Once More, Like Rain Man

My name is Sue Ann Pien and I’m known for the show As We See It. When I was approached by Elaine Hall and 1in4 Coalition to do this project, I had already known our critically-acclaimed Amazon show did not get picked up. It was discouraging to know that a beautiful show such as As We See It could not find a lasting home in television history. I wanted that to change, because I saw how many people on the autism spectrum were able to work on set in all capacities as PAs, actors, writers, and more. Not only that, it was one of the kindest, and most heartwarming sets to be on and everyone brought their best to make Jason Katims’ beautiful storytelling come to life. People were wrongly mistaken about what autism is, can be, and what potential there is for employment of our special minds and skills.

The Areffis have three children on the autism spectrum of various degrees of dependency needs and they all contributed to “Once More, Like Rain Man”. Bella Zoe Martinez is our young teenage actress who wrote this script based on her own limited choices auditioning for roles in Hollywood and being pigeonholed by what the industry will write for her. As you can see, she has many talents and a full range that can continue to shine and develop, if the industry will give her chances to progress beyond the traditional roles people with disabilities get side-swept into when they hit that glass ceiling.

Suzann Ellis has two sons on the spectrum and having her mentorship, patience, and expertise to navigate us from development through completion of the film you’re watching was a direct result of her personal affection and understanding of how to engage autistic talent in a way that allows them to perform at their highest potential. I certainly could not have directed a film of this scope without her powerful guidance supporting our endeavor.

And she is not alone - many industry veterans and celebrities want to create a viable future for their beloved family members. As Jason Katims said several times while on panels promoting As We See It - up to 85% of the autistic community is unemployed. That is unnecessary, and with the right teams and leaders opening the pathways, we can create a space in the entertainment industry inclusive of people on the spectrum, who are neurodiverse, and disabled to add their skill set to filmmaking teams. We just need a little extra care, attention, and effort on your part to let us in, show us how to grow, and give us a bit more mercy when we’re still at our first fledgling attempts - like my directorial debut with “Once More, Like Rain Man”.

And yes - we are lucky to have the unwavering support of Darren Dean, Joe Mantegna, James Ponsoldt, Tracy Reiner, Sosie Bacon, Matt Jones, Easterseals non-profit, and many more veteran talent on our short film, but we would love to enlist your partnership as well! “Once More, Like Rain Man” is a proof of concept that people with and without disabilities can create stories that matter to us - and to stop perpetuating the societal prejudices behind movies like Sia's "Music" (that there are no good autistic actors available). Please help us to continue using this short film to open doors for our community. And, as ZOE says in her final monologue, “it’s up to us to make a future that includes us in it” - and hopefully that “us” now includes you too!

Sincerely,

Sue Ann Pien

Regards,
Sue Ann Pien
"Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series"
Nominee | 2023 Spirit Awards
SueAnnPien.com | MonolidProductions.com

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