ACT Today!'s Film Program is a 2 week program led by Inclusion Films in which 38-50 participants with autism, and up to 12 siblings, will make a 35-minute film, where they will learn the marketable skills of filmmaking, each leaving with a film credit, and an addition to their resume. This microproject will fund the meals expenses for teachers, staff and crew for 2 weeks in order to provide this program to these individuals.
All children have passions.Too often, children with ASD are not given the opportunity to develop their passions, much less work collaboratively to breathe life into them. Individuals with autism are often marginalized, and may only need additional instruction, or a different structure to achieve their goals.This marginalization results in missed opportunities, offered to other youngsters, including skills training useful in later life.
By providing the Autism Film Program to these children and adolescents, participants will leave with a film credit, professional experience, and skills that will learn the marketable skills of filmmaking, each leaving with a film credit, and an addition to their resume. They will learn skills that will carry with them into new professional, social, and academic environments.
Creating a film is a monumental effort for any group, but for those with ASD, vital skills must be mastered, including cooperation, negotiation, listening, and taking direction. They will be introduced to animation, set design, script-writing, acting, prop/set building, wardrobe, make-up and budgeting. They will learn the marketable skills of filmmaking and leave with a film credit and an addition to their resume. For many, this will be their first experience of job training.