Short Films by Abilities United The Home for Hollywood with disAbilities

There are 56 million Americans with a disability! There are one in four households have a person with a disability. That is 25% of American households!

Do you know someone with a disability? Are you someone with a disability?

How many of those with a disability are represented on television? In Movies?

Do you think that 25% of all the television and movies have someone with a disability in either a starring or supporting role?

That is where we come in. Along with others, Abilities United will provide prgrams that will close this huge gap between those with a disability and the media projects that include this very large and often over look group of Americans!

What Constitutes a Disability?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 defines ‘‘disability’’ as

‘‘(A) a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual;

(B) a record of such impairment; or

(C) being regarded as having such an impairment.’’

Just like with our feature films our short films and short stories also feature characters with a disability. Although short length films are not seen by general audiences very often, they play a major role in the motion picture and television production industry. Short films are often a starting point in a filmmakers career. It shows the type and abilities both creatively and with business sense. Working with budgets and making a movie just like a feature length but because it is shorter in length there is less finances and time at risk.

The short films are really exciting too. They are in different stages of completion. This is to show how we will have more sources under our unique elements and format of featured characters in non-stereotypical roles and stories. It will take more then just one or two feature films to break the stereotypes of those with a disability. We are prepared and anticipate this for the long run!

"Too Different For Who?"

Created in 2011 - Although I do not usually do documentary or true life film projects - this is a rare exception - necessary to explain exactly how it is for many of us who are often considered "too different" to work in this business (although rarely if ever will anyone in the industry openly admit it) - but I continue to work toward a change for a much brighter future that simply allows us to have a fair and equal opportunity to represent ourselves!

Thank you for all of your support for this cause and enjoy!

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"Mission Impossible AUP"

This was created in 2009 to raise awareness of those with a disAbility and with emphasis on paraplegics and the portrayal and representation in movies and television!

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Title: Glacial Breeze
Author: Larry N. Sapp II
Genre: Dramedy
Pitch: Swingers meets The Waterdance

Logline: "Love at first sight or more acurately the physical attraction and desire of someone at first sight is under the microscope when we see if that attraction and desire remain after they see and get to know the whole person?"

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		Title: Rolling Through Life Author: Larry N. Sapp II Genre: Drama Logline: "A paraplegic encounters people and circumstances in the city and suburbs as he chases his spare wheelchair wheel before it's lost forever."
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		Title: Flashed Before My Eyes Genre: Drama Logline: After a serious accident, a paraplegic has several scenes from his life primarily of his filmmaking career whose films feature characters with a disability flash before his eyes. But is it a flash back or flash forward? Is it the life he has lived or the destiny of the life he could live if he fights to survive in the Emergency Room?
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London Time

“Sunrise Surf” - Jack "Crusher" Cahill was paralyzed from a surfing accident 17 years ago as a rising star on the profession surfing championships. Now his life is spiraling out of control. Jack refuses to accept that his fame has faded, his business is failing and his son is following in his shadow and is now a pro surfer vying to be this season's surfing champion. Complicating all of this is typical father-son challenges, a supporting girlfriend who is tired of being taken advantage of, the mother of his son seeking legal means to get more financial support while restricting his visitation rights and his own use or abuse of alcohol, drugs and denial. Will everything continue down this road destined to end horribly or will he find himself before everyone else loses their desire to be with him?

“Up, Up and Far Away” - A novelist's single-engine plane crashes in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains while he was piloting and traveling alone to retreat to his summer home and work on a new novel. He wasn't expected to be in contact with anybody until he finished. Now without anyone knowing he is missing or crashed, he has to survive by himself with his damaged wheelchair all the while hoping to be rescued. If the wild animals do not kill him, how long will he be able to live in this environment with his limited mobility, physical challenges and new injuries from the plane crash?

“Downsizing” - A reclusive paraplegic mega corporate owner runs his empire from a multi-million dollar wheelchair accessible home. Known as a beast to be around, everyone except those employed and required to be there leaves him, which only makes him even more bitter and lonely. Suddenly he receives a rare visit. This one from a beautiful woman trying to save her father's job that he lost by the corporate downsizing. The beast requires her to stay at his estate as he decides her father's fate. Although reluctant she does for her father's sake and she ends up seeing past the beast's faults while showing him to himself in this contemporary tell of "Beauty and the Beast."

“Travelin' Man” - After surviving a spinal cord injury 10 years ago a computer and internet hacker finds his way into bank accounts he "reroutes" funds from international, offshore bank accounts he suspects are from the clients of major accounting firms who set up dummy businesses for tax shelter purposes. He justifies it by stealing from those who are cheating the government that is cheating him with a meager Social Security Disability check. He is very successful and accidentally hacks into a money laundering account from a well known and feared Organized Crime boss, whose own computer pros traces it back to him. Suddenly he takes off and travels all around the world to avoid being caught and killed but the “hit men” who are hot on his trail. Despite the fact that being in a wheelchair has helped in some circumstances it has hurt in others. Who has the advantage? Will the killers find him before he is forced into hiding forever or will he have the courage to finally stop running and hiding and turn the gun on them?

“Transaction Fee” - A paraplegic man takes everything society dishes out to him quietly until the he over hears the beautiful bank teller he has been trying to work up the nerve to ask out, wrapped up with her friends who are joking and mocking him. Then like clockwork the next day he rolls into the bank to add some money to his checking account and avoid an overdraft fee. Now this quiet shy man in a wheelchair has brought a gun into the bank and holds everyone hostage. Suddenly he is very outspoken and is going Postal!

“Double Action” - An action movie star is paralyzed in an injury on the set from an accident resulting from a stunt he insisted on performing himself. Now that the action roles are no longer being offered to a paraplegic actor, he concentrates on dramatic roles where his acting is praised by some critics but the public won't take him seriously as he has to overcome both his disability and own stereotype as an action hero.

“Live to Ride and Ride to Live” - a man who was paralyzed as a teenager 10 years ago is inspired to fulfill his life long dream of riding a wheelchair adapted Harley-Davidson motorcycle across the country to the Daytona Bike Festival. This road trip is like none other!

“First and Goal” - A college football coach who was paralyzed as a college player 20 years ago challenges his players to live life to the fullest and in the meantime the team challenges him to play in the Blister Bowl - a wheelchair football tournament held annually. Who learns from whom as the teacher becomes the student?

“Red, Yellow, Red Light” - An aspiring filmmaker tries to change public opinion of those like him with a disability. Frustrated that none of his writings of scripts, books, short stories, magazine and newspaper articles are taken seriously he is inspired by the one person who has always believed in him and his cause even though he may never see her as the romantic interest she wishes to be.

"Smile for the Camera” - A beautiful supermodel finds out just how much public opinion is tied to her self-worth when she tries to resume her career after she completes her rehabilitation from a paralyzing accident.

Abilities United Productions has the exclusive rights to these content-specific programs that are created to be entertainment for general audiences and a voice for the disabled community. All are written by Larry N. Sapp II, the founder and president of Abilities United Productions and is him self a paraplegic from a spinal cord injury he survived in 1995. This brings partial authenticity that along with hiring actors with a disability for these roles provides complete authentic entertainment that no other company provides and will create a loyal and repeating audience segment of moviegoers with a disability.