Abilities United: Making Noise to Break Hollywood Stereotypes of Characters with

[Guest guest]

Abilities United: Making Noise to Break Hollywood Stereotypes of

Characters with Disabilities

by Pam Vetter

Abilities United: Making Noise to Break Hollywood Stereotypes of

Characters with Disabilities

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/49473

By Pam Vetter

The storm is coming and it's coming in the form of Larry Sapp II,

Founder and President of Abilities United Productions.

After more than 12 years creating and refining the formula for what

he feels is the answer to breaking the Hollywood stereotypes and

helping to end the accepted industry-wide discrimination of people

with a disability, Larry is risking it all and moving to Los Angeles

to face the entertainment industry to attain change.

" How does an industry that prides itself on giving everyone a voice,

believing that regardless of race, gender, nationality, sexual

preference, anyone and everyone, except those with a disability, are

worthy to present an authentic voice and representation in today's

movies and television? " Larry asked. " How is it that in 2008, it is

still accepted that even well meaning able-bodied individuals can

understand enough of what it is like to live with a disability that

they can write, direct and act in those roles that feature a

character with a disability? After spending the past year

aggressively trying to contact those in Hollywood, the powerful

executives, producers and even some celebrities to gain support and

bring awareness, none seem interested in the solution. "

Larry shares industry non-interest by pointing toward the details

documented in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) report on Performers

with Disabilities, published in May 2005.

" It is amazing how after more than two years since that study,

virtually nothing has changed. If a report like this came out in any

other industry, there would be immediate changes by the companies

within that industry. Instead, Hollywood is perpetuating its history

of ignoring and dismissing performers, directors, and writers with

disabilities. It is like a Hollywood blacklist against those with a

disability, only this time it is written by Hollywood and somehow

accepted. It is just as unfair and un-American as the McCarthy era

blacklist. "

Well aware of how his approach and passion may be perceived, Larry

is convinced that nothing else has worked to achieve change for

people with disabilities who want to work in the entertainment

industry.

This may be career suicide, which is a lot for me to risk, but I

believe the benefits are worth it. Performers with disabilities have

been trying to change things quietly and tiptoeing around the issue

for decades. But most don't want to risk any little background,

token, or stereotypical role they are given. But, these performers

with a disability can earn the roles if given a chance. They have

the same heart, desire, passion and dedication to their art, craft

and talent that their able-bodied counterparts have, but on top of

the struggles all actors face, those with a disability have

Hollywood discrimination to also deal with. In fact, one of the

major barriers detailed in the 2005 SAG report showed that most

people with the casting power believe that performers with a

disability can only be hired for roles that are specifically written

as characters with a disability. Only when we think back to all the

roles that are written specifically as characters with a disability

they are all cast using able-bodied actors. Is this a double

standard or double discrimination? "

To Larry and others, it appears Hollywood isn't going to change on

its own.

" There are a lot of questions I'd like to ask people such as one of

Hollywood's great storytellers on film - writer, director, producer

Cameron, who cast an able-bodied actor in the part of a

paraplegic character for his upcoming film, 'Avatar.' I've written

to him several times, but he hasn't or won't respond. Another

barrier detailed in the SAG report noted that even auditions are

scarce. I wonder if Cameron even auditioned or consider performers

with disabilities? The same can be asked about why was Bateman

cast in a part of a paraplegic wheelchair user in the 2006 film ´The

Ex´? I have a solution for the studios: Take an honest approach and

use an authentic voice. "

Growing up in Southern California, Larry was a movie lover from an

early age.

" My mom knew this and would use films as a reward and if I was good

I would get to go to the drive-in to catch the next ' Jack'

movie, " Larry said. " Going to the theater was an event. "

As a teenager, he remembers enjoying matinee double features such as

the one he recalls seeing with his sister, " The Sting " followed

by " Smokey and the Bandit. " After high school and moving away from

Southern California, he attended the Art Institute of Dallas

pursuing the then new curriculum of the " Music and Video Business. "

Although he originally dreamed of being a music producer, even

starting his own independent record label while still a student, he

fell in love with music videos after creating one for a class

assignment. Music or video, he loved the value of telling a story.

" Although I love the scantily clad girls, they along with shots of

the band members, always got in the way of my storytelling in music

videos, " Larry said laughing. " My focus changed and I saw the

answer, by telling stories longer than the typical four minute song,

was in feature films. "

In 1994, watching Quentin Tarantino's film, " Pulp Fiction, " he was

reminded of his desire to direct, write, and produce stories on

film. That film hit him like a rock.

" It was storytelling at its best and because I had not seen anything

like it in a long time, it reminded me of what I loved doing and it

inspired me to get back to it, " Larry said.

He quit his management job and salary to take an hourly job that

only took eight hours a day so he could do his writing and

storyboarding for a short film. It was a new beginning to his dreams

that were put on the back burner.

An accident on April 1, 1995, changed his life, but not his dreams.

" I was at my brother's apartment and fell down a flight of stairs. I

have no memory of that night or the following seven days, even

though I was conscious. Still, I was lucky to be alive. I had no

insurance because I had just changed jobs to pursue my dreams, and

so I was fast tracked and spent only five weeks in the hospital. I

am paralyzed from the mid-back at T-7 down, " Larry explained.

" Despite my spinal cord injury, my passion for filmmaking was not

paralyzed with the bottom half of my body! I have complete control

and use of my upper body and this was a second chance at life. I've

always been a positive person and looking at what I can do, not what

I cannot do. I started looking for representation of those like

myself in movies and TV. I found there were not many, but of the

ones I could find, they all seemed to be stereotypically about the

disability, surrounded by a political agenda, or

predictably 'inspirational' pieces. There is nothing wrong with

that, but why can't there be a strong story with character arcs that

are entertaining for a character who just happens to be in a

wheelchair? On top of that, they were all portrayed by able-bodied

actors. I love those actors, but there is no way they can know what

I go through on a daily basis with being a paraplegic. It diminished

some of the movie by not being authentic. "

Larry joined the Dallas Screenwriters Association and participated

in workshops and writing groups.

" I wrote my first screenplay, 'Forever Yours,' and pitched it to

independent producers. They loved the idea and were interested

enough to read the script but they always wanted me to make changes

toward the stereotype instead of real characters in real stories. I

didn't want to do that and, in fact, I pulled it from submission to

one indie-producer, " Larry said. " Now, it was apparent that this was

going to take more than just one screenplay and needs to be defined

a lot more than just putting a character using a wheelchair in the

middle of a screenplay. "

Since his accident, Larry has written two feature length

screenplays, four short film scripts, and a dozen short stories to

be adapted into screenplays.

" I decided I couldn't keep pitching to Hollywood the traditional

ways. I had to put a whole package together that would show how an

authentic voice and representation would break the stereotypes and

help end the discrimination of those with a disability as a

permanent solution rather than a one-shot wonder with no follow-up.

I needed to put my work together and form an indie production

company that would exclusively feature characters and people with a

disability, " Larry explained. " I put Abilities United Productions,

along with its defined and detailed mission and vision, on my

website at www.AbilitiesUnited.com. "

The website is generating attention and he's hearing from people all

over the world.

" I've heard from people in the UK and, as an example, I recently got

a message from a mother in Australia who wrote to me saying, 'I just

found your site accidentally and love it. My son is an actor with

cerebral palsy. It's great to see a site like this. Good work!'

People are beginning to listen to me, " Larry said. " This movement is

bigger than me. Although I feature those who are paraplegics in my

projects right now, it affects all people with disabilities. We need

to hear authentic voices and see authentic characters on the screen. "

Larry reminds Hollywood that more than 54 million people with

disabilities in the United States are consumers that are faced with

choices of where to spend their dollars. That includes dollars spent

in the movie theater.

" Hollywood is slapping this segment of the market in the face.

Corporate America recognizes us as an important market segment. Car

manufacturers have accessible rebate programs and car rental

companies like Avis and Hertz have spent millions of dollars to

attract business from consumers with disabilities. The hotel

industry has created accessibility and some like Microtel and Bass

(The Holiday Inn brand) have gone above and beyond the requirements

of the ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act). These are only a couple

of examples and this market is huge as consumers with disabilities

have well exceeded $1 trillion in aggregate income and boasts over

$220 billion in discretionary spending, " Larry noted. " When will the

entertainment industry wake up and see this? "

Larry pointed to one of the most recent successes with a disabled

character in the feature film, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.'

It is critically acclaimed and recently won the Best Foreign

Language Film award at the Golden Globes.

" But, again, they cast an able-bodied actor and used an able-bodied

director to put his vision on it, " Larry said, noting that he

details film projects on his Hollywood News page on his website

www.AbilitiesUnited.com.

Posing many questions, Larry wears his passion for the motion

picture arts proudly. His goal of inclusion seems obvious and simple

to attain, but it is not. He wants people with disabilities to be

seen, heard, and included as part of the process in Hollywood.

" Are they so programmed that they can't hear our voices? Aren't they

aware of the problem? Is it a mindset that says it's okay to treat

millions of consumers like this? Or, is it that they just don't

care? " Larry asked. " I called another famous Hollywood producer

(whom I will leave nameless – for now) recently to follow up on a

letter I sent to describe my work and the impact it will have on so

many. I made one phone call. His receptionist rudely acted as if I

was harassing him and told me repeatedly to never to call again! Is

this the way they treat a person with a disability? I didn't even

get time to explain and I got an answer just to appease me when I

requested to know if he even got my letter. If he did read it and

because he has not contacted me then obviously he doesn't care. We

need to put a face on it, create awareness, and again if I have to

bring the attention to Hollywood, I wonder how they will feel if I

turn the camera on them? I am considering making a documentary film

that documents this journey. Much like 'This Film Is Not Yet Rated'

that documents the rating system by the MPAA. Maybe a documentary

like this on the film festival circuit would get someone's

attention? "

Believing there are currently too many barriers, Larry thinks it is

time for someone to take a leadership role so people with

disabilities have an honest, authentic voice and representation in

today's movies and television.

" I will take on that responsibility if I have to, " Larry

said. " Maybe it takes a writer, director, producer, and business

executive with a solution to answer all questions and objections to

featuring characters and people with a disability in film. Film has

the power to educate everyone about people with disabilities. We

deserve to be a part of the process rather than not have

representation, or have what little representation we do have, be

written, directed and acted by those who have no idea what it is

like to live with a disability. I honestly feel we are on the edge

of what American Cinema history will soon record as a 'turning

point' for those with a disability on both sides of the camera in

Hollywood. It will happen and I will do all I can to assist in

bringing a brighter and more inclusive future. It is going to happen

by working on the solution or focusing on the problems. It is up to

Hollywood. Will they give any attention or will we have to bring the

attention on them? "

Before moving to Los Angeles, Larry's next stop: The Sundance Film

Festival in Park City, Utah, where he plans to meet with filmmakers,

directors, producers and performers to share his vision and garner

support for the future of people with disabilities in Hollywood.

For more information on Larry Sapp II visit www.AbilitiesUnited.com.