Meeting and Teaching

On February 11th my actor John Diodato from “A Stroke Of Endurance”, and I met with the professor who screened my films and had me and my actors do presentations about disability like blindness and cerebral palsy, as it relates psychology and human behavior in for in Spring 2019 and Fall 2019. During the meeting we planned future screenings for Spring 2020 and the professor shared feedback her students wrote to me and John saying that their perceptions of disabilities changed. The students said they realized how independent disabled people can be and appreciated and admired our ability to talk about disability openly and honestly. One person even said they had never met a person with CP who could talk verbally before meeting me. They loved how my actor John approached life in general. 

On March 5th 2020 I was invited to show "Drama Sighted" as a teaching tool to talk with early childhood educators about the importance of privacy and consent for disabled students. I spoke about hidden and invisible disabilities in particular, like the eye condition Juvenile Macular Degeneration(sometimes called Stargardts) which the blind character Lisa has in "Drama Sighted" and about how chronic illnesses can also be invisible. The student teachers responded well and even allowed me to see how they write lesson plans for their future kindergarten students. 

More screenings are planned for the rest of March and April 2020! 

I have full permission to write this post from everyone involved. 

3 Presentations in one Big Day

On January 27th 2020,  I did 3 presentations about Crip Video Productions films with members of my cast. John Diodato and I did the first regular presentation together where we discussed Cerebral Palsy, IEPs, the Moro Reflex as it relates to Cerebral Palsy, and diabetes. One student asked how large my fanbase was. I told her about my various fans from India, The Netherlands, Canada, Italy and Ghana Africa. One person asked why some people with disabilities may be offended if they are called inspiring so I tried my best to explain “Inspiration P#rn” as a term and the difference between good and bad forms of inspiration.  One disabled student said he loved acting and was kind enough to offer his services to Crip Video Productions future projects. 

This disabled student ended up coming with us to film the first of 2 video recorded presentations for the TV show created by Professor Mary Lynn Navarro of Kingsborough Community College titled “Students TALK”. https://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/189108164086/video-interview https://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/189483544466/video-interview-2 

 Tim Snoha, John Diodato, Izabela Ginda, Betty Lewin and myself from “A Stroke Of Endurance” participated as well as Daniel Liriano from the films “Only Those Who Limp Allowed” and “Crips Not Creeps”. It was so nice to have my actors input. We had a mix of my disabled and able bodied performers presenting together in a panel with a documentary like style. Many of the questions were either disability or media related like what movies we liked, and how we met each other. Some of the actors talked about how they originally found my casting calls for my films on this blog. Tim Snoha mentioned “Inclusion In The Arts” which has since been disbanded and shut down unfortunately. 

During the second of the video recorded presentations for “Students Talk” we got into a more serious discussion of instances where my actors had been discriminated against for being disabled, instances where my able bodied performers saw disabled people they knew having their privacy violated, and what each performer thought of terms like “Differently Abled” and “Disabled”. Some of the answers surprised me, I learned a lot of good new things, and I was reminded how wonderful it was to work with these individuals! Some of the student audience shared their own disability related experiences and  really connected well with us.

Super special thanks to Mary Lynn Navarro, Tim Snoha, John Diodato, Izabela Ginda, Betty Lewin, and Daniel Liriano as well as everyone else involved in all the presenations for such a fabulous experience! 

See our tumblr page to view photos from that day. 

Please note: "Students Talk" has NOT been released yet. "Students TALK" is NOT owned by Crip Video Productions!

Video collaboration-December 2019

On December 4th we shot more interview footage for the series “Students TALK” for Professor Mary Lynn Navarro of Kingsborough Community College. https://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/189108164086/video-interview https://cripvideoproductions.blogspot.com/2019/11/video-interview-and-presentations.html We got some great footage and got to go further into our onscreen discussion. I talked a bit more about “A Stroke Of Endurance” and “Only Those Who Limp Allowed”.  I was asked about disability and sports. I was also asked about how and why I hire disabled actors and how I feel about able bodied actors portraying disabled characters in media.  We discussed disability and relationships.  We have been meeting with Mary Lynn Navarro throughout December to discuss film editing, and how the collaboration between her own productions and Crip Video Productions will continue in 2020 and beyond.  

