Okay, after writing that title, I realize that this sounds like it could be a fairly titillating post.
And, it will be.
Just not in the way you are thinking right now.
Wink.
Anywho…my friends all have really interesting jobs.
Not that I don’t, and I love teaching, but it doesn’t pack the same punch as when Kim says “Me? Oh, I work for Facebook.”
Yeah…see what I mean?
So, Michaela is a producer for “New York After Dark,” which is a documentary about living in NYC…and being blind.
The website for the film states:
Fact: Residents of Manhattan believe they live in the greatest city in the world. (Guilty, as charged.) There’s something about the grid of dirty water hotdog vendors, Broadway marquees, and yellow taxis – witnessed through the veil of a century of soot that reminds us that we are part of something historic. Something vital and constant. We feel a certain amount of ownership over the magic our city disperses to the throngs of visitors that all come to marvel at her.
What if we couldn’t see the sights? What if we were unable to grasp that intangible, electric spectacle? Would New York City hold the same enchantment for us? Do those vendor carts become obstacles along with the crowds of tourists all clustered around stage doors?
It seems so off-the-mark to consider that not having sight could put a person in less of a New York state of mind. After all, couldn’t they better hear the buskers…better smell the roasted nuts (and the aforementioned tourists)…better sense the maze of cornerstones?
We’re intrigued by what secrets our city shares with its blind residents. We’ve watched in wonder, trying to understand what the non-sighted experience must be like. So many questions about the day-to-day. Are blind residents targets for crime? Do they really count their entire commute? Do they agree they live in the greatest city on earth or is life in Manhattan simply a matter of easier accessibility?
And, it’s this fascination that’s leading us into the dark.
Fascinating.
Seriously.
I’ve been following NYAD on Facebook, and there are always interesting videos that they are posting, which really make you think.
Michaela actually challenged me, after the last one, and I’m hoping to write a post about it soon, but it was a tough challenge, so it’s taking awhile for me to get the right words.
So, today, I’d love for you to visit their website at http://nyafterdarkmovie.com/ and follow them on Facebook.
Click around when you get to the website, read the director’s notes, watch the trailer, see the production diaries, and think…really think about what it would be like to experience the city…if you couldn’t see it.
