Breaking the
Stereotypes of Characters with a Disability, here
are short descriptions of them. There is a lot more to
each of them but this will give you an idea and hopefully desire to
read them when they are posted!
"Surf's Up"
- Jack "Crusher" Cahill was paralyzed from a surfing accident
17 years ago, as a professional surfer, now attempts to keep his
life from spiraling out of control. Jack refuses to accept that
his fame has faded, his business is failing and his son is following
in his shadow as he is now a pro surfer and vying to be this
season's surfing champion. Complicating all of this is typical
father-son challenges, a supporting girlfriend who is tired of being
taken advantage of, the mother of his son seeking legal means to get
more financial support while restriciting his visitation rights and
his own abuse of alcohol and denial. Will everything continue down
this road destined to end horribly or will he find himself before
everyone else loses their desire to be
with him?
This short story is finished and I have
decided to add it here as another taste of my idea of Breaking the
Hollywood Stereotypes of Characters with a Disability!
Just like the script
treatments, excerpts and storyboards on the other pages, this is in
pdf format and you will need Adobe Reader. If you do not have Adobe
Reader click here to download a free version. 
Or if you prefer, I have made a page
dedicated to the story. Click here: Surf's
Up
"Up, Up and Far Away"
- A writer's single-engine plane crashes in a remote area
of the Rocky Mountians while he was piloting and traveling
alone to retreat to his summer home and work on a new
novel. He wasn't expected to be in contact with anybody until
he finished. Now without anyone knowing he is missing or crashed,
he has to survive by himself with his damaged
wheelchair all the while hoping to
be rescued. If the wild animals do not kill him, how long
will he be able to live in this environment with
his limited mobility, physical challenges and new injuries from the
plane crash?
"Downsizing" - A
reclusive paraplegic mega corporate owner runs his
empire from a multi-million dollar wheelchair accessible
home. Known as a beast to be around, everyone except those employed
and required to be there leaves him that makes
him even more bitter and lonely. Suddenly he receives a
rare visit. This one from a beautiful woman trying to save her
father's job that he lost by the corporate downsizing. The
beast requires her to stay at his estate as he decides her
father's fate. Although reluctant she does for her father's
sake and she ends up seeing past the
beast's faults while showing him to himself in
this contemporary tell of "Beauty and the Beast."
"Spinning Wheels" -
Three vignettes about paraplegics searching for love. The first is a
man who cannot get a date. Women find him to be strong in spirit,
understanding, sensitive, and inspirational as they often confide in
him but none see him as a romantic interest. He struggles with
acceptance or even be considered as a whole man, personal
loneliness and the lack of physical connection that can only be
found with intimate contact and relations. He becomes involved
with paid escorts as he feels it is easier just to pay for it then
to do without. But what happens when he finds a regular escort who
specializes in GFE (girlfriend experiences) he takes too far and
despite paying at the end of the date he he begins to believe it is
real?
The second is a married man in a loveless marriage. He got
married because he feared never having another opportunity. Now he
wishes he hadn't doomed himself with a very demanding woman who
treats him more as a servant than a spouse. Would it be better to be
alone, possibly for the rest of his life or have an affair with
the desperate housewife next door or stay married with this
overbearing woman?
The third is a single man who never has
trouble dating. Charming, good looking and commitmment phobic he is
considered Don Juan on the local scene. But a woman who
captures more than his one night stand
attention must choose between her Romeo, a gentle, sweet,
caring, hopeless romantic and this Don Juan, a very satisfying
lover that makes her feel like a celebrity. As he promises
everything including quiting his skirt chasing to win her heart he
must face the reality if he is doing all of this because
of his emotions for a real relationship with this woman or to
win the competition because he hates defeat!