“Students TALK” has NOT been released yet, but we at Crip Video Productions will notify our fans when it is released. “Students TALK” is NOT owned by Crip Video Productions. It is a collaboration only. 

Super special thanks to Mary Lynn Navarro and her students. I have full legal permission from Mary Lynn Navarro to write this blog post. 

Crip Video Productions wishes our many fans a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Stay tuned to this blog and our website for exciting news and content from Crip Video Productions in 2020!!! 

Video interview and presentations-November 2019

On November 14th I(Margot) had the honor of being interviewed on camera by Professor Navarro of Kingsborough Community College and her wonderful journalism class for their video cast series called “students TALK” about my films and disability issues. We covered a wide range of topics like my mission as a filmmaker, disability representation in media, and college accessibility. I mostly talked about my film “Crips Not Creeps” because that film is Professor Navarro’s favorite. The students were very engaged and asked fantastic questions like whether I would like to see a disabled Disney Princess created in the future. I was thrilled thats many questions were asked. I was able to pass along some of the knowledge I gained of film editing and camera operation to Professor Navarro and her students as we went long. The interview has NOT been released yet!!! When this interview gets released we will let all of our Crip Video Productions fans know where and how to watch it.  

Super special thanks to “students TALK” and Professor Navarro for this wonderful opportunity to reach a wider audience! We have full legal permission from Professor Navarro to write this part of the blog post! 

I spoke to another class a few days after.  On November 19th, 2019 I was invited to speak to a class studying disorders and education. I showed the trailer for “Crips Not Creeps” and part of the blooper video for “A Stroke Of Endurance”. I told the class the meaning and backstory around the terms “Crip” “Super Crip” and “inspiration p#rn” as they relate to disability.  I told the class how a fan of “A Stroke Of Endurance” recently thought one of my disabled actors in that film, was able bodied because she did not understand that some actors with disabilities have invisible disabilities rather than outwardly obvious disabilities to explain the term “invisible disability”. One student asked if I took medication and/or supplements for Cerebral Palsy. One student asked if Cerebral Palsy was a progressive disease(it’s not). Another student asked how people with Cerebral Palsy who can walk, usually learn to walk as young children. 

We have full permission from the people involved with this presentation to write this part of the blog post! 

More shooting for "Students TALK" will take place soon. Stay tuned here for blog post updates about that series. 

In other news: We also received some very sweet, touching fan letters the other day about our film “Drama Sighted”! We at Crip Video Productions are so glad we are making such a positive impact. 

Our actress from "A Stroke Of Endurance" Katrina Hanzel is also  in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nNfee9QB3Y&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1r3TdkoXlE4mmTjI8ihFxcvYnVAGgP7zsy_uppc9V8_ktvFWXUwrpS6MM at 17:17 minutes in, showing off some awesome disabled action figures!! Check it out! Support her work!

World Stroke Day 2019

Today October 29th 2019 is World Stroke Day 2019. In appreciation of the stroke survivors who have inspired us such as one stroke survivor who allowed us to interview her personally to add to the authenticity of Professor Ben’s character, symptoms and recovery process, in our film  "A Stroke Of Endurance" and other survivors who supported our film “A Stroke Of Endurance” from the very beginning of its creation, and after like our wonderful new fans who are stroke survivors that let us into their worlds https://cripvideoproductions.blogspot.com/2019/01/a-stroke-of-endurance-featured-on.html Crip Video Productions would like to now be a part of World Stroke Day every year! 

We wrote a post for World Stroke Day 2018 here

https://cripvideoproductions.blogspot.com/2019/01/screening-and-world-stroke-day-2018.html 

Please read our previous post linked for a poem by a cast member of "A Stroke Of Endurance" for World Stroke Day and, reminders and encouragement for Stroke Survivors! 

