Day 37 of 40 Day United States of Autism Movie Shoot
Today was the lat big day of shooting for our families across the nation, and we ended in a great place in Albany, NY with the Washburn family. Starting bright and early at 8:30 am, we made our way to Camp Colonie, a camp sponsored by Easter Seals for children of special needs. Headed by Chuck and Mitch, and attended by both CJ and Buddy Washburn, the camp was an amazing example of what can be done when committed individuals dedicate themselves to having a good time with kids and special needs. There were a ton of smiles, and Chuck and Mitch should be commended for their awesome work!
Afterwards, we went to interview the Washburn family of Gary and Trish. What a story there is! It was exciting to hear about Trish’s work on the political level in NY, especially since she’s just an average mom who kind of got drafted for the job. The interview itself had a lot of tears and heart-felt emotion, and was a wonderful example of what has to be overcome for families to move forward in their lives.
We then went on to interview State Senator Roy McDonald, who has 2 grandchildren on the spectrum and is head of the Autism Caucus for New York. He loves having individuals like Trish advocating for families and looks forward to the autism movement gaining speed in the years ahead.
At the end of the day, we ended up at Buddy and CJ’s hippotherapy space called Everybody Counts in East Berne, NY. We got some great footage of the kids working with the horses, and had a wonderful time to boot.
We were sorry to have to say goodbye to the family, as we had a wonderful time. We look forward to coming back when the film is done to the Albany area for sure!
Alas, our time on the road in America has finally begun it’s journey home. The next 3 days of shooting are in Pennsylvania to finish up the story. Be sure to check out the final stages of filming the next few days. We love you all, and can’t wait to hear from you!
Day 36 of 40 Day United States of Autism Movie Shoot
We had two interviews today which weren’t families directly, but they certainly impact families around the country. The first stop was with Dr. Kenneth Bock from the Rhinebeck Health Center, author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders, who is considered by many to be one of the best DAN doctors in the United States currently and an expert on environmental toxicity. His thoughts on what’s happening with the environment, how to treat individuls on the spectrum, and his ideas for what will soon replace DAN as the top structure for biomedical and integrative treatments was thorough and enlightening to the crew and we’re sure soon to the rest of the autism community interested in the topic. It was also interesting to note that the little town of Rhinebeck was quite a zoo with Chelsea Clinton’s marriage less than two days away. We’ve never seen so many people in Rhinebeck!
We then made our way out to Sheffield, Massachusetts to meet with Raun K. Kaufman, the former CEO of the Autism Treatment Center of America as well as the subject for the NBC TV Movie Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love. Once diagnosed with an IQ of under 30, his parents developed a unique therapy called the Son-Rise Program which allowed Raun to recover fully from his condition, graduate from Brown University with a degree in biomedical ethics, and live a unique and full life. We had the opportunity to sit in on a class that he taught to people attending from around the world, as well as an impressive interview later on. What is most unique about Raun’s story is that though he was once on the spectrum, he no longer thinks of ASD as part of his core identity which separates him from the other self advocates in the film. We talked about his future plans outside of autism, as well as the work he’s done with thousands of families at the Center. He was most engaging, and we are excited to have his unique perspective in the film as well.
We left for Albany where we’re preparing for our last family tomorrow. Also, NBC 10 from Philadelphia posted their story from this past weekend. Check out the video here. We love you all, and can’t wait to hear from you soon!
Day 34 of 40 Day United States of Autism Movie Shoot
Today we interviewed Dr. Ezra Susser, MD, DrPH, who is an epidemiology professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, as well as a board member at Autism Speaks and one of the speakers at the most recent United Nations Global Autism Initiative. Dr. Susser was incredibly engaging and wonderful with giving his time towards the film. He talked about what is happening on the global level, what his thoughts were on how the condition was increasing its numbers, and a lot of the controversies surrounding the movement. It was mind blowing to say the least.
Afterwards, we went out to NYC to get some b-roll of the city. Be sure to check back tomorrow when we interview our next family in Long Island. We love you all and can’t wait to hear from you soon!
Day 32 of 40 Day United States of Autism Movie Shoot
Our crew had an amazing time today in Philadelphia with the Neibauer Family and our trip to Sesame Place. We met David, Holly, Robyn, Kathryn, and Diana at Sesame Place first thing in the morning along with a news crew from NBC 10. The parade was fantastic and the family and crew were able to have a private meeting with some of the characters, including Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Bert and Ernie. Even though it was 110 degrees with the heat index, everyone had a blast and the people will be blown away by what happens at Sesame Place in the final film. What struck us the most was the way the Neibauer family were so at home in the amusement park, a rarity for families with such chaos going on.
We then left to the Neibauer’s house and spent time with an amazing and loving family. The interviews were fantastic, and the heart of the family really came through. It’s obvious to anyone who seems them interact that through all the ups and the downs, there is a lot of love in that relationship. We were excited to capture it on film, and for you to see it soon.
Tomorrow, we head to New Jersey for our last day of filming before our 3rd day off during the last month. Be sure to come back tomorrow and check out more pictures. We love you all, and can’t wait to hear from you soon!
Day 31 of 40 Day United States of Autism Movie Shoot
We left Washington DC today to go to St. Andrews School in Middletown, DE. It is the place where the 1989 film Dead Poet’s Society with Robin William’s was filmed, as well as the boarding school Richard Everts graduated from for high school. As such, it had a tremendous part to play in the story, and the crew did a fantastic job of capturing the location. Included in the shots was the most dangerous location we’ve attempted, which was a 50 foot climb straight up a ladder with all our camera equipment, with only enough room to go one at a time. Suffice to say, it was a hard fought shot, and Cassie and Rene did a great job of going the extra mile.
We spent a few minutes at Amanda’s point as well before we left. For those who don’t know her, she was an amazing young woman who passed before she could graduate while Rich was at school. On her memoriam is a poem she wrote just before she was lost. It spoke to her character and courage, and her spot is a place of reflection and peace on an otherwise hectic campus.
Be sure to check in with us tomorrow as we get to visit the Neibauer Family and take a side trip to Sesame Place. In the meantime, we love you all and can’t wait to hear from you soon!