CREATOR HENRIK A. MEYER'S THOUGHTS
The idea behind “DIFFERENT” is to show that we have to respect each others’ differences, even though we don’t always agree with each other.
As human beings, we often have a hard time understanding and respecting someone we see as abnormal. We think we can help this person by telling them what we think is right for them, or by encouraging them to follow a different path. In this case, the people in Ajola’s life view her as sick and in need of fixing. Some people born with a missing limb would give everything they have to live a “normal” life with all their limbs. With body integrity identity disorder, you believe that one of your limbs doesn’t belong to you. Those people feel embarrassed being seen in public with that “wrong” limb attached to their body. Both types of people see their existence as flawed, regardless of what others in their lives see.
In this story, I want people to open their eyes and ears to listen, understand and respect each other as we are. Listening to each other is a great beginning. Many times we hear what we want to hear, and if someone tells you that they don’t want their right arm we immediately think there is something very wrong and we want to fix their “problem,” but instead we harm them more.
CINEMATIC LOOK
STYLE
The style of “DIFFERENT” is going to be shown from Ajola’s perspective. I want the audience feel her experiences first hand, especially the subtle difficulties that having her right arm causes her to suffer.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
AJOLA — 28, female, any race/ethnicity welcome (the character’s name can be changed). A snarky, sarcastic young woman with a mind of her own… and a case of body integrity identity disorder; she desperately wants to cut off her right arm. An independent spirit and a sense of humor is a plus. Think of the title characters of “Juno” or “Lady Bird”.
MOM — 60s, female, same race/ethnicity as Ajola. Traditional, set in her ways, opinionated and a bit of a busybody, but ultimately loving.
DARRYL — 34, male, African-American. Works behind the counter of his parents’ store. Handsome, with a low-key charm.
DR. FURST — Middle-aged, male. Professional but befuddled.
DR. HALIMI — Adult, female, diverse casting welcome. Empathetic but firm.
DR. LULEZIM —58, male, Russian or thereabouts. A back-alley mob doctor with a skeptical eye.
DIRECTOR - SCREENWRITER - STORY
Henrik A. Meyer found himself drawn to the camera at the age of 10 when he first started taking pictures, which turned into a lifelong passion for photography. Mr. Meyer took his first cinematography course at age 21, and he loved it so much that he moved to the USA in 1996, where he worked at Panavision LA and completed further cinematography courses. In 2010, he graduated from film school in New York City and received a diploma in Cinematography.
Mr. Meyer has collaborated closely with some of the most talented, award-winning cinematographers and directors in Denmark. In over 15 years as a 1st AC, he has worked on three International Emmy® Award-winning series, including UNIT 1 and FORSVAR with acclaimed director Niels Arden Oplev (director of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Swedish version). His extensive experience as a 1st AC allowed him to learn many skills that he holds today as a director of photography.
At present, Mr. Meyer has been steadily adding to his body of work as a director. He directed his short film THE BLUE CAR (see link below), which was shown in the D.C. Shorts Festival, as well as the Oxford Film Festival. With three more films currently underway, he hopes to continue his storytelling journey in this new role in addition to his lifelong passion as a cinematographer.
Henrik A. Meyer's showreel: www.henrikameyer.com
SCREENWRITER
Adam Bertocci is a filmmaker, screenwriter, author, accidental playwright, tasteless humorist and apparent polymath.
His award-winning short films, produced under his own banner of Guy in his Basement Productions, are mainstays on the festival circuit, exploring a wide variety of genres and topics with unforgettable performances, insightfully observed emotions and perversely miniscule budgets.
He has also written short scripts for other filmmakers, most notably the Christmas comedy Wreck the Halls starring Mickey Rooney, as well as a collection of well-regarded spec features. Whatever the scale or the genre, his scripts are acclaimed for their sharp dialogue and their playful blurring of the line between fantasy and reality.
Bertocci became both a playwright and an author off the meteoric success of his viral hit Two Gentlemen of Lebowski, a pop culture mashup that landed him theatrical production offers the day it went online, a literary agent in a week and a sold-out theatrical run off-off-Broadway within three months; it remains arguably the fastest-selling show in New York independent theatre history. The text is now published by Simon & Schuster in a beautifully illustrated, fully annotated edition to both commercial success and acclaim from critics and fans alike.
His prolific output has been honored with a bevy of awards, honors, press attention and critical praise: click here for a complete list.
Bertocci is a proud graduate of the film program at Northwestern University, with a minor in English literature. He works in and around New York; when not pursuing his own projects, he is a Final Cut Pro editor, titles designer and occasional animator / effects artist for film and television.
THE BLUE CAR
A film by Henrik A. Meyer
Send me an email for password.
Directed and Produced by Henrik A. Meyer.