Character Representation Pt. 2

 I said I would be back here to discuss how I will go about creating my characters, and here I am. I think a main question I should be asking myself is how should I create positive representations of these characters, if I cannot relate to them. Well first, I can definitely say I am not Deaf, nor do I have any deaf family members or close friends, so this may pose as a struggle to me on the surface. However, one of the main reasons I decided on a deaf main character is because I am currently learning ASL. The past three years I have been taking American Sign Language, which not only includes learning sign itself, but also about Deaf culture and traditions. Throughout more research of my film I plan on contacting my sign language teacher, Kimberly Russo, as well as a few Deaf acquaintances I met while at some Deaf events. With some of their guidance, and my previous knowledge from the class I may be able to have a very accurate and positive representation of my main character. There are also a few examples of movies/television shows I will use for reference.

Switched at Birth (2011)

Sweet Nothing In My Ear (2008)

For the other parts of my character I want to represent, I will continue to do more research to avoid harmful stereotypes, along with going with my own knowledge of that group. For example, I am already very aware about many of the issues faced within the LGBTQ+ community, from articles I’ve read, information from peers, and my own self discovery, but I will continue to watch examples of good representation of Queer/Gay individuals in films.