”Making it” in Hollywood is hard enough, but those with extra challenges can face an even harder time breaking into the business. Aaron Kaplan, founder of Kapital Entertainment — the production company behind Fox’s Terra Nova and ABC’s upcoming GCB – is giving Hollywood hopefuls with developmental disabilities a chance to shine.
Kaplan has teamed with Joey Travolta’s Inclusion Films to staff two of his pilots, NBC’s Daddy’s Girls and ABC’s untitled Dan Fogelman project, with graduates from Inclusion Films, a workshop that teaches adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy, how to create short films.
“When I heard about the inspiring work that Inclusion Films is providing to adults with developmental disabilities, I reached out to Joey immediately,” said Kaplan. “We’re thrilled about providing these graduates a real-world opportunity and equally excited about the skills they bring to our team.”
The 20-week workshop guides students through the process of writing scripts, building sets, using film and editing equipment with the help of professional production crews. The goal of Travolta’s workshop is to help those disabled adults obtain employment in the entertainment industry.
