Re: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic

[Allison Leigh Holt]

Hi Dan,

I've been teaching experimental video to autistic teens and adults since
2013 under the moniker Neurodivergent Media in the SF Bay Area. Tons to say
about this.

Here's the link on my website:
http://www.oillyoowen.com/works/neurodivergent-media/
And the ND Media website: https://www.neurodivergentmedia.net/

I was also invited to write about this for PUBLIC Journal, so there's an
article coming in the spring that goes more deeply into my methodology,
among other things. Applying to fellowships at this very moment to develop
the research into a book. And yes, I self-identify as autistic (in formal
psych assessment process right now). Happy to chat further!

Warm regards,
Allison


A L L I S O N   L E I G H   H O L T
www.oillyoowen.com

*CHOICE NEWS *
* WINNER

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Work *|* The Beginning Was The End *| Sculpture Magazine: 04.2018
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SB, CA: 04.01 - 28


On Tue, Aug 28, 2018 at 2:42 PM Dan Anderson  wrote:

> Hey folks,
>
> Thanks for those who chimed in with thoughts and recommendations for
> working with non-hearing students!
>
> In part two of "Adventures in First-Time Community College Teaching," I'm
> wondering if anyone has experience better reaching autistic students.
>
> There are two in my "Intro to Video" class, and we're starting out making
> a found footage movie from archive.org. The trouble is that finding
> visual connections and the Bruce Conner-style of filmmaking is a really
> tough hurdle for a person living with autism. (let alone most non-autistic
> folks!)
>
> Are there any autistic filmmakers on the list, or film/art instructors
> that have experience working with them?
>
> thanks!
> dan anderson
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
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Re: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic

[Dan Anderson]

Thank you for the advice/insights, Dave!
And also everyone else that has contacted me on and off list.

My school is in a rural area, just a few miles down the road from where
Sling Blade was shot. One of the students identifies as autistic, but I'm
assuming that's just because it's a more commonly understood blanket term
for being on the spectrum. Another is undiagnosed but has a similar
condition/personality to the Billy Bob Thornton character in the movie.
(Not to make light of this, but just to paint a picture.) And we have a mix
of more common community college students also.

For anyone following the thread, I wanted to mention that it's been going
much better and I had a bit of a breakthrough in my last class. My most
socially handicapped student doesn't have a home computer, and was
struggling with just the basics of how windows work, etc. Once we got the
editing system set up, I showed him some bare bones basic editing maneuvers
and then went on to help other students around the room. About twenty
minutes later he beckons me over by pointing at his screen. And to my utter
shock, he had already cut together a found footage movie that would give
Bruce Conner goosebumps. Poetic, artful, and incorporating all of the
elements of editing that we discussed in class. I'm a fairly stoic critic,
but was totally floored.  Now, a couple of the others are still getting the
hang of things, but this was quite a revelation. I'm excited with what
they're all able to come up with.

On Wed, Aug 29, 2018 at 6:42 PM Dave Tetzlaff  wrote:

> Dan:
>
> I assume if your students are enrolled in a college class, they’re at the
> end of the spectrum formerly called Aspergers.
>
> I once had such a student in a documentary production class. (Alas I
> learned this ‘the hard way’ as he was apparently undiagnosed and his
> parents in denial. But I have a young cousin with the condition, and it
> became pretty obvious what was up.) Anyway, it was largely unpredictable
> how his neuro-atypicality would affect his classwork.
>
> Our first assignment was a fairly straightforward interview piece, and he
> showed something that had a disturbing subtext of which he was completely
> unaware, which was apparently completely accidental, and which he seemed
> incapable of understanding was problematic, despite the fact every other
> member of the class was wincing. Folks with ASD tend to be very literal,
> and struggle with any kind of metaphor, and with the first piece as
> evidence, I worried about what he’d do with the second assignment – a more
> impressionistic ‘experimental’ doc short. To my surprise he showed a very
> moving piece that used objects and film technique to figuratively represent
> the kind of heightened sense perception a lot of ASD folks get from certain
> industrialized environmental stimuli and the mental agitation thatb results…
>
> My advice, based on this very admittedly limited experience, is that you
> shouldn’t alter your assignments, but rather just be sensitive to how a
> different sort of person will address them, and do what you can to ensure
> that the rest of the class will treat the work and the maker
> sympathetically. As for the students themselves, I’d probably just
> re-double the advice I’d give any student: make your projects about
> something you know and really care about – make them in some way
> ‘personal’. Most students are afraid to go there, even indirectly, and too
> willing to take the route of superficially imitating some form they like or
> feel is somehow validated. My admittedly corny maxim was “Your work won’t
> be any good unless you put yourself into it, and it won’t get any better
> unless you can take yourself out of it (in evaluation afterwards…)”
>
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
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Re: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic

[Dave Tetzlaff]

Dan:

I assume if your students are enrolled in a college class, they’re at the end 
of the spectrum formerly called Aspergers.