To watch “A Stroke Of Endurance” for free with open captions and audio description, and share it with other stroke survivors and their loved ones for World Stroke Day see here http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php We hope "A Stroke Of Endurance" is a great resource for all stroke survivors and their loved ones for World Stroke Day today and everyday!

In other news we heard from a new fan who loved "Crips Not Creeps" and likened "Crips Not Creeps" to Martin Scorsese films because of the tracking city shots. We also heard from a fan who is a computer science teacher who was very impressed with all 4 films! We have a few more screenings planned for November 2019. 

Screenings October 2019

Possible Spoiler Alert for “Drama Sighted”! 

On October 17th 2019, I(Margot) privately screened our first film “Drama Sighted” to teach about education and accommodations for disabled students like we did in April 2019. https://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/184588551231/spring-2019-screenings  During the Q&A, we discussed Individual Education Programs(IEPs), bullying and Invisible Disability. One student commented that she noticed the main character named Brandon internalized anger from being bullied and became angry himself, and angry at himself when in reality, it was not Brandon’s fault. Another student commented that people with disabilities wanted to be “noticed” and not have their disability ignored, and guessed that Brandon had his Cerebral Palsy ignored in the past before meeting Lisa. One person noticed how the female students at the beginning of the film liked Brandon at first but then turned on him. They thought the girls, Tina and Maggie, turning on Brandon was a very realistic depiction of bullying. Some people were inspired to share about their own disability experiences with things like ADHD, diabetes, and injuries, and some students shared stories about meeting deaf and intellectually disabled people who they thought had not been disabled at all at initially. We got into the topic of sensory overload and speech impairment in some disabled students. We discussed safety for disabled students in emergency situations in school environments and how teachers should never attempt to diagnose students on their own. 

On October 23rd, myself(Margot) and 2 actors from our films “A Stroke Of Endurance” http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php  and “Only Those Who Limp Allowed” http://cripvideoproductions.com/limpallowed.php spoke to a class of students about the 2 films to teach about disability as it relates psychology and human behavior. I was thrilled that the instructor wanted perspectives from multiple people with all different disabilities. We discussed Cerebral Palsy, bullying, blindness, diabetes, education, and mental health. One student was a mother to a disabled child and asked about the differences between being born with a disability and acquiring a disability later. One woman was newly disabled and was so touched by our stories that she cried while sharing her own story. This student asked to be part of Crip Video Productions future work. 

Today(October 24) One actor from our film “Only Those Who Limp Allowed” and I(Margot) did another screening presentation today where we discussed, Invisible Disability, Cerebral Palsy, IEPs(Individual Education Plans) bullying, and physical therapy. We made it clear that disability is NOT worse than death, or a tragedy, and grieving a disability is NOT like grieving a death. One person asked how IEPs could be improved. One person asked how physical therapy can be improved. One person commented that they wished the presentation and Q&A had been recorded. We are thrilled to impact hearts and minds in a positive way.

Please use our website contact page to get in touch, if you want to use the Crip Video Productions films as a teaching tool. 

Super Special thanks to the Professor(s) and students for inviting us!!! We have full permission to write this post from everyone involved.    

International Fans and more

One of our cast members heard from a professor residing in the country of Ghana who loves our film “A Stroke Of Endurance”!  The professor teaches at a university in Ghana and felt emotionally connected to the film. We are so thrilled to hear from fans in all countries from around the world! As mentioned in previous posts, we have fans in India, The Netherlands, and Canada as well! 

In August we had a private screening with me(Margot Cole) and John Diodato presenting. "A Stroke Of Endurance" surpassed 2,000 views. We are planning more screenings for Fall 2019. 

Just this week I met another fan whose father survived 4 strokes and I heard the film "A Stroke Of Endurance" helped the parents of a 3 year old girl with Cerebral Palsy to understand CP better.