…begin to occur in an environment of inclusion and mutual understanding
The Good Story starts with a tiny spark
You have probably already noticed in the materials of our Pl@tform how often we repeat that the change starts with me, you and us. And in The Good History section you will convince yourself that this is so: all projects, initiatives and inventions of the good for a better and fuller in worth life of young and old have started from a single spark of enthusiasm, desire, altruism, optimism and the belief that the world can be a really nice place to live.
Today’s story is about the Amazing Things project, which came up with independent animation director Alex Amelines. This is an ongoing animation initiative aimed at promoting understanding and acceptance in new and future generations on autism spectrum issues and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Amelines created a short film that he released with free online access for World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, 2017. The film tells the complex theme of autism with simple descriptions, easy-to-identify situations, and positive language; it is aimed mainly at children aged 7—11.
It all started with the idea of helping the local school where his child was studying with an educational animation about autism. It took several months for Alex to write the appropriate script with the help of the school’s special education needs coordinator, Professor Tony Attwood.
More than a year followed in which Alex painted the animation in his spare time. He was helped on a pro bono basis by other professionals in the entertainment industry: Scottish actor David Gant—the narrator in the film, composer Chris Harrington and sound engineer Mike Avgeros from Soho Sonic Studios, London.
The result: Amazing Things Happen…
The result titled Amazing Things Happen instantly became a viral and was warmly received by parents, teachers, and the very autistic community. And the amazing things keep happening, because Alex decided to continue to work in the direction of advocacy: after his short film, which started from a school assignment, he worked with the British Dyslexia Association, BBC Persia, Genius Within—a British social organization for neurodiversity and developing the potential and talents of people with neurological or mental disorders, the social initiative The Autism Plan and the British Safe Places National Network.
And here is one of the lovely animations, ‘Amazing Kids—Autistic Spectrum Condition:’ a first-person story, through the senses, words and heart of the amazing kids themselves!
Source:
Amazing Things Project. Official website: https://amazingthingshappen.tv/