I once had such a student in a documentary production class. (Alas I learned 
this ‘the hard way’ as he was apparently undiagnosed and his parents in denial. 
But I have a young cousin with the condition, and it became pretty obvious what 
was up.) Anyway, it was largely unpredictable how his neuro-atypicality would 
affect his classwork. 

Our first assignment was a fairly straightforward interview piece, and he 
showed something that had a disturbing subtext of which he was completely 
unaware, which was apparently completely accidental, and which he seemed 
incapable of understanding was problematic, despite the fact every other member 
of the class was wincing. Folks with ASD tend to be very literal, and struggle 
with any kind of metaphor, and with the first piece as evidence, I worried 
about what he’d do with the second assignment – a more impressionistic 
‘experimental’ doc short. To my surprise he showed a very moving piece that 
used objects and film technique to figuratively represent the kind of 
heightened sense perception a lot of ASD folks get from certain industrialized 
environmental stimuli and the mental agitation thatb results…

My advice, based on this very admittedly limited experience, is that you 
shouldn’t alter your assignments, but rather just be sensitive to how a 
different sort of person will address them, and do what you can to ensure that 
the rest of the class will treat the work and the maker sympathetically. As for 
the students themselves, I’d probably just re-double the advice I’d give any 
student: make your projects about something you know and really care about – 
make them in some way ‘personal’. Most students are afraid to go there, even 
indirectly, and too willing to take the route of superficially imitating some 
form they like or feel is somehow validated. My admittedly corny maxim was 
“Your work won’t be any good unless you put yourself into it, and it won’t get 
any better unless you can take yourself out of it (in evaluation afterwards…)”

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Re: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic

[Alison .Folland]

Hi Dan,

This organization might be a good resource for you:
https://www.purevisionarts.org

To my knowledge they don’t have any moving image artists on board but the
staff is well trained and could have some ideas.

Best wishes,
Alison Folland

On Tue, Aug 28, 2018 at 5:42 PM Dan Anderson  wrote:

> Hey folks,
>
> Thanks for those who chimed in with thoughts and recommendations for
> working with non-hearing students!
>
> In part two of "Adventures in First-Time Community College Teaching," I'm
> wondering if anyone has experience better reaching autistic students.
>
> There are two in my "Intro to Video" class, and we're starting out making
> a found footage movie from archive.org. The trouble is that finding
> visual connections and the Bruce Conner-style of filmmaking is a really
> tough hurdle for a person living with autism. (let alone most non-autistic
> folks!)
>
> Are there any autistic filmmakers on the list, or film/art instructors
> that have experience working with them?
>
> thanks!
> dan anderson
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
___
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Re: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic

[Morgan Hoyle-Combs]

Hello Dan, I'm 30 years on the spectrum myself, however I don't have teaching 
experience with autistic students. While your students may not find found 
footage filmmakers Bruce Conner or Bill Morrison as appealing as I do, one 
thing to keep in mind is that this generation is prone to video game and 
YouTube stimulation. I would suggest looking up YouTube Poops. The name may 
sound very infantile, but believe me when I say that a lot of editing and work 
go into remixing and warping movies and television shows in such a way that it 
creates a zany-surrealist humor effect for spectators. I have a guilty pleasure 
for these because of the quick, responsive in-jokes and edits that shoot by so 
fast, they catch me off guard. 

I would also look into VHS recycling channels such as Memory Hole or Everything 
is Terrible. 

Morgan

On Tue, 8/28/18, Dan Anderson  wrote:

 Subject: [Frameworks] film/art for the autistic
 To: "Experimental Film Discussion List" 
 Date: Tuesday, August 28, 2018, 5:41 PM
 
 Hey folks,
 
 Thanks for those who chimed in with thoughts and
 recommendations for working with non-hearing students! 
 
 In part two of "Adventures in First-Time
 Community College Teaching," I'm wondering if
 anyone has experience better reaching autistic students. 
 
 There are two in my "Intro to Video"
 class, and we're starting out making a found footage
 movie from archive.org. The trouble is
 that finding visual connections and the Bruce Conner-style
 of filmmaking is a really tough hurdle for a person living
 with autism. (let alone most non-autistic folks!)
 
 Are there any autistic filmmakers on the list, or
 film/art instructors that have experience working with them?
 
 
 thanks!dan anderson
 ___
 FrameWorks mailing list
 FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
 https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
 
 -Inline Attachment Follows-
 
 
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