Mar 6, 2009 10:51 am US/Pacific
Special Needs Students Get A Hollywood Ending
Developmentally Disabled Learn The Hollywood Ropes From Veteran Filmmaker
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Joey Travolta -- John's brother -- works as a teacher and filmmaker with special needs students, giving them a chance to learn the ins and outs of the movie biz.
CBS
He's a brother of a Hollywood superstar. You'll recognize his last name. But you may not be familiar with the first.
For up-and-coming film students, Joey Travolta is a superstar in his own right. CBS2's Stacey Butler sat down with the filmmaker who's giving back after decades of being given the chance to realize his own dreams.
His name makes him Hollywood royalty. But it's his heart that may well make Joey Travolta a legend. Not among the industry elite, but to a growing number of people who – until now – never had a chance to shine.
Before he received a degree in special education, became a prolific film director actor and musician and became known for being the brother of an acting icon, Joey Travolta rotated tires at his dad's body shop in Jersey.
"We grew up in a very blue collar neighborhood in the midst of a lot of racial tension in the 60's and my father was just, everyone was welcome at our table. He treated everybody equal and everybody with respect. And when you treat people with respect, they'll treat you with respect and that's something my father taught me," Travolta says.
Now, 30 years later....
"You never know what – you never know what can happen," Travolta says. "I believe everybody has a gift."
...Joey Travolta is putting the lessons his father taught him to practice.
"What these kids have to give us – they're the teachers. They teach us how to be the way my father was tolerant. My father was inclusive," he says.
After directing 20 films, Travolta could have retired...
"I got the golden ring. This is the golden ring as far as I'm concerned," Travolta says.
Instead John's big brother is using his expertise and Hollywood connections to return to his first love -- helping the developmentally disabled learn the movie business.
"It is a real set. It is a practical experience, the difference is they work alongside the pros and that's how they get their experience," Travolta says.
Inclusion Films started as a short film camp.
"Two parents who have an
autistic kid approached me about doing classes with special needs kids," he says.
Now as part of a full-time vocational program his students are casting.
"An actor comes in and I'm sure they think, 'what is this?'" Travolta says.
It is the first film written and directed by a Southland man – who has autism.
"Working on a movie, it was like the one time I didn't feel like I had anything wrong with me," student Tyler Norman said.
Travolta says, "not all of them are going to be film makers, some of them probably won't work, but what they'll come away with is great self esteem."
But some do find work as editors and production crew.
"I've always tried to downplay my disability and tried to get people to see beyond it and this is the first time in my life I can sorta be myself," student Michael Coony says.
In an industry known for casting off those who don't fit the mold, Joey Travolta makes it his business to include them.
"I feel like everything in my life has brought me to this point," Travolta says. "I wanna be remembered for the work I'm doing now. I'm hoping Tyler or one of these kids will go on to make a film and do great things and they become someone who's appreciated in society."
Inclusion Films relies on a number of sponsors, including the
Lanterman Regional Center. A spokesperson there called Travolta's program visionary and invaluable to the students.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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