Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1533577
O U T O F M Y M I N D | P E R S P E C T I V E 4 7 When I was hired as Production Designer on the Disney+ feature film Out of My Mind, I didn't fully anticipate or even realize how much this film would become one of the most enriching professional experiences in my life. Based on the 2010 novel of the same name, Out of My Mind tells the story of 12-year-old Melody Brooks, who is navigating sixth grade as a nonverbal wheelchair user who has cerebral palsy (CP). During this pivotal time in her adolescence, Melody faces major obstacles, but with assistive technologies and a devoted team of allies, she is finally able to show the world her brilliant intellect and fierce sense of humor! Bringing Visibility to Disability From my very first conversations with director Amber Sealey (this was our third feature film collaboration), we agreed that the only approach to making this film was to strive for nothing less than authenticity and realism. This may have been a Disney production, but we were never going to sugarcoat the story or create a fantasy world for the characters. It was a thrilling opportunity to break new ground, by bringing visibility to people with disabilities with all their complexities and beautiful humanity. Since the film is told from the main character's point of view, the fact that she is nonverbal is a unique opportunity to tell her story in exciting new ways. Throughout the film, we hear her thoughts, we witness her frustrations and experience her small victories and extraordinary triumphs. This informed every aspect of my approach to the Production Design. My challenge was twofold: first, to create authentic spaces at the character's home, school environments and other 'public areas,' and second, to make every working set completely accessible, accommodating the numerous actors with diverse abilities. The Home At the heart of it, Out of My Mind is a portrait of a family, the Brooks family, with Mom, Dad, Melody, and her younger sibling Penny. From the get-go, we made the decision to forgo a set and find a real-world house which we could modify and transform into their 'home.' A. THE BROOKS FAMILY USING THE MEDI-TALKER. PRODUCTION STILL BY DISNEY/MICHAEL GIBSON. B. MEDI-TALKER. DESIGN DETAILS BY EMILY TAM, HEATHER CARLSON AND DYLAN REV. C. BROOKS' FAMILY HOME. LOCATION PLAN WITH KITCHEN BREAKTHROUGH AND FIRST-FLOOR BEDROOM AND CLOSET. DRAWN BY EMILY TAM. C