David Berkowitz is a father to three boys two boys and a girl with autism. He knows a lot about the disorder, not only as a parent, but as an individual who is living with high-functioning autism himself. He is working on raising money to fund a documentary about how art, dance, music, and technology are helping people with autism in his home state of Nevada.
David was in a band for seven years, and he is passionate about the positive impact programs dedicated to the arts can have for individuals with autism. Many other people with autism agree that these types of programs are beneficial, including Temple Grandin, whom David has had the pleasure of meeting.
His documentary would cover several aspect of living with autism in the state of Nevada, including an overview of the current profit and non-profit programs that are available, especially those focusing on the arts, technology, and music therapy. He hopes to show what is being done now, and what will be done in the next year, to improve the lives of people living with autism in Nevada.
He also plans to film in-depth interviews with over ten families raising children with autism. David wants to share their struggles and their triumphs, and also their experiences with art and music programs. He will also share his own story, and that of his three children, all of whom are on the autism spectrum.
He has started a page on Kickstarter to raise funds for his project. The money raised will go towards equipment and production of the documentary. He needs film and editing equipment, audio mixing and editing, final color correction, DVD replication and packaging, a Digital Cinematic Package production to screen in cinemas and festivals, and festival submission costs.
A pledge of $5 earns a person thanks on David’s website and a happy thoughts e-mail. For $10 you get the thank you on the website and the e-mail, along with a digital postcard from the film. For $25 you get all of the above, plus a digital download of the movie when it becomes available. Pledges of $50 earn a copy of the DVD. Individuals who pledge $200 will have their name listed in the credits under the title “Angels”, and they will receive a music kit for autism. Pledges of $500 will get their name listed in the credits, 2 music kits, and a $50 donation in their name to featsonv.org. A donation of $1000 gets your name listed on the credits, 2 music kits, and a $100 donation in your name to featsonv.org.
While there are many documentaries about families raising children with autism, this one will be unique in that it is being created by an individual who is on the autism spectrum himself. His position as a person living with autism, who is also raising three children with the disorder, will certainly bring a unique perspective to this film.
Please visit his Kickstarter page at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1456183616/documentary-about-autism-in-las-vegas-and-music-th.