Over the past few months, I have followed Dominick Evans on Twitter. He’s created some thought-provoking conversations on the role of disabled people in media, representation of disabled actors in film and on TV, and the idea that Hollywood produces films that perpetuate the idea that it’s better to be dead than disabled.

 

About Dominick

 

Dominick lives in the metro New York City area with his partner in life and business, Ashtyn. He has Spinal Muscular atrophy, a progressive neurological disability, and lives with OCD. To navigate the world, he uses a wheelchair which currently is in need of repair. OCD presents its own challenges with concentration, but that makes working from home an ideal setup. In 2014, he graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in Motion Picture Production, and has a strong desire to direct. Dominick is Polish-American, left-handed, and has “actor” and “singer” listed on his resume.

 

About Electric Marshmallow Productions

 

Electric Marshmallow Productions is a writing and editing business with a branch in film and video production. Dominick and Ashtyn both write and edit contact for large corporations and small businesses alike, with Ashtyn doing much of the writing and Dominick primarily editing content. Disability activism is both a personal and a professional interest, as is activism in the LGBT community.

 

What’s Going On and What’s Next?

 

As part of Dominick’s film work, he moderates a frequent Twitter chat called #FilmDis which addresses media portrayals, representation and hiring practices of people with disabilities. Most recently, he has helped to start a conversation about the recent movie based on the book “Me before You”, which he maintains portrays the idea that it’s better to be dead than disabled. In the future, he hopes Electric Marshmallow Productions will operate specifically as a film and television company that changes perception of people with disabilities in mass media and ultimately in the wider world.