"Travelin' Man"
- Thomas became very effecient with the internet and
hacking after he survived a spinal cord injury 10 years ago that
left him a paraplegic. His computer became a wonderful
connection back to society. Here he found that one
is accepted regardless of what they look like and besides
the personal use he found a way of making a very
comfortable living. Thomas is hacking into and
"re-routing" funds from international, offshore bank accounts from
the clients of major accounting firms who set up dummy
businesses for tax shelter purposes. He justifies it by saying that
it is their own fault and they owe that to the government anyway so
that maybe he could actually live off the Social Security Disability
check instead of the mere $562 per month they have been sending him.
Even though most of the accounting firms were unaware of the
withdrawals until tracing him is nearly impossible - one has and
that is because of the contacts from the client, a well known and
feared Organized Crime boss. One that would make Tony Soprano look
like nothing more than a school yard bully. This mob boss hires
hackers to trace the funds and hired killers to chase Thomas
down and eliminate him. After the first encounter with the hit
men, Thomas has to leave without anything from his apartment and
flees the country. On the run he tries to stay one step - or one
roll ahead of them as he takes off and travels all around the world.
But despite the fact that his being in a wheelchair has helped in
some circumstances, it has hurt in others - Who has the
advantage? WIll the killers find him before he is forced into
hiding forever like a well known terrorist in the caves of
Afghanstan? Or will he have the courage to finally stop
running and hiding and turn the gun on them?
"First and Goal"
- A college football coach who was paralyzed as a college
player 20 years ago challenges his players to live life to the
fullest and in the meantime the team challenges him to play in
the Blister Bowl - a wheelchair football tournament held annually.
Who learns from whom as the teacher becomes the student?
"Double Action" - An
action movie star is paralyzed in an injury on the set from an
accident resulting from a stunt her insisted on performing
himself. Now that the action roles are no longer being offered
to a paraplegic actor, he concentrates on in dramatic
roles where his acting is praised by some critics but
the public won't take him seriously as he has to overcome both his
disability and own stereotype as an action hero.
"Live to Ride and Ride to
Live" - a man who was paralyzed as a teenager 10 years ago is
inspired to fulfill his life long dream of riding a wheelchair
adapted Harley-Davidson motorcycle across the country
to the Daytona Bike Festival. This road trip is like none
other!
"Transaction Fee" - A paraplegic man
takes everything society dishes out to him quietly. Limited income
from Social Security, bus lines not being accessible when they are
supposed to be, restaurants and other businesses who comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act - making sure there is an accessible
entrance, even if it is not in the front, and an accessible path to
the restroom but nothing more and getting to a table is
like a cat trying to go through a maze built for a mouse, and the
countless people he comes in to contact with and their
attitudes. A shy, quiet introvert who rarely lets
things get to him. Then like clockwork he rolls into
the bank to add some money to his checking account and avoid a
overdraft fee. Actually he just says that so he can
see the bank teller whom he has had a crush on for
the past year. This time he shows up for different reasons. Two
nights ago he was at a restaurant where he over heard this beautiful
bank teller telling her friends how this disabled man seems to be
hitting on her at the bank and when questioned if she would
ever consider going out with him, she laughs and makes a joke of the
whole idea. Now this quiet shy man in a wheelchair has brought a gun
into the bank and holds everyone hostage. Suddenly he is very
outspoken and is going Postal!
"Lights, Camera, Red
Light" - An aspiring filmmaker tries to change public opinion
of those like him with a disability. Frustrated that none of
his writings of scripts, books, short stories, magazine and
newspaper articles are taken seriously he is inspired by the one
person who has always believed in him and his cause even though
he may never see her as the romantic interest she wishes to
be.
"Smile for the
Camera" - A beautiful supermodel finds out just how much
public opinion is tied to her self-worth when she tries to
resume her career after she completes her rehabilitation from a
paralyzing accident.
"Suicide is Painless"
- A paralyzed woman unwilling to endure constant pain, lack of
mobility and independence causing more stress than she is willing to
continue to bear day in and day out wants to terminate her life.
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