Consulting on Adam, an Interview with Jason Ross
Published January 12, 2009 @ 09:56AM PT
I posted about the film Adam in Autism at Sundance last week. In addition to the hope I felt reading the film's description, I had a second reason to be hopeful. The film makers consulted directly with individuals who have an Aspergers diagnosis, including Autism cause member Jason Ross.
Jason and his peers from the wonderful life skills network Adaptations got involved in the film through Jonathan Kaufman of DisabilityWorks!, an organization which does disability related consulting in corporate employment and entertainment. DisabilityWorks! has a blog, and so does Jason Ross.
On Friday 1/9, Jason and I had a chat about his experience consulting for the film.
Dora: Tell me how you got involved in consulting for the film.
Jason: Jonathan Kaufman from Adaptations at the JCC Manhattan asked if I can come to meet with Hugh Dancy because he was doing a film about Asperger Syndrome. Jonathan had told me he read the script and it sounded like a similar story to me without the romance. It was about a man who was very much into science like I am. I came the day to visit with Hugh Dancy and the film makers where there were a few other people there from the program as well to talk to the film crew as well. I was very upbeat and wanted to give as much information to make the character come alive.
Dora: So when you visited with Hugh Dancy and the rest of the film makers and crew, what happened? How did you go about teaching them?
Jason: They went around the room and I told them (okay no problem) everything they wanted to hear about Asperger Syndrome. I told them about how a person with Aspergers feels, how they sometimes have echolalia like I do, about sensory issues, about my special interest in the medical field and how I always loved science and anatomy as well. I told them everything I could possibly think of which could help this actor authenitize somebody with Asperger Syndrome the best possible way. The film crew and director were also there to show the team effort of learning.
Dora: How did the film crew and director show the team effort of learning?
Jason: They were asking questions along with Hugh. They showed enthusiasm and the director told us why he wanted to create this film. Its been a long time, but I think it was from a personal account from somebody else in his life which inspired him.
Dora: What was the part of the whole experience of consulting for the film that you liked best, or if you don't have a single part you liked best what is your favorite memory of the experience?
Jason: I liked educating people about what Aspergers really is. My most memorable experience is when Hugh Dancy saw that I am a very smart person by the career I chose [ed., Ultrasound Technologist]. I also loved seeing everybody in the group who was there excited to talk to him as well. I really enjoyed Hugh Dancy because he is very humble.
Dora: How important do you think it is that Hugh Dancy and the film makers consulted with you and the other people on the spectrum? How important do you think your consulting was to making a good film?
Jason: It was very important because there is so many people who do not know much about the Autism Spectrum as a whole and people need to know the truth and nothing but the truth about the spectrum. The Autism Spectrum is a very positive thing even though there are negative attributes as well and people need to see the the whole picture with everything. This is why I love the movie Patch Adams when Patch (Robin Willams) is in the institution with the doctor (another actor) who tries to get Patch to see the whole picture and much much more about a person. There is more to a person than what others see initially. It is like Forrest gump is right in the movie, Life is really like a box of chocolates. Anyway, I really think this film will shed more light on the Whole Autism Spectrum. I am sure Hugh Dancy and the Film makers learned a lot.
Dora: As far as Hugh Dancy and the film makers learning a lot, I hope they pass that information on to other people.
Jason: Yes. I hope this year is the year other people can tell their stories about being on the Autism Spectrum too. Every body needs their voices heard. 2009 is the year of AS/Autism Positivity.
Share this Post
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
StumbleUpon
Delicious
EmailRelated Posts
-
Autelligent Laboratories: Interview with Isaac Dealey
-
Diagnosis Musings and an Interview with the Frowners
-
Advocacy Through Multiple Perspectives, An Interview with Elesia Ashkenazy
Comments (10)
Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.
Author
-
Dora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She is Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education and a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors.
Featured Autism Actions
-
-
-
End the Perpetuation of Pity
186 People
-
End the Perpetuation of Pity
Great interview. I hope the movie reflects all of the good information Jason and others gave them. I like the way the description reads; I hope the movie is the same way.
Posted by Emily Willingham on 01/12/2009 @ 10:17AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
Good stuff, but not a first by any means. Nearly a decade ago, the young man who played the person with autism in "Mercury Rising" stopped by the school in Manhattan where I worked, to pick up some pointers on how to play a person with autism from an expert (me.)
Factoid: They were originally going to call the film "Simple Simon"!! No, really. They were.
Posted by Mark Romoser on 01/12/2009 @ 10:38AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
@Mark Romoser, that's really neat! I knew this wasn't a first, but it seemed interesting, to me anyway :-) How did your experience compare to Jason's? Was it a similar process? I'm *so* happy they didn't go with the "Simple Simon" title, eek!
Posted by Dora Raymaker on 01/12/2009 @ 10:49AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I'm very interested in both "Adam" and "Mary and Max", in my role as organizer of the film series at the Asperger's Association of New England (about whose first season you can read at http://www.cwru.edu/affil/sce/Texts_2005/Autism%20and%20Representation%20Schwarz.htm).
Posted by Phil Schwarz on 01/13/2009 @ 12:51AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
@Dora: The makers of "Adam" went much more in depth. In my case, only the actor stopped by, not the director or any of the crew. He was only there for an hour or so. In fact, I nearly missed him: I was scheduled to work at the school's branch on Staten Island that day, but some dunce forgot to pick me up at the ferry. So back I went to Chelsea, and there he was.
@Phil: An older film in a similar vein is "George", by Henry Corra (George's dad). George himself takes the camera for a few minutes; his jerky camera work prefigures that in "The Blair Witch Project", which came out later that year. To this day I cannot watch that sequence on the big screen without nausea! Also, pay close attention to the fellow in the dark blazer who is interviewed about midway through the film. (That's me!)
Posted by Mark Romoser on 01/13/2009 @ 10:53AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
LA Times blog "The Envelope" on the movie Adam:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sundance/2009/01/adam-humpday-op.html
"" 'Adam' has deeply satisfying and romantic storytelling, pitch-perfect performances and the discovery of a new American filmmaker; this is what Sundance is all about," Searchlight head Peter Rice said in a statement."
Posted by Kristina Chew on 01/20/2009 @ 06:55PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
@Kristina Chew, that's very cool, thanks for the follow-up!
Posted by Dora Raymaker on 01/21/2009 @ 10:32AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
Have just been invited to a pre-release screening of this film, for my opinion.
From the trailer it looks very good.
I'm going to see it on Tuesday next, and will report back!
Posted by Barbara Jacobs on 06/05/2009 @ 04:23AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I saw the film in its entirety, and want to congratulate everyone who informed and collaborated on that film.
I noted that one segment was lifted, without acknowledgement, from my own book, without my permission.
I actually have no problems with that. It was used well, and informatively.
It is a good and honest, but not great, film. It tried hard.
It did its best. And much better than previous efforts at placing Asperger's Syndrome in the spectrum of differences of neurodiversity.
Posted by Barbara Jacobs on 06/10/2009 @ 02:37PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I just saw the film tonight and Jason Ross told me to check out this article. The film and the film makers who were there for a Q&A definately seemed like they had worked really hard to make sure the character Adam was authentic. It's really great that they involved individuals with Asperger Syndrome when preparing for the film. I hope the film gets all the attention it deserves!
Posted by Emily Lesser on 07/29/2009 @ 08:12PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.