SPECTRUM
“ The Mission of this film is to highlight that we all have worth regardless of where we place on the spectrum “
Spectrum
"Spectrum" explores the life of Steve, a man with autism, as he navigates a world that often isolates him. Along the way, Steve redefines what it means to be a superhero, facing challenges with courage, resilience, and deep humanity. Through his journey, we witness the transformative power of acceptance and the untapped potential for greatness within every individual, no matter where they fall on the spectrum.
The film is authentically cast with actors with neurodivergent/autism while being supported by acclaimed actors including Bafta Winner Wunmi Mosaku (Loki / Black Mirror / Deadpool & Wolverine)
Spectrum (Short Film) 30mins
THE INSPIRATION
I’m Rick Stanton, a self represented filmmaker working as a freelance Director.
I was raised in a council flat in Plaistow, East London from a large working class family (my mum one of Nine) and my dad being the closest person I knew to working within show business (he worked nights in a porno warehouse stacking mags and VHS)
I grew up sharing a room with my younger brother Steve, who has autism. This has given me a lived in shared experience of his journey from childhood to adulthood. Witnessing his daily challenges, and seeing his growth in various aspects of life inspired me to create this 30 minute film “Spectrum”
This story draws inspiration from his experiences as well as those of many others with autism.
The film is authentically cast with Steve playing the lead role. Plus Steve’s friends within the film are also non trained actors with neurodivergent/autism. While being supported by acclaimed actors:
Including Bafta winner Wunmi Mosaku for her performance in “Damilola, Our Loved Boy” (Loki / Black Mirror) & stage actor Hasan Dixon (War Horse).
- The Making of Spectrum -
WRITING
Drawing from the classic advice of "write what you know," I initially crafted the end sequence based on a real-life experience of mine. Using that as a foundation, I worked backwards with the idea of how the situation might have unfolded for a person with autism: how they would react and how we would depict their journey leading up to that pivotal moment. With Steve in mind for the lead role and the overarching theme of autism as a superpower, I found the inspiration and tools needed to write the script.
WORKING WITH NON ACTORS
This part of the filmmaking journey was special because none of the non-actors actually read the full script; they were simply informed about the film's overall premise. This approach was intentional, as I believed that handing my brother and other non trained actors a 20-page script to read would be overwhelming and distract from their performance.
DIRECTION
The way we would work…On arrival on a shoot day I would brief the cast on the scene E.G “Steve you’re in the bedroom playing PlayStation with Karl (a friend) who is suggesting you should wear a suit for a job interview. I would then suggest dialog but then allow the cast to freely improvise the scene within their own words. This was to create an environment that kept the dialog as naturalistic as possible and to not pile pressure on people to land their lines. I would then guide their performances to keep the story on track or lean into any gems of POV they had on the subject matter.
This is how we achieved getting the best out of each actor resulting in authentic and compelling performances.
THE SMALL CREW
With a crew of just three people. Self Shooting Director (myself), DOP (Michael Baxter) & Sound Operator (Ollie Beard). This was kept very small to not make the process intimidating for the cast, also to keep the budget as low as possible.
AESTHETIC
I chose to shoot the film in 4:3 aspect ratio as I wanted the character of Steve to feel boxed in. Due to his lack of opportunity his world is small. This ratio widens to 2.35 at the climax of the film as his opportunity to prove himself arises.
We also shot in black and white to refer to how people with autism often have a tendency to view situations, emotions, and ideas in absolutes or extremes a “black and white” way of thinking.
FINANCE
This was a self funded project which had a total budget of £6k. Which I was able to fund due to investing in myself with some money I received when my nan sadly passed away. (it was a film or a holiday)
