Two years ago, Emma Monk fell on her neck from an aerial silk and was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND).
After watching hours of TV shows and movies, she realized that many of the characters with disabilities were two-dimensional.
They may be in a wheelchair or deaf, but no one has explored what it’s like to be disabled, she said.
“The spectrum of hearing loss is very wide, and hearing loss comes and goes,” she said.
“(With FND) you can go from being completely paralyzed from the waist down to not having any problems at all, or having attacks on a fairly regular basis.
“There are many different types of disabilities, and none are consistent all the time.
“And the kids don’t really see the disability. They just see a different person.”
From left: Naomi Just, Justin Flynn, Anthea Williams, Katie Anning.
Monk is among the three creators behind children’s TV concept The Sams of Planet 9, which was chosen as one of three projects to share $90,000 in funding as part of the Screen NSW Pathways Development Program. One of us.
Launched earlier this year, the program aims to support projects by creators with disabilities and help recipients build professional networks in the screen industry.
Monk is developing the project in collaboration with creator and producer Olivia Orley, writer Tristram Barber, and creators Vanessa Alexander and Christina Anderson. The project follows a family of former aliens hiding in Australia to escape an enemy pursuing an artifact that promises mind control. .
Also selected for the program is the drama Pony by Eloise Snape (screenwriter), Anthea Williams (screenwriter/director), Katie Anning (screenwriter), Justin Flynn (producer) and Naomi Just (producer). It was. Based on the play of the same name, the story follows Hazel, a daydreamer who finds herself grinding on the dance floor and finds an unexpected way to deal with her troubled past. Eventually, a wave of change hits her life.
The third team consists of Victoria Singh-Thompson (writer/director) and Pip Smart (producer), whose horror/thriller feature New Year’s Eve is a party The main characters are a group of friends in their 20s who decide to move forward. country. But it quickly turns into a nightmare when he witnesses a horrific accident.
Screen NSW head Cath Hepworth said the diverse stories highlighted the importance of building an inclusive film industry and “encouraging new and unique voices and bringing exciting projects to development.” “This highlights how important it is,” he said.
Pip Smart and Victoria Singh Thompson.
“We are excited to support this group of talented creators as they create these works.
Take your project to the next stage of development and embark on the next stage of your career.
I’m a screen expert,” she said.
“We look forward to seeing where these teams take these stories.”
Monk, whose team will now create a pitch deck to present to children’s television producers, burst into tears when asked how grateful she was for the opportunity.
“Words can’t express how much it means to me,” she said.
“I have been very fortunate to have lived half my life as an able-bodied person.
“But when I was actually diagnosed and disabled, I realized that at 30 years old, there was nothing I could really hold on to.
“I don’t know what that means for kids who don’t see themselves on TV.”
