‘Under the Lights’ draws heavily from your own experiences living with epilepsy. Could you share how your personal journey influenced the narrative of the film and what you hope audiences take away from it?
I was diagnosed with epilepsy at a very young age. I was never ashamed of it, but it was not something I cared to talk about unless I had to. I would refuse the call to reflect on it in school projects and certainly in my films. That changed when I started working at a camp for kids who have seizures. Listening to their stories stunned me. Here were a bunch of young adults who had never felt ’normal’. I’d argue it had little to do with having seizures and everything to do with being treated poorly for being a person who *might*. The other thing that I noticed was that any time I was at an ‘awareness’ event, it was attended by people who already care about the cause. No awareness is taking place. To really make a difference, the public has to want to be there. You have to reach them in their living room. We act like we need to invent some brilliant strategy to end stigma. Movies and television will save us, but not until the classic point of reference is empathetic and not a device in a hospital show or horror movie.
Epilepsy is too diverse for one project to put us all on screen. So, I drew from my feelings, the ones I felt were universal, and I put them on screen. The results shocked me.
We were delighted to screen Under the Lights at our inaugural conference this National Epilepsy Week. Why do you believe it’s so important to support epilepsy research, and how do you see the relationship between storytelling and scientific progress in changing lives?
I urge people to evaluate what has been happening with Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s world has comparatively little trouble engaging everyday people with no connection to the condition. Why is that? It’s because (with some hyperbole) every character over the age of 80 in a movie presents memory issues. Your Grandma doesn’t have to suffer from Alzheimer’s for you to understand it deserves attention. Epilepsy does not have that visibility, despite being a more common condition. The amount of money we could raise for research would skyrocket if the public’s point of reference was both common and empathetic. We can’t get there through pamphlets and seminars alone.
The short film version of Under the Lights garnered significant attention and acclaim. What motivated you to expand it into a full-length feature, and how has the transition allowed you to delve deeper into the themes and characters?
I always wanted to do the feature, but I really had no understanding of the impact until the short came out. I regularly receive fan art and daily messages from people who felt seen for the first time. With no exaggeration, I know of people who are seizure free because they felt motivated to pursue treatment. I know of folks who changed their career paths because they felt moved by the film. More than a few sent me projects of their own they started after seeing how successful it was. I realised very quickly that if I could make a film with major stars, it could be the biggest thing for epilepsy awareness. Keep your eye out, it’s coming soon.
Beyond ‘Under the Lights’, what future projects or initiatives are you considering to further raise awareness and support for those living with epilepsy? How can audiences and supporters get involved in your mission?
If you’re interested in the project, watch the short and tell someone. If you run an organisation with a shared mission, use the film, it’s yours. I’m looking to partner with people and organisations who can use the work to help themselves be successful. I’ll aways be an advocate, and this project will outlive me.
I’d love to turn Under the Lights into a stage play to reach a different kind of audience.
You watch ‘Under the Lights’ below.
You can learn more about the film and get a notification when it’s out at www.underthelightsfilm.com
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