A
s a creative professional, earning a living through art can be
a challenge. Actors, for example, must juggle acting gigs,
another job (or jobs) with auditions (lots of them!) and
attending workshops to keep honing their skills. Creative professionals must devote as much time to networking as they do to
their art. You get hit with the double whammy if you are a creative
artist—actor, filmmaker, fine artist, musician, writer, etc.—and
autistic, for there may be even more challenges. An autistic individual may experience sensory overload, anxiety while managing
chaotic and unpredictable schedules, trouble securing and holding down multiple jobs and difficulty self-promoting. Why should
someone pursue a creative career, whether autistic or not? My best
response is that if you are born to be creative, you must create. It’s
what you are meant to do.
For Jonathan, my son with Asperger’s Syndrome, discovering his
talent for acting was transformational. It built his confidence, and
he became more open and comfortable in social situations. It was
a pathway to higher education, and he was successful in earning
his degree in theater arts. Today, Jonathan
works as a professional voice actor. He
has an agent and has worked on some
great client projects, including a
release of Electronic Arts SimCity™
and in-park character voices for
California’s Great America Theme
Park.
Aspergian James Sullivan found a
route to his college success through
his passion for filmmaking. James
is part of today’s YouTube zeitgeist,
making his own video series called,
“Jamietud,” where he reviews videogames, cartoons, movies and anything else that catches his attention.
Jonathan and James are both extremely talented and hard-working and have the passion and desire to work.
Yet, they struggle to consistently find the kind of employment that
will allow them to showcase their expertise and get paid for doing
it.
An Idea Is Born
I am always looking for an opportunity for Jonathan and other
talented autistics, which is why I approached Laura Jienke with
an idea. Laura is the CEO of Kayle Concepts and creator of the
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ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
duction of eight videos. The project is a perfect
Bluetooth®-enabled Bluebee Pals plush toy
match for James’ and Jonathan’s skill sets and
companions. (The Bluetooth connection inside
will allow both gentleman to do what they love
the plushies allows each Bluebee Pal to move its
and earn a pay check while doing it!
mouth in sync with a song, app or voice coming through a mobile phone.) “What if Geek
Club Books could produce a series of entertainWhy This Project Is So Important
ing educational video shorts with the Bluebee
Pals about autism and, most importantly, use
These types of created opportunities are so
autistic talent to write,
important for the autistic
perform, voice, film
community. As James said,
If you are
and edit them? Think a
“I think that this is a way
modern-day, quirky Mr.
of reaching out to autistic
Rogers having a chat
children and their parents
It’s
what
you
are
with his Bluebee Pal,” I
in a way that has never
said. Laura, who, while
quite been done. Educating
meant
to
do.
a business woman, also
by way of something that
believes strongly in
brings them comfort like
social responsibility, loved the idea and gave me
a plush toy is a good way to get kids engaged.”
the greenlight by commissioning an initial proJames also believes that it will help educate chil-
born to be
“
creative, you must
create.
”
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
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