A new film I'm producing this Fall will revolve around a documentary crew that sets out to portray the life of a man with cerebral palsy. Needless to say it will go badly (for the documentary crew, not my production crew).
Elbeck Keeton will be taking the lead role. He's just about the most insane actor I've ever worked with. (Insane enough to have palsy and act at the same time.)
My pitch for the film is as follows:
Elbeck is a 25 year old college student who has cerebral palsy.
His love life is on the fritz (and has been for a while). It's hard to meet a girl when your a full head and shoulders shorter than most of them, and walking with a cane to boot. This hasn't stopped him by an inch, and as a result he's earned quite a reputation around town.
Having palsy means that even the simplest of tasks take enormous amounts of time. Whether it's the kitchen or the bathroom or just getting into his BMW Elbeck moves so slow he might as well be an astronaut repairing a space station.
Giorgio is an (Italian) documentary film producer centered in Boulder CO, and he'll star as the man behind the camera. The first thing Giorgio notices upon taking the gig is that Elbeck is in dire fucking straits. He's slow as hell, and isn't getting lucky with the ladies. What starts as a documentary about raising awareness for the disabled quickly turns into a hodgpodge of attempts on the part of the documentary crew to help Elbeck with various parts of his life.
Does Elbeck need their help? Does he want it?
The situation grows tense as Elbeck's life begins to improve, many of the things he used to do are now done for him, and every care he used to have goes out the window. But should disabled people be treated like friends or British Royalty?
Just about every aspect of Elbeck's life is chalk full of humor. But Goergio and his documentary crew can't seem to see it, and never know how to act around him.
Our film will ask: What's more friendly than making fun of Elbeck's plight? After all, don't we poke fun at each other as a sign of respect in american culture? If so, what's more disrespectful than not poking fun at Elbeck?
This film isn't about raising awareness for people who have cerebral palsy, or the disabled in general, it's really about is poking fun at how people never seem to know how to act around disabled people. Actors like Elbeck go through hell, and it's not your fault - and you might learn a thing or two if you make friends with them (and by that I mean poke fun at them).
Sound like Sundance material to you? let me know in the comments!
You can find more of my work right here @escapehatch
How I (accidentally) DELETED The Work Of An Entire Film Production
This is great! I have a good friend with CP. I also live with an incurable and sometimes extremely uncomfortable brain condition. My friend and I are both crazy artsy types, and one of our favorite things to do is make fun of how weird other people get around our medical stuff. We'll totally throw a party when this comes out.
I'm a 100% healthy human being, never had a medical condition or even a serious injury - And it took me a long time to get over my awkwardness about this stuff - A girl I asked out on a date got diagnosed with cancer the very next day and I ended up treating her like this fragile thing that could be broken at any moment, when what she really needed was for me to just be myself (to make fun of her and her baldness ect) - but after working with Elbeck on my last film it's just part of my reality now, which is why i'm making the film - As I told @gregoryschneider I'll be releasing in installments and then as a complete film so if you want to keep up check out (or subscribe) @escapehatch
Following.
Thanks mate -(I'm following you now too) if your ever near Boulder co give me a shout and I'll take you on my set!
-I noticed you published that novel (I have yet to look further at it) I've been thinking about publishing bits of my novel on steemit but I want to gain some traction and get to know some more fiction-friendly dolphins before I do
I can get behind anything that will make the PC crowd uncomfortable. I look forward to seeing how this progresses :)
I'm thinking that I will release individual scenes beginning in late September early October, then release all of it in late November when I have a full ten minute cut - If you want to follow the progress (including the script which is being treated now) follow my channel @escapehatch -thanks for your support @gregoryschneider
Great concept - I'll look forward to seein the film : )
Just FYI - it's "chock full", not chalk full.
hahah - I didn't know that -I've been using 'chalk' for a while
Excellent. That would definitely do well at Sundance - I went there a few years ago
thanks @alexc!!