January 27th, 2023

Michael John Carley: Elaine, tell me about your son, Neal.

Elaine Hall: Neal Katz is a 28-year-old autistic multi-modality communicator who uses gestures, vocalizations, some ASL, AAC, and supported typing to communicate his wants, needs, and complex ideas. He lives in his own apartment with a roommate, has 24/7 staff, and loves to take long walks to self-regulate. He enjoys nature, the beach and chocolate. He has a beautiful, sensitive soul and is loved by many. Through Neal’s typing, he communicates complex ideas, intense feelings.

NBCUniversal has joined the 1in4 Coalition’s mission to increase access, employment and authentic representation of disabled people on and off the screen. The partnership furthers NBCUniversal’s commitment to disability representation and marks 1in4’s first partnership with a broadcast media and entertainment company.

The 1in4 Coalition is accepting applications for the second edition of its Disabled Writers Mentorship Program. The first program launched in March, selecting 14 individuals who each had a complete script, pilot or play. Each mentee was matched with an industry artist or professional from companies such as CAA, Showtime and Shondaland.

“Next year’s festival should be a sharp, vivid contrast to 2022’s lackluster response to the growing, ongoing outrage over the dismal lack of inclusion at Cannes,” said Oscar nominee Jim LeBrecht, co-founder of FWD-Doc.

The BFI, together with its Disability Screen Advisory Group, today launches Press Reset on the eve of the International Day of Disability. The second iteration of this digital campaign, Press Reset 2021 tackles the damaging impacts of ableism, and urgently calls for the screen sector to change how it engages with Disabled talent behind and in front of the camera.

When a fire alarm was triggered on Sept. 25 at London’s Red Bee Media — the company that’s the distribution hub for many U.K. broadcasters — the BBC and Channel 4 went off air for a few hours on a Saturday night.

Winners of the 93rd Academy Awards were unveiled April 25, a day that included another notable announcement: The creation of 1in4, an advocacy group to help disabled workers starting out in entertainment. The coalition was formed when 10 vets began exchanging tales of navigating the industry.

Netflix and Shonda Rhimes are extending their creative relationship, inked in 2017, beyond television to feature films and gaming. Under the terms of the expanded deal, which encompasses Rhimes’ Shondaland Media and her longtime producing partner Betsy Beers, Netflix and Shondaland will exclusively produce, stream and distribute feature films in addition to potential gaming and virtual reality content.

Mark Smith was born with three fingers missing, a physical difference he spent years trying to disguise. He writes candidly about how, aged 40, he is finally ready to ‘come out’