Cincinnati Film Director Has Simple Request

I have a very simple request, one that will no doubt make you smile while you are at it.

Adorable three-year-old Gia Lopez was not supposed to live due to a genetic disorder known as spinal muscular atrophy. But, today, she is flying with a dragon and starring in her very first film that my friend John Lawson has directed/produced.

By watching and sharing Gia and the Dragaon, you will be helping the film to win the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Judges will review the OFFICIAL YouTube and Facebook Videos for the number of overall views, shares, and likes. You have until April 29 to take action!

One of the goals of The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is to change the way disability is viewed in media by giving filmmakers the opportunity to collaborate and tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms.  The Best Awareness Campaign helps to further this goal through grassroots publicity campaigns that raise the visibility of the films entered in the challenge. This visibility of film entries can also lead to jobs for everyone that is involved in the creation of a film. Whether your goal is to be an actor, director, writer, producer, or any combination of the above, the film challenge can be the door opener to the next step in establishing your entertainment career.  Remember, work leads to work!

As in any competition, there are rules. Among those in the Film Challenge – teams are given a theme and genre and four props on the morning of the commencement of film production; they are given a weekend to create the film from start to finish; and they must have both people with and without disabilities involved.

A track record for John

This is not the first entry for John, whose roots are in Cincinnati. He won Best Film in the very first year of the Challenge. Last year he entered again with Whitney’s Wedding starring well known actress Jamie Brewer, who won in the Best Actress category. That film went on to be accepted in 12 film festivals around the world, winning over six awards including three Best Film awards, three Best Actor awards for Jamie, and two Best Director awards for John.

John’s inspiration for Gia and Dragon came from reading a children’s book that featured kids with and without disabilities. “I thought it’d be a cool way to introduce my grandbaby to disabilities,” he told me.

John’s team began writing at 6 pm on a Friday night and started shooting the film Saturday morning. By Sunday they were busy in the editing bay. This marks the very first entry in the contest that include animation.