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Our Entertainment Options Keeps Evolving!
By Deaf411 | June 23, 2011
With technology, we have moved into a whole new world that wasn’t there just 20 years ago. Today choosing from movies, theater and television can be overwhelming.
In addition to television and movies, the Internet has opened the world to us. We use portable laptops, mobile devices or smartphones to access blogs, vlogs, webisodes, and many other forms of entertainment. Our choices are boundless!
Life for deaf people has exploded into a whole new visual and informative world. There are deaf filmmakers, bloggers and vloggers. Deaf talents are appearing in television programs and movies, as well as on YouTube. We have become savvy in using Facebook, Twitter and other social media mediums.
Films
Mark Wood with ASL Films has been a trailblazer in producing deaf films including “Forget Me Not”, “Wrong Game”, “The Legend of the Mountain Man”, and Gerard”.
Other feature and short subject films include:
“Beyond Essay” – Produced by Damnames Productions
“Hamill” – Produced by Eben Kostbar and Joseph McKelheer
“See What I’m Saying” – Produced by Worldplay, Inc.
“Robbed” – Produced by Bev Nero Productions.
Television
Deaf talents are appearing on television shows in one-time, guest star or ongoing characters. The industry is starting to break down barriers, and storylines are changing to become more in tune with the deaf community and its culture.
What about the thrill of watching Marlee Matlin making it on Celebrity Apprentice each week, and getting closer and closer to the finale? Seeing her outsmart and outplay the other players provided, for many of us, a solidarity connection.
More recently, ABC Family launched “Switched at Birth”, a TV series about two families who learn they brought home the wrong baby 16 years ago.
Theater
Theater continues to play a role in entertainment programming with the National Theater of the Deaf (NTD) in Hartford, CT and DeafWest Theater Company in North Hollywood, CA.
There are individuals who perform across the country and globally. This includes deaf comedian CJ Jones, Bernard Bragg who does solo performances in “THE WORLD STAGE”, John Maucere in his one-man show “The John M Show”, and Rosa Lee Timms in “The Rosa Lee Show”.
Internet
The explosion of social media – such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter – as well as blogs and vlogs, has become a new way for the Deaf community to socialize and be seen, to express an opinion, or share a “life” moment. We are seeing more and more active participants in this medium.
Webisodes is a new form of programming that can be distributed through the Internet at little cost, bypassing television networks, and giving new exposure opportunities.
Recent webisodes include:
“My Deaf Family” by Marlee Matlin
“A Permanent Grave” by Mosdeux
“SuperDeafy”- John Maucere/Deaf Nation
Blogs and Vlogs have exploded into the Deaf psyche in recent years. People are able to share opinions, discuss issues, or share their creative work. DeafRead came into existence at the height of the second “Deaf President Now!” revolution at Gallaudet University in July 2006 providing a platform empowering individual bloggers and vloggers throughout the Internet.
The owner of DeafRead also launched DeafVideo.tv for those who prefer to use ASL in the video medium to express themselves.
Interesting and popular v/blogs below are examples of what can be seen on the Internet:
Blogs
Vlogs
Film Festivals
Many deaf film festivals are held around the world, providing not only an outlet for deaf filmmakers to show their films, but also a venue to view a wide range of deaf films. A comprehensive list can be found at this website.
Media Resources
DeafMovies.org has an extensive listing of deaf films and events.
The Deaf Media Group, a Yahoo list serv for deaf filmmakers formed in January 2006, is still going strong with over 100 members discussing media topics.
Deaf Women in Film was founded in 2009 to provide a forum for deaf women to network and support each other.
We now have entertainment in many different forms – Film, Television, Internet, and Theater – providing ample opportunities for exposure to the deaf community and entertainment for deaf people everywhere. What was once unattainable is now very attainable!
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This report appeared in the June 2011 edition of Deaf411 eNewsletter, an electronic report which covers a different topic or theme in each month.